New and Old problems with feeding rescued kitten... Please help! :-(

Okay, almost three weeks ago I found two abandoned kittens in my basement. One died, after I fed them both the wrong kind of milk, suggested by the clerk in a pet store, and they got so sick from it. The surviving one, Dean, I switched him to Similac formula for sensitive stomachs. This didn't make him sick, but he hates it and pushes the bottle away, so I have to force feed him it every hour. And still in my battle with him, I can only mange to feed him two tablespoons a day, which is well below the suggested average I've found on many kitten sites. According to those sites, he should be taking in about four tablespoons per every 2- 4 hours, not half that amount for a whole day. 

With helpful hints and tips from my last post here, I did finally scrape together money to get kitten replacement milk. This is what I got: 
I have tried it for two days now and it makes the kitten sick! Explosive poops, like the wrong formula did, and some bleeding and blood clots too. So, I stop using it now. I'm trying cow's milk, which he seems to like the taste better... but it's only for a few more sips than usual. He is very skinny and cries all the time for food. He's starving to death! 

I don't know what to do, other than to take him to the vet... but I can't afford it. I have zero dollars to my name right now. So, I'm hoping in desperation that I can get some help here. If not, well, I have to prepare myself to have another dead kitten on my hands...

My mother did buy him another type of milk, not knowing I had scraped together a few dollars for the KMR milk. It is this: 
But there was one Amazon review claiming that this milk killed their rescue kitten. That's all I need is one review like that to scare me into not trying the milk.

The problem is, even if Dean likes the milk, he's not drinking enough of it. He suckles for a very short while, four or five sips, then quit. I tried giving him a moment and then point the bottle towards him again, but he fights it away so very forcefully. I also tried holding him upside down while feeding, as one suggested. No change. I also check for worms, religiously, and have found nothing. 

And, I noticed that his little bum is red and the fur around the base of his tail has fallen out. I think it's because of all of the wiping I've done, with the explosive poops that seem to happen every fifteen minutes. I've taken care of a lot of human babies in my lifetime (was a professional babysitter as a teen), and it looks like a diaper rash to me. I was wondering if there are any creams that's safe to use on kittens? Thanks for reading and your time. 

Cow's milk is not good for them and causes diarrhea, so that could be the problem. KMR can cause diarrhea as well if you're over-feeding a lot. Try smaller feedings closer together. Are you stimulating him to go potty before and after feedings? He needs stimulation to help him go and if he's not being stimulated before and after that could be why you're having these 'explosive poops'.

Also, you say you rescued him 3 weeks ago, and he was probably a few weeks old then, so sounds like he's anywhere from 4+ weeks? At that age is when they are supposed to start trying out mommas foods and learning to wean themselves. Try getting a can of wet food (I found pate works best for weaning) and adding a little water to it to get it to an almost liquid consistency, then dip his nose in that. He should get the idea eventually, at first it can be really messy but they clean themselves and that's how they learn it's food!

When you can afford it, please take him to be dewormed by a vet. Just because you can't see them doesn't mean they aren't there, and the majority of kittens have some sort of worm or parasite. The loss of fur around the base of his tail is just from the diarrhea and wiping, my vet recommended and said it's fine to use Desitin (for baby butt rashes).

I don't know who suggested holding him upside down while feeding, but I definitely wouldn't recommended. Kitties need to be on their bellies, laying regularly like they would if they were nursing. Other positions can cause them to aspirate formula into their lungs and get pneumonia.

And yes, there have been a lot of negative reports about Hartz formula and kittens. I personally use KMR brand.

Thanks for replying, clynn11. 

I figured that cow's milk may not be good for him, but I'm at wits end and really desperate to get any kind of food into him. He's very frail and I can feel his whole rib cage. I may be new at taking care of an infant kitten, but I know that's not normal or a good sign. 

