PLEASE HELP - abandoned kitten not eating

manda41

TCS Member
Thread starter
Kitten
Joined
Aug 9, 2014
Messages
1
Purraise
1
Hi - Almost two weeks ago, I took in two kittens that looked to be about a month old.  They had been abandoned in a Kmart parking lot, and two others of the litter were already dead.  I have been bottle feeding one of them because I noticed it trying to suck the wet food from the dish.  The other kitten eats just fine.  The bottle fed one will not try to eat from the dish at all now that I started feeding it, and unfortunately because of my schedule, I cannot bottle feed it more than 2 or 3 times a day.  I am looking for homes for the kittens as I have inside dogs, but have had no luck.

I feel like the bottle fed kitten is not doing as well...is a bit smaller, and I'm afraid will starve if it doesn't learn to eat the solid food soon. Any suggestions on what I can do to help the kitten learn to eat the food?  Unfortunately, I have no help with this.  The kittens are living in my guest bathroom and have learned to use the litter box.  I cannot let them out because of my dogs.

Also, the smaller one has become better at walking, but its hind legs seem to give out sometimes and it falls over. It also shakes some, but I can't tell if it's cold or if something else is wrong.  I do not plan on taking them to a vet because of my very limited budget.  I can barely afford the KMR in addition to the solid food/litter, etc. 

Top pic (on the brown towel) was taken today (Aug 20), and the bottom pic was taken Aug 8.


 

StefanZ

Advisor
Staff Member
Advisor
Joined
Sep 18, 2005
Messages
26,072
Purraise
10,774
Location
Sweden
No chance they could get pals with the dogs?  Its common dogs and familys cats gets best friends, or at least tolerate each other, even if the dogs are otherwise hunting at cats outside.

The training isnt very hard - the dogs knows the cat is a part of the family, of the pack, and also, they are under the owners protection.

Not so few dogs gots very protective and mommy to a kitten.

Begin with the friendliest of them, and look see...

Its quite common bottle babies are rather late with eating.  You were lucky the first one got the trick at once.

The reason is, among others, normally, they take example from mom and follow suit.

The only for the owner to do is to give them shallow enough plates...

Here he has example of his bro - hopefully it should be enough.  anyway, make sure he can look on while the bro is eating.

If they were friends with the dogs, he would also have the dogs as an example...

You live in USA?  Gerber baby food are often mentioned here. Some mention stage one, others talk about stage two. The types without  onions in it, preferably chicken or turkey.

His wobbliness may possibly be quite natural - somwhat undernourished, somewhat individually late in the development - and yea, may be wobbly.

Good luck!
 

helsic

TCS Member
Adult Cat
Joined
Jul 23, 2014
Messages
190
Purraise
18
Location
China
they're too young they need a source of heat, kittens lest than 5 weeks can't generate their own body heat, it's possible that the kitten is chill so that's why he isn't eating. Before feeding him make sure is warm otherwise he can get very sick. They are adorable by the way!!! they're going to be very beautiful when they grow up! I hope you can keep them and they can get along with your dogs!

good luck!
 
Top