Feline How-To Manual: Feeding the Cat - Including Newborn Kitten Feeding ~ Pawprints and Purrs, Inc.

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Any health care links located here are NOT to replace a veterinarian visit; please take your cat to a vet immediately at any sign of odd behavior or any symptoms of illness or injury. Call your vet and describe your cat's symptoms with any of your concerns about the cat's well-being. Your veterinarian may discover changes in your cat's health that you have overlooked. It is always better to err on the side of caution.

Feeding the Cat - Including Newborn Kitten Feeding

Choosing a Diet for a Healthy Cat

Pet guardianship, like parenting, doesn't come with an owner's manual. Therefore, when choosing a pet food, most people rely on advice and information that is readily available: friends, family, past experiences, books, pamphlets, a vet's recommendation, and in most cases, advertising.

However, one quick stroll down the aisle of the grocery or pet store will attest to the fact that many of the claims made by pet food companies are nonnutritional and nonscientific, and have little to do with providing a well-balanced, free from harmful excesses diet for animals. Examples of these claims include variety, kibble size, shape or color, convenience of packaging, flavor, and even how the product comes out of the package or can. Scientific claims for highest level of nutrition and quality, meeting or exceeding government standards, or feeding trials are largely unsubstantiated and misleading. Here are some features you should insist upon:

Fixed formulation. These foods are prepared using the same set of ingredients in every batch. Unless the label says "fixed formulation," you should assume that the manufacturer uses ingredients that are the least expensive at the time. The FDA does not require that the label on a can or box be changed for six months. For this reason, what you see on the label may not actually be what is in the product.
Digestibility. Highly digestible diets mean that more nutrients are actually available to the cat. There is less waste to clean out of the litter box and your cat will eat less, which means it costs less to feed a highly digestible food. This is especially important for kittens. Kittens must consume larger quantities of poorly digestible diets in order to obtain adequate calories and nutrients for growth and development, which may be impossible with their small stomach capacity.
Palatability. The most nutritious diet in the world is useless unless a cat will actually eat it. Fat, protein, salt, temperature, acidity or alkalinity, and texture are very important palatability factors for cats. These can be used to coax a cat to eat when he's not feeling well. Some of these factors can be very harmful - salt, for instance. On the other hand, just because a diet is palatable, doesn't mean that it is nutritious or even good for your cat. For example: diets made with beef tallow are very palatable to cats, but beef tallow is a relatively poor quality source of essential fatty acids. Fish, also extremely palatable, contains potentially harmful excesses of minerals and possibly substances that destroy thiamine or cause pansteatitis.
Balanced for the particular stage in the cat's life. Nutrient requirements change depending upon the life stage of the cat. The energy and nutrient requirements for a growing kitten and pregnant queen are nearly double that of a nonpregnant adult cat. If a cat food is labeled "for all stages of growth and maintenance," you should be aware that that food is formulated to meet the greater needs of kittens and pregnant adults and could contain excessive amounts of nutrients that may be harmful to the nonpregnant adult cat and to cats with certain diseases.

Diets for Sick Cats

Sick cats require special considerations as to diet. For cats who continue to eat even in the face of an illness, their regular diet is probably fine, provided there is adequate caloric and nutrient intake, including water. You can monitor this by weighing your cat and noting any weight loss. An additional check on water intake is to test the skin turgor or hydration. The advantage of sticking with the same food is that there is less of a problem with vomiting or diarrhea that so often occurs with a change in diet.

Diet often plays a role in the treatment of disease in veterinary medicine. Veterinarians use research based principles to control diseases in animals. There are scientifically forumulated prepared canned, dry, and liquid foods available by prescription through your veterinarian. The importance of clinical nutrition in the recovery from disease cannot be overemphasized. In many situations, the dietary management used in treatment is as important, or more, than the drugs. If you are advised by your vet to use a specially formulated presciption diet, you should follow those instructions as closely as you would for giving medications.

Prescription diets are unlike any commercially available cat food. These diets should not contain unnecessary amounts of protein, fat, or salt to enhance the flavor as do most cat foods. These diets mostly likely do not have the same texture or "mouth-feel" as your cat's regular diet either, although many prescription diets are formulated in both canned and dry forms.

For these reasons, your cat may not willingly eat a prescription diet when it is first offered. This lack of cooperation is much the same problem that physicians have with patients instructed to change their eating habits significantly. Cats are even less open to reasoning than people.

