It is past midnight, and a small box sits beside your bed, lined with a soft towel. Inside, a kitten no bigger than your hand stirs and gives a tiny squeak. You warm a bottle, check a few drops on your wrist, and settle the kitten on its belly in your lap. It latches on and starts to knead with its paws.
For the next few weeks, you are its mother. It sounds like a lot, and it is, but you do not have to guess. A few simple rules carry you through.
Newborn kittens cannot keep themselves warm, cannot see well, and cannot go to the toilet on their own. Without a mother, they depend on you around the clock. It is hard work, especially in the first two weeks, but a few simple rules make a big difference. This guide focuses on kittens; newborn puppies need the same basic care, with a milk replacer made for puppies and their own feeding amounts from a vet.
Before you start, make sure the kittens really are orphans. A mother cat often leaves her litter for hours. See what to do if you find kittens outside. Then contact a veterinarian as early as possible: very young animals can become sick very quickly.
- Warmth comes first. Until 3 to 4 weeks old, kittens cannot keep themselves warm. Never feed a cold kitten.
- Kitten milk replacer only. Never cow’s milk, goat’s milk, baby formula or plant milk. Feed the kitten on its belly, never on its back.
- Help them go to the toilet. After every feeding, gently rub the belly end with a warm, damp cotton ball until about 3 to 4 weeks old.
- Weigh every day. Healthy kittens gain about 10 to 15 grams a day. Weight loss is a reason to call a vet.
- Know the danger signs. A cold, limp or weak kitten that will not feed needs a vet right away.
What you need
A warm box, a heat source, kitten milk replacer, kitten bottles and a gram scale are the essentials.
See the full checklist
- A box or pet carrier with high sides, lined with soft towels or fleece
- A heat source: a pet-safe heating pad with a low setting, or a warm water bottle
- Commercial kitten milk replacer (powder or liquid)
- Bottles and nipples, or small syringes, made for kittens
- A kitchen or postal scale that measures in grams
- Cotton balls or soft cloths for toileting, and unscented baby wipes or a damp cloth for cleaning
- A notebook to record feedings, weights and toileting
Step 1: Warmth comes first
Until about 3 to 4 weeks of age, kittens cannot control their own body temperature, and a cold kitten cannot digest food. So the first rule is: always warm before you feed.
If a kitten feels cool: warm it slowly, for example against your skin under your clothes or wrapped in a towel on the heat source. Do not feed it until it is warm and moving normally. If it does not respond within about 20 to 30 minutes, contact a vet immediately.
How to set up a safe warm nest
A mother cat keeps her kittens warm with her body. Without her, a kitten can get cold very fast.
- Place the heating pad on its lowest setting under half of the box, with two or three layers of towel between the pad and the kittens. A warm water bottle wrapped in cloth also works; rewarm it before it cools down.
- The kittens must be able to crawl away from the heat if they get too warm. A kitten cannot move away from a heat source that covers the whole box.
- Keep the box in a quiet, draft-free room, away from other pets.
- A healthy kitten feels warm to the touch, including its paws and mouth. Newborn kittens normally run a little cooler than adult cats, so judge by touch and behavior, and ask a vet if you are unsure.
Step 2: Bottle-feeding safely
Use the right milk, feed the kitten on its belly, and let it suck at its own pace.
Never give cow’s milk, goat’s milk, human baby formula or plant milks. They can cause diarrhea and dehydration, which can be fatal in small kittens. Use a commercial milk replacer made for kittens.
Never feed a kitten lying on its back. Milk can go into the lungs, which can cause pneumonia.
Read the full steps
Prepare it carefully.
- Wash your hands and clean all bottles and nipples before each use.
- Mix the formula exactly as the package says, with no lumps.
- Warm it by standing the bottle in a cup of hot water. Do not use a microwave, which makes hot spots. Test a few drops on the inside of your wrist: it should feel warm, not hot.
- Store opened or mixed formula as the package directs, usually in the refrigerator, and throw away old formula.
Prepare the nipple. New nipples often have no hole or a hole that is too big. When you turn the bottle upside down, formula should come out in slow drops, not a stream.
Feed in the right position.
- Place the kitten on its belly on a towel, on your lap or a table, with its head level. This is how kittens nurse from their mother.
- Never feed a kitten lying on its back. Milk can go into the lungs, which can cause pneumonia.
- Gently open the mouth and slide the nipple in. Hold the bottle at a slight angle so the kitten swallows milk, not air.
