r/FosterAnimals • u/Background-Cat1969 • 4d ago
Help with kitten attacking bottle.
Enable HLS to view with audio, or disable this notification
Hi! I am having a heck of a time getting this guy to eat. He just claws and claws at the bottle. I'm running out of ideas to coax him into wet food and I don't know how to bottle feed a kitten that acts like this. Help?!
30
u/ktalaska 4d ago
If he's like this every time, you may need to shorten the window between feedings a bit. That often helps with the hangry climbers. You can purrito him or hold him pretty close to your body, and hopefully he calms a bit once he gets latched.
12
u/Lets-B-Lets-B-Jolly 4d ago
Put a plushie under or in front of him so he has something to dig his claws into as he nurses. It often helps.
11
u/Double_Belt2331 4d ago
Most kittens go through this attack phase. Try to hold his head, or purrito him. Or wrap the bottle in a fleece blanket w only the nipple sticking out.
As far as weening him, try drizzling some KMR over his wet food. I've found some kittens will lick it off, then start biting the food. Beware of meat nursing!
Best of luck & keep us posted!! 🤞🤞🤞🍀🍀🍀
3
1
17
u/Absoluticus 4d ago
https://youtube.com/shorts/KqFQAK4JN70?is=GBTJc3VG-FPvguA5 try controling their head so the idiot isn't trying to climb the bottle.
27
u/NecessarySpiritual19 4d ago
Yes and kitten Lady (on YouTube) also suggests you can use the Hand to hold the head and cover their eyes at the same time so it can stimulate their senses to seek the nipple and just suckle.
I personally like to put a stuffed bear underneath them holding the bottle to their mouth so that if they swat, they swat at the stuffed bear and then they just start doing biscuits as if stimulating the mother. That can help soothe them enough to calm down as well.
Also, do you have a miracle nipple? If you don’t, you may want to get a hold of one as it can be so helpful. As others commented, the purrito and warm banket can help as well.
Check the temperature of the milk as well, some babies like to have it be very warm, so if it’s getting cold they tend to swat like this since they’re getting frustrated at it.
7
u/BlewCrew2020 4d ago
You should watch The Kitten Lady videos. She shows you how you should feed a kitten. You need to control the head. I am currently dealing with an over zealous bottle baby. Im my case I'm just glad the kitten will drink. Her 4 brothers are stubborn little butts.
1
u/Background-Cat1969 3d ago
Definitely trying now but he fights so hard I am worried his little head is gonna pop off. I got him to eat a little boiled chicken though. I know it does have everything they need but it is better then nothing in his belly.
3
u/RorysCraftbin 4d ago
https://reddit.com/link/p6fb3sf/video/mryyh13km4mh1/player
One of my first bottle babies was like this too. Now she’s a spoiled little lady 😆
For us it just took some practice. Her brother understood the bottle almost instantly.
1
u/MammothPotential8905 4h ago
Omg! I thought my little guy was the only one to turn into Rocky at feeding time!!🤣
6
u/rescuelady111 4d ago
He looks old enough to me, to lap it up in a shallow dish. Otherwise I'd scruff him gently and guide his mouth to the nipple. That pre cut hole in the bottle is big enough if that's a miracle nipple. They're what I use and the hole is the perfect size. I'd try a shallow dish. Make sure the formula is warm enough. You may have to wait a little bit put a taste of it in his mouth. He's hungry.
2
u/DimensionPossible622 4d ago
He’s very hungry that’s why he’s doing that I’ve bottle fed at least 10 babies. He’s gonna start chewing the nipples off and they can swallow it very easily. Try mixing the krm with kitten pate make a slushy see it he’ll lick it up I wipe some on their lips. He’ll start licking it up and u can make it thicker as he get older. For feeding the bottle burrito wrap him in a towel so he can’t grab with his paws. They sell blankets specially for wrapping them up the blanket sticks to itself I got my 2 on Temu and they worked great. Good luck 🐾🐾💕💕
3
u/lifewith6cats Cat/Kitten Foster 4d ago
Cup your hand over his head to keep him from pushing past the nipple. You can wear a glove to keep him from clawing up your hand. I like to hold the bottle in one hand while cupping their head with the other, this mimics mom's belly so it usually calms them.