The KMR is much worse and diarrhea happens much more often with in, than with cow's milk. So, I'm choosing the lesser of the two evils, but I really would like to find some other milk that causes no diarrhea at all. The only kind that seems to do that is the Similac, but he hates it. 

Yes, I am stimulating him before and after feedings, I had learned that on day one of rescuing him via the "how to" guides I found online. I'm also keeping his body heat temperature regulated. I say "explosive" because there is a tiny pop when it happens and it squirts out, at random, even after I've wiped him already. 

As for his age, I have no clue, but I'm guessing he's not at the weaning stage yet, being that his eyes and ears just opened last weekend. And he doesn't know how to walk on his own yet. But that's just a guess. When I found him, his eyes and ears were closed , he was a very tiny infant that looked to be "just born", He may be four weeks, at the most. Though, I read somewhere that a kitten is ready for weaning if they can lick milk from a spoon. He cannot do that, whatsoever. Not yet anyways.

But, I'll keep checking and see when he is able to lick milk on his own, to start the weaning process. 

Yep, someone on this forum suggested that I feed him upside down. It does start his suckling faster with less fighting, but it doesn't keep him going. So, I will switch back to the position on his belly again. 

My main concern is him not eating and watching him waste away. It sucks that I have no money and it's just bad timing that I found him, because it's my broke month. Had I known I would have to rescue a kitten this month, I would have spent my money better and be able to take him to the vet. I would have turned him over to the local shelters, but they told me they would only put him to sleep, so I'm doing what I can to save his life and not sentence him to instant death. 

Thanks for the advice about the baby rash cream! If I manage to borrow a few dollars from a friend, I shall get that for him. 

Oh! I meant to type this last time, try goat's milk! A lot of people say it works wonderful for their kittens who don't do well on KMR, but it's much, much better than cow's milk for them health-wise! Good luck, I really hope you can keep this little guy around! Thank you so much for the time and effort you are putting into him

Thanks, I shall look into goat's milk, when I have the money for it. 

Ah, no need to thank me, I'm caring for him because I got attached and there was no other opinion. If a shelter would take him in and care for him, I would have handed him over from the start. But, not now... I'm too attached. My mother jokes that he's my son! 

One very important thing is to keep him warm enough.  Kittens can't eat if they are cold.

If he's old enough, you might try the "kitten glop" recipe around here (do a search).  Get a large syringe, like the kind used to give cough medicine to children, and don't depend on him sucking it in (this might work with your kitten milk replacer, too).  Open his mouth a little, squirt some of the milk into the back of his mouth from the side, then let him swallow it.
 

Thanks, mrblanche. 

Yes, I keep him warm. And my city is going through a heatwave, so very easy to keep him warm. 

I do have a dropper and tried that with the milk, though it comes out his nose that way. Oops. So, I rather use the bottle and let him suckle on his own. Though, he's not quite ready for solids yet. If I can keep him alive until then, I will have nothing to worry about. I do know how to wean kittens, believe it or not. My oldest cat, Bubbles, has had two litters of her own years ago. On purpose, as I wanted her to have a few litters and had relatives who wanted kittens, but couldn't make it pass the very strict rules of adoption. Seriously, in my state it's easier to adopt a human child than a pet from a shelter. And they wonder why the shelters are over crowded here... 

Anyways, my cat was the one to take very care of her infants... until weaning age. I would wean them and litter train them. And once that was done, all went to good homes, and are still alive today as grown and healthy cats. This is the first time I had a stray kitten so very young, without a mother cat to do all the hard work in feeding and cleaning it. So I'm learning. Bubbles can't help with this, as she's long been fixed and not lactating. So, I'm trying my best to get this kitten to eat. 

