Feeding Gruel Babies

So a lot of people ask me what to feed kittens who are weaning off of a milk replacement.

The answer? Gruel!

This is the gruel that I make for my foster babies. They gobble it up quite happily and show excellent weight gain.


Recipe:

2 cans wet kitten food
1 cup dry kitten chow
1 cup milk-replacement (liquid)
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 cup water
1/4 cup pumpkin puree

I start by putting the pumpkin puree and wet food in the blender.

 

I use Castor and Pollux organic wet food for my fosters. 

Next I add the dry food. Make sure you blend the mix VERY well! I add the liquid kitten formula to keep it from getting too dry and clogging the blender. (I suggest either Royal Canin kitten or Hill's Science Diet)

I finish off by adding the water and the chicken broth. The final consistency that you're going for is like applesauce. If it's a little thinner that's ok, but you don't want it to be too thick or chunky. The idea is that it should be smooth and easily lapped up. Closer to a liquid than a solid. 

This gruel also works great for sick cats that need to gain weight or elderly cats that have trouble eating solid foods. It is thin enough that it can be used for syringe feedings as well as spooned into a bowl for older kittens.

Final Note: Why pumpkin puree? The pumpkin puree aids in digestion of the gruel and can prevent nausea and diarrhea. That's a great thing for baby cats to have!