How To Get A Kitten To Latch Onto A Bottle

Due to the fact that feeding bottles are designed to be used with cats and dogs of different sizes, the nipples that attach to the bottle do not come pre-cut. To cut a nipple for your kitten, grab a pair of cuticle scissors and cut the top of the nipple twice to create an X-shaped slit. If your kitten is struggling with bottle feeding because they're sick or were born prematurely, use a syringe instead of a bottle. If you cannot get your kitten to drink the formula, take them to a vet as soon as possible to avoid dangerous complications with your kitten's health.

1
Buy a feeding bottle and formula for your kitten from a pet store. Go to a pet store and find the aisle with kitten supplies. Purchase a feeding bottle and a set of nipples. You cannot use a standard baby bottle and nipple to feed your kitten since the nipple is too big. You also need a formula designed specifically for kittens, so pick some up. It should be in the same aisle as the feeding bottle.^[1]
- You can purchase pre-cut nipples, but these tend to be poorly designed. It's generally better if you cut a hole specifically for your cat based on their size and needs.
- You may need to do this if you take in a stray kitten that has been orphaned or you're breeding cats yourself. Do not buy a cat that is so young that it requires bottle feeding.
Warning: Make sure that you get kitten formula, not a product called "cat milk." Cat milk is a flavored treat designed for adult cats, but it lacks the nutrients that growing kittens need. Never use cow milk to feed your cat.
2
Get a syringe nipple kit for smaller kittens that can't use a bottle. For small, sick, or premature kittens, the standard bottle and nipple may be too hard to pull milk out of. For these cats, purchase a feeding syringe and nipple set. These nipples are smaller, which make them easier to bite, and the syringe allows you to push the formula out.^[2]
- These items should be in the same aisle as the kitten formula, nipples, and bottle.
3
Pinch the nipple with your nondominant hand to flatten it. Wash your hand thoroughly, first. Set your nipple down on a stable work surface. Use your nondominant thumb and index finger to pinch the base of the nipple. Make sure that the top 1 in (2.5 cm) of the nipple is exposed to give yourself room to make your cut.^[3]
- You're going to cut an X into the top of the nipple by pinching it, cutting it from the top, and then turning and pinching it from the other side.
4
Make your first cut on top of the nipple using cuticle scissors. Grab a pair of cuticle scissors and disinfect them with rubbing alcohol. Once they dry, hold the scissors directly over the nipple and point the blades down. Open the scissor blades and wrap them around the 2 sides of the flattened tip. Squeeze the blades slowly together to make your first vertical cut. Make this cut 0.25–0.75 inches (0.64–1.91 cm) based on the size of your kitten.^[4]
- The smaller and younger the cat, the bigger the opening needs to be so it can easily suck the formula out of the bottle. To make a larger slit, simply put the tips of your scissor blades closer to your fingers as you're pinching the nipple.
- You can use nippers or a small knife if you prefer. Cuticle scissors are the perfect size for this, though.
- If you aren't sure how big you need to make the cut, start small. You can always make a cut bigger, but you can't make it smaller.
- You can also poke a hole through the inside of the nipple with a sharp needle.^[5]
5

Rearrange your grip to pinch the nipple from the other side. Release the nipple and rotate your grip to reorient your next cut. Squeeze the base of the nipple so that your first cut runs along the crest of the nipple as you're holding the plastic together.^[6]
6
Cut the top of the nipple again to finish your cross cut. Hold your cuticle scissors directly over the nipple and repeat the cutting process. Make your second cut perpendicular to your first cut, and make the length roughly identical to the first cut. Release the nipple.^[7]
- It should now look like there's an X carved into the top of your bottle.
7

Turn the bottle upside down to see if it drips slowly. To test your bottle, fill it with any liquid and turn it upside down. Do not squeeze it. If the liquid drips out of the tip one droplet at a time, your nipple is perfect. If no liquid comes out, repeat the cutting process and make the cut deeper. If there's a steady stream of liquid coming out, toss the nipple out and try again.^[8] ^[9]

