Best Milk Replacement For Kittens

PetAg KMR is the go to milk replacement for many kitten fosters and animal shelters. It contains everything kittens need during their first four weeks of life and closely resembles the nutritional profile of a mother cat’s milk.

Unfortunately, it does contain cow’s milk. If your kittens get diarrhea or vomits after drinking this kitten milk replacer, they are probably lactose intolerant and you should switch to a different formula without cow’s milk.

PetAg KMR is a powdered formula, like most of the products on our list, though it does also come in a canned liquid version. It looks and works pretty much the same as human baby formula. You add the powder to warm water and mix it until it is fully dissolved. Then you can use a syringe or a feeding bottle for small pets to feed it to your kittens.

Some kitten parents complain that the powder doesn’t easily dissolve, which results in a lumpy mixture. This should be avoided, since ingesting the dry, undissolved powder can lead to constipation.

To get a perfectly mixed solution, first mix the powder with a bit of cold water. This helps to create a smoother mixture. When you are sure all of the formula has absorbed water and there are no lumps, you can add warm water to dilute it to the desired consistency. Leave it for a few minutes to allow the milk powder to dissolve.

Once mixed, the milk replacer can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. Simply reheat it when you are ready to start the feeding.

If you are raising an orphaned kitten, or your kittens are less than three days old, your best option is to give them a kitten milk replacer that contains colostrum, like Well & Good Milk Replacer Powder for Kittens.

As we explained, colostrum is essential to a kitten’s survival, since it supports the immune system and helps to mature the gut. If your kittens are malnourished, or you at all suspect that they might not have gotten their mother’s milk for the first two days of their life, then give them this formula.

Well & Good KMR does not contain cow’s milk, so it is easy to digest and won’t cause loose stools because of lactose intolerance. Unfortunately, it does contain corn syrup, which some cats are allergic to.

The only real downside to this kitten milk replacer is that it doesn’t seem to contain any Vitamin E, which is essential for a good immune system and the production of red blood cells. Therefore, we advise you to switch to PetAg KMR as soon as your kittens have gained enough weight.

Once your kittens are four to six weeks old, you can start the weaning process. Not all kittens will be immediately ready for this, whether they are bottle fed or feeding from their mother. Depending on your kittens, you can use a weaning formula, like PetAg KMR 2nd Step.

PetAg KMR 2nd Step contains all the nutrients that kittens from four to eight weeks old need to grow and develop further into cats. The texture is a bit more grainy than the regular KMR, which gets the kittens used to eating more solid foods.

Because of the extra nutrients, this formula is also perfect for older, underweight cats that suffer from illness or allergies. PetAg KMR 2nd Step is an easily digestible way to give your cat the calories they need to keep up their health.

Like the regular KMR, 2nd Step KMR contains cow’s milk. Again, if you notice your kittens getting diarrhea after switching to this formula, try a different one as they are likely lactose intolerant. A great alternative for kittens older than four weeks is goat’s milk.

If you foster kittens regularly or are taking care of a larger litter, you might be looking for a more affordable way to keep them all fed. Hartz Kitten Milk Replacer is a great option to consider.

Hartz KMR does not contain cow’s milk, so you don’t need to worry about runny stools with this one. And kittens seem to love it! This might be because of the artificial flavors, though. It also has a very sweet smell that reminds me of strawberries. Not exactly what you would expect from a kitten milk replacer.

This product has a rather high fat content than most KMR products, so make sure you don’t overfeed your kittens. Stick to the instructions, though, and you should be fine.

Some kittens don’t take to the powdered formulas as well as they should. Or you yourself might not be up for all the measuring and mixing that is involved. For those cases, we advise you to use a liquid formula, like PetAg PetLac Kitten Milk Replacer.

A liquid milk replacer tends to be easier to digest than a powdered formula. So if your kitten has a sensitive stomach or gets constipated easily, you should definitely give this a try.

Like PetAg KMR, the PetLac Kitten Milk Replacement also contains cow’s milk. If your kittens don’t fare well with this, try a liquid milk replacer that contains goat’s milk instead.

Compared to most powdered formulas, PetLac contains less protein and more carbohydrates. This is less than ideal, because it can cause your kitten to grow more fat than muscle mass. If you are feeding your kittens PetLac, keep an eye on their weight and try to make the switch to wet food a little sooner.