3 week old kitten won't stop crying

I have 8 orphaned kittens at the moment, six that are 8 weeks old and two that are 3 weeks old. Of the two 3-week-olds, one will not stop crying. I can't figure out what's wrong with him. I'm feeding them both constantly, they're both free of parasites and by all accounts very healthy. They're urinating and defecating normally, etc.  One of them eats, then settles in and sleeps until the next feeding. The other eats a full meal (about 30-40 mL, until he stops eating), I make sure they burp then see if they're still hungry, yet he won't settle. He wanders around like he's searching, if I hold him, he climbs all over me. Finally, I just put him back in the nest, where he cries until he finally falls asleep. 

I'm not sure what could be wrong with him. Could he just be lonely and still searching for his mother? I've had him less than two days. 

socksy said:

 
I have 8 orphaned kittens at the moment, six that are 8 weeks old and two that are 3 weeks old. Of the two 3-week-olds, one will not stop crying. I can't figure out what's wrong with him. I'm feeding them both constantly, they're both free of parasites and by all accounts very healthy. They're urinating and defecating normally, etc.  One of them eats, then settles in and sleeps until the next feeding. The other eats a full meal (about 30-40 mL, until he stops eating), I make sure they burp then see if they're still hungry, yet he won't settle. He wanders around like he's searching, if I hold him, he climbs all over me. Finally, I just put him back in the nest, where he cries until he finally falls asleep. 

I'm not sure what could be wrong with him. Could he just be lonely and still searching for his mother? I've had him less than two days. 

Click to expand...

It could be so. Fleece in the bedding is good, it feels almost alike mommas fur.   A heating pad under is good too...

Do they gain nicely? How many grammes a day?  THIS is a good way to know if they get enough - although its not exact way - some kittens add 10g a day and its good, others may add 25g a day...  And if such a kitten with potential for 25g adds 10-15g, it looks good, but its really dont enough...  He will be healthy, but he will feel hungry.

Im also thinking, he may perhaps have some kolik, some gases?  Two drops of simeticone - the same type as for babies - helps.  SArthur2 often mentions the brand of Mylicone  as a relieble and trustworthy one...

socksy

He may have gas, as Stefan said. Give him a couple of drops of infant Mylicon in his bottles. It may help.

Are you stimulating the kittens for pee and poop? I'm wondering if he is constipated?

Otherwise, he is seeking comfort and reassurance. Try to hold him close when you can. Poor little fellow.

He's not constipated, as he's been urinating and defecating normally. I'm not stimulating them because they're old enough to go on their own. They're both gaining well, according to the weight chart for kittens I have. They're eating the right amount, too. 

Last week was Thanksgiving, so I was carting the kittens around to different people's houses so I could continue to bottlefeed them regularly, and Whiney McWhinerpants seemed to settle down when he was being held constantly by all the different people (everyone wanted a turn holding him and feeding him). Now he's not crying quite so much. I do think it was loneliness because now he only cries when I have to leave him alone. He's got my adult cat, my dog, and the humans in the house cuddling him almost around the clock (and of course, his brother) and he seems to have settled. He had a faux-fur cat bed that he sleeps in, too. 

I almost wonder if he's deaf, because he's still just incredibly loud whenever he does meow. That'd be pretty unlikely, though. He's not a blue-eyed white or anything. Or maybe that's just his personality. 

Unless he's hungry, he cries because he's just a 4-week-old kitten who is seeking comfort. He should outgrow it as he gets older.

Some cats are more vocal than others.  I do agree that unless he is hungry he is seeking comfort and he will out grow this.  When my oldest cat was 6 weeks old baby she did the same thing.  It seemed like she would get scared if she could hear us but not see us.  I just called her and let her know where I was. Talking to her really seemed to help calm her down.  She also had my other cats that she was bonded with too but she still wanted to be near us all the time. Sometimes when she would start meowing one of my other cats would walk up to her and start grooming her that would calm her down quickly too.

sarthur2 said:

Unless he's hungry, he cries because he's just a 4-week-old kitten who is seeking comfort. He should outgrow it as he gets older.

Click to expand...

I agree with Sarthur2 - I try to allow my "clingers" to follow me outside when feeding the feral colony and I also try to offer extra play time with teasers. Like you, I usually have plenty of other cats & kittens who also need my time and attention so that isn't always practical.  My youngest "clinger" Ted was rescued right before I began to have health issues myself so I wasn't able to bottle feed him as long as he wanted and now he 's "sucking wool" so I have been allowing his 2 siblings and he to sleep on me at night - it seems to help him regain his confidence.