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help with 4 week old kitten!

post #1 of 19
3/21/10 at 8:17am
Thread Starter 
Short story: my brother found seven kittens in a parking lot. We ended up keeping three of them (him two, my husband and I one). We decided to leave all the kittens together for now because they are so young. My brother's two are eating, peeing and pooping without any assistance. The one my husband and I picked was the runt. She's about 12 oz. (about 1/3rd smaller than her sisters). She was having problems with the nipple and the baby bottle we bought her but is eating wet food (especially last night she had a good appetite). We've been "stimulating" her privates and belly with a warm washcloth but she hasn't pooped. her privates look like they are sticking out like she might need to go. we've had her about a day and a half.
How long should we continue to stimulate her?
Should we rush her to an emergency vet today or can we take her tomorrow morning? (She isn't crying like in pain or anything).
Is there anything else we can do?
(We are entirely sure she hasn't gone poop, but we are fairly sure the sisters are the ones who did).
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post #2 of 19
3/21/10 at 8:38am
Go now, young, orphaned animals of any kind can prolapse easily and kittens will do so even more easily. I lost an orphan kitten to rectal prolapse, not a pretty sight. Took him in as soon as I noticed it (three hour wait) and by the time he got looked at, he needed put down.
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post #3 of 19
3/21/10 at 8:53am
I'm not sure a 3 week old kitten should have wet food, but I'd love to hear others ideas on that. I fed my Chickie Sue the bottle for 2-3 weeks when I got her at 3 weeks old. I had to stimulate her too, and she peed on cue, but never pooped. Took her to the vet to check for constipation and she wasn't constipated. She eventually let a huge load go in front of my boss all by herself without being stimulated. I stimulated after every feeding and then just occassionally (Tried not to do it too often so as not to make her raw or uncomfortable) I would calmly rub her on her belly and sides too when I wasn't stimulating the business end.
Just make sure you don't get her hinee raw from the rubbing. Chickie Sue's patooter pooched out too, it was so strange looking.
I would think a vet check wouldn't be a bad idea, just to make sure she's not constipated. My vet just advised waiting for another day or two, and sure enough she poo'd. Is she getting any kitten formula from a bottle? That was all I could feed my kitten until she was nearly 6 weeks old I think (My memory is rusty)
Bless you for taking in the baby, and the others for taking them too Blessings and good luck!!
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post #4 of 19
3/21/10 at 8:53am
Thread Starter 
i google imaged what rectum prolapse is.
the kitten's rectum/tissue isn't protruding. but i assume you mean it could lead to that?

the kitten just got a bath from one of our dogs and absolutely loved it. the dog licked her privates plenty and the kitten did not cry or anything -- also, the kitten didn't go to the bathroom.
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post #5 of 19
3/21/10 at 9:02am
Yes, it can lead to prolapse - either diaharea or constipation can lead to prolapse, STicking out is the first sign.

What are you feeding this baby? she should be getting KMR if it is available, otherwise, goats milk or full fat evaporated milk with some corn syrup stirred in - about a tablespoon per 8 ounces.....been a long time, can't remember exactly. I did note you said she is eating solid food, but she still needs the milk.
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post #6 of 19
3/21/10 at 9:05am
Thread Starter 
we're making sure not make her rear raw. she actually just got a bath from one of our dogs and LOVED it. i mean, rolled onto her back, paws in the air and would not stop purring.
she had formula yesterday but last night (feeding around 11:30-midnight) she was perfectly fine to eat wet food (EVO 95% protein). in fact, i think the wet food is easier for her as it seems she had problems trying to get the formula out of the bottle (unlike her sisters).
i think depending on how today goes, she'll just be taken to the vet at 8am tomorrow.
thank you for your opinion!
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post #7 of 19
3/21/10 at 9:07am
Thread Starter 
she's been getting some formula (KMR) and some wet food (EVO 95% protein for cats and kittens). she was getting 2 oz of formula a feeding.


http://thehalcyonlife.files.wordpres...3/img_4315.jpg
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post #8 of 19
3/21/10 at 9:08am
Thread Starter 
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post #9 of 19
3/21/10 at 9:22am
She's so cute! From the experience that I've had with bottle feeders, it is very common for them to not be able to poop at the beginning. My guess is it's something about changing from milk to formula. One thing you can try is putting a bit of vegitable oil in the milk- that's supposed to help. She's getting close to the age where she can go herself in a litter box, so you may also want to make sure she isn't going to the bathroom in a corner or something(Has happened to me! ) Anyway, I don't think you need to rush her to the vet yet...give her a couple of days as long as she acts normal
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post #10 of 19
3/21/10 at 9:25am
It's not impossible that she hadn't had enough to eat for a couple of days, so it may take a day or two to "get the train rumbling along the tracks" again.
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post #11 of 19
3/21/10 at 9:34am
She is super adorable! Good luck with her
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post #12 of 19
3/21/10 at 11:02am
Formula can sometimes constipate kittens when they're sudden put on it, so do keep an eye on her. And giving her wet food is fine. If she can eat it, let her have it. I'd make sure it was a kitten wet food (or wet + formula gruel), though, and remember even some adult kitties have problems with evo and to be on the look out if using that.
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post #13 of 19
3/21/10 at 11:05am
Thread Starter 
we're bringing her by a vet today just to make sure. its not our ideal choice for a vet but its a sunday and it'll have to do until tomorrow morning.
thank you everyone!
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post #14 of 19
3/21/10 at 11:20am
I'm sure your little one will be ok. At least by 4 weeks they're getting easier to care for.
That the vet doesn't find anything wrong at all. In a few weeks, though, all of the kittens will need to be dewormed because they'll have roundworm from their mother.
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post #15 of 19
3/21/10 at 12:58pm
She looks just precious

If she's constipated, wouldn't it help to mix a small amount of regular milk into her food or formula, to move things along?
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post #16 of 19
3/21/10 at 5:07pm
Oh, what gorgeous blue eyes! I guess I was thinking she's be much smaller than her picture looks.

Let us know what the Vet says. I'm thinking if nothing else, your dog will take care of "the necessities"!
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post #17 of 19
3/21/10 at 7:09pm
Thread Starter 
update:

my brother and mother have been taking great care of her and updating my husband and i. they took all three for a quick vet visit. the others are fine, the vet didn't seem too worried about ours. they are adding formula to some wet food and have separated her from the other kittens. it's the only real way to see if she's going to the bathroom. when my mother picked her up to burp her she ended up peeing on her, SO... now she just needs to poop tonight or i'll be driving down to my family's early in the morning so she can go to the vet.
she doesn't look super small in the photos, but compared to her siblings, she is.
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post #18 of 19
3/22/10 at 5:54am
Thread Starter 
update: she went to the vet yesterday and they said give her another 24 hrs. she was then separated from the other kittens so she could be monitored. this morning my brother placed her iwth her sisters for a moment when cleaning up their messes and low and behold, he turned around and there was poop! he's 99% sure its from her because the other poop was firm, this was soft, and there was a bunch stuck to her butt that he didn't think was possible to get that way if she had sat in the other kittens poop.
so, yay!
thank you everyone for your help!
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post #19 of 19
3/22/10 at 1:09pm
Yay! Good lcuk with her!!!
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