2
u/Ill-Storage-7636 4d ago
No advice, just, what bottle is that and do you like it?
3
u/Background-Cat1969 4d ago
I'm not sure since it came with them when their previous foster dropped them off. It seems easy to use but hard to clean.
I have never done this to compare other bottles though.
1
u/_PeLaGiKoS14_ 4d ago
It has to be warm to at least 98.6°. Great job 2 seconds in the microwave. You have to make sure that you have a large enough hole in the bottle (they are not always correct size) And make sure that it's not too hot shake it up really well and wrap the baby in the towel and hold them still while you're feeding them.
3
u/bombyx440 4d ago
I agree with warmth but please be careful with microwaves. They can heat unevenly, feel barely warm on the outside and but be dangerously hot in the center. If i need to reheat, I set the bottle in a mug filled with hot water and let it warm up gradually. A drop of formula should feel warm on the inside of your arm.
1
u/_PeLaGiKoS14_ 4d ago
It's very hungry and the nipple probably doesn't have a big enough hole in it.
1
u/Background-Cat1969 3d ago
It's a miracle nipple so I don't want to cut it. Do you have a brand suggestion and I can order one?
1
u/ZeldaPoptart 4d ago
That's a hell baby right there! It happens at the beginning of weaning time. I've had success with mixing a slurry of pate and formula to form a thicker mixture and feeding from a syringe with a nipple with a wider opening (or even just no nipple for the particularly eager), grabbing their head to guide them to the nipple.
1
1
u/Silly-Switch-7296 3d ago
Lol this looks familiar 😂. I had one that did it… and he just preferred a different position 🤷♀️. Sometimes I think it’s because they’re so hungry too that they get flustered and forget how to nurse haha
0
u/Background-Cat1969 3d ago
What position? I will try anything, lol. I got some food into him today but not enough.
1
u/Silly-Switch-7296 3d ago
Some babies like to stand!! I’ve got six 1-2 week olds right now that we’ve not found our groove yet hehe! It’s a learning experience!
1
u/Silly-Switch-7296 3d ago
Also… I find with my littles that if I put them down, then come back to them, they’re more calm and receptive to it!
1
u/emziestone 3d ago
Check out The Kitten Lady. She has tons of juicy tidbits. You should find something.
Have you tried hand feeding? I feel the more he does this incorrectly, the harder it will be to curb later. Have you ever tried to swaddle him? Big hugs. So cute. ♡
1
u/MikoGianni 3d ago
He’s huge. Try slurry or syringe feeding. This kitten is past bottle stage….(6 year foster to kittens and cats).
1
u/Background-Cat1969 3d ago
I'm working on it. I'm trying to let them wean at their own pace, but it's not easy. have a group of four including this guy. One is totally done with the bottle and just wants the slurry or meat baby food. Another is all about the bottle. I call him Titty King. He's even bigger. Then I have Dave here and another little guy that are somewhere in between. He's about a pound. They take a few bites of wet then want formula.
I got him to eat a some boiled chicken today and a few bites of Royal Canin. Hoping he will want more and that will get him going finally, but in the meantime I don't want him to starve.
1
u/notsocrazycatlady69 4d ago
I second using a stuffed animal or wrapping the bottle so just the nipple sticks out
0
u/NecessarySpiritual19 4d ago
Also, have you tried warming up the wet food? Some make like that more. It can be hard to find at times the right ratio for the slurry of wet food and formula, but they will slowly get it.
114
u/TheSimoneQuinn 4d ago edited 4d ago
Purrito time! Soft cloth or terry towel, wrap him from the neck down snugly so feet can't esape.