Need Advice With 3 Week Old Orphan Kitten?

A week ago, I came across a kitten that was in a pile of pine straw, I know it was an orphaned kitten because it was in pine straw that had been delivered from one place to the next so I know the mother wasn't around and there were no other kittens. So of course I had to take the sweetheart in because he needed someone and I have had experience with both cats and kittens (Helped one of my cat's runt of the litter). He latches onto a bottle and eats ever 3-5 hours, and eats about 10-20 ml of cat milk. I took Karma (the kitten) to the vet today to see if he was gaining weight and to see if he is old enough to start weaning because he is chewing on the nipple of the bottle and kind of messing it up. I feel teeth trying to come in too but the vet said that Karma is about 2.5- 3 weeks old! He thinks that I found him when he was only 10 days old but he is in good health as of now. Karma is a good baby overall but at night, it is hard to get him settled. Usually he falls asleep after I stimulate, feed him, stimulate him again, and let him walk around while cuddling him till he falls asleep. But he struggles at going to sleep at night, and cries and cries. I cuddle him, and he just crawls around crying. But I have this chest that is his "home" temporarily because it gives him plenty of space while one half is heated from a heating pad and the other side is for if he gets too hot. I put a soft jacket that he has become very fond of over time and I just put some little stuffed animals in his "home" so he doesn't feel alone and I put a ticking clock beside the biggest stuffed animal so it kinda puts him to sleep? (I read it kind of reminds them of moms heartbeat) So with all the being said, what should I do about lapping/weaning (he's about 3 weeks old now), if he is still too young how can I help with teething, and how can I help him sleep better at night? Thanks in advance!

Try adding soft food mixed with the milk before bed time . Like when you add rice cereal in a baby bottle. I have done that for mom- less kittens before. Make sure it's good and watery to start.

I almost forgot. Thank you for taking care of this baby. 

thank you so much! yeah I have been doing so much research and found information but it helps when you can specify your particular needs! Thank you so much for replying and I will definitely do the food before bed! And it is no problem, I live in an apartment at school and have one roommate thats always gone so it's awesome to have company and I love caring for things! I feel like I am the lucky one! haha

Morgan453 said:

 
thank you so much! yeah I have been doing so much research and found information but it helps when you can specify your particular needs! Thank you so much for replying and I will definitely do the food before bed! And it is no problem, I live in an apartment at school and have one roommate thats always gone so it's awesome to have company and I love caring for things! I feel like I am the lucky one! haha

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I dont have much more advices for you at this moment, but I will follow your tread, and I do wish you and your little protegé all luck!

The fact that you think you are the lucky one says so much about you. You are a amazing person. I want to tell you about my first bottle kitten it may help you in so way. I was six months pregnancy and looking at the want ads, I don't remember why. A little ad about a special cat in need of a home got me to thinking. I love cats it was in my mind all day. When my husband came home I told him about it. ( He was still my boyfriend at the time) he call the number and what do you know they were right down the hwy from our new house. When we went looking at her she was the smallest lil Gray thing I had ever seen. She was mean but I loved her the minute I had seen her. And only a day old when the old lady got her ( 3 days when I got her) a woman had walked up the street asking people to help a litter of kittens , her older son have shot the mom cat  when she was laying with the babies because she was a stray and had been crying and keep him up all night. The woman didn't want the babies to die and couldn't keep them around her son. So the old lady keep one and called to put an ad. She showed me how to feed and care for her. I named her Smokey but we called her rat ( she was that small) she would cut my hands up every time I feed her . She went everywhere with me the few times I had to leave her my mother in law keep her but after the first time she wouldn't go near her I was told by everyone that they would let her die and I was nuts, she was that mean she would bite and attack everyone. They keep telling me she would hurt my baby. She needed to be put down even the vet. But she was my baby and after a week she was happy with me I could hold her without her getting upset. She was like that her whole life. I was the only one who could hold her, my husband and little girl could be in the same room but she would run if they tried to pet her not attack. anyone else and there was blood. I told people not to go near the gray cat if they came to my house. She was only with us seven short years. but I still miss her everyday. I have never been that close to a cat before or after.  So bless you for doing something many people wouldn't. You are a HERO.

oh my goodness mkat02! You are such a lovely person to take a baby kitten right before having one of your own! I feel like cats are misunderstood and too much stereotypes so I love to give all of them a fighting chance! It is hard but the reward in the end is so great for me! I have always been a huge animal lover and have taken in so many animals over the years. My other cat Aiden (she is in my profile picture) is the cat I am closest too! She is indoor and outdoor so she does hunt and bring dead or injured animals to our doorstep but we try to help them bad to health. But my fiancé is so cute, he has never had to care for an animal really, especially something that small and I swear you would think that Karma is his baby! Hahaha he is constantly checking in on him and loves to cuddle with him so it is super sweet and cute! We even take shifts during the night to bottle feed and stimulate Karma so his bladder doesn't get too full! But I will definitely have to show y'all a picture of him! 