While home-cooked diets are very difficult to balance and are not advisable in the long run, sometimes it is necessary to prepare a special diet for your cat. This may be the case for a cat with a food intolerance that necessitates a very simple diet with few ingredients to be fed as a food trial. Home-cooked diets are becoming increasingly unnecessary, as more and more prescription diets have been developed to meet a cat's special needs. If your vet specifies a home-cooked diet, follow the recipe exactly. Do not substitute ingredients unless you check with the doctor first.

Assisted Feeding

A lack of interest in food doesn't necessarily mean that your cat isn't feeling well. If your cat is indoor/outdoor, he may be eating elsewhere, or has caught his own meal in the wild. The finicky cat, one who turns up his nose at your offering, is a creature created by the human's own need to please. It is simple to prevent this behavior - simply choose a well-balanced, high-quality food during kittenhood and stick with it.

Variety in the diet is something that humans crave, not cats. It is hard to believe that a mother cat, while teaching her kittens to hunt, would pass up a mouse just because they had a mouse dinner yesterday.

You are the best person to judge whether your cat is just being finicky, or truly inappetant. A true lack of appetite, lasting longer than 24 hours, probably signals illness and shouldn't be ignored. It is better to have a vet examine the cat early, than to wait for several days or a week.

Cats who do not take in any food for 48 hours or more are at high risk of developing a liver disease called hepatic lipidosis (fatty liver syndrome). The exact mechanism by which this disease develops is not completely understood. It probably relates to the cat's unique metabolism and liver physiology. Hepatic lipidosis results in the accumulation of fat in the liver which interferes with the function of the normal liver tissue. Obese cats who stop eating for any reason are particularly susceptible, but all cats can be effected.

Cats who are ill from other diseases - respiratory infections, wounds, injuries, cancers, etc. - should be made to eat as soon as possible. There are very few diseases where withholding food is important in treatment - vomiting or diarrhea may be two of these exceptions. Failure to provide adequate intake of nutrients, especially protein, will result in rapid weight loss and a very noticeable loss of muscle, because the cat will use his own body tissues for energy. Without protein, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, and water, the immune system cannot fight infection, wounds cannot heal, and nervous tissue, especially the brain, will not function properly. Antibiotics and other drugs cannot compensate for lack of food. Most medications work in concert, not independently, of the immune and organ systems of the body for their intended effects.

Hand-feeding

There are a variety of methods to get a cat to eat. The voluntary intake is the method most people use because it is obviously the easiest. You can make your cat's regular diet more palatable by warming it to room temperature or slightly above by microwaving or steaming. The addition of broth, either home-made or low-sodium canned type, to make a gravy will work well. The texture and how a food feels inside the mouth seems to be more important with cats than with other species. Some cats prefer chunks of food, others prefer ground or pureed foods. During an illness, your cat's preferences may change from what he prefers when in good health.

While most vets normally do not recommend top dressing a balanced cat food with cooked meats, baby foods, or cottage cheese, some will make an exception if it is needed to get food into an ill cat. Most veterinarians will prescribe an already pureed diet made specifically for the purpose of feeding stressed or anorectic dogs and cats. Of course, this diet is obtained from your veterinarian.

Placing the food in front of your cat and then stroking his head and neck can stimulate him to eat. Putting the first dollop into his mouth may be all he needs to continue on his own. You can also dab a little on his nose or paw and get him to lick it off. Some ill cats prefer to eat off a flat plate or out of your hand, instead of a bowl. If your cats seems to lose interest in canned food once it has been flattened to the walls of the bowl or edge of the dish, stir it up with a fork, back to your cat's preferred texture.

Syringe-feeding

If your cat will not voluntarily take in significant amounts of food, he can be force-fed by syringe. To do this, you can use a puree made with either your cat's regular cat food or a prescription diet, strained to remove the larger particles. There is a prescription diet already prepared in this form that is appropriate for most ill cats. Some vets use liquid diets, either those made for people and sold at pharmacies, or those made for veterinary patients. However, liquid diets are messy to use and it is difficult to feed a cat a significant volume of the diet with a syringe. Still, your cat may be willing to lap a liquid diet from a bowl.

To syringe-feed your cat, draw up a managable volume into an appropriate syringe. Your veterinarian will provide you with either a regular syringe without a needle or a feeding syringe with a special tip that can be inserted into the mouth and towards the back of the tongue. Insert the syringe either directly into the front of the cat's mouth, or through the side in the space between the upper and lower jaw. Squirt a little bit into his mouth and allow him to swallow. You should only syringe-feed a cat who is fully conscious and capable of swallowing.

