Two kittens in litter of five failing to wean at 7 1/2 weeks

Hi, I've been a learning lurker for nearly three months now, since taking  in a neglected pregnant neighbourhood moggy (owners refused to believe she was preg, at 6weeks, too focussed on their pregnant pedigree money maker dogs).  Bonnie was starving, begging at other people's doors (she'd shown no interest in other people when she had no need - now she did need!). 

Anyhow, 3 weeks after I took her in, she had 5 beautiful babies, one ginger, four black, all with their mickey mouse gloves on, plus white socks and bibs.  Three boys, two girls, all as they developed, conforming to stereotypical boys and girls (boys - a ruffian, a rascal, a gentleman; girls - one soppy little sister and one who likes to take herself off for some "me time" out of the chaotic fray!  The girls even have longer fur than their brothers, making their bibs look feathery.)

I made a rod for my own back, as Bonnie went completely off her branded cat food after giving birth, unable to stomach more than licking the gravy off it.  So it was in with the canned tuna, pilchards and chicken breast.  Only when they were three weeks old did she start adding back a little cat food. 

When the babies were four weeks, I started putting down the larger plate of branded food, thinking the babies would start investigating it and eating.  No joy.  Bonnie wouldn't allow it, and scoffed the lot before they could get a look in!  Not until 5 1/2 weeks did she allow them to try anything, and then it was the tuna and chicken.  Three are feeding well on this plus pilchards now, but two are not.  Jingo, the little rascal, will drink goatsmilk, but eats nothing else.  Myrtle, the soppy little sister, is still seemingly 100% mamacat.  I make sure there is food available 24/7, and on occasion have got up to find small puddles of sick (thankfully on the kitchen floor, never elsewhere) which makes me wonder if one or both of them have tried and failed to keep food down.  Are these two just late developers, or could there be a specific problem with either of these two babies?  Bonnie's still providing them enough to grow, but at a slower rate than the other three.  Please advise! Thanks.

7 1/2 weeks is still a wee bit young for them to need to wean completely anyway, it'll just take some time.

one thing you can try is raw meat (ground turkey mixed up with a bit of kitten formula) and warm it up just a bit, to see if the two who aren't really interested (as tuna and whole chicken would be a bit much on their stomaches if they havn't been eating solids long) if they show no interest at all, take a bit and rub it on their lips and gums, it may take a few days, but they will eventually get the jist of what they're supposed to do with it.

If the mama cat is eating their food, either put her in another room or take the babies to another room for feeding time. This age is young for full weaning but they should be eating SOME solids. I would go with tinned cat food (their new owners may not want you getting them hooked on chicken and tuna!). You can add a bit of goat's milk to make it soupy if you want, but their teeth are big enough now that you don't have to. Rub a little in their mouths to get them started, and expect some walking in the food. They shouldn't go to new homes before 10-12 weeks, so you have a few weeks, but they can't live on mother's milk forever!

7 1/2 weeks is old enough to be weaned, completely if you prefer. As long as they will eat the food when hungry, but unless you separate them from mama they will continue being titibabies

Some babies, especially born outdoors will still want to nurse even at up to 4 months old! Poor mama I say

Thanks for replies.  I have tried some of your tips before (since I've seen on other threads).  I am reassured that I must simply have stubborn kittens, and there's not something deeper wrong.  Myrtle starts to squall, which brings Bonnie running, when she doesn't like something, and Jingo just blanks everything except his goatsmilk!  Beats me that Myrtle will lick, and lick and lick anything or any one but wont touch food!  They've both met their future owners who know there are bumps in the road yet - and that I won't let them go until they're eating properly.  I guess I'd better be as persistent as they are stubborn.  And encourage all of 'em to take a closer look at 'proper' cat food!

MogFoster said:

Thanks for replies.  I have tried some of your tips before (since I've seen on other threads).  I am reassured that I must simply have stubborn kittens, and there's not something deeper wrong.  Myrtle starts to squall, which brings Bonnie running, when she doesn't like something, and Jingo just blanks everything except his goatsmilk!  Beats me that Myrtle will lick, and lick and lick anything or any one but wont touch food!  They've both met their future owners who know there are bumps in the road yet - and that I won't let them go until they're eating properly.  I guess I'd better be as persistent as they are stubborn.  And encourage all of 'em to take a closer look at 'proper' cat food!

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You have good advice here (and I'm sure you saw similar advice in other threads). The only thing I would double check is their weights. Have the two that are not eating solids lost any? If they are still gaining then I agree they are just slow developers. I would really encourage the wet and dry kitten food because that is most likely what the new adopters will feed them. 

