Queen for a Day....or More
By June E. Tuttle
June 1991 Newsletter
Reprinted with permission from Perspectives on Cats, Spring 1986, a publication of
the Cornell Feline Health Center, College of Beterinary Medicine, Ithaca, NY.
Are you prepared to be "Queen for a Day"? It could suddenly happen to you if
your breeding queen dies after giving birth, rejects her offspring, is unable to feed all of her
young, or she has a mammary disorder such as masstitis. The task of "substitute queen" requires
meticulous attention to details and accurate record keeping. A simple log book will keep you informed
as to the progress of each kitten and provides hepful data if a kitten begins to fail.
Kittens should be weighed at birth on a gram scale (newly born kittens usually
weigh between 90 - 100 grams) and then on a daily basis for the first two weeks. In addititon
to food, warmth is also essential to the well-being of newborn kittens. A consistent temperature of
21 degrees C (70 degrees F) is recommended for the first three weeks. This can be accomplished
by building a temporary incubator, utilizing a standard household 60 - watt bulb placed approximately
2 1/2 feet above the kittens.
When a queen licks her kittens she is not only cleaning them, but also stimulating
them to urinate and defecate. Massaging the anal area with a warm, damp cotton ball will provide
the same stimuli for the kittens. This should be continued for 21 days or until the kittens are
capable of eliminating on their own.
A Look at Milk Substitutes
Cow's Milk:
Erroneously, some people believe that cow's milk can be substituted for queen's mile. Analysis
of cow's milk shows that the calcium to phosphorus ration and lactose levels are too high; and
the energy, protein, and fat levels are too low to sustain a growing kitten. Enriched cow's
milk (adding egg yolk) will increase the protein and fat levels to a more reasonable level; however,
the calcium and phosphorus levels are four times higher than that of queen's milk. Enriched
milk is an unsuitable substitute for the long term, but it can be used temporarily until a more
appropriate milk replacer is obtained.
Human Milk Replacers:
When the formula is make up at twice the recommended concentration for babies, it can be used
on a short term basis for kittens. The percentage of nutrients in baby formulas is simular to
cow's milk, except that the lactose level is reduced. Also, it provides less than 50% of the
protein and fat needed for a growing kitten.
Commercial Formulas:
The best substitutes are commercial products such as KMR (Bordens), Havolac (Haver Co.),
Veta-lac (Vet-A-Mix, Inc.), or Climicat (Hoechst U.K. Ltd.) which have been specifically
formulated to closely match the nutrients found in queen's milk. Although Climicat has a
highter calcium to phosphorus ratio than queen's milk, no adverse effects have been reported. In
fact, the slightly higher ratio seems to provide for better calcification of the kitten's
skeleton.
How Much to Feed?
Obviously, intake is limited by the size of the stomach. Also, excessive fluid intake must
be avoided because a newborn kitten's kidneys are functionally immature and have limited
capacity. Numerous feedings throughout the day, usually every 4 hours, will provent overloading
the digestive system and kidneys. The number of feedings can be decreased and the intake per
feeding increased accordingly as the kitten matures.
The daily intake of feed is based on the kitten's energy requirement. According
to a study by Taylor and Graham (Iowa State Coll. Vet. 33:144, 1971), kittens need 380 Kilcalories
per kilogram. You will need to calculate the daily amount of milk replacer rquired. Begin by
dividing the kitten's weight in grams by 1000 to determine the weight in kilograms (step 1). Then
take this amount and multiply it by 380 calories (step 2). The result provides you with the
daily amount of kilocalories needed to sustain the newborn kitten. Refer to the nutrition label
on the milk replacer to determine how much will be needed to reach the required caloric intake.
Divide the amount needed by the kitten by the caloric value of the milk replacer (step 3). Take
the total for the day and divide it by the number of feedings per day (step 4). The following
example shows the mathematical process step by step.
Example:
Kitten's weight: 100 grams
Formula's caloric value: 88.5 kcal./100 ml.
Step 1: 100 gm divided by 1000 equals 0.1 kg. needed per day.
Step 2: 0.1 kb. x 380 kcal. equals 38.0 kcal. needed per day.
Step 3: 38/88.5 x 100 equals 43 ml. formula needed per day.
Step 4: 43 divided by 6 (number of feedings per day) equals 7.1 ml/feeding.
Some milk replacers provide a feeding chart which eliminates the need to do
any calculations. If you are using KMR do not exceed 5 ml. of formula per feeding of newborn
kittens for the first week. Thereafter, you can slowly increase the amount fed per feeding.
Formula should not be fed to a weak and hypothermic kitten. Instead a dilute
dextrose solution (5%) and lactated Ringer's solution should be given. Also, the kitten's body
temperature should be gradually increased in a warm enviornment (85 - 90 degrees F).
The best criteria for proper feeding is a steady weight gain of 10 grams or
1/3 ounce per day and a normal stool (firm and yellowish). Also the number of stools usually
approximates the number of feedings per day.
Summary
Attention to detail is very important when hand-rearing newborn kittens. A log
book containing the information on the kitten's daily weight, feeding times, amount fed per
feeding and general care administered will assist you in your role as substitue queen. Secondly,
the formula used should closely resemble the nutrient content in the queen's milk for proper
growth and health of the kittens. Finally, maintain the highest degree of cleanliness to avoid
the possibiliby of infecting susceptible kittens to viral and/or bacterial infections.