Tube-feeding

If adequate amounts of nutrition cannot be fed by hand or syringe, it is very appropriate to use a tube. Feeding tubes can be inserted and left in place for an indefinite period of time, or they can be inserted just for feedings, as is most often the case for newborn kittens. Tube-feeding can make all the difference in the world to recovery, and you can have your cat at home, even with these tubes.

The simplest and least stressful type of feeding tube is one that is inserted in through the nose and down into the lower esophagus or stomach. Your vet can do this using a few drops of a local anesthetic in the nostril in an already depressed cat, or with a light sedative. These tubes are then sutured into place over the bridge of the nose, avoiding the whiskers. An Elizabethan collar around the cat's neck will prevent him from taking the tube out. Sometimes a cat will sneeze this tube out, but replacing it is fairly easy. Because these tubes have a very small diameter, a fairly liquid diet will be necessary.

Larger feeding tubes can be placed through the cheek area and down the esophagus, or directly into the esophagus on the side of the neck. These feeding tubes require anesthesia and surgical placement. They can be used longer and are generally better tolerated by the cat. Also, the diet doesn't have to as liquid in consistency, which means there is a greater flexibility in providing the most appropriate nutrition to the patient.

A more practical method of tube feeding involves placement of a tube directly into the stomach and can be used for months at a time. It requires complete anesthesia and either a surgical procedure or the use of a special piece of equipment called an endoscope. Depending upon the circumstances of your cat, a gastrostomy (stomach) tube may be the best choice.

Regardless of the type of tube used, the procedure for tube-feeding is the same. In each case, squirt a small amount of tap water into the tube first, to make sure that the tube isn't plugged. It helps to warm the diet to room temperature or slightly above. Then place into the feeding syringe the amount of food you intend to feed. Administer it slowly and watch for any signs of distress or potential vomiting. This usually isn't a problem unless you try and feed too much at one meal, or the cat has an intolerance to one of the ingredients in the diet. Once your cat has been fed, squirt enough tap water through the tube to clear it. If you have removed an Elizabethan collar or bandage in order to make the tube more accessible, be sure to replace it right away.

Feeding Newborn Kittens

If a newborn kitten or entire litter is in your care because of adandonment or the death of the mother, your job is probably going to be easier than if the kitten is failing to thrive under his own mother's care.

Newborn kittens require a liquid diet that closely matches the nutrients of the mother's milk. Such milk replacements are found in a powdered form that requires mixing with water, or in a can already reconstituted. The powdered form is preferred by most care-takers because it can be made up fresh. These formulas require refrigeration and have a relatively short shelf-life when opened. You can purchase milk replacement from your veterinarian and from many pet stores.

When you purchase the formula, you will need to buy a pet nurser, too. These look like a doll's baby bottle. You WILL need to cut a hole in the nipple - don't pierce it with a pin - MAKE A SMALL CUT DIAGONALLY with a pair of scissors. The opening in the nipple must be big enough to cause a drip when the bottle is inverted.

As a starting point, don't follow the recommendations on the can for the volume of diet your kitten will need for one day. It's way too much. It's safe to feed the kitten as much as he will take up every two to four hours the first three days of life. The second week you should gradually cut down to two ounces of formula per every two to four hours. As a general rule, a kitten should have about 8cc of formula per ounce of body weight per day. Most kittens will not require any middle of the night feedings.

To bottle feed your kitten, warm approximately two ounces of fresh formula in a pan of warm water. Check the formula temperature on your wrist before feeding. Avoid making the formula so warm that it could scald your kitten's digestive tract. Hold the kitten in the palm of your hand in an upright position rather than on his back. Most kittens will readily accept the nipple if you put it in their mouth. If he doesn't begin sucking right away, squeeze a few drops into his mouth. If the kitten falls asleep before the two ounces is taken, wiggle the bottle in his mouth a little to remind him he has a meal to finish.

Kitten's Age
1 Week
2 Weeks
3 Weeks
4 Weeks
5 Weeks

Body Weight of Kitten
4 oz.
7 oz.
10 oz.
13 oz.
16 oz.