1
Feed your kitten formula every 2-6 hours based on their age. When they're 1 week old, feed your kitten once every 2-3 hours. When they're 2 weeks old, feed your kitten every 4-6 hours. By 3 weeks old, feed your kitten every 4-6 hours. Once they hit 4 weeks of age, start weaning them off of the bottle or syringe.^[10]
- During the first 12-24 hours of kitten's life, it is extremely important that they only get milk from their mother. The first milk, which is also called colostrum, has unique nutrients in it that the kitten really needs to start growing.
- A well-fed kitten should have a visibly-full belly, but it shouldn't be hard to the touch or swollen.
- If your kitten has diarrhea, you're probably feeding them too often.
- You may need to continue feeding your kitten formula when they're 4-6 weeks old if they're struggling to chew the wet food.
2
Give your kitten 8 milliliters (0.27 fl oz) of formula per 1 oz (28 g) of body weight. How much formula you pour into your bottle or syringe is entirely dependent on how much your kitten weighs. Generally speaking, kittens should be fed 8 milliliters (0.27 fl oz) of formula for every 1 oz (28 g) of body weight. Divide this number based on how many meals the kitten requires every day.^[11]
- For example, if your kitten is 2 weeks old, they require roughly 4 meals every day. If they weigh 2 ounces (57 g), they need 16 milliliters (0.54 fl oz) of formula. This comes out to roughly 4 milliliters (0.1 fl oz) of formula per meal.
- If your bottle uses cubic centimeters instead of millimeters, don't worry. They're the same exact thing—1 cc is the same as 1 ml.
3

Put the formula in warm water or microwave it before feeding. The formula must be heated to be a little warmer than room temperature. To do this, put the bottle of formula in a small bowl of warm water for 3-5 minutes. Alternatively, you can microwave the formula for 10 seconds.^[12]
4
Set your kitten down on a stable surface, belly down. As you may have noticed, kittens are not nearly as agile or stable as adult cats. To keep them from injuring themselves, put a towel in a small bin or on the ground. Set your kitten on top of it. Gently apply pressure to the kitten's back to get them to lay down on their belly.^[13]
- Don't feed your kitten while you're holding it. If they slide around, they can fall out of your arms and get seriously hurt.
Warning: If your kitten is physically cold, do not feed them. Wrap them in a blanket and hold them for 2-3 minutes to warm them up.
5
Turn the bottle over at a slight angle and let your kitten drink. Raise the bottle slightly above the kittens head and tilt the nipple over to a 10- to 20-degree angle. Hold the nipple near your cat's mouth and let them drink the formula. If the cat won't latch on to the bottle and you've recently fed them, they may not be hungry. If it's been over 2 hours though, they may not understand what's going on. Be patient and gently put the nipple against the kitten's mouth to let them know what they're supposed to do.^[14]
- Do not force the nipple into your kitten's mouth. Instead, put it against their chin or on top of their nose.
- This process is the same if you're using a syringe. The only difference is that you need to push the end of the syringe to give the kitten its formula. Once the kitten is latched on to the syringe, push the back of it extremely gently. Continue pushing as the kitten laps the formula up. If they start spitting formula up or it begins dripping down their chin, slow down to give them time to catch up.
6
Wean your kitten off of formula after they're 4 weeks old. Once your kitten is 4 weeks old, begin weaning them off of the bottle. Switch from the bottle or syringe to a spoon and let the kitten lap their formula up from the utensil. After 1 week of spoon-feeding, begin giving the kitten its formula in a saucer. After 5-6 weeks, start mixing canned food with the formula. Over the next 2-3 weeks, slowly reduce the amount of formula you use until you've fully transitioned to wet food.^[15]
- This process will be easier for some cats and harder for others. The timelines mentioned above are general guidelines.
- When mixing canned food with formula, mix it together with a spoon to turn it into a soft paste.

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Question

How much should I cut it?

Dr. Natalie Punt is a Veterinarian and the Founder and CEO of mPet. She specializes in small animal emergency and general medicine and veterinary practice economics. Dr. Punt holds a BS in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from The University of California, Davis, an MS in Biochemistry from The University at Buffalo, and a DVM from Western University of Health Sciences.

Veterinarian

Expert Answer

Use a very small nipper to nip the end of the nipple just enough so that a small stream of milk gets out. You do not want to create a thick stream. If you need to be more precise, try using a needle to poke the nipple from the inside.