3 Weeks Old

wolfsong442

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I have a kitten that is three weeks old or even younger. I'm not sure now. He hasn't any teeth, and he can't walk. His eyes are open and are a beautiful blue, but his ears aren't erect yet. My mother found him and three of his littermates abandoned by her work in a trailer. Because of that, she's named him Trey. XD Anyway...I'm having some problems.

Trey has been here for a little over two days. He's been gobbling up some milk replacement that was bought for him. He eats and sleeps and wakes up only to eat and sleep again. I have some questions.

Over the time that he's been here, Trey has yet to go to the bathroom. We've tried to stimulate him with a warm wet washcloth, cotton balls, even paper towels, and it isn't working. He only cries. He hasn't been to the vet yet because my stepdad doesn't want us to take him to the vet simply for them to show us how to make him poop, but I'm wondering if it should take this long? Someone told me that kitten's bodies are absorbing the food in the first few weeks of life, so it could take him days to urinate or defecate, but I can't help but get worried. I would be devastated if he died because we couldn't get him to pee.

Also, teething. I think he may be teething. What are some things I can to to help relieve his discomfort. I've never cared for something so young before.

Any other tips would be greatly appreciated...
 

kittymonsters

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Welcome to TCS! Lots of wonderful people here.

It has been several years since I had orphans but I have raised about 20 litters in my life. That baby needs to go to the bathroom. Has he at least urinated, and is only constipated? Sometimes it takes a while of "grooming" the anal area to get them really stimulated if they are constipated.

He is also young enough that he should really be fed every 3-4 hours at the least. I would still be feeding every two hours.

There is an excellent site from one of the members here that has great information on this subject

http://www.kitten-rescue.com

I know some of the more experienced orphan raisers will posting to you shortly. I just wanted to give you some reading to start on. If you can't get little Trey to go, he is going to need to go to the vet pretty quick if he is going to survive. Baby's that little are so fragile and can go downhill really quickly.

Please keep us posted. Oh.......and we LOVE pictures

Thank you to your and your family for taking in these abandoned little ones
 

fosterkitty

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I would assume that he's younger than 3 weeks, because my last bottle baby was about 2-3 weeks when I got him and he had teeth. Mine also took about 2 days before he went to the bathroom. I added a little karo syrup to his KMR, and that seemed to help things along. How often are you feeding and how much?
 
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wolfsong442

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Originally Posted by kittymonsters

Welcome to TCS! Lots of wonderful people here.

It has been several years since I had orphans but I have raised about 20 litters in my life. That baby needs to go to the bathroom. Has he at least urinated, and is only constipated? Sometimes it takes a while of "grooming" the anal area to get them really stimulated if they are constipated.

He is also young enough that he should really be fed every 3-4 hours at the least. I would still be feeding every two hours.

There is an excellent site from one of the members here that has great information on this subject

http://www.kitten-rescue.com

I know some of the more experienced orphan raisers will posting to you shortly. I just wanted to give you some reading to start on. If you can't get little Trey to go, he is going to need to go to the vet pretty quick if he is going to survive. Baby's that little are so fragile and can go downhill really quickly.

Please keep us posted. Oh.......and we LOVE pictures

Thank you to your and your family for taking in these abandoned little ones
Thanks for replying and the warm welcome XD

My stepdad thinks that he urinated once, but he wasn't 100% sure. It could have been just that the rag was wet, but he swore that it was wetter than before when he did it, so we aren't sure.


Okay. I mainly just feed him when he wakes up and seems hungry. My mom won't let me wake him up every 3-4 hours if he's sleeping. She just says to wait until he wakes up. He actually goes all night without eating because of the fact that he sleeps through the night...we feed him first thing in the morning.

I just really need to know how long without going to the bathroom is too long. The lady I talked to was a secretary at a veterinarian's office and she said it could take days upon days for him to go, so I need to know when to worry.

XD I'd love to take pictures of him. Once I can find a camera around here.

Originally Posted by fosterkitty

I would assume that he's younger than 3 weeks, because my last bottle baby was about 2-3 weeks when I got him and he had teeth. Mine also took about 2 days before he went to the bathroom. I added a little karo syrup to his KMR, and that seemed to help things along. How often are you feeding and how much?
I'm feeding him when he wakes up from sleeping. There isn't any real schedual since, again, my mom won't let me wake him up if he's sleeping. He eats until he's full, I don't really measure the amount he eats.
 

maxy24

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I'd wake him up, At this point food is very important to make sure he grows and is healthy with a good immune system, he'll go back to sleep after he eats and you get him to go to the bathroom. I was reading someone else's thread and they said they could not get their kitten to go with the cloth but once they used there own finger it works so try just using your hands without a cloth just make sure you clean your hands well before and of course after you do it. Maybe just getting him to go a few times with your hand will have him going with the cloth eventually, but maybe not, it's worth a try. I'm so glad you guys found him, you are truly his guardian angels. Do you plan on keeping him? I'd love to see some pics!

