Bottle-Fed Kitten's Personality: What Pet Owners Need To Know

Most of the time, cats are loving mothers but occasionally, humans have to step in and take care of the kittens if the mama cat is nowhere in sight. Normally, cats that grow up in the care of humans often have several differences compared to their mom-raised friends. That being said, as long as cat owners could firmly grasp the mentality of the pets, bottle-fed kittens would mature into well-behaved cats. But what should you do if you take in a couple of stray kittens on a whim while knowing nothing about bottle-fed kitten's personality?

In case you somehow become the caretaker of a number of orphaned kittens without any preparation whatsoever, take a good look at this article. Down below is everything that first-time cat owners have to remember regarding the issue of bottle-fed kitten's personality. Generally speaking, it's possible for inexperienced people to successfully raise stray kittens assuming that they have some guidance around. So stay focus, pay attention and proceed to put the following information into good use.

Characteristics Of The Average Kittens

Before we discuss the temperament of bottle-fed kittens, let's talk about the characteristics of kittens as a whole. Once you know what to expect of the average kittens, it's simple to understand bottle-fed kitten's personality.

• Temperament Begins With The Moms

Similar to humans, the conditions of the mother cats while pregnant have significant influences on the kittens including their mental. Overall, if the cat is malnourished, anxious and so on at the moment of birth, its kittens might end up with troubles like aggression, fear,... Therefore, people at cat shelters always attempt to keep the mother cats in reasonably good condition so as the kittens could enter the world healthy. Pet owners that have a voice in the matter should also make sure that pregnant cats receive enough daily nutrients.

• Mom-Kitten Interactions Are Important

Newborn kittens require frequent social contact with the moms in order to get a good grip on their surroundings. Without the mothers, kittens tend to be wary of humans, cats and virtually every other being in the immediate vicinity. Fortunately, by bottle-feeding stray kittens in suitable manners, you would be able to avoid that scenario with relative ease. In fact, most bottle-fed kittens seem to feel extra comfortable around the human as well.

• Kittens Learn From Mother Cats

In the case you are familiar with the word "copycat", you could absorb this point without much difficulty at all.

Kittens acquire behaviors of their moms and as a result, they instinctively react in the same way in similar situations. For example, if the mother cats decide to hide in the presence of humans, the kittens shall likely follow suit. Once again, pet owners need to remind themselves that the behaviors of the moms dictate the mind of the kittens. So if the kittens got abandoned, it's up to you to show them the ropes in their mother stead.

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Bottle-Fed Kittens: Common Troubles

Without the moms by their side, it comes as no surprise that bottle-fed kitten's personality is not developed properly which might lead to painful accidents down the road.

• Misuse Of Teeth And Claws

All cat owners around the globe know that play-fight make up a substantial portion of their pet daily activities. At first, the fact that your fluffy friend like to nip your finger using its tiny teeth now and then is no cause for concern. However, if you fail to correct that behavior, things would get nasty as the kittens get bigger and sharper teeth. Mother cats would teach the kittens how to use teeth and claw without accidentally harming loved ones but in your case, it's your task. Be strict and hiss at your kittens to stop them from biting/clawing you again.

• Unable To Use Litter Box

Usually, kittens that live right alongside their mothers learn how to locate, use and bury wastes in the litter box. Hence, kittens that got left alone after birth have no idea what a litter box is which leads to a smelly outcome on many occasions. Imagine that you go home after a tiring day at work only to see that your kitten leave "gifts" for you in the living room. Train your kitten to use the litter box if you suspect that they are separated from the moms too early. As always, make sure that the number of litter boxes equals the number of kittens.

• Fail To Realize Social Boundaries

Bottle-fed kittens tend to have a hard time determining what they could and could not do around human caretakers. Some would grow up as mere nuisances but others might put physical as well as mental strain on their owners. Unless you want to spend a good part of your life with fluffy tyrants, it's strongly recommended that you keep a close eye on the behaviors of the pets. In any case, refrain from actually hitting your kittens if they commit faults as that tends to exacerbate the situation.

Bottle-Feeding Your Kittens: Tips And Tricks For Pet Owners

• Prepare The Milk Thoroughly

At young ages, the primary way for most kittens to acquire nutrients is through the milk of the mother cats.

For you to feed your kittens milk through a bottle, there are a couple of things you have to prepare. First, you have to sterilize the bottle along with the nipple before each meal by submerging them in boiling water. Next, secure milk powders for cats but in a pinch, condensed milk should be sufficient. Finally, pour the milk into the bottle, test the temperature (not too hot, not too cold), attach the nipple and give it to your kittens.

• Lay The Kittens Face-Down

Some pet owners feed their kittens as if the cats are human babies but that is rather dangerous for them. You must lay your kittens in a face-down position while hovering the milk bottle on top of the pets. Let the cats come to the bottle instead of pushing the nipple at their face. 

• Massage The Kitten's Belly

After every meal, the mother cats lick the belly of their kittens to stimulate the digestive system and facilitate defecation. That is why cat owners should attempt to massage the belly of newborn pet to help the pets excrete