Several Baby Formulas for Bottle Feeding

Recipe (thanks to Sharon Roe)
2 Cups Milk Matrix Powder (make a paste with a little water, then more water)
- use another milk powder made for kittens if you do not have Milk Matrix
- KMR or Esbilac (not sure about spelling of the last one Espilac ?)
3.5 Cups Distilled Water 8 Oz Plain Lowfat Yogurt
1 Tblsp Acidophilus Powder (found in health food store)
6 Tablets Pet-Cal, crushed to powder and thoroughly mixed
- Pet-Cal is mostly Calcium, with other trace minerals, in tablet form
- adding Calcium is very important for growing bones

When kitten is old enough (about 4 weeks), add ¼ of 5.5oz can Science Diet Growth (increase to ½ can for next mix, then ¾ can and finally full can, as a thicker "gruel") (adjust the amount of water downward to account for the liquid in the canned food) (if you are not able to get Science Diet Growth food, the idea is to use high quality canned kitten/growth food to make the milk formula thicker for a growing kitten)

Mix ingredients slowly, if you use a blender, let the bubbles rise to the top, as too many bubbles in the mix causes stomach upset, make sure the mix will pass thru the nipple without clogging (may need to make the hole in the nipple larger, once you start adding the canned food) For freshness, keep batch of milk 3 days only, then make a new batch

Fill the sterilized 2 Oz bottles (larger bottles for larger cats)
- add ¼ inch ribbon of NutriCal to top of bottle (dissolves when heated/shaken)
- add ¼ inch ribbon of vitamins with Taurine from squeeze tube
- Taurine is very important for eye and heart valve development
- add 1 drop beano (digestion aid)

Do Not Microwave the Bottle !!! Place bottle in coffee cup with hot water Formula should feel "warm but not too hot" on wrist, Kitten’s body temp is about 101, but mouth is tender

Ingredients
Distilled Water
Acidophilus Powder
Lowfat (plain) Yogurt
Pet-Cal Calcium Tablets
Beano Supplement (liquid)
Science Diet Feline Growth (canned)
NutriCal Supplement (tube) (TomLyn Products, Buena NJ 08310)
ZooLogic Milk Matrix Power #33/40 - PetAg Inc. Illinois & Water Streets Dundee, IL 60118-0278 USA Tel: 1-847-426-4497, fax: 1-847-426-4793
Vitamins with Taurine Supplement (tube) (Felovite-II w/Taurine, from Tomlyn products)
Chaparral Vitamins – used with solid food – 1tsp for 10lbs weight, heaping Tsp to 100lbs 6810 Edith NE Albuquerque NM 87113 505-344-2343
ZuPreem Po Box 2094 Mission KS 66202 800-345-4767

Date: Wed, 8 Jul 1998 22:15:41 -0700
Subject: Re: FEL-L: Bobcat babies

Here's another formula that I think works better than anything else I've seen. Mix together :
2 egg yolks
1 jar of baby food turkey (make sure that it says just turkey on the label and no onion powder or spices)
1 can of canned goat milk
1 dropper of Poly Vi Sol infant vitamins
1 teaspoon Neo-cal Glucon

Then heat up 12 oz of either pedialyte or distilled water to just below boiling temperature and dissolve 1 package of Knox unflavored gelation in it and then add that to the first part of the mix. The gelatin work well because when the formula is warm it stays liquid but as it cools in babies tummy the formula sets up to be a little more solid and has less of a tendency for baby to burp up liquid that could aspirate into little lungs and cause upper respiratory problems. Hope this helps. :) Glenda

Date: Tue, 24 Nov 1998 07:32:06 -0800
Subject: Re: FEL-L: KMR - handrearing formulas

This is a recipe we have used with great success on Bengal (kitty cats). Is a great weight gainer. You can change the # of yolks to scale up or down the formula to meet different needs. This was desighned by a vet to be extremely high calorie and suitable for even the youngest kitties because it never causes diarrhea.

Bring to boil:
8 oz water or 4oz. water then add 4oz. pedilyte unflavored with rest of ingrediants when mixture is cooler.
Dissolve in:
1 packet knox gelatin(unflavored)
Mix with all of the following in a blender:
8oz evaporated milk(whole)---I prefer Goats milk
2 egg yolk---seperate with glass and spoon not shells--salmonella
2 tablespoons hi-calorie mayonnaise
2 tablespoons hi-calorie yogart(plain)
1teaspoon karo syrup(if not use honey)
Liquid pet vitamins

Refrigerate.Glop becomes jelled when cold.when needed scoop out only what you need and heat in microwave slightly-it will turn into milk.do not pour any unused heated portion back into main supply.

