Various questions for you "pros" :)

j. otte

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My kittens are 4 weeks old. They are peeing on the floor...

When should I expect them to figure out what the litterbox is and not eat the cat litter?

Also, any advice for helping them to wean? I offered a bit of moistened kitten food but they aren't interested (it's probably still a bit early, huh?).... one seems a bit interested but she will chew on the side of the bowl instead of getting her head in it... the bowl is extremely low to the floor too...

Just wanted to see if there is any advice for helping these cuties along with adjusting... I really don't know what to expect here.
 

gayef

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Hi Jodie,

Glad the kittens are progressing, and it sounds like all is about normal. As for the peeing on the floor, what I did when I introduced the kittens to the litter box was to crate them with the litter box until I saw they were using it consistantly - about 12 hours in my case. Food too. They were well ready even if it was early (I introduced them to canned kitten food at 3 weeks due to my queen's severe weight loss) and most of them took right to it without making a fuss. I mixed the canned food with a little warm water to make it soupy and they walked through it, they licked it off of each other then went right back in and ate it.

Can you confine them, say in a large dog crate or the like, with the litter and food? It might make clean up easier for you too!
 
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j. otte

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Originally Posted by gayef

Hi Jodie,

Glad the kittens are progressing, and it sounds like all is about normal. As for the peeing on the floor, what I did when I introduced the kittens to the litter box was to crate them with the litter box until I saw they were using it consistantly - about 12 hours in my case. Food too. They were well ready even if it was early (I introduced them to canned kitten food at 3 weeks due to my queen's severe weight loss) and most of them took right to it without making a fuss. I mixed the canned food with a little warm water to make it soupy and they walked through it, they licked it off of each other then went right back in and ate it.

Can you confine them, say in a large dog crate or the like, with the litter and food? It might make clean up easier for you too!
I do have a large crate but the guest room they are staying in is very tiny (think enough room to have a full-sized bed (which they have yet to figure out how to get on top of) and a window next to it with a dresser at the foot of the bed.... I can technically fit the large dog crate in there squished right next to the bed but I don't think the mother would take to being confined like that... what do you think? My littlest kitten just ate some of the moistened food today... but the other four still want nothing to do with it. I even put a little to their lips to lick off...
 

maverick_kitten

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would it be ok to dip their paw in the moist food? they would have to lick it clean and may take to the taste
 

bengalbabe

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Ok I can help you with this my kittens were doing the same thing. They ate the kitty litter and didnt go potty in the litter box and would not eat solid food untill yesterday (5 weeks old today). I gave then a small low litterbox and changed the litter to sand. They still ate the sand but not as much and they seemed to really like digging in it. I noticed that before they would pee they would wander around and cry and squat here and there. When i seen them do that I would put them in the litterbox and when they tried to leave the litterbox without going I kept putting them back in. Now they all use the litterbox.
As for getting them to eat solid food I mixed some canned food in with some milk replacer (KMR) and warmed it up. Put it in a tupperware lid and locked momma away from the babies. Then I took them all and put them by the dish. I tried putting some on thier mouths but they didn't like that. Then I tried putting thier paws in it but they still didnt respond. So I basically put thier face into the dish into the food. Then they started eating it one by one. Just like with the litter box I did not let them wander off untill they ate. I just kept putting them back infront of the food dish. If they lick or chew the sides of the dish rub some food on the part they are chewing on and keep doing that then they will get a taste and start eating.
 

javajane

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My kittens are five weeks old and already litter boxed trained and eating canned food. I started them on kmr when they were just a couple weeks old because mom didn't have enough milk. I gradually started mixing the kmr with baby rice cereal, first as a very watery paste and thicker as the days passed. now they are eating on their own twice a day morning and nite. And mom does the in between. they get the canned in the morning and the cereal mix in the evening and as soon as they are done eating I put them in the litter box.
 
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