And if you cannot get him to go he MUST go to the vet or he will die and I know you would not want that to happen. Neither would your mother, by the sound of it she loves him too, but she needs to know that even though sleep is important for him food is very important too and he should be on a schedule which means someone will have to get up at night to feed him and make him go to the bathroom. You should also start measuring the amount so you can make sure he is eating the right amount. This will also help you to see if he is sick by showing if he looses his appetite or if he is eating the same amount but loosing weight. Also do you have any other cats? Or a dog that you are 100% sure would never hurt the kitten? If you do you may want to see if they give his butt a good lickin' if he'll go to the bathroom. I hope everything goes well for you and Trey.
 

jen

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Check out this site for a simple guide and an idea how to tell his age.
http://www.feralcat.com/raising.html

"At 2 weeks the ears will start to stand up. At about 3 weeks the kitten will try to walk. At 4 weeks kittens start to play with each other and develop teeth."

I would guess 2-3 weeks. In this case, he should be eating every 3-4 hours or so. Wake him up if he doesn't wake up and it is going on 4+ hours. If it is just 3 hours time, be patient. Definately have to get up through the night and wake him though.

For the bathroom, stimulate after every meal, yes he will cry, just ignore that, but be gentle and keep going until he pees at least. It is okay to not deficate after every single meal, he may only twice a day or skip a day. Anything past that he needs to go see a vet. You can almost guarentee a small kitten will urinate though at least when you rub the genital area, they just can't help it.

Keep him warm and comforted. I don't think teething bothers them when they are this young, but I don't know. When they teeth the second time when their baby teeth fall out and adult teeth come in is when they are discomforted.
 
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wolfsong442

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Originally Posted by Maxy24

I'd wake him up, At this point food is very important to make sure he grows and is healthy with a good immune system, he'll go back to sleep after he eats and you get him to go to the bathroom. I was reading someone else's thread and they said they could not get their kitten to go with the cloth but once they used there own finger it works so try just using your hands without a cloth just make sure you clean your hands well before and of course after you do it. Maybe just getting him to go a few times with your hand will have him going with the cloth eventually, but maybe not, it's worth a try. I'm so glad you guys found him, you are truly his guardian angels. Do you plan on keeping him? I'd love to see some pics!

And if you cannot get him to go he MUST go to the vet or he will die and I know you would not want that to happen. Neither would your mother, by the sound of it she loves him too, but she needs to know that even though sleep is important for him food is very important too and he should be on a schedule which means someone will have to get up at night to feed him and make him go to the bathroom. You should also start measuring the amount so you can make sure he is eating the right amount. This will also help you to see if he is sick by showing if he looses his appetite or if he is eating the same amount but loosing weight. Also do you have any other cats? Or a dog that you are 100% sure would never hurt the kitten? If you do you may want to see if they give his butt a good lickin' if he'll go to the bathroom. I hope everything goes well for you and Trey.
Thank you for replying. Now I am going to start feeding him every three hours. He's in a box in my living room and I put a heating pad down in half of the box so he could stay warm.

I have a dog, but she doesn't want anything to do with the kitten. She's afraid of it almost. I don't think she'd be up to helping anytime soon XD



Originally Posted by Jen

Check out this site for a simple guide and an idea how to tell his age.
http://www.feralcat.com/raising.html

"At 2 weeks the ears will start to stand up. At about 3 weeks the kitten will try to walk. At 4 weeks kittens start to play with each other and develop teeth."

I would guess 2-3 weeks. In this case, he should be eating every 3-4 hours or so. Wake him up if he doesn't wake up and it is going on 4+ hours. If it is just 3 hours time, be patient. Definately have to get up through the night and wake him though.

For the bathroom, stimulate after every meal, yes he will cry, just ignore that, but be gentle and keep going until he pees at least. It is okay to not deficate after every single meal, he may only twice a day or skip a day. Anything past that he needs to go see a vet. You can almost guarentee a small kitten will urinate though at least when you rub the genital area, they just can't help it.