I wouldn't force them to wean, there's really no reason to and can create unwanted behaviours. And there's nothing wrong with them nursing right up until 12 weeks when they're adopted out. 

If she's eating the food quickly then she's hungry, just put more down so everyone can get their fill. Kittens and nursing mums eat a ton of food. 

One small success today - when Myrtle was chasing after mama mewing for more, I grabbed her up (had to wrap her in a towel to stop her climbing up to my shoulder) and got her to taste goatsmilk, which she decided she liked.  When I put her down she had a good lap at it and seemed quite pleased with herself.  Later, when she was after more mama again, just a reminder got her drinking happily.  I'll try a few other tricks for the food with both of them when she doesn't need reminders!

Both of them are still gaining, but at a slower rate than the others.  The little ginger tom is a whopper in comparison, the next two are pretty much target weight for age.  All five are a very sociable bunch who love their cuddles, though I try to ration them (oh the dismay on Jingo's little face when I put him down!) due to the fact that I'm allergic.  I do love cats, and this experience has been such fun - I've laughed so much!  And now I wake up to the thunder of tiny paws galloping up and down the stairs. 

I managed to build her up from bony and neglected when I took her in, and to keeping her own weight up (and increasing) after they arrived.  My kitchen floor has a ring of food dishes constantly refilled and available 24/7, and boy, are we getting thru stuff!  She looks positively matronly now.

Oh boy!  A week on, and no further forward with Jingo or Myrtle!

I decided that yes, it was sensible that the others should be eating branded kitten food, and ended up in a battle royal with Bonnie, who rescinded permission to wean from the lot of them!  Despite the fact that I mixed in some of the tuna and chicken with the other stuff.  I have won that one, though she makes it plain she's not too happy about it, letting the three who are weaning ok eat first on those plates.  She has food in a bowl which they "know" is mama's and don't touch.  I'm not short-changing anyone on the feeding front, there's more than enough there for all of them.  I am concerned about the lack of interest in food of the other two - just how common is it for kittens to wean so late?  At what point should concern become worry?  More advice please! 

I'd be getting some Hills AD and syringing it into their mouths, it's made for that so no need to mix with water. They will hopefully catch on, 7-8 weeks is a bit long to be relying on mum only

I have a cat who did the same thing. Was pregnant and showed up at my house starving. She had 5 kittens, and didn't even try to wean them until they were 4 months old. They were eating solid food, too, but they still liked to hang on mama, and to my disappointment she just wouldn't force them off the juice. She finally did at 4 months, and that was that. It's ok for them to have a little more time. I'm sure it will sort itself out.

sherrycat said:

I have a cat who did the same thing. Was pregnant and showed up at my house starving. She had 5 kittens, and didn't even try to wean them until they were 4 months old. They were eating solid food, too, but they still liked to hang on mama, and to my disappointment she just wouldn't force them off the juice. She finally did at 4 months, and that was that. It's ok for them to have a little more time. I'm sure it will sort itself out.

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Still nursing isn't really the issue here. . .I had one mama/son pair and she let him nurse for a year. That's no big deal, as long as the kittens are also eating solid food. But the fact that they aren't eating ANY solids att this age is a bit concerning. I would probably be syringing some food into them, too.

Willowy said:

Still nursing isn't really the issue here. . .But the fact that they aren't eating ANY solids att this age is a bit concerning. 

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Exactly, it's extremely common for kittens to continue to nurse for months but they need solids too.

At last!  Jingo's tucking into his kitten food (mixed with just a wee bit of tuna) perfectly happily.  Nine weeks old today!  Still waiting on Myrtle, but I don't think she'll be far behind - poor mamacat's in the throes of unrequited passion (this is heavy stuff - poor thing's almost legless with it!) and is totally unable to concentrate on the littl'uns for more than a few seconds at a time.

Yep.  Thanks to mamacat's incapacitating, raging, rampant hormones, Myrtle has finally succumbed to the food!  I am so relieved.  Thank you to everyone for your advice - I had planned to see a vet about the Hall's on Monday, if nothing had progressed.

Mums usually forget about the kittens while they're in heat, glad to hear all are finally eating properly now. 

MogFoster said:

 - poor mamacat's in the throes of unrequited passion (this is heavy stuff - poor thing's almost legless with it!) and is totally unable to concentrate on the littl'uns for more than a few seconds at a time.

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aaaaaaaahahahahhahahahhahahahahahha!!!!!!! This cracked me up! Poor Momma and her jelly legs!!!!!

Well phrased my friend, well phrased.