First time foster, when to transititon kittens from formula to soft food?

I am a brand new first time foster. I got a male and female on Thursday.  A previous foster mom was taking care of them and could not continue so they needed a new foster.  I am fostering from our local Humane Society.

They are supposedly 3-4 weeks but really have no idea. When I got them, they had diarrhea. I was told they were being overfeed and may have been fed soft food. I have no idea.  So, I am strictly feeding them KMR (powder) and took them back to get some meds for the diarrhea yesterday. I have to give them a dose today and tomorrow.  I can already see an improvement in their stool. It is still mushy but not liquid.  I have to keep them in a carrier when I am not around (because I have other pets plus I do not want the mess all over the room they are in)  When I take them out their blankets have spots of feces on them ( I am continually washing the blankest and always replacing with fresh)

I am feeding approximately every 3 1/2 to 4 hours. At night they go longer. They really seem to be improving.  They are lapping the KMR off of a little saucer. I am keeping track of how much they eat each time.  I even weighed them today and they have both gained weight.

I am not in any hurry to switch them to soft food, but I just want to know when I should start the transition??  I really want to give them a full week with me on the KMR only to get their systems back on track before I make any changes.  Do you think I should wait even longer?

When will I know to make the transition?

I do have cats of my own, but got them when they were 8 weeks or older so they were litter trained and eating on their own.

Just want to make sure I am doing everything right for these two little precious babies.

Also, the male is really thriving. He is playing, exploring, doing very well. The girl is very small and is weak but she is really perking up too. Keeping my fingers crossed that I keep seeing improvement.

Thanks in advance for your help

I would suggest that you bottle feed the kittens with the KMR, and begin putting down dry kitten chow for them to munch on if they wish. The female kitten may not be getting enough through lapping. She also may be weak from the diarrhea, though she should begin to improve now that she is being treated.

Royal Canin Baby Cat makes tiny little kitten chow pieces. Purina kitten chow is good too.

If you can post weights I can tell you how much KMR to feed each one daily.

The fact their stool is improving is good. They probably had parasites that are being treated now. It may take a few days, but the accidents should clear up, and you can introduce a kitten-sized litter pan to them.

Kittens begin to wean to mush - which is wet food mixed with KMR to an oatmeal consistency - around 4-5 weeks old, but continue nursing for weeks when they have a mom.

I suggest that in the next few days you also begin to offer mush. It will help them grow, and their stools will be more formed. You can use any pate-style wet food. Fancy Feast is good as the first ingredient is protein. Turkey or chicken is best to start with.

Since their diarrhea is being treated, there is no need to wait to begin weaning.

Post pictures if you can .

The boy is at least 16 ounces and the girl is 10.
The bottle that I pour the kmr out of is in tablespoons and ml
The boy drinks an average 30 ml each feeding. The girl varies one feeding she will drink 15 and another 30 but usually one or the other. I am feeding them every 3 1/2 to 4 hours.
I will try to post a picture if I can figure it out. And thank you!!!!

If the male is a pound already then they are probably 4 weeks old, and he is ready to eat solids. The female sounds small for her age, though females are usually smaller than males.

I especially think the male is ready for mush and kitten chow because he is already drinking way more than his weight calls for. This is good! But if he's that hungry he needs solids in addition to his formula.

The female is drinking either just the right amount at 15 mL's per feeding, or twice as much. She may be ready to transition as well.

Give the mush a try and let me know how they like it. On a flat plate is best for starters, and sometimes you need to put some on a finger for them to taste.

Is it regular Fancy Feast?  I give my adults Fancy feast classic. I could use that unless I should be getting something specifically for kittens.

When you mentioned kitten chow, do you mean hard/dry food?

I am thinking I should start with the wet Fancy Feast mixed with some KMR. 

Do you suggest scheduled feedings so I can keep track of who is eating what?  Or just leave some out for them both to eat as they wish?

Also, should I provide water or wet food with KMR will be enough to keep them hydrated?

I am going to wait and start tomorrow.  I am going out this evening and I feel bad enough leaving them alone. I don't want to start something new until

I can be here to oversee them and keep checking on them.

Right now, I have them in a little carrier when they sleep. I also have a penned in area with a littler tray for them when they are awake and unsupervised.

They are in my finished basement.  Every couple of hours (when I was feeding) I would go down and leave them run free (with supervision) for at least an hour or so to get exercise.  Does this seem to be ok?  I have only had them for 3 days.  So, I am sure I will begin to feel more comfortable and will gradually start letting them slowly be out and about when I know they are litter trained and a little bigger.

If you do not mind a I have a few other questions.

They are beginning to play with one another.  The boy, is so much bigger and stronger I am afraid he will hurt his sister. She still seems so frail and when I first got her I didn't think she would make it. I am starting to feel a lot better about her progress.

Do you think he could hurt her?

I have a heater on (not directly facing their crate)  just to keep the chill off. How long is this necessary? 

They came to me pretty dirty. The Humane Society did bathe them. I am doing my best to try to keep them clean but it is no easy task.

In another week or so, do you think it would be ok to give them a bath?

Sorry for all of the questions. This is so new to me and I want to do the right thing for them.

Thanks you so much for all of you help.

I used Royal Canin Baby Cat canned food. I mixed with KMR and made a soupy consistancy. I put it on saucers because they knew how to lap. Warning they will walk in at at first. Gradually I decreased the amount of KMR. I had probiotic paste from the vet to combat any diarrhea. My kittens luckily still had their mom until they were 10 weeks old.

Fancy Feast Classic is what I meant, and yes, I mean dry food when I say kitten chow. Fancy Feast does make kitten wet food, but the regular classic is just fine mixed with KMR.