Date: Tue, 24 Nov 1998 19:36:58 -0600
Subject: Re: FEL-L: KMR - handrearing formulas

I've raised many litters of bobcat kittens on KMR with very satisfactory weight gains, and poop consistency.

I add strained chicken or turkey babyfood, yogurt and calcium and lixatinic vitamins to the KMR when they are about four weeks old.

I switch the meat additive to Iams canned kitten formula at about 6 weeks and then stay with that or use canned Zupreme until they wean at 10 to 12 weeks.

For cougars, I have always used Esbilac. I add whipping cream, yogurt, calcium, taurine, and lixatinic vitamins. When they cut their teeth, at about 4 weeks, I begin adding the baby meat, and then gradually switch to Zupreme like I do with the bobcats.

With any neonate though, I always start with just plain milk replacer and distilled water for the first few days - until I get a reading on their poops and tolerance to the new formula. Once I see things are accepted and the poops look good, I gradually add these other ingredients, increasing the amounts a little at a time.

We pull kittens for hand-rearing at between 10 and 17 days, depending upon the mother's personalities.

I have also used First Born for kittens, as the manufacturer states it is better for some wild species, and names bobcats, but I honestly didn't see any difference, and I have been satisfied with KMR, so I just returned to KMR the next year.

Date: Tue, 24 Nov 1998 12:57:19 -0500
Subject: Re: FEL-L: KMR - handrearing formulas

Well, for us, our breeder gave us this recipe that has worked on both our cats really well.

1 cup Just Born
3 cups water (distilled or bottled, not that chlorinated tap-crap)
1 teaspoon yogurt
1 cup Hi Protein Baby Cereal
1/3 cup ZuPreem

She (breeder) leaves the kitten on the mother for the first 7-10 days to ensure they get enough mothers milk (no substitute for that) and then she pulled them before the eyes opened to help them imprint on humans.

When we breed this year, that's what we plan on doing too since it seemed to work OK for her.

Date: Tue, 24 Nov 1998 23:27:30 -0800
Subject: Re: FEL-L: KMR - handrearing formulas

This is what I've always used and had good success with.

1 cans evaporated milk
1 cans pedialyte or distilled water (same amount as milk)
2 egg yolks
1 jar of baby food turkey or chicken
1 dropper full of Poly-Vi-Sol vitamins (liquid infant vitamins)
2 teaspoons of Neo-Cal Glucon (calcium supplement)
1 package Knox unflavored gelatin

I prepare this by mixing all the ingredients except the water and gelatin. After mixing then I heat the can of water enough that the gelatin will dissolve completely and then add this to the rest of the formula.

The reason I like this particular formula is because at feeding temperature it is a liquid and flows pretty good through bottles but as the stuff cools in the stomach just a bit the gelatin kicks in and makes the stuff a little less liquid and more like gelatin. This works well if you have a baby that spits up as babies do. If they spit up something more formed it is less likely that they will aspirate it into their lungs cause an upper respiratory infection. This along with making sure babies are in the proper position when feeding goes a long way for keep them healthy and alive during the first few critical weeks.

This formula is also good to add fresh ground turkey to when you first start them eating solid foods. I just feel better when I know what I have been mixing up. I am sure of my quality control but can't be as sure of massed produced formulas. Everything in mine is human quality and we all know that it is usually higher standards than stuff that is made for animals. Just my experience for what its worth.

Date: Tue, 11 May 1999 19:27:14 -0700
Subject: FEL-L: newborn colostrum(sp?)

I have a friend whos serval gave birth, and rejected the kittens. She's now hand rearing them. Is there anything available to give them to substitute for the colostrum they didn't get from their mother? (I could have sworn someone on this list had mentioned such, but I can't find it right now.)

Date: Tue, 11 May 1999 19:52:03 -0700
Subject: Re: FEL-L: newborn colostrum(sp?)

I am not sure of what those on the line use but here at the center we us goats colostrum for ninety percent of our neonatals. That includes our bob cat kits. If it has been longer that twenty-four hours since the kits were born giving them colostrum is not really going to help. A good cat vet or zoo could steer you in the right direction if you do not get answers from those on the line. Sue

Date: Tue, 11 May 1999 21:51:16 -0500
Subject: Re: FEL-L: newborn colostrum(sp?)

