Bottle-fed kitten won't drink from bowl...

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mandini

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I'm having a tough time weaning a new kitten off the bottle... I'm guessing she's at about seven weeks old now. I've been bottle feeding her since I got her three weeks ago....

She won't drink from a saucer or bowl and gets VERY upset when I try to use my finger to rub formula on her mouth. So when she's hungry she cries for the bottle and also tries to suckle on me, on the other cats and on this fuzzy blanket I have.

I did notice this week that she was eating the older cat's dry food, so she seems to understand the food-in-the-bowl concept. Should I just phased out the formula and switch to regular kitten food? Will she just figure out how to drink water eventually?
 
tnr1

tnr1

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Originally Posted by mandini

I'm having a tough time weaning a new kitten off the bottle... I'm guessing she's at about seven weeks old now. I've been bottle feeding her since I got her three weeks ago....

She won't drink from a saucer or bowl and gets VERY upset when I try to use my finger to rub formula on her mouth. So when she's hungry she cries for the bottle and also tries to suckle on me, on the other cats and on this fuzzy blanket I have.

I did notice this week that she was eating the older cat's dry food, so she seems to understand the food-in-the-bowl concept. Should I just phased out the formula and switch to regular kitten food? Will she just figure out how to drink water eventually?
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If she is curious about dry food...I would certainly provide her with that option and see if she goes for it.

As for the suckling behavior...here is some good advice:

http://www.kitten-rescue.com/kitten_suckling.html

Katie
 
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pippen

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My orphan kitten wouldn't take either formula or water from a bowl--had no interest in lapping it up whatsoever and no mama cat to model that behavior. I just mashed extra water into canned kitten food so I knew it would get enough liquid. Also added water to dry since it preferred it that way and went ahead with weaning, always leaving fresh water out as an option. When he was good and ready--around 1- to 12 weeks I think--he started lapping up water.
 
sunshine sunny

sunshine sunny

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Hello mandini, I simply spooned some gruel into my kitten's mouth a few times then offered the spoon to her. Then I slowly led her to the bowl full and she ate it up. Maybe your kitten just needs a little push to get going.
 
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