Orphaned Kitten questions

We found a male kitten he looks to be 4-5 weeks old. We tried to get him to eat wet food and that was a no go. We bought kitten formula and kitten baby bottles from petsmart today. I am warming his formula and he is showing progress on eating but he is only eating about 15 ml (1 tbsp) every 4-5 hours. He started using the litter box today and has used it twice now. He is purring and active . He sleeps  alot but no more than I would think a newborn would sleep. Any advice would be great and helpful. Oh and he is already a little spoiled. He wants to be held up to our chest in a blanket at all times if he is not trying to play. He is so young that he still falls when walking. He weighs about 8 oz.  Do I need to give him water in addition to his kitten formula? 

He needs lots more formula! If he is still learning to walk and only weighs 8 ounces, then he is more like 3 to 4 weeks old. He naturally wants to cuddle, but he needs more food. Is he sucking well? Try to get him to drink more formula. Have you offered wet food mushed up with formula mixed in? He might like that a little better. You can also try Gerber turkey baby food in the jar. Kittens usually love it and it is easily lapped up. He sounds like he is perhaps adjusting to life without mom after being abandoned. So sad, but thankfully you found him and are offering great care! Thank you and keep pushing the bottle and the mush - he'll get there! Let us know how he's doing.

PS: If he drinks more formula and begins to eat moistened food - and he should soon - he won't need extra water right away. You can put a dish of water down for him to learn to drink from.

Sounds like 3 weeks old.

He needs to be cared for as a bottle fed baby is. If he is using the bottle well, then great, but he does need more or will not be doing so good within days.

8 ounce baby needs 64 mls per day of formula.

For every ounce of weight is 8 mls of formula a day. 8x8=64.

Need that weight gain every day to ensure stability.

He is still very young, and they can turn around in the blink of an eye still.

newkittenmom1 said:

 
We found a male kitten he looks to be 4-5 weeks old. We tried to get him to eat wet food and that was a no go. We bought kitten formula and kitten baby bottles from petsmart today. I am warming his formula and he is showing progress on eating but he is only eating about 15 ml (1 tbsp) every 4-5 hours. He started using the litter box today and has used it twice now. He is purring and active . He sleeps  alot but no more than I would think a newborn would sleep. Any advice would be great and helpful. Oh and he is already a little spoiled. He wants to be held up to our chest in a blanket at all times if he is not trying to play. He is so young that he still falls when walking. He weighs about 8 oz.  Do I need to give him water in addition to his kitten formula? 

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If you manage consistently with it, itsnt so bad.  15x5 times a day, gives 75...   And having 8oz at this moment, his minimum is 8x8 = 64 ml a day...  So you do have even a margin...

So give him lotsa of love and warmth - perhaps give him some stuffed animal companion, preferably made from fleece. and be sure he gets his formula or goat milk..  And with time, also other nutrients.

Extra water?  If you think he should - its perhaps warmthy at your place, or you by any other means thinks he may be slightly deydrated - perhaps hardish poo - you can give some drops in between the feedings.