Kitten freaks out when being fed

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  • 18 September, 2017 at 9:23 am #862775
    Claire
    Participant

    I have a 3 week old kitten who is being bottle fed. The first week I had her everything went great. Now, she violently attacks the bottle after feeding. Sometimes she’ll even attack me or claw herself (which worries me because she gets close to her eyes). Obviously she’s little and it doesn’t hurt me, but I just can’t figure out why she does it. I’ve tried using different nipples and she’ll randomly freak out. Sometimes she’ll have only had 5 cc other times 20cc by the time she attacks. Is there anything I am doing wrong? I am feeding her tummy down. Is this a behavior I need to worry about in the future?

    18 September, 2017 at 3:53 pm #862786
    Kittyzee
    Participant

    No, she just isn’t getting enough to eat, fast enough. This is common behavior for kittens at that transitioning state to solid foods. You can try adding some wet food (no chunks or shreds) but the pate’ style food to the bottle with the formula–opening up the hold of the nipple so the gruel flows through–and I think this will make a big difference in her behavior. You could also try a little wet food on a spoon or the tip of your finger, let her sniff it and see if she licks it. Try putting a tiny bit on the roof of her mouth and how she gets along swallowing it.

    18 September, 2017 at 3:57 pm #862787
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    You’re doing everything right so don’t panic.

    Kits will eat as much as they want and it sounds like your girl is still hungry. Kits usually grasp/bit the nipple if they don’t feel full. She’s about the age to transition to a gruel. Gruel is of mix wet food with her formula and should be mushy. You’ll need to open the nipple up with an “X” so she can get the gruel out but don’t make it too big so she won’t choke on it. It will be easier to transition to a bowl too.

    28 September, 2017 at 4:32 pm #863073
    Becky
    Participant

    My four week kitten is doing the same thing! I’ve even had to get formula into her by way of syringe because she fights with the nipple by chewing on it. And her claws… wow!

    I’m going to go to Petsmart at lunch time and get the Royal Canine Baby Mousse and mix it with her formula to see if that’ll help. I feel like her feeding has gone way downhill.

    I have attempted to mix the formula with the wet food and put it in a shallow dish, but she’s not interested.

    When should I expect her to start using the cat litter box? I’ve put her in it and she plays with the litter, but no void yet. I’m still having to stimulate her before every feeding.

    Thanks!

    29 September, 2017 at 1:02 am #863082
    Kittyzee
    Participant

    Becky, she’s probably not ready to eat from a bowl yet, so just keep feeding her with a bottle and I just cut the tip of the nipple clean off. When she sucks, she will get the gruel out and get full faster and not be so violent with the bottle. I know it hurts when they claw! Try trimming her claws when you are holding her after she’s eaten and she’s sleepy. Just the very tips–hold her paw and push down on it in the middle and her claws will pop out of her toes..making it easier to trim the very ends.

    You can keep trying with the litter box, she may not be ready for that yet. But when you get a poop, put it in the box and then when you place her in it, she will smell it and figure it out. Take her paw and rub it in the litter like she is digging…and she will eventually understand.

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