You should leave dry kitten chow out for them at all times. You can schedule the wet food feedings for every 4 hours. It's important that you see who eats how much, especially in the beginning.

Give them kitten milk between wet food feedings - as much as they want. You can leave a dish of water out, but they may play in it or knock it over rather than drink it right now. But not to worry, they are getting plenty of moisture from the milk and wet food.

And yes, it's messy and they step in it at first, but they can reach it so much better on a plate than a bowl at this little age. You just clean them up with a warm, damp rag, which you should be doing every day anyway since they have no mom.

You can bathe them if you need to. I know they are nasty from the diarrhea, just make sure they do not get cold. Are you not able to put them in a room in your house besides the basement? If not, I would keep the heater going. They should be able to regulate their temperature now, but still do not need to get chilled.

The exercise sounds good. Kittens nap a lot too .

He may be a little rough, but he won't hurt her. This is how they learn to interact at this age - by tussling with each other. Do they have some little balls and play mice as well?

I think I answered all your questions. Feel free to ask anything any time - that's what we are here for .

Sounds like you are very caring and doing a good job so far!

Yes I am trying to keep them clean and wiping them down often. Our basement is finished with heat. It was a playroom for our children but son is off to college daughter is still home. I will keep heater on as well.
I will start with the mush tomorrow and start with a little dry food out as well.
Thank you all for your guidance.
I may be back with more questions.

Just a follow up.  The boy, Dexter did wonderful eating Fancy Feast/ KMR mixture.  The girl, Tuesday, ate some not as interested or as much. But she continued to drink the right amount of KMR.

I feel like they will both transition well.

Should I start putting dry food out now too?  They seem so tiny to eat that, but I want to do what is best for them. I was going to wait a few days and let them get this new food underway before introducing something else that is new. But you all know better than me.

Also, how often should they be going to the bathroom?

I try to watch them to see who is doing what. Tuesday is pretty consistent and goes both ways after each meal.  Dexter not so much. But when I get them out of their carrier for feeding and playtime there usually is wet spots and poop spots on their towel. So maybe that is him.

Tuesday is naturally on her way to use the litter tray. She heads in that direction most of the time.  Dexter not so much. He just wants to play and explore.

The diarrhea seems to have gotten much better.  Their stool is more of a toothpaste consistency.

Once again, thanks for all of your help. It is making me feel so much more comfortable with these little ones.  They are precious.

I'm so glad to hear that Dexter liked his mush, and that Tuesday is trying it. She will get there soon!

Yes, please just leave the dry kitten chow out for them. They will learn to nibble it between meals.

You may want to put them both IN the litter pan when you first get them out of the carrier, AND after each meal. You can take a little paw and show them how to "dig". This will help them learn since they have no mom to show them.

It's also good to hear that their poops are getting better. Are you able to upload pictures?

My phone won't let me upload but when my daughter gets home later I am going to have her help me. I want to post pictures .... They are so darn cute.

Would IAMS kitten food be ok for dry?

Yes, Iams kitten food would be fine.

Thanks again for all of you guidance and getting back to all of my questions. You have been a great help!! [emoji]128571[/emoji]

So cute!

Just wanted to check in and thank everyone for their advice. My two fosters are doing very well. They are now eating mush and I leave dry out and they nibble a little ( very little ) here and there.
They are both gaining weight daily.
They are also getting pretty good at using the litter box.
I am still feeding them on a schedule about every 5 hours. Canned wet food with KMR and a little kMR by itself. Do I need to be giving them water too or are they getting enough with the wet and KMR?
Thanks

You can put water out, but they are getting enough.

The good news is my fosters Tuesday and Dexter are doing awesome eating mush, gaining weight, playing etc...
I do need some help with getting them to use the litter box. They are about 5weeks old. They came to me with diarrhea but that got better.... Although Tuesday's poop is starting to mushy again (thinking maybe because the mush I am feeding is becoming less mush and more canned food??)
When I can not supervise them they are in a "pen". They have a bed, two litter boxes, a scratching pad and plenty of toys.
Every time I feed them ( about every 5 hours) I put them in the box once before they eat and several times after. They never go. Before they eat. Tuesday will go after when I put her in ( usually poop) I sit in the pen with them while feeding and anytime they run around and look like they are going to "go" I put them in their box. Sometimes this works mostly they just hop out and start playing. They actually do this for about an hour then go to their bed and fall asleep ( without going to the bathroom) so I leave them and when I come back I will notice they may have gone in the box but they also go outside of the box. Any suggestions? I have already found a forever home ( they are going to stay together [emoji]10084[/emoji]️) so I really am trying my best to have them potty trained ..., for my sake and their new family's sake. Do I just need to be patient and it will work out or is there something else I can be doing?
This is my first time fostering so I am learning as I go.
Thanks in advance for advice!

At 5 weeks, these babies are very much like toddlers learning to potty train. There's going to be accidents. I think after another week or two they will be using their litter boxes just fine.

Sounds like you are doing a great job with these two. And happy to hear they already have a forever home lined up!

Have the kittens been dewormed yet?

Just a suggestion, if you notice continue to notice soft stool with Tuesday with the increase of canned food, you can try adding a bit of plain canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling) to the mush mix.

If this doesn't help form things up, she might have an intolerance to one of the ingredients in the food. I always steer clear of grains; but, definitely anything with corn, wheat and soy. Also, some kitties are sensitive to thickeners like Carrageenan, Guar Gum, Xanthan Gum, etc...

Did they ever get wormed?

And I agree with CatPack that the kittens are young to be perfectly using the litter box, especially when they have no mama cat to show by example. They WILL get it soon though. Well before they are re-homed at 8 weeks. Or will it be earlier?