StefanZ, it is okay about the advice! But Karma and I thank you bunches! He is doing very well today! But I also have another question, and this can be answered by anyone, I have read bad articles on "Hartz Kitten Formula" and was wandering if it is bad for kittens, that is the only thing I have been giving Karma and he seems to be doing fine on it and my vet didn't advise me to change it or anything? But again I want to thank you guys for the support and advice!

Morgan453 said:

 
StefanZ, it is okay about the advice! But Karma and I thank you bunches! He is doing very well today! But I also have another question, and this can be answered by anyone, I have read bad articles on "Hartz Kitten Formula" and was wandering if it is bad for kittens, that is the only thing I have been giving Karma and he seems to be doing fine on it and my vet didn't advise me to change it or anything? But again I want to thank you guys for the support and advice!

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Some of our forumist are OK with Hartz.  So I cant say never ever.

What you vet says is true, dont change a winning concept is usually correct.    but one reason he didnt advised against, may be, if  there is difficult to get antything else.  Another reason may be risk for law suiting if he talks openly.

Anyway, if you do have other good kmr or goat milk,  I would change.   It depends on what you do have accessible.  Because as Hartz has worked nice for you so far, you will want to change to something even better, there is no point to change for something working so so for your cat.

Raw goat milk is always a hot option, if you can get it.   Some of our forumites do know where they can get it.

Good luck!

My experience with Hartz is this-

Before I got on the board of directors for the humane society, they had these small bags of Hartz formula to give to bottle feeders.

Many of the babies went to my fosters in my rescue group, and found while many did fine, some did NOT, and it wasn't until they were downhill very fast, discovered it's the formula.

Something in it may cause an issue, not sure what exactly that might be, but to never take that chance again is of course best, so I do not recommend it for this very reason.

I would say that if the baby has been doing fine with it, it's likely going to continue and do well, but always will recommend Petag KMR over anything.

If he is at the age where he will be weaned soon anyway, I'd say continue on. But in the future, just know that it does have the potential to cause some very bad reactions to it.

If you switch him now, do it in a slower transition rather than sudden.

Ok! Thanks everyone for you informative advice! When I read that some kittens had gotten super sick, I was kinda freaking out! He has been on Hartz for a week and a day. And seems to be okay and the vet said he was healthy but thanks you guys soooo much!!

catwoman707 said:

 
My experience with Hartz is this-

Before I got on the board of directors for the humane society, they had these small bags of Hartz formula to give to bottle feeders.

Many of the babies went to my fosters in my rescue group, and found while many did fine, some did NOT, and it wasn't until they were downhill very fast, discovered it's the formula.

Something in it may cause an issue, not sure what exactly that might be,

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May I guess, they got it a sales promotion, from Hartz or some major seller pet shop in the town?   Nothing peculiar with it, Royal Canin are doing much of similiar actions. Hills too.

The problems you describe, sounds as an uneven quality control.  Possibly combined with unreliable suppliers of ingredients. (alike the chinese ingredients problems a couple of years ago)   A product which by itself is OK, not excellent perhaps, but entirely OK.  But having problems with quality control, they get uneven batches now and then.  And thus, some batches gets faulty, with potential disaster for the users...

StefanZ said:

 
May I guess, they got it a sales promotion, from Hartz or some major seller pet shop in the town?   Nothing peculiar with it, Royal Canin are doing much of similiar actions. Hills too.

The problems you describe, sounds as an uneven quality control.  Possibly combined with unreliable suppliers of ingredients. (alike the chinese ingredients problems a couple of years ago)   A product which by itself is OK, not excellent perhaps, but entirely OK.  But having problems with quality control, they get uneven batches now and then.  And thus, some batches gets faulty, with potential disaster for the users...

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Yes it could be, although when there has been a kitten who reacted to the formula, the siblings have not.

One litter I had 2 who reacted poorly, other than that it would be just a single kitten and the siblings did fine, but of course if one reacted they all were switched over to Petag KMR, so not entirely sure I understand exactly why it has happened, but often enough that I asked the humane society to stop giving it out and purchase Petag brand.

It's interesting, mysterious.