3 week old kitten wont stop crying

Home › The Daily Kitten Cat Chat Forum › Cats & Kittens › 3 week old kitten wont stop crying

Tagged: , , , ,

Viewing 14 posts - 1 through 14 (of 14 total)
  • Author
    Posts
  • 11 April, 2016 at 11:03 pm #845923
    Vic Antley
    Participant

    I have a 3 week old kitten who has been running around my room crying for 2 days now. The mother will not let her eat and I don’t know what is wrong. The mother will not respond to her crying at all. Her brother is perfectly fine and sleeps and eat but the sister won’t. I already lost one kitten from this litter and it would be awful to lose another!! Should I bottle feed the kitten?? What’s wrong with her?

    12 April, 2016 at 12:04 am #845930
    CatWScotia
    Participant

    If the kitten is getting no food from the mother or any other source – then yes, bottle feeding looks like the only solution.

    Best of luck!

    12 April, 2016 at 12:09 am #845931
    Kittyzee
    Participant

    Hi Vic,
    YES you should bottle feed the kitten. Go to the store and get some goat’s milk (KMR is very expensive and goat’s milk is much better for them). You can find it in the refrigerated section of the grocery, or in the baking aisle in cans. The canned is condensed so add water 1 to 1–I like this the best! And there is powdered too. The mother may not have enough milk, or feel she is not equipped to nurse and care for this kitten, whatever the reason–many cat mothers abandon kittens.
    Keep an eye on the other one too and make sure it’s getting enough. You can put the kitten you are bottle feeding back in with the mother after you have fed it. You will have to pee and poop it too. I am going to post some links for you on how to hand rear kittens. It’s a lot of work, but worth it in the end. Make sure the kitten is kept warm also. If the mom won’t let it snuggle up with her and other kitten, then make a nest with a heating pad wrapped in a towel (on low) and a place for it to crawl off if it gets too warm.
    http://www.safehavenforcats.com/newborn.htm
    http://messybeast.com/handrear.htm

    Helping a kitten to eliminate

    12 April, 2016 at 1:29 am #845939
    Vic Antley
    Participant

    Thank you guys!! I’m trying to bottle feed her now but all she will do is chew on the nipple…. I also think she may have gotten some of the milk in her lungs… is there anyway I can keep that from happening? How can I get her to suckle the nipple?

    12 April, 2016 at 1:35 am #845941
    Kittyzee
    Participant

    Cut a bigger hole in the top of the nipple like an X. I have seen kittens struggle trying to get milk out of a pin hole, it just doesn’t work. And she is hungry! Tip the bottle down to slow the milk, UP to speed it up. Make sure you hold the kitten like it’s standing, never feed it like a human baby on it’s back. You will be able to see it suck and swallow, and don’t squeeze the bottle. If she aspirates the milk, then you are going to have problems with milk in her lungs. Don’t forget to burp her after she’s finished. Put her on your shoulder and pat her back and rub her back and hopefully you will be rewarded with a little burp!

    12 April, 2016 at 1:37 am #845942
    Kittyzee
    Participant

    Vic, don’t forget to check out the links I posted, they will answer a lot of your questions about feeding your kitten. Once you have fed her and she is relaxed and sleeping, then go in and read the links. Keep us posted on her progress!

    12 April, 2016 at 4:57 am #845948
    Vic Antley
    Participant

    I’ve done a lot of reading, and I can’t figure out how much she should be eating at each feeding!!
    I can’t get her to eat and I’m not sure what their proper behavior is right now. Is the running around yelling even after feeding (just a little, I can’t seem to get to eat a whole lot).

    12 April, 2016 at 5:00 am #845949
    Vic Antley
    Participant

    Right now I just tried to feed her with two different sized nipples and I couldnt seem to get her to suckle and now she’s trying to get out of her kittening box again. crying the whole while…

    12 April, 2016 at 5:35 am #845952
    Vic Antley
    Participant

    SHE WILL NOT STOP CRYING AND TRYING TO GET OUT OF HER BOX. I can’t understand why she won’t stop crying! I keep trying to get her to eat and putting the milk in her mouth. How can I get her to sleep??

    12 April, 2016 at 4:01 pm #845956
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    Vic,

    You’re frustrated but you need to calm down. Your wee kit has been rejected by mom, is very hungry and has no companion. Please understand that she is suffering a lot of trauma for one so young. She senses your stress and is reacting to that as well.

    Make her a different box with a heating pad in one corner. She has to be able to move off the heating pad if she gets to warm. Then put a soft blankie (with your smell on it) and squishy toy in it.

    Here’s a video of how to position a kitten when bottle feeding. She needs to feed every 3 hours for the next 2 weeks and make sure it’s Goats milk. Goats milk has all nutrients and probiotics for a growing kit. It’s easier on her tummy because of the lower lactose.

    KZ gave you some very helpful links so please read them.

    It’s tough now but will be so rewarding so hang in there.

    PG

    12 April, 2016 at 5:58 pm #845960
    Kittyzee
    Participant

    Vic, PG is right, please calm down. In the links I posted, are general guidelines for the amount of formula (milk) that a kitten of a certain age should be getting. If she won’t drink from a nipple, then get a dropper and try to put it in the corner of her mouth and let her lick and swallow. SHE HAS TO EAT. The other thing that kittens cry about is just being held. They can be soothed by getting them warm–try putting her next to your skin or wrapping her in some fleece with nubs on it as they will ‘knead’ the fleece and pretend they are nursing.
    I know how scary and frustrating it is to try and hand rear kittens, but realize that you can do only what you can and mother nature has to take care of the rest.

    13 April, 2016 at 12:18 am #845971
    Maria
    Participant

    Yes, I agree with the above.
    Remaining calm is the most important thing you can do. Animals do pick up on emotion, so even if you mask your stress in front of her that will help her. My Blossom cried so much the first few nights we had her when she was little, I kept her in my room and whenever she meyowed I would get up and open her cage. And you know what she did each time? Crawled right on my lap and fell asleep. If her mother is refusing her she’s just lonely. They need warmth. As she gets older just be patient with her and treat her as you would a baby. Because that’s truly what she is.

    If she’s walking around meyowing that’s a mixture of being a little scared and getting used to her surroundings.
    She’ll get used to it as she gets older.

    As for feeding just use the advice from above, and if you still don’t think she’s eating enough, call a vet. They have helped me with tough kitties before.
    Good luck!

    13 April, 2016 at 11:47 pm #846012
    Vic Antley
    Participant

    Thank you guys for all of your advice. I am a full time college student and am under a lot of stress haha. I have since gotten both of them to eat and sleep. I think they were too cold, because they either sleep fine in my lap or on top of a warm rice bag.

    14 April, 2016 at 12:21 am #846016
    Kittyzee
    Participant

    Yes, little kittens love being very warm, one of the reasons they lay in a ‘kitten pile’ with their mother. Plus, they just love being with you, now you are their ‘mother’. Good luck with your studies–you aren’t the first college student to come to TDK asking for help–plus it’s KITTEN SEASON!! Come back if you need more help, plus we love updates!

  • Author
    Posts
Viewing 14 posts - 1 through 14 (of 14 total)
  • You must be logged in to reply to this topic.