Wow... I love how everyone is so quick to point out the "species specific" comment but also quick to forget how many HUMANS drink COW milk. As for me, I think I will allow my four kittens to drink the pumped breastmilk. Thanks everyone... Also good to know that no ones kittens died from drinking their human breastmilk- lol!
I breastfeed my kitten and she is the most lovable kitten because of it. She is very attached and even lays her little paws on my breast while she drinks. There is a special bond there that would not otherwise be there. She looks at me like her mother. But it is up to you what you feel comfortable with. There is nothing wrong with my kitten. I mean, we drink cows milk and that's not a human...
My wife and I have been feeding one of our kittens that our queen rejected. My wife just squeezes a little milk in a cup and I put in in a sandwich bag and poke a little hole in it... The kitten bounced back in one day. It still is half the size and needs a feed every our and a half but its doing well. Our queen is no longer rejecting the kitten thanks to human breast milk!!
If you really love your kittens and if there is no medical harm involved, just put a kitten to one of your nipples and let him suckle, provided you are comfortable doing that. Ignore brash and rude comments. A kitten is a mammal and is a dear pet.
I am glad that I came across this. I have a kitten that someone dumped that is no more than four weeks old. I have been pumping for him as I do not keep formula in the home, and am not about to go buy some. My vet had told my neighbor just recently to give infant formula to a kitten her cat rejected, so in my eyes my breast milk would be even better for my little guy.
I have a 8 hour old kitten that wont take my queens boob, so I gave it some of my wifes milk, and so far hes takin my cats boob! Human breast milk just saved an otherwise helpless form of feline flesh... So disregard your species specific comment, I can handle a kittens runny poop, if it means that kitten will live till tomorrow
My mother breastfed our kitten because it was the only way to keep it from being a pest! The kitten is now a cat, and nothing is wrong. She didn't do all the time, though.
I would not give your kitten breast milk. Milk is somewhat species specific. Cow's milk and most likely human milk can cause diarrhea and gastrointestinal upset in kittens. If kitten's need milk supplementation kitten milk replacer can be purchased in pet stores. At 8 weeks old these kittens should not need milk supplementation and should be on kitten food.
I love anmals and kids and nursed each of my four humans....but this is the craziest thing I ever heard. Actually nursing kittens? We have gone too far on the "my pet is part of the family" Please clean your nipples well before findng you babies, hopefully the cats don't fight with the babies for milk.
I probably would avoid giving your cat any human breast milk.If they are yearning for some milk get them breast milk developed especially for kittens.The enzymes are different in every type of milk and you probably should stick with what they naturally drink.
Saying a kitten can drink human milk is the same as saying a human can drink a whales milk. We're all mammals right? WRONG! Human milk is for humans, Whales milk is for whales, Cows milk is for cows, Cats milk is for Kittens. The enzymes in the milk of each mammal is specific for that animal, and is not interchangeable. Human milk, cows milk, or any other mammal milk that isn't from a cat, can kill your kitten in a number of ways; the number one way being diarrhea; Diarrhea is a death sentence for most kittens. They will also suffer from malnutrition, and gastrointestinal imbalance which can be very difficult to reverse without the proper medication dosed, and prescribed by a veterinarian. I highly doubt a certified veterinarian would suggest feeding a kitten baby formula, or human breast milk. Keep your boobs for your kids, and go to the pet store to buy proper kitten formula if they must have milk. If you must bond with your kitten, then pet it! And NEVER feed cows milk at any age. Not all mammals are the same.
