Too young for wet food?

hello everyone:

AS most of you know, i rescued a 3 week old kitten and I'm feeding him kitten formula only. I've never raised a kitten this young without his mommy and the vet told me to give him some wet food, but I thik he is too young for that.

i have to say he is doing great! he is so active and he loves his bottle of formula, he is just too adorable. I don't want to harm him, so what should I do? kep him on formula only for another week, or should I try giving him some wet?

Tammy

When raising orphans, when they start getting their baby teeth, I start introducing wet food. At first I mix it with their formula until it's barely thicker than plain formula, just to get them used to the taste. You can cut an extra-large X in the nipple and feed this in the bottle. Then introduce it in a shallow bowl. Then I slowly cut back on formula until they're eating all canned food. I usually keep adding a bit of formula to the food until they're 10-12 weeks, just because I figure orphans need extra nutrition.

So check his teeth. . .if they're poking through, it's time to start canned food!

I suspect vet though he is older than 3 weeks...
Or he simply said it as advice for the next step, but there become some misunderstanding. Easy happen.

In desperate cases you can try with wet food already at 3 weeks, but it is not the usual. Kmr or goat milk is enough.


Good luck!

Originally Posted by Willowy

When raising orphans, when they start getting their baby teeth, I start introducing wet food. At first I mix it with their formula until it's barely thicker than plain formula, just to get them used to the taste. You can cut an extra-large X in the nipple and feed this in the bottle. Then introduce it in a shallow bowl. Then I slowly cut back on formula until they're eating all canned food. I usually keep adding a bit of formula to the food until they're 10-12 weeks, just because I figure orphans need extra nutrition.

So check his teeth. . .if they're poking through, it's time to start canned food!

Click to expand...

We only had one teeney little one to care for. This is what we did, though we didn't think to keep adding the formula until she was older, we just focused on the switch over a couple of weeks. But I will say - it was a MESS once she was trying to eat on her own. A lot of cleaning required, but a warm wet wash cloth works wonders.

Continued !!!

Haha, I forgot about the mess! Yeah, the longhairs always needed a bath after mealtime. The shorthairs got away with being wiped with a warm washcloth. But, wow, babies are messy eaters. . .doesn't matter if they're humans, kittens, or puppies!

Yeah, when they're nursing, they push to make the milk come, so transitioning to making the lips take the food INTO the mouth instead of pushing it out is messy. And of course, little kitties seem to just stick their entire muzzle in the food. Eating is definitely a learned art!

Yes, that is soo cute! That is exactly what the kitten does, he wants the formula, but he tries to push it because he thinks he is drinking from his mommy, poor baby!

I've handled tiny kittens before, but they all had their moms, this is my first time taking care of a 3 week old, it is exhausting, but so worth it! He is soo hungry all the time, and I have to get up at night to feed him and it is not easy because my other kitties are upset and jealous, they know there is a baby in that room and they don't like it.

I will just wait a couple od days before staring the wet food. He has teeth, vey tiny, but he has them. he is just the cutes baby everrr, I adore him!

Yes, being hungry all the time is another sign he's ready to start solids. So don't wait too long. The food will help fill him up, and take longer to digest than formula so it'll keep him full longer.

Aw hun, I'm so sorry the others are jealous. I know you wouldn't want him to interact with them anyway... but it'll only be for a little while. Then you can catch up on some sleep.

Thank you all Yes Laurie, it is for a little while, I just wish I could keep him, I'm not really good at this, rescueing a kitten and then give it up to someone else. I've done it lots of times but it doesn't get any easier, I always fall in love with them and the love me so much that it is just emotially draining for me.

I just pray I will find him a great home.

Everybody in my family has fallen in love with him, he has a great personality and too cute for words My brother and his wofe were here today and they were fighting over who gets to give him his next bottle, hehe. he also peed all over my brother today and he was so cute that my brother didn't care.

tammy

Tammy, I know that feeling. It was such a relief to Gary and I when our vet told us we couldn't foster anymore because of Tuxedo. We never had any place to separate a foster.

It's rewarding, but emotionally draining. Some people are just better at it than others.

Of course, they're such little traitors, being so happy so quickly in their new homes! I always tried to remember that with each new one.