Help Please

My family adopted 2 kittens on Sunday. The owner told us that they were eating solid food and drinking. I luckily was watching them and noticed Monday morning that one was kinda listless. I asked my husband if he had seen it drinking he said no. I immediately found a needle less syringe and fed it milk and it perked up. FuzzBall does eat soft food but is apparently not getting enough fluids. I tried a hartz bottle but FuzzBall chewed the nipple off. I need another way to get fluids in to this poor thing before it dehydrates. The syringe was just not cutting it as FuzzBall was getting frustrated and would stop drinking before even getting 5ml of fluids.

Any and all ideas are appreciated

Thanks
Beth David
FuzzBall and Feisty

Hi Beth and welcome to TCS.

How old did these people say the kittens were? If you can post a picture, I'd proably be able to tell you approximately how old they are.

Please don't feed the kittens cow's milk as it can cause diarrhoea. I'd recommend you get some KMR, make it up and put that in a little bowl or even a clean jar lid. Make sure it is slightly warm and the kittens should be able to lap that. The KMR will provide them with all the fluids they need. If they won't lap, use the syringe you have to give them some KMR.

They said they were 6 weeks but they look more like 5. I will post pics but they look bigger than they are due to being pretty fuzzy

It's not your fault, but why were they giving them away so young? Kittens should stay with their mother till 10 weeks at least, ideally 12. This is not just for food reasons, but ensures the kitten is properly socialised and litter trained etc, much better done by a cat mom. Is there any chance they can go back to mom for a few more weeks?

Jenny, I considered that possibility but I wondered what the kitten's life would be like in the other house, as it seems the people who gave Beth the kittens don't give a rats about their animals.

I have an update on the little ones Both are doing well. FuzzBall has begun drinking on her or his own. Both are playing right now as I am typing
They have learned how to use the litter box fine. No messes anywhere I have to watch Feisty though when he is through pottying if I don't get a hold of him and wipe his backside he scoots his butt on the floor to wipe it
I guess I'm surrogate mom till they get everything figured out, its fine with me

Good to hear they are doing well. As for the poopy butt, they will get the hang of how not to get that soon. In the mean-time, you'll find baby wipes great.

I have plenty of baby wipes my 3 yr old son Zach is still in diapers

I hope you are more/less confining them in a small area - no more then one room at this age. They are too young to be exploring too far from the litter box - and you WILL have accidents if they can't make it back in time

The butt scooting might be due to the kits having worms - has your vet seen these kittens and done a stool test to see what they have?

An update on FuzzBall and Feisty. They are now doing wonderfully both are eating great and drinking. They play and sleep all day Litter box training is going great. Feisty is no longer scooting on the floor FuzzBall is finicky about making sure his deposits are well covered good thing we have a deep litter box Pictures are hard to get due to their choice of sleeping places and them playing all day but we will get some posted as soon as we can

Thank you for the update. Glad they are doing well.

Its wonderful they have settled down and are now doing so well.

I cant wait for pic's.

Emma x x

I am so pleased to know that they are doing well and you seem to have things well under control! I only made the other suggestion because some people let kittens go too early out of ignorance, not wilful lack of caring.