Carnivores get a small amount of antibodies through the placenta, so the colostrum is not as necessary as it is in other animals. However, they do need the bacteria they would get from the mother to help with digestion. We routinely give Benebac if the babies have not been able to nurse. It is a gel that comes in a tube somewhat like horse dewormer and is put out by Pet-Ag. You can also substitute yogurt and that will provide the lactobacillus that is beneficial.

Date: Tue, 11 May 1999 23:36:09 -0400
Subject: Re: FEL-L: newborn colostrum(sp?)

Bene-Bac is beneficial even IF the kits nurse - for mother, too. Directions are on the tube. Yogurt can be offered concurrently. Do this with my domestics in all litters. Works great for diarrhea when no cause can be found.

Date: Wed, 12 May 1999 00:28:34 -0500
Subject: Re: FEL-L: newborn colostrum(sp?)

Blood serum can be substituted for colostrum. If the mother will allow blood to be drawn, it can be spun down and the serum drawn off and given to the kittens. The serum contains all of the antibodies that will be in the colostrum (actually, that's where they come from!). If the kittens are less than 48 hours old, the serum can be given orally, as the gut will still absorb the antibodies. After 48 hours, the serum must be given intravenously, intraperitoneally, or intraosseously, although I wouldn't try the last two routes unless there is dire need.

If you cannot get blood from the mother, you can also use serum from another cat . While I don't know about the blood types, since servals can successfully be bred with domestic cats, I would imagine that even serum from a domestic cat could be used, but wouldn't swear it.

If none of these are possible, your friend might consider using some intranasal vaccines on the kittens. Again, I don't know enough about servals to know if they have any sort of sensitivity to any vaccines, but this has been done successfully by domestic breeders who were having severe problems with respiratory diseases in their kittens. They use the bi-valent intranasal (rhino and calici viruses) and put one drop in each nostril right after birth, then one drop in each nostril and in each eye as soon as the eyes open. Repeat again at 3 weeks, then give a full dose at 6 weeks. The kittens generally do not have enough of an immune system to respond systemically to the vaccine, but will have local immunity in these mucous membranes where these viruses normally infect the body. IN vaccines can also cause some symptoms of the diseases vaccinated for, so this is an iffy suggestion - I've done it a few times with not problem, but that doesn't really mean much.

And consult with a vet on all of this! Hope it helps. Wanda

Date: Thu, 13 May 1999 15:14:18 -0700
Subject: FEL-L: Esbilac

I have heard that there is a problem using Esbilac bottle feeding formula when bottle raising wild kittens. I have heard that the Esbilac changed the formula. They have added butter fat and it is causing blockages. There have ben some Cheetahs and Snow Leopards that have died because of it. Has anyone else heard this and if so where can I get some written info on it.

Date: Fri, 14 May 1999 12:53:24 -0500
Subject: FEL-L: Re: Esbilac

Esbilac is produced by Pet Ag, their customer service number is 1-800-323-6878. I had to leave a message with Ms. Judy Polonosky at ext. 2241. I will let you know what she says when she returns my call.

Date: Sat, 15 May 1999 00:21:49 -0500
Subject: Re: FEL-L: Re: Esbilac

The folks at Pet Ag advise me that the Esbilac formula was changed about 6 years ago to include more butter fat since it is formulated for puppies who need the extra fat. She also tells me that they have an excellent exotic cat formula called Zoologic 3320 (I think these numbers are right) which can be ordered from pet supply catalogues such as Jeffers. There is a full page add in the May Animal finders Guide on the product. As for the butter fat having lead to the death of any exotics, she advises that they are not aware of any such happenings. For what it is worth!

Date: Sat, 15 May 1999 12:46:22 -0700
Subject: Re: FEL-L: Re: Esbilac

The Zoologic formula is called 33/40. Not 33/20. It means 33% protien and 40% fat. The National Zoo had a litter of Clouded Leopards die from the butter fat in the Esbilac. There has also been two litters of Cheetahs and 1 litter of Snow Leopards die from the butter fat. Those were the only ones they knoew of as of last week. It was clogging up the intestines and causing a blockage. This is what I was told by the National Zoo themselves. Has anyone had any problems with using the Esbilac like having constipation, or hard stools. I was just curious. I would not want to feed my babies something that would hurt them

Date: Sat, 15 May 1999 13:42:10 -0700
Subject: Re: FEL-L: Re: Esbilac

I would not switch to KMR. It doesnt seem to work well with the Exotic cats. Call Jeffers and order the Zoologic formula 33/40. It does not have the butter fat in it. It also does not cause the gas that the others sometimes do. Jeffers number is 1-800-JEFFERS. It is about $48.00 for a five pound bag. Really good stuff.

