This morning I found 2 kittens under my porch, the mother cat was very young, too young to have kittens but she was dropped on our farm nonetheless. Undoubtedly stressed out the new mother snapped as she refuses to take care of them, so I've got kitten formula and two bottles for the kittens. Their eyes are barely opening and their ears are still closed, that's how I guaged and age for them. They refuse the bottle, hate the bottle with a passion, the lick it every now and then and are getting some milk in their systems. I just found them earlier today and have tried several feedings with them. I know it's mostly because they are scared of me but is there a way to make them take to the bottle easier?

I've been fostering just shy of 10 years, and I still can't get kittens to take to a bottle. A friend has been fostering with me, and she can do it. It takes a certain skill, and making sure there is a good opening on the nipple. You might want to start by cutting more of it off so it is very easy for the kittens to get the milk out with out much effort. pets question and answers,www.5d2d.com

I personally skip the frustration of those first few learning sessions, and I feed with an oral syringe. Vets have them, so do most pharmacies (I went to CVS recently and asked, and was given a number of them for free) or you can even buy a nice large one in the human baby section of your local mega mart as that is what a lot of mothers give their babies medicine with.

You need to go slow when syringe feeding so you don't force more in then they can swallow and they don't inhale it. Just a drop or two the first time, and you can gauge from there how the kitten is handling it. Better to give too little then too much:) I've even gotten kittens to suck the formula right out of the syringe which is uber adorable.

Don't forget to keep them warm - and allow a cooler spot for them to wiggle off so they don't over heat. You 'll need to feed them every two hours (every x hours for every x weeks old) and then stimulate them to pee and poop after. it is a freaking lot of work, not hard, just frequent.

foster home for a local shelter for years

Here is a website to help you: D Good luck on the kittens

http://cats.about.com/cs/kittencare/ht/bottlefeed.htm

call your vet

I took both of our cats from their mothers while they were still too young. They preferred after washing hands when I dipped my finger in the milk and let them lick it off. They easily adapt to milk in a bowl after that. Get a tiny bowl and hold it for them and just keep an eye that their whole head doesnt go in the milk. At first they may dip their whole heads in and snort out the milk. They will be fine, just grab them gently if their head starts to tip in or hold their head for them. Both of my cats absolutely loved the bonding experience with doing it from the fingertip over the bottle. Hope this helps.