Published On: February 22, 2021
Nursing allows for suckling small amounts of milk throughout the day, however, this is not possible when puppies/kittens are hand raised. Due to their small stomach capacities, newborns cannot handle large volumes of milk per feeding, therefore, require multiple meals per day especially within the first two weeks of life.
In general:
<2 weeks: should be fed every 2-3 hours (8-12 meals per day)
2-4 weeks: should be fed every 3-4 hours (6-8 meals per day)
*Weak or struggling newborns should be fed more frequently to provide continual nutrition*