Serval Kitten and Cat Care Newborns I use the regular size Miracle Nipple on the 10 or 20cc Miracle syringes. they are the only ones that don't drip and cause the kitten to choke. The baby bottles do not work, they leak and the babies choke. I order them on Amazon, get 10 they last less than a month of hard use.
I use 33/40 Zoo Logic Milk Matrix powder formula with a couple tablespoons of Fosters Breeders Edge kitten formula for flavor. Not very much as the kitten formulas have too much sugar in them.
I start out with Pedialyte for 24-36 hours as they learn to use the nipple. Do not push on the syringe ever. Load the syringe with milk and some air. the air allows them to suck the milk easier as the air will expand. You tip the syringe so they do not get the air, only the formula.
Position is very important. they must not be on their back or they may aspirate the formula. If you think about it as they nurse on the mother they usually lay on their bellys with their head back. Some do well on their side with the upper part elevated. I start with they wrapped in a towel because they are very busy with their paws and tend to push the bottle away.
These first feedings are very important you must have a great deal of patients. It works best if only one person feeds them as they get used to their technique. I never allow anyone else to feed them when they are small, there is too much risk.
If they start to bloat from the formula, I replace one or two feedings with pedialyte. then formula then pedialyte till you get them through this stage.
I start out with the Pedalyte because if they do inadvertently aspirate a little while they are learning it will usually not cause the aspiration pneumonia that often kills these kittens if they get milk in their lungs. When you are ready to add the formula I start with a one part powder to three parts water ( or 1/2 water and 1/2 Pedialyte).
I keep them on this dilute formula (1-3) for several weeks till they have fully adjusted and start pooping. They will usually go about 6-7 days without pooping, but it works. You do not want them to have diarrhea or constipation. the first three days or so I give them several doses a day of Breeders Edge Nurture mate colostrum supplement. I also give them 1/4 tsp bene-bac powder mixed in their formula every other day for about two doses. that is usually enough.
After a couple weeks when everything is stable and poop is good I will gradually move to a 1-2 dilution of formula. one part powder to 2 parts water. I never need or use any stronger formula than that.
I feed the babies every 2 hours dduring the day and every three hours during the day for the first week, then every 3 hours during the day and one night feeding. at 2 wks I can usually go to a early morning, throught the day and late night feeding. and sleep about 6 hours.
At 3 weeks I add a small shallow pan of Wheat kitty litter to their enclosure. I use this because if they lick it off their feet they will just digest it. You can usually get at petsmart or Amazon.They usually start using this at 4 wks but if you get lucky and they hit it before it helps start the habit. Severals never cover it up. this is because in the wild they usually go in streams so predators don't find them. So it is not their instinct to cover it up. My servals that live out side do not have litter, but if brought in the house for some reason, sick or injury, etc. they readily use the litter.
At 4 wks I start some ground chicken thighs ground up with skin and bone removed. I add a little pumpkin and some L lysene for imunity and wildtracks vitamins for felines on a raw diet. I give a dish of this at bedtime and they eat it through the night. at 5-6 wks I add a 10 am feeding of the raw, and they go to their new owners on this schedule. night feeding raw, morning feeding formula between 7-9, 10 am raw feeding, formula around noon, 3pm, 7pm If they seem full, eliminate one of these feedings. and back to night feeding raw. Note: It is very possible to wean them by 8 wks, but most of my customers want to bottle feed them for bonding reasons and the kittens really do better. I have had several of my servals that took a night bottle for 9 months or so, they enjoyed it and so did I.
This is the most important piece of advice I am going to give you. These cats need a lot more calcium because they have a lot of bone for the flesh they carry. The most vital time is the first couple years. If they do not get enough calcium their bones develop with osteoprosis (fragile bones) and they will break their legs. You can add artifical calcium but I prefer to use the natural way and that is incorporating the natural bone into the diet.
By 6 wks I am using a raw formula with the bone ground in. They do very well with it. I advise everyone to get a good grinder (mine came from cabellas and has been running almost daily for 20 years. Still going.
They can eat many other things and I like to give them variety but the basic diet is 10 lb chicken leg and thighs with skin and bulk fat removed and put through the grinder Then I add 1/2 of a 15 oz can of pumpkin or sweet potato about 4 tablespoons of L lysene (I buy it at walmart and put pills in the blender) About 4 tablespoons of Wild-Tracks vitamins for felines on a raw diet. They will eat about 1lb 2oz for a male and 12 oz for a female of this per day. I feed them at night - they are night hunters, less fly's, cooler. after they are grown I give them every other day a whole chicken leg and thigh for dinner. But they still need the ground diet every other day because they will not take the vitamins otherwise. We used to try rolling the chicken in the vitamins and they just wash it off in their water dish!
We make rounds in the morning and give each one a can of Friskies chicken with gravy. this is a treat only and helps them be happier. Then at night they get their big meal. I will also make rounds with snacks such as Shrimp, pieces of cooked chicken breast, giblets, pieces of roast, salmon, etc what ever becomes available. Hard boiled eggs. Be careful when hand feeding them, their vision does not differentiate food from your hand. They get a pumpkin to play with in the Halloween season. I get donations from various people for which I am always grateful.
Their hearing is acute. Their ears operate independently of each other and each has 22 muscles. They will continue to grow for about 5 years with most of growth in the first two years.
I have taken in several rescues in the past and all of them have had broken legs because of inadequate diet in their early years. I will not ever take another rescue for this reason. when it happens they average 19 vet visits for sedation and re splinting of the bone. Expensive lesson. Females that do not have enough calcium will birth babies with osteoprosis ( very fragile bones that break,) and this process is Irreversible. they have to be put down.
I never use kitten chow or cat chow. We use human grade raw food. We tried Mazouri when we started years ago and the cats did not like it.
My servals have proved to be very healthy, and larger than most because of the way I feed them. I have one 15 year old female still having babies.