Keep him warm and comforted. I don't think teething bothers them when they are this young, but I don't know. When they teeth the second time when their baby teeth fall out and adult teeth come in is when they are discomforted.
Thanks XD

I tried to stimulate him to go to the bathroom after his last feeding and nothing happened. He only seemed really distressed that I was wiping his tummy and exits with warm water. He was crying so loud and nothing was happening so I decided to wait until the next feeding.

I want to take him to the vet, but it's closed now and my mom isn't home. Also, with tomorrow being a Sunday and Easter, I doubt he'll be going tomorrow. I just hope we can get this all sorted out before Monday.
 

maxy24

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I'm very worried about him not going to the bathroom at all. Have you tried different textured cloths or your hands as i mentioned? I don't know what else you could do but I sure hope every thing goes ok.
 
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wolfsong442

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Originally Posted by Maxy24

I'm very worried about him not going to the bathroom at all. Have you tried different textured cloths or your hands as i mentioned? I don't know what else you could do but I sure hope every thing goes ok.
I've tried napkins, paper towels, rags, cotton balls, even my hands all dipped in warm water, but it doesn't seem to be working. I thought he might have urinated once, but I don't know what I'm looking for. Is it a stream of urine or only a little bit. He hasn't defecated at all and anymore attempts only makes him seem distressed and cry loudly.

I know no animal can live without going to the bathroom, but he seems happy. When he's on my chest, he purrs rather loudly, and now he's stretched out in his box sleeping, happy as a clam it seems.
 

jane_vernon

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Also you could try massaging his bowels - Gently (very gently) massage on either side of his spine near his tail, this might help to stimulate him to go poopy.

Well done on taking this kitten in and giving him a good home


Please continue to ask any questions you need to, as we all love to help if we can!

But definately get this little one to the vet after the Easter break - And if the money is an issue, just try to explain this to the vet and they may be able to work out something for you
 

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Originally Posted by Wolfsong442

I've tried napkins, paper towels, rags, cotton balls, even my hands all dipped in warm water, but it doesn't seem to be working. I thought he might have urinated once, but I don't know what I'm looking for. Is it a stream of urine or only a little bit. He hasn't defecated at all and anymore attempts only makes him seem distressed and cry loudly.

I know no animal can live without going to the bathroom, but he seems happy. When he's on my chest, he purrs rather loudly, and now he's stretched out in his box sleeping, happy as a clam it seems.
No it is just a trickle, you will probably only notice because the towel you are using is wet. It is easiest to just reach around behind him up under his tail while he is standing or laying in your hand. Turning him upside down will just distres him.

Where do you live?
 
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wolfsong442

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Originally Posted by jane_vernon

Also you could try massaging his bowels - Gently (very gently) massage on either side of his spine near his tail, this might help to stimulate him to go poopy.

Well done on taking this kitten in and giving him a good home


Please continue to ask any questions you need to, as we all love to help if we can!

But definately get this little one to the vet after the Easter break - And if the money is an issue, just try to explain this to the vet and they may be able to work out something for you
Thanks XD I'm feeling a little better now. I've gotten him to defecate a little bit. I don't know how much is normal for a kitten his age from one feeding, but at least I know he can go to the bathroom.

Does anyone know long until he can go to the bathroom completely on his own?


Originally Posted by Jen

No it is just a trickle, you will probably only notice because the towel you are using is wet. It is easiest to just reach around behind him up under his tail while he is standing or laying in your hand. Turning him upside down will just distres him.

Where do you live?
Yes. The scratches on my hand are evidence to that. I had him on his back trying to get him to go and the way he was screaming you'd think someone was torturing him, and I was using a cotton ball, but at least I got him to go a little.

I live in Indiana.
 

jane_vernon

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It will probably be a few weeks yet before he can go on his own


Thats great that you got him to do poopy


Be sure to keep us updated!
 

goldenkitty45

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I think most of my kittens were around 4-5 weeks old when they were eliminating in the litter pan. Of course I never had orphan kittens - they always had mom to take care of them the first few weeks.
 
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wolfsong442

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LOL

I put some of that Karo Syrup in his milk last night and we came home from church today to find that he finally went to the bathroom on his own...all over himself and his bedding XD

I have a good feeling he'll be fine. Thanks for your help everyone. I'm feeling loads better now. I think I'll try to get some pictures up of him...
 

kittymonsters

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I am so glad to come back here today and read the good news!!! Now to get a balance between diarhea and constipation.....the wonderful challange of orphans

Trey is DARLING. He looks like he is going to have medium to long hair and beautiful markings. Looks like a healthy boy.

We love pictures and updates here
 
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wolfsong442

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Thanks for the reply. Sorry for posting the same picture twice. Here's the second...
 
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