How to know if you need to stimulate

I brought in a feral kitten, probably 3-4 weeks old, eyes are a little bit blue, but fading. I found her in my shed and waited for hours for the mother to come back. It's getting cold out, and she's been crying, so I'm taking her in. She can walk pretty well - not wobbly as say a 2/3 week old. She licked some wet food, but I also gave her some kitten formula from a bottle, which she lapped up.

Should I stimulate her to try and get her to pee/poo, or should I see if she can go on her own? I've taken in feral kittens, but they've always been able to go on their own, so I'm not sure if I should wait it out or get her to go.  I have a tiny tray of oderless clay litter in the cage with her. After I fed her, she started purring and burrowing into the blankets. I just checked on her and she's asleep.  I say "she", but I can't really tell the sex yet. Guess I'll find out soon enough if I have to stimulate her.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

Awwhh I love it when the purr.  I would stimulate until I was certain the kitten can go to the bathroom on her own.  Did you bottle feed or make a mash?  It has been a loooong time since I had a tiny baby but if I was still bottle feeding I stimulated the kitten.  I do it after each feeding and the kitten will almost always urinate.

HI hun! thanks so much for rescuing this kitten from your shed. I would keep watch out for more kittens! It is possible that the mom cat was in the process of moving her litter of kittens from somewhere else. :dk: I am going to ask that your thread be moved to the Pregnant Cats and Kitten Care Forum. There you will receive many more knowledgeable suggestions. Good luck with this baby :rub: :heart3:

Thanks for moving my thread... guess I didn't even realize there was a subforum. I have seen a few adults around, but hadn't seen any kittens until today. And this is the only one I've seen, but you're right.. there are probably others. I've got a trap, and hoping to capture/spay the ones I can.

I tried to feed the milk again, she actually didn't want it this time... I tried in a tiny saucer, but she seems to just want the wet food. Which I guess is good, but she's crying a lot when I'm in there with her. She seems to rest when I'm away. It's been several hours so I'm going to try the stimulation and see what happens. I read that it should be a cotton ball with warm water, rubbing the tummy and the genitals, but I'm  open to any other tips!

Thanks!

I got him to pee! (And he's a HE!). No poop yet, but maybe next time!

kittysback said:

. I read that it should be a cotton ball with warm water, rubbing the tummy and the genitals, but I'm  open to any other tips!

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Yes, that is a common way, rubbing tummy and around genitals.  Some use helding them into running semi warm water... (cats temp is somewhat warmer then humans). Works fine for them.

Afterwards you must of course dry them with a warm towel.  You can warm up the towel in micro.

Dont worry if you perhaps took him from mom. This way he will be fostered and adopted before he gets any chance to be feral.  As long you do find a good adoption home, that is.  

Good you are planning on spaying these semiferales around your place.

Good luck! 

Well we have 4 indoor only cats and have fostered a few litters. Between us and our neighbor, we've been trying since we moved into this neighborhood a few years ago to spay and neuter all the ferals. We have spayed 3 moms, and one was even friendly enough to be adopted. We live near a lot of farm land, so I think the barn cats come into the neighborhood and once the other neighbors start feeding them, that's it - they stay put. But we keep trying...

As for this little guy, he seems to have taken a real liking to me, and I was shocked to hear my husband say we could keep him. I will look for someone who might want a kitten, but I'm secretly hoping I don't find one!

He did poop on his own in the litterbox, so that's good! But he has been crying a lot. Hoping to get him in with the vet ASAP.

Thanks again for the tips!

Oh that's such good news. Bless your heart for getting him in out of the cold!

And bless your hearts for TNRing the rest of the colony.

Glad your little one is eating well and enjoying your company. He probably is lonely. Have you tried putting a stuffed animal in with him to snuggle with? Perhaps some soft classical music might relax him, too. Somehow, I don't think he's lacking for attention, either.