4 week old fussy kittens

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  • #866635
    Nikki
    Participant

    Hi, so I have been bottle feeding 2 abandoned kittens from day 2 of life until now, they are just about 4 weeks old. I started to try weaning a few days ago, they just made a huge mess with milk in a saucer or with RC baby cat/KMR gruel. I got them to greedily eat the gruel through a bottle with the end cut off the nipple, and was alternating that with straight KMR for approximately 48 hours. Then starting yesterday afternoon they have been refusing to eat basically at all. They eat max 2-5 mls of either formula or gruel and they just aren’t latching on to the nipple like they used to. They are otherwise completely normal and active and have started using the litter box on their own. I gave some subq fluids last night because I was concerned, but they don’t actually seem dehydrated (urine and stool normal). It’s just like they don’t want to eat for some weird reason and it’s super concerning and frustrating. I’m actually a vet tech and I’m 99% sure they are fine from a medical perspective but this is my first time bottle raising and was hoping someone could offer some insight. I really don’t want to start force feeding them especially when they are acting so normal and playful.

    #866641
    Kittyzee
    Participant

    How often are you trying to feed them now? If you are still at 2 to 3 hours apart, then that’s probably too often since they are getting the solid food mixed with the formula. Since they are still healthy, peeing and pooping normally then try more time in between feedings and see if this makes a difference.

    http://messybeast.com/handrear.htm

    #866648
    Nikki
    Participant

    Well I was doing every 4-5 hours and they were drinking about 20 ml each feeding (so 5 times a day). What I tried the first 2 days was 50/50 formula and baby cat twice daily and KMR only at the other 3 feedings. This went well until yesterday about 4 PM when they didn’t want eat much and has continued the past 24 hours. Today I got nervoud and went back to KMR only, but they will take about 7 ml before getting frustrated, because of that I have been trying again every few hours or so, I am afraid to wait 5 hours and have them start to fade. It does seem like they are angry they aren’t getting the wet food today and they are chewing the nipple and getting super frustrated. Thanks for the tips, I think tomorrow I will try the gruel again and just be a bit more patient in between feedings.

    #866663
    Kittyzee
    Participant

    Okay, if they act hangry (chewing and biting at the nipple and then give up) they aren’t getting the food out of the end of it. I know you said that you cut the tip off, but experiment with the nipple by putting only really fine pate’ style food in with the milk (mostly milk with a dab of food mashed in) so that it’s mostly liquid. Then turn the bottle upside down and see if the food and milk drips out. When they nurse, their gums should mash down the nipple and the sucking action should pull it out of the bottle. You could put some on your finger or a spoon too and see which works best for the little ones.

    #866668
    Nikki
    Participant

    Hi yes, I did that today. I pureed the wet food in the blender a bit before mixing it in the formula and they are back to scarfing everything down. Now if they would only stop sleeping in the litter box! They used it a few days ago but now they are pooping on the blanket and seem to think the litter box is for playing and sleeping sheesh!

    #866678
    Kittyzee
    Participant

    Take some of their poops and put them in the litter box, they will make the connection, hopefully.

    http://pets.webmd.com/cats/guide/solving-cat-litter-box-problems#1

    https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/cat-care/common-cat-behavior-issues/litter-box-problems

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