Kitten won't go to toilet in litter tray

Hi everyone,

I got a kitten yesterday, its an all tabby kitten and is 9 weeks old. The problem is that it will only pee in the litter tray, but sometimes squats like its peeing and doesn't actually do anything in the litter tray. I've had him little over 24 hrs and he hasn't pooped either. I think he wants to go, because he gets into the litter tray then starts meowing. He also hasn't eaten much, but has been drinking milk and water. He's very active and is probably just adjusting to being away from its siblings. But I would like some assurance from anyone who has been through this. I've been on many websites over the last couple hours and there was no similar topic mentioned on any of them. I know I'm probably just over-reacting but its better to be safe than sorry. I would be very grateful for any reply.

Kind Regards
Dave

Well you have to stop the milk and water now as there is no real food value in it and many kittens are allergic to cows milk due to a common lactose intolerance.
The little kitten should be on kitten food, canned or dry kitten food soaked in boiled water and cooled just now, with only water to drink.
It is always best to have vet check over a new kitten to make sure all is well.
It could be that he is missing it's siblings and that is why it is not doing much on the food side but if the food nor the toilet has not picked up by thirty hours I would have the vet check the kitten over.
If you know what the kitten was fed on before you got it it is better to stick to that in the meantime.

Hi Clawz,

Thanks for your quick reply. I'm feeding the kitten the same food it had at the animal shelter I got him from, dry kitten food with some water added to moisten it. And a bowl of water, and also a small saucer of milk that has been watered down to a 50.50 ratio with some water. He didn't seem interested at all with the kitten milk I had down for him originally. There is always food down for him in a bowl, I would just feel a lot better if he ate some of it. If he still hasn't eaten much by tomorrow morning I'm paying a visit to the vet with him. Again thank you for your reply!

He's pretty young and wasn't with mom long enough to understand litter pan manners would be one reason. If you got him for someone who had the litter outside, use organic potting soil as litter for now to make it feel more natural to him. You haven't had him very long, he could be stressed, missing his littermates and his mom and he could have blocked himself. Give him a little bit of canned pumpkin in some canned food next time you feed, stop giving him milk, even diluted milk. Think about it, it is the only thing that we take that goes in liquid and comes out solid. On small kitties, cow's milk can easily cause them to block up.

He could just be stressed, but at his age, you should take him to the vet to be checked regardless- especially since he is a shelter kitty. Also give him another litter pan and see if that helps-

At the shelter I got him from, he seemed to use the litter tray with little effort. I'll stop giving him the cows milk, I only put it down today for him since he ignored the cats milk. Funnily enough I went out a few hours ago and bought a new litter tray but he still hasn't done anything in it yet. Thanks for your reply Hissy

Forgot to say that the Shelter were unable to give me any information on his background because the person just brought the litter of kittens in and left quickly. They had him for a couple of days before I adopted him. The one positive thing is that he is still very active and playful, resting in between. If he wasn't I would already be in the vets office.

Hey Dave...do you have any other cats?? Typically it is a good idea to get 2 kittens so that they can be there for each other when you are gone at work. As far as the litterbox issues....the best thing I can suggest is to start your kitten in one room of the house/apt with the litterbox and it's food/water....open up the house to your kitten once it has gotten the hang of being in the room with the litterbox. Your home/apt. is probably much larger than where the kitten was staying in at the shelter.

Katie

Since most shelter kitties live almost on top of their litter pans, they generally do not have issues in going when caged. Katie is right, opening up your whole house is a bit overwhelming, so just give it time, it kitty hasn't gone in 48 hours, then a vet visit is in order-

Dave, a kitten that squats in the litter tray as if to urinate and then doesn't and this is accompanied by mewing may have a urinary tract infection, even if he manages to go sometimes. If you try the canned pumpkin and he still seems constipated, you can use the ideas on this page. Scroll down to the bottom of the page where you'll see the heading Constipation. If he's still not eating well, you can make kitten glop, which you'll find the recipe for on this page.

Thanks all of you who replied. I took him (Frodo) down to the vet this morning. She thinks he has swallowed some litter from the Shelter and hasn't been able to pass it. She felt something hard in his abdomen during the examination. So that would affect his eating as well, so she's taken him in for a couple of days to x-ray him and give him a diluted laxative. She said that he isn't ill because he's been active and responsive, I'll keep you all informed. Thanks for the weblinks, they really helped and have given me some ideas.

Again many thanks
DAve