In General: Baby animals do not have the capability to deal with contaminates or bacteria in their food source. You must protect the baby and young animals from these potential sources of problems. This is especially true in a multi animal household where a variety of bacteria and viruses are present in population. While the adult animals may have adapted to the environmental conditions. The baby certainly will not have. In preparing food for Cleo we are extremely careful to prevent contamination. The basic steps we use are:
1. Thoroughly wash all cans of food or KMR prior to opening. We have found all kinds of interesting foreign materials on cans from pet stores. Bird dung was the most common. Of the most concern would be over spray falling on the cans when pesticides are sprayed for pest control.
2. Keep the utensils clean and sterile when preparing food. We use the microwave to boil preparation and storage bowls and containers. After washing make sure all soap or sterilization chemicals are completely rinsed from the utensil.
3. Keep the area you work in clean and organized. It is safer for preparation and much more pleasant for you to work in.
4. Wash you're hands prior to handling or preparing food. As I am often handing other cats prior to working with Cleo's food stuff. I use a surgical scrub prior to feeding or making food.
Sushi Milkshake: As an adult cat Cleo requires a diet that simulates solid food intake. The requirements of her diet are to provide a high caloric content, semi solid for digestion, nutritionally balanced and vitamin rich meal that can be passed through a 10 to 14 French catheter. Cleo's Sushi Milkshake recipe meets these requirements and provides about 1 Kcal per CC of food. An adult cat requires about 35 Kcal per pound per day. Cleo's 5 pounds works out to 175 CC minimum feeding per day. We try to give her 240 CC's per day to be sure.
The formula is composed of (1) 13oz. can of liquid KMR, (2) 6oz. cans of Triumph Sea Food or Chicken dinner for kittens and (30 cc's) of Nutrical. This yields about 540 to 600 cc's of formula. Preparation requires the use of a blender, a bowl and a stainless steel strainer with a mesh equal or smaller than the eye and interior diameter of the catheter you are using. Above all, everything used in the preparation of the meal should be clean and free of any residual soap or sterilizing agent. A final rinse under scalding hot water is what we do prior to use. First combine the KMR and Nutrical blending for about a 30 seconds on low speed. Add the Triumph, blend on low for about 30 second to break up the fish and then blend on the highest setting, liquefy, for 5 to 6 minutes. Let the mixture sit for 1 hour to allow the air trapped during blending to escape from the formula. Strain the formula into the bowl and draw up into the appropriate syringes for the feeding size you are doing. Keep the syringes of formula refrigerated.
The formula may be stored in the refrigerator for 72 hours. During the early month when the feedings are small you may need to scale the formula to avoid waste. Do not store the unused KMR in the can as refrigerated it only lasts for 72 Hours. Pet Ag, the manufacturer of KMR, recommends freezing the left over KMR liquid. If you are substituting other brands be sure to re calculate the caloric content of the formula and adjust the amount you are feeding. When requested, most manufacturers will provide you with the caloric content of their product. Look for help or product support line telephone numbers on the packaging.
During the transition period from a liquid to semi solid diet you need to gradually introduce the fish solids into the formula. We started with 1/4 can of fish and over a 4 week period adjusted the amount upward. Common sense will tell you when to increase the amount. Watch the stools, the object is a balance between constipation and diarrhea.
Updated 2/1/97