- Let the kitten suck at its own pace. A kitten that is feeding well makes a steady sucking motion and may knead with its paws.
- Do not squeeze formula into the mouth. If milk comes out of the nose, stop, hold the kitten with its head slightly down, and wipe its nose. Let it rest before trying again.
After the feeding: gently pat or rub the kitten’s back while it lies on its belly to help release air. Wipe its face with a warm, damp cloth so milk does not dry on the fur and irritate the skin.
How much and how often? Newborns need feeding about every 2 hours, including overnight. The gap slowly grows as the kitten gets bigger. See the kitten age and feeding chart for amounts by age, and follow the formula instructions and your vet’s advice. If a kitten will not suck at all, do not force it; contact a vet.
Step 3: Helping them go to the toilet
Mother cats lick their kittens to make them urinate and pass stool. Until about 3 to 4 weeks of age, you need to do this after every feeding.
How to do it, and what is normal
- Gently rub the genital and anal area with a warm, damp cotton ball or soft cloth, using short, light strokes. Most kittens urinate within a minute or so.
- Urine should be pale yellow. Very dark urine, or no urine, is a reason to ask your vet.
- Kittens usually pass stool one to four times a day. No stool for more than a day or two, or watery stool, needs a vet’s advice.
- Clean and dry the kitten afterwards. Change the bedding whenever it gets dirty or wet.
At around 3 to 4 weeks, put a shallow tray with non-clumping litter in the box. Most kittens learn to use it quickly, often after watching or being placed in it after meals.
Step 4: Weigh every day
Weigh each kitten at the same time every day and write it down. Healthy kittens typically gain about 10–15 grams a day. Weight loss, or no weight gain for a day or two, is a reason to call a vet. Weight changes often show a problem before a kitten looks unwell.
Danger signs: see a vet urgently
Newborn kittens can go downhill within hours. This rapid decline is sometimes called “fading kitten syndrome”, and it is an emergency.
Contact a veterinarian right away if a kitten is:
- Cold to the touch, limp, or not responding to you
- Refusing to feed, or sucking only weakly
- Having diarrhea, especially watery or bloody
- Crying constantly and unable to settle, or making unusual cries
- Breathing with effort or with an open mouth, or has milk coming from the nose
- Vomiting, or has a hard, swollen belly
- Showing crusty eyes, sneezing or nasal discharge
- Losing weight or not gaining
While you arrange care, keep the kitten warm. Do not try to force food into a weak kitten, and do not give any medicine unless a vet tells you to.
Weaning
From around 4 to 5 weeks, when the canine teeth come in, start offering formula in a shallow dish.
Read the full steps
Mix the formula with a little wet kitten food to make a thin gruel, and make it thicker over the next one to two weeks. Keep bottle-feeding as needed until the kitten eats enough from the dish to keep gaining weight. Most kittens eat wet and dry kitten food on their own by 6 to 8 weeks, with fresh water always available.
Frequently asked questions
Can I give an orphaned kitten cow's milk if I have nothing else?
No. Cow’s milk can cause diarrhea, which quickly dehydrates small kittens. Keep the kitten warm and get kitten milk replacer as soon as possible. A local vet or pet shop can help.
Do I really need to feed newborn kittens at night?
Yes. Kittens in their first two weeks need feeding about every 2 hours, day and night. Their stomachs are small and they cannot go long without food.
How do I know if a kitten is getting enough milk?
The best sign is steady daily weight gain. A well-fed kitten also sleeps quietly between feedings and has a rounded, soft belly. Constant crying and weight loss are warning signs.
When can kittens stop being stimulated to pee?
Most kittens start going on their own at about 3 to 4 weeks, when they begin using a litter tray. Keep checking that each kitten is urinating and passing stool.
Can one person raise orphaned kittens alone?
Yes, but newborns are very demanding. If you cannot manage round-the-clock care, ask a local animal shelter or rescue group whether an experienced foster volunteer can help. Our fostering guide explains what fostering involves.
Sources
- Kitten Lady – Bottle Feeding
- Kitten Lady – How to Determine a Kitten’s Age
- Best Friends Animal Society – Bottle-Feeding Kittens
- Maddie’s Fund – Kitten Bottle Feeding and Stomach Capacity Chart
- Alley Cat Allies – Newborn Kitten Progression & Cat Age Chart
- National Kitten Coalition – Understanding and Defeating Fading Kitten Syndrome
This guide is general information and not a substitute for veterinary advice.
