3 Week Old Kittens Struggling with the Bottle

Hello

I took in 3 3 week old kittens today. They've already decided I'm mom and will even try to nurse on my clothes or arm. The thing is, I can't get them to use the bottle. This isn't my first rodeo and I've had kittens refuse the bottle before but not this long. I've had them a little over 12 hours now. I've done several feedings.

They've been getting about 2 cc milk per feeding which I know is not nearly enough. I think I'm going to have to switch to hourly or every two hour feedings. I've switched to using a syringe but I still try the bottle first every time.

I've been giving them small amounts of wet food to try and supplement their feedings. They really love it but even that they don't eat too much of. It's Royal Canin Baby Cat.

Is it just that it's going to take more time? I know I might be jumping the gun on this but these kittens are like my kids. I want to make sure I'm doing anything and everything I can for them.

Does anyone have any suggestions on something I can do to help them get used to the formula and bottle? I'm using powered formula.

Sorry for any typos. I'm doing this from my phone.

Thanks in advance!!

Not sure what happened to that first post but here's a picture. I originally thought they might be a little under 3 weeks but they have all their incisors in already. I'll try to post a better picture later.

 Hello, Wonderful Kitten-guardian!!! I had the same problem recently & the solution has been "Four Paws Pet Nursers" - the kittens (3 separate litters from 3 different colonies) LOVE the rubber nipples and the nipples are very durable.  I had a couple of kittens get blisters on their top lip from the Hartz & PetAg bottles, plus they chew the tips right off - like you, I was resorting to the syringe.

I live in a rural area so I had to buy my FourPaws bottles from Amazon.  I am sure that you can find them easily if you are near a big-box pet store.  I first heard of them from a feed store whose ownership has since changed and they carry only PetAg.  They do, however, sell the Ultra24 milk replacer which is cost-effective and my past few years' kittens have done better on it than they have on KMR.

My best formula (also the most expensive but with no problems, despite sick kittens) is canned goat-milk formula using the recipe @ www.kitten-rescue.org, and using 2-3 egg yolks per batch and a probiotic capsule instead of yogurt.

Please keep us updated on anything you find out - my ferals are in different areas & situations so their challenges are numerous and I always need new ideas/suggestions.  Also, I'm a solo rescuer and haven't been able to find anyone else not too busy to help out (although I'm caregiver to a disabled daughter, 84yo mother & foster grandchild yet not too busy) so time and $$ are huge issues for me.

Mega prayers and vibes for successful kitten rescue

Sorry for the late reply!

Two of them are drinking from the bottle now. The one still hates it but she loves the wet food. They are all eating well and are super lively.

I think the one is a little constipated though so I increased the water in the formula. Instead of one part powder, two parts water I'm using one part powder, four parts water.

Other then that they all seem very healthy. I guess they just needed some time. I'm going to look into those bottles you suggested though.

Some good news! The kitten that wasn't diving formula finally latched tonight! ! She drank quite a bit too. Also, the constipated kitten finally pooped.

My husband laughed when I came down the stairs exclaiming that the kitten pooped. XD

*drinking not diving

I'm working from my phone. Lol

FreyaNeziah said:

My husband laughed when I came down the stairs exclaiming that the kitten pooped. XD

Click to expand...

.. And yet it's the kind of conversation we have regularly on TCS..

Lovely to hear the good news!

So I'ma little confused on their age right now. I originally thought they were born around May 12. I actually took in one kitten on May 15th that had been abandoned and was dying. They looked like newborns then.

The day I took the rest was the first day I posted here. Their ears were standing for the most part so I assumed they were about 3 weeks old which would put them at being born around May 9th.

But on Friday I noticed their premolars are coming in which would put them at 5 weeks. That would put them at bring born around May 2nd but that would make sense because the kitten on the 15th didn't have open eyes yet so she couldn't have been that old.

Does the teeth age only count one they are fully in? So at 5 weeks, the premolars are completely in? Or do they turn 5 weeks as their premolars are coming in?

Here is a photo of the kitten I took on the 15th:

And here is a recent photo of the kittens now:

Just a general update :

All three are eating wet food now. The one will happily eat it off a plate. The second I have to get started from my hand then I can switch her over to a plate. The third will only eat out of my hand so far.
I let them eat their fill of wet food (except the one, she'd eat until her tummy exploded) then I offer them formula.

I think I'm going to start diluting the formula slowly over the next week or two to see if I can wean them over to water. I'm also starting to offer it from a dish. They haven't quite figured out how to lick it up yet.

All three are running around really well now. Just the occasionally flop when they trip over something. And they all will dutifully clean themselves after eating.

I've started pottying them in little litter pan because one of them had pooped on her own twice. I haven't seen who it was though. I don't leave it in with them when I'm not there though because they still have figured out that it's for pooping, not eating or playing. They will get there in time.


I think that's about it. I'll add a photo though. It came out so nice. It's just two of them. The other one didn't want to join in on nap time.

This just in! Their eye colors are staying to develop! And I finally saw which one was pooping on her own and was able to move her to the litter pan in time.

So, I need help again. The kitten who was constipated before now has super liquidy diarrhea. And I think it even looked a little bit mucusy. She drank a small amount of KMR this past feeding but not much. Although I can't blame her for not wanting to eat. She probably doesn't feel very well.

I read that it's probably because of parasites, which does make sense but the other two aren't having trouble at all.
http://www.caring4kittens.com/diarrhea.htm

I did find out that the formula my helper was mixing was still being over-diluted. Could that be the cause?

And of course, when I went and resupplied today, I got weaning formula instead of KMR because they were all doing so well with the wet food. Please tell me I can give her that. She hasn't had any yet.

What should I do? I'm going to try to get then to see a vet Tuesday but is there anything I can do until then? I know when my dog had a problem like this the vet had us keep her off all food for 24 hours to kinda reset her digestive track but I doubt I can do that with a kitten this young.

Anyone have any suggestions?