So, I have a litter of two boy kittens. They are just over 7 weeks old now, and both eating solid food. These kittens are as different as the possibly could be. One is large and boisterous and the other is runty and shy.
The big boy eats only kitten kibble, and he has no trouble with it. He will not touch any sort of soft food or KMR I put down. I even gave him a taste of oil from my canned salmon and he is not interested. He's a good weight and all functions are normal so I am not concerned about him.
Little boy will only eat soft food, and to even get him to try that I had to make a mix of KMR and squeeze some into his mouth. He had no interest in anything but mommy milk. Now he eats soft food well, too well. He won't stop if I put down a bowl for him and his mom. I have to feed him separate, and monitor how much is on the plate as he will eat til his stomach is taut. Then he gets diarrhea.
I have never had a kitten that will overeat so badly. Usually I can put down a common plate for the kittens and mom to eat from.
Then, runty kitten is having issues figuring out where to eliminate. He will use whatever soft thing he finds, including my clothes if I leave them on the floor. He will use the litter if I catch him at it and place him in there. They are now both in a kitten pen, with a bed and a litter box plus toys and water. I let them out for play time, but until he gets better litter habits they are both in kitten jail.
I will take them in at 8 weeks for their shots, etc and will talk to my vet. I know the first response would probably be worms and I will have them dewormed as usual, but just know that I have a clean cattery and none of my cats have been outside in 10 generations. I am thinking that the problem is more of a behavioural thing.
The big boy eats only kitten kibble, and he has no trouble with it. He will not touch any sort of soft food or KMR I put down. I even gave him a taste of oil from my canned salmon and he is not interested. He's a good weight and all functions are normal so I am not concerned about him.
Little boy will only eat soft food, and to even get him to try that I had to make a mix of KMR and squeeze some into his mouth. He had no interest in anything but mommy milk. Now he eats soft food well, too well. He won't stop if I put down a bowl for him and his mom. I have to feed him separate, and monitor how much is on the plate as he will eat til his stomach is taut. Then he gets diarrhea.
I have never had a kitten that will overeat so badly. Usually I can put down a common plate for the kittens and mom to eat from.
Then, runty kitten is having issues figuring out where to eliminate. He will use whatever soft thing he finds, including my clothes if I leave them on the floor. He will use the litter if I catch him at it and place him in there. They are now both in a kitten pen, with a bed and a litter box plus toys and water. I let them out for play time, but until he gets better litter habits they are both in kitten jail.
I will take them in at 8 weeks for their shots, etc and will talk to my vet. I know the first response would probably be worms and I will have them dewormed as usual, but just know that I have a clean cattery and none of my cats have been outside in 10 generations. I am thinking that the problem is more of a behavioural thing.