Also, I find that although he likes the cow's milk (suckling it fast and frenzy, which he never did with the cat replacement or Similac), he still gives up after four or five suckles. I checked the nipple again and it has the right flow, one slow drop at a time, while held upside down. I make sure the bottle is titled, so he doesn't suck in much air. He is warm, I stimulate his parts so he can  empty before and after every feeding. I sing to him, talk to him, pet him, and he purrs. But, he's just not eating enough. That part worries me the most. Even when I get the goat's milk and he like it, I have a feeling that he will still eat so very little of it. I'm hoping the days will fly by and that he will survive, so I can start him on solids. Then I won't have to worry so much. 

I shall look up the kitten glop, though. Thanks for the tip. 

HI!!!! AW thank you for rescuing these babies and I am sorry about the one passing away. :shame: Here is the website that has great kitten rescue suggestions and the recipe for kitten glop http://www.kitten-rescue.com/ Keep up the great work. Your doing a wonderful job. for the little one. :rub:

Your kitten will not get all the nutrients he needs from cows milk -- he will slowly starve.. Look up some recipes for kitten glop ..
 

Thanks, Feralvr! 

And thanks for the link! I shall read everything on that site, once I'm done replying here. lol. 

Thanks for your input, Gardenandcats. 

Though, actually he was slowly starving to death on the kitten replacement milk. Now that I've switched him to cow's milk (temporarily, until I get money for Goat's Milk), he is gaining weight now and eating it more! He actually grabs the bottle and suckles hard for the cow milk, which means he likes it. I know it doesn't have enough nutrients for him, therefore I will try the Goat's Milk, as soon as I have money for it. No hesitation there! But, for now the cow's milk seems to be working for him... at least keeping him alive and making his belly full. Another good thing is, he is having way less explosive poops with the cow's milk, than with the kitty replacement milk. I guess Dean is just a little different from most other kitties and can't handle the replacement milk at all. 

Also, I think he's just a little too young for kitten glop yet, unless it's made for infant kittens who can't see or walk. He is able to stand on his own, a little wobbly, but as for walking he just falls over and roll across the floor. Or he drags his body in a squirming motion. That's not weaning age yet, as far as I know. Usually when kittens are like that, in my experience they're still nursing with their mommies. When kittens are running out of the nest, climbing onto the bed at 2am in the morning, to chase your eyelids in REM sleep... that's time for weaning. 

However, I will look up kitten glop recipes for future reference, because kittens do grow up quickly and he'll need that before I know it. 

I would still make up the kitten glop recipe from the website I linked you too. It would be very healthful for Dean! I am so glad to hear that he is doing a bit better though and sending vibes for this to continue If you need some more "kitten" rearing advice, I would suggest starting a thread in the Pregnant Cat/Kitten Care Forum. http://www.thecatsite.com/f/36/pregnant-cats-and-kitten-care Lots of great help and advice in that forum for caring and feeding baby kittens. :nod:

Thanks, Feralvr. 

Dean is doing okay now and he's getting bigger. I shall try the goat milk (for nutrition) very soon, but the cow milk is a nice temporary solution. He likes it, it causes zero explosive poops, and he's gaining weight. that's all good signs to me. I shall try kitten glop when he's a few weeks older and can handle that in his system. 

I have to be mindful, because his stomach is just more sensitive than other kittens, I guess. KMR is too harsh for him, although it works great for most other kittens, for example. And I looked up kitty glop and I can tell it would cause him problems at this stage of his life right now. I don't want him bleeding and passing blood clots again. But thanks for the suggestion anyways. 

Happy to hear that little Dean getting bigger!! That is a good sign that you are doing everything right Continued vibes for Dean :rub:

Thanks! And Dean is teething now! So, he shall be ready to be weaned any day now. I'm so excited! 

Sweetie- I just saw that your little Dean is now at the bridge. :sobbing: I am glad you posted in the Bridge Forum. You did SO very much for that little guy. And more than anything, he was loved, he was cared for, and he was given a name to take with him. I am so sorry. Mega hugs to you, sweetie. Bless you for what you did for Dean.

I will ask a mod to have this thread closed for you. But first wasn't sure if you wanted to post something here before it is closed. Will check back soon.