What Kind of Milk Can I Give a Day Old Kitten?

In general, a commercially available milk replacer is recommended for orphaned kittens. But what to feed a kitten that can't nurse from its mother can be problematic when commercial cat milk replacer isn't available. There are a few recipes for cat milk replacements you can make at home until you can obtain a commercial cat milk replacer. There are also foods you should never feed to newborn kittens. Feed newborn kittens with warm milk replacement every three hours. A kitten needs about 8 cubic centimeters of formula for every ounce of body weight each day.

  1. Baby Food

    • Buy a jar of baby food that contains 100 percent chicken with no added vegetables or seasonings. Mix with some warm water to make a very thin formula and feed the mixture to the kitten.

    Gelatin

    • Pour one envelope of unflavored gelatin into 12 ounces of boiling water and stir to dissolve. Pour the gelatin water into a blender and add 12 ounces of evaporated milk, one egg yolk, 1 tablespoon light corn syrup, 2 tablespoons plain yogurt and 2 tablespoons mayonnaise. Blend ingredients together and store in the refrigerator for up to seven days. Warm before feeding to the kitten.

    Whole Egg

    • Mix one fresh whole egg, 2 tablespoons protein supplement, 1 tablespoon sweetened condensed milk and 1 teaspoon corn oil with 1 cup of water. Mix ingredients thoroughly and feed warm to the kitten.

    What Not to Feed

    • Cow or goat milk doesn't have the necessary nutrients for newborn kittens. Mixing raw egg whites with honey is sometimes used as a milk replacement. Raw egg white may lead to Biotin deficiency, which can cause skin lesions, alopecia, scaly dermatitis and loss of body weight as the deficiency progresses. Honey may contain bacteria, which can be fatal to the kittens.