Date: Sat, 15 May 1999 19:26:59 -0500
Subject: Re: FEL-L: Re: Esbilac

I've raised cubs and kittens on KMR, with the only problem being loose stools in most. I've also raised cubs on Esbilac, which would usually constipate them. Now we go for a mix of 75% KMR and 25% Esbilac. So far is working great for us. Sara

Date: Sun, 16 May 1999 04:37:57 -0500
Subject: FEL-L: Formulas

I have used an Esbilac and yogurt formula for 14 years with little problems. During this time I have tried a few other formulas and always went back to the Esbilac. This spring I tried Zoomatrix 33/40 on a litter of Servals and they got a horrible diarrhea. After having them checked for coccidia and giardia etc. I decided to switch back to my Esbilac/Yogurt formula and within 24 hours they were fine. I then called Pet Ag and was informed that the Zoomatrix 33/40 is exactly the same thing as the old Esbilac before they added the extra butter fat.

So I guess it was the yogurt that was making the difference as I didn't use the yogurt with the Zoomatrix. I have found that I have to use fat free yogurt with the new Esbilac and if there is any constipation I add a little wheat germ oil to the formula which helps soften the stool a little. If the stool becomes light in color and they are not digesting properly, I add acidophillus to the formula. It has worked good for me and I have raised many healthy kittens on Esbilac and Yogurt.

Date: Sun, 16 May 1999 08:59:30 EDT
Subject: Re: FEL-L: Re: Esbilac

> excellent exotic cat formula called Zoologic 3320 (I think these numbers

Zoologic has different formulas for different cats -- I have used 3340 for servals/ caracals and cougars -- there are different numbers for lynx, leopards, etc....

Because of some mix up during my last litter - I started started serval kittens out on milk matrix -- and switched over to esbilac.. I was much more satisfied with the babies stool consistancy with the esbilac -- I think that from now on ( okay, til the next problem) I will continue to use the esbilac with the kittens.

Date: Mon, 17 May 1999 14:50:50 -0700
Subject: FEL-L: Homemade formula.

I have gotten several requests asking for the homemade formula recipe so here it is. I personally have raised a tiger and 2 cougars on it and know others who have raised bobcats, lynx, servals on it. This is a double batch and can be cut in half.

2 cans evaporated milk (the canned goat milk is even better but is pricey)
2 cans pedialyte (found in the baby row in the grocery store.)
4 egg yolks
1 Tablespoon Neo-Cal Glucon - This is a liquid calcium supplement that was developed for human infants allergic to milk. You will have to talk to your pharmacist and ask them to order it in for you. Last time I bought the stuff is was about $30.00 for a 16 oz. bottle.
4 droppers of Poly-Vi-Sol liquid baby vitamins. These should be on the shelf in the vitamin section of the grocery store.
2 jars of Baby food turkey or chicken. Check the label and make sure that there is only water and turkey or chicken on the label. Some brands use onion or onion powder, avoid those.
2 packages Knox unflavored gelatin packages.

To prepare the formula you can throughly mix all the ingredients together except the 2 cans pedialyte and the 2 packages of unflavored gelatin. You heat the pedialyte up to very hot but not boiling and dissolve the gelatin packs in the pedialyte. Let is cool just a bit and stir it into all of the other ingredients you have mixed up. If you want you can also add some plain non-fat yogurt for the acidophilus culture it provides.

All of the ingredients are in the grocery store and are human consumption quality products and I have always felt that my babies deserve no less. The person who gave me the formula told me that it came from a Zoo somewhere. When the formula is feeding temperature it is a liquid but as it digests it tends to jell a bit so that if baby spits up as all babies do from time to time the stuff is a little more solid and this makes it less likely that it will be asparated into the lungs.

I know what I buy and mix up and I personally can feel better about that than what I have read and can maybe understand or not off of a long list of ingredients on a commerically prepared product. Hope it helps some babies out there.