3.5 Week Old Bottle Baby Kitten Not Hungry

Hi!

First, I want to say how thankful I am to have found this site!!! The knowledge and information that you are sharing here is amazing. Thank you!!

I am hoping to get advice, insight, or suggestions about an orphan litter that I am working with.

I am fostering 3 kittens out of a litter of 6. They were found, alone, by the side of a road. The litter was split up between me and another foster.

I have had them since 1 week of age. At 13 days, they developed exploding, bloody diarrhea. I suspected coccidia and suggested they see a vet. Fecals were negative but Albon was given. My three responded within 3 days and have been doing great: gaining weight, active, vigorous, playing, etc. The other 3 are not doing well – still have diarrhea and are not thriving. I don’t know the other foster or what is going on with them. I would think if it’s something inherent that mine would be still having trouble, too?

Well, as of last night, I have a concern about what has been the biggest, heaviest kitten. He wasn’t as hungry as usual for his feeding at the late night feeding time. He normally will eat 7 – 9 syringes (15ml) at a time – with vigor! Last night he barely wanted 3. I had to push it to get the third one finished.

This morning I could hardly get him to eat 3 syringes. He was also just a little “off”. Hard to describe, but you know how it is when you watch them all day and all night long – you know when the slightest thing is off – not as energetic. Plus, when I put him down after feeding this morning he was a little fussy. I held him until he wanted to nap and put him back with his littermates.

I need to get a better scale – mine does not hold the babies well enough now (they are too big) so I can’t keep a good tab on their weight. But to me, he feels a little lighter today. If so, that’s not good.

I know kittens can go downhill so fast. In a bottle litter last year (orphaned at birth) I lost a kitten at this same age – nearly 4 weeks old. He was the biggest and heaviest, and suddenly he was fading away. I took him to the vet, was given Amoxi drops and he perked up. But within 24 hours he had died. I was devastated. I had an autopsy done just to see if there was anything going on, but nothing remarkable.

I am so scared something like that will happen to this guy.

I am wondering what you think. Is there something I should/could do to help boost him up?

The litter has been on KMR powder that I mix with goat’s milk. They have all been doing super good until this kitten last night.

Sorry for the long post. I’m worried!

Thank you!