Not sure whats wrong with new kitten

lisar1976

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Please help.

We got a new kitten last Friday, she is 8 weeks old. The lady who sold her to us told us to use the same dried complete food that she has been using. We tried this for a couple of days and then found out that the poor little mite was starving and didnt like it. So i've gone over to using half whiskers meat and half whiskers biscuits especially for kittens like it says on the box.

Now the side of the box says that at her age she should be having 2 - 3 pouches a day, but she doesn't even have one.

She is crying quite a bit and im not sure if its because she is hungry, tired or whether she has a poorly tummy from swapping over foods.

Please help, I really don't know what to do.

Thanks
Lisa
 

white cat lover

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Welcome to TCS!


8 Weeks is awfully young to be away from mom. I would try wet foods. I am unfamiliar with foods avaliabel in the UK, so I cannot be of much help.

Have you tried contacting your vet to see what they suggest?
 
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lisar1976

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I didn't realise she was too young to be away from her mum, I feel bad now.

She seems to like the wet foods more than the dried stuff, but just doesn't seem to be eating very much.
 

tru

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If you haven't had her vet checked yet, now would be a good time to do so.
If she has worms they could be causing her not to get enough nourishment.

She may just be a little scared and lonely being away from mom and siblings so young, but it's still a good idea to have a vet check her over.

I'm sure some of our other UK members will chime in on what would be the best quality foods available for you and your little girl.

Keep us posted and also post pics if you are able. We all love seeing pics of our little fur kids.


BTW... Welcome to TCS!
 

goldenkitty45

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Don't feel too bad - you are here to learn. The ideal time to adopt is a minimum of 10 weeks old - many breeders don't even adopt out till 3 1/2 months - 4 months old!

And many kittens are still nursing at 8 weeks old if mom lets them even if they are eating solid foods. My rex nursed her kittens till 3 months old.

At 8 weeks their tummys don't hold a lot and a change in food can cause them upset. Try feeding a spoonful or two every 4-6 hrs (so 3-4 smaller meals a day) and see if that helps.
 

leesali

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If it is available, a good baby food always entices the little ones to eat. Recommend Beech Nut venison, turkey or beef flavors...no additives. Just add a little plop of it on top of wet food...they usually go wild over it.
 

trouts mom

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Originally Posted by leesali

If it is available, a good baby food always entices the little ones to eat. Recommend Beech Nut venison, turkey or beef flavors...no additives. Just add a little plop of it on top of wet food...they usually go wild over it.
Just make sure there is no onion or garlic in it
 
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lisar1976

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Thanks all for your kind words, its so tough leaving her in the morning to go to work, I try to play with her and reassure her, normally leave her eating a little something then plan my exit. Hate hearing her crys.

Trouts mom, do you have any recommendations for UK baby food to use??
 

epona

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Just look for any plain chicken baby food that doesn't contain onion, leek, or garlic. As she's young she won't want to eat much in one go, so feed her little and often. You'll need to take her to the vet to be wormed, weighed, and have her first set of vaccinations. Don't use worming tablets from a pet shop as they can be harmful, the vet needs to weigh her to give her the correct dose of a product safe for kittens. Also ask the vet about when you can have her spayed, she will have a much longer, healthier, and happier life if she never has to go into heat or have kittens.

When she's settled in and eating you'll probably want to gradually change the food you're offering her as whiskas is awfully poor quality, but do it gradually as kittens have sensitive tummys and can end up with the runs if their food is suddenly changed. Good brands of dry food are James Wellbeloved and Royal Canin, you can get JWB kitten food from Pets @ Home, but the RC 'babycat' which is designed for kittens up to 4 months old is only sold through vet surgeries. Good brands of wet food are Nature's Menu or Hi-Life - both of them do kitten wet food which is available in Pets @ Home or the big branches of Tescos.

Good luck with your new kitten, I am sure she will be an absolute delight! She will get used to you going out (when she gets older she will probably spend most of the time you're at work asleep), she's finding it strange to be on her own at the moment. Does she have a cuddly toy or favourite blanket that she can cuddle up with? That may help her adjust.
 
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lisar1976

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Thanks for your post Epona. I have had Hills Science Diet recommended to me too. She was on the Royal Canin stuff and didn't like it, poor little thing was crying she was so hungry, thats when we changed her to Whiska Kitten Food, didn't realise either that I had to introduce the change gradually, blimey I have a lot to learn.

The pet shop that i got her from weighed her before they gave her to me and said that her next set of worming is due two weeks from 22 May and gave me the name of the stuff to use. Can I not buy this and give it to her in her food?

When would her first set of vacaniations be due do you think?

Her bed has a fluffy blanket type bed in it so thought that would be ok, do you think I should put something else in there for her?

Also the pet shop not to take her to the vet for the first couple of weeks, not sure why, but thought may be it was to not scare her.
 

urbantigers

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If you got her from a pet shop I'd take her to the vet for a check up pretty soon and not wait 2 weeks. She'll be due vaccinations soon anyway - they generally have initial vaccinations at 9 weeks and 12 weeks. I second not using over the counter flea and worm treatment - they dont' work so well and can be dangerous. Get something from the vet. In future you can buy them online from somewhere like vetuk a bit cheaper than from the vet. You can also discuss spaying, micochipping etc with the vet. Some vets do kitten packages that include vaccinations, worming, flea treatment, spaying and microchip for a set price which usually works out cheaper than paying for them individiually. It's also worth discussing with your vet at what age they will spay her. Many vets will refuse to do it before 6 months, and you get the odd one that is totally out of date and will say she should have one heat cycle first. It's perfectly safe to do them younger than that, and definitely before the first heat cycle. As females can come into heat as young as 4 months I'd ask how soon after that time they will do it.

I'd recommend getting pet insurance if you've not thought about it yet. Vets fees can easily run into hundreds of pounds (or thousands) and if your kitten is sick outside of regular opening hours it will cost you about £70 just for a consultation. Insurance is pretty good over here. It's good to take that out asap and not put it off (you can insure them once they get to 8 weeks) as any pre-existing conditions will be excluded so if she was ill now, for example, you'd find that condition may be something they would not pay out for in future if it recurred. M&S are good, as is petplan.

I second Epona's suggestions re hi life and natures menu as good wet foods, along with applaws and almo nature. But they are quite rich so if she's eating the whiskas change over very gradually. sometimes kitten food is too rich for very little ones - with both my cats I was told they were on adult food when I got them as kitten food was too rich - so be aware of that possiblity.
 
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lisar1976

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Thanks for all of that urbantigers.

We have already looked at Micro Chipping her, my husband's sister works somewhere where they do it so we can get that for free.

We are going to go with Direct Line pet insurance, they seem pretty good. Not too sure what pet insurance covers though so will have to look into that.

Think I will see if i can get an appointment at the vet for next week then, just to get her checked over and discuss it all with them.

Thanks again
 
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