Total Formula Per Day
32cc or 1.1 oz
56cc or 1.9 oz
80cc or 2.6 oz
104cc or 3.5 oz
128cc or 4.3 oz

Feedings Per Day
9-12
7-9
7-9
5-7
5-7

Newborn kittens do not urinate or defecate on their own, but rely on their mother to stimulate these reflexes. The mother does this by licking under the kitten's tail. After every meal, you will need to stroke the kitten under the tail with a warm, wet cotton ball, to stimulate urination and defecation. Newborn kittens pass nearly colorless urine because it is very dilute, so watch closely for drops of urine to appear. The kitten's stool or feces will be very soft and light in color.

If he continues to cry in-between meals, he may be constipated. Submerging the kitten's hindquarters in a warm water bath will sometimes help. He may require a gentle enema to get things moving along. You should bring the kitten to your vet for an enema.

Kittens with a poor suckling reflex who fail to thrive will require tube-feeding. Your vet will show you how to do this and give you the feeding tube and syringe. He will advise you as to the volume of formula to feed at each meal, and the frequency of the feedings.

If you're unable to get to a vet for supplies and instructions, you will need to purchase, from a pharmacy or medical supply retailer, a catheter tubing (size 5 French for smaller kittens, 8 or 10 for larger ones) and a syringe. Weigh the kitten and calculate how much formula he gets in a 24 hour period (recommendations are on the formula can). Divide this into 6 feedings. The first step is to measure and mark the tube so that you know how far to insert it. Mark the tube at the distance between the kitten's last rib and the tip of the nose. This puts the tube as far as his stomach. Have the formula warmed and drawn up into the syringe, making sure there is no air in the tube. Wet the end of the tube so that it will slide easier. Hold the kitten upright, let him taste the formula and push the tube into the back of his mouth. Most kittens will fuss a little at this point as the tube enters the upper esophagus. Try to keep the kitten's head and neck held at a normal angle, rather than with the neck extended or flexed. This will make it easier to enter the esophagus, and avoiding accidentally entering the trachea or windpipe. Kittens will not necessarily cough if the tube enters the trachea.

The tube should easily enter the esophagus. If you encounter any resistance, withdraw the tube and try again. Your kitten may try to chew the tube as it is passed. Pass the tube into the stomach as far as the mark. Sometimes you can feel the end of the tube in the stomach. Attach the syringe to the end of the tube, and slowly push the plunger and give the formula. Do not feed too much or too fast, or your kitten may regurgitate and breathe in the formula. If the tube accidentally entered the trachea, a small amount of formula in the lungs is not necessarily fatal, but is a grave problem. Fortunately, placing the tube in the trachea and lungs is harder than you may think. You may be able to alternate tube feeding with bottle feeding. As your kitten becomes stronger, tube feeding will become unnecessary.

At about three weeks of age, when your kitten's eyes and ears open and he begins to explore his environment, begin to mix warm milk replacement with a canned kitten-growth formula diet on a flat plate. When he begins to cry for food, put the plate in front of him and gently push his little face into it. At first he'll probably suck out the liquid. If he doesn't catch on, just bottle feed as usual. After a day or two he'll get the idea and begin to take mouthfuls of the mixture.

Over a couple of weeks, gradually reduce the amount of milk replacement until he's eating solid food. Don't rush this process. You can begin to offer a dry kitten-growth diet at about eight weeks of age.

Additional How-to Articles:

Article   1: How to Choose a Vet
Article   2: Hospital Admission of Your Cat
Article 3: Preventive Care: Vaccinations, Serologic Testing, Spaying & Neutering
Article   4: Preventative Care - Dental Care, Flea Control, and Grooming
Article   5: Cooperation - Restraint Procedures and Trimming Claws
Article   6: Keeping Records
Article   7: Care in the Sick Room
Article   8: Keeping Watch - Your Cat's Vital Signs
Article   9: Nutrition for the Cat
Article 10: Feeding the Cat - Including Newborn Kitten Feeding
Article 11: Medications and Prescriptions
Article 12: Basic Nursing 101
Article 13: Managing Bandages and Splints
Article 14: Before and After Surgery and Dentistry
Article 15: Pregnancy and Delivery
Article 16: Euthanasia

Page URL: http://www.sniksnak.com/cathealth/howto10.html

Resource References:
Caring for Your Sick Cat Carol Himsel Daly, DVM and veterinary consultant
Cat Doctor, Mark Evans, B Vet Med MRVCS
Cornell Book of Cats, Cornell Feline Health Center, Cornell University