Am I feeding my 3 week old kitten too much?

[luvfelicia]

I took in a roughly 3-4 week old kitten a few days ago. Up until the last couple of feedings he's not been picky at all with eating. Last night I started syringe feeding him wet food. He loves it but I also syringe feed him kmr each feeding--which he's starting to kind of push away now that he's tasted the wet. I have to do the wet first & follow behind it separately with the formula cause he doesn't like it combined together in the same syringe. He usually eats anywhere from 6-11 mls of formula & wet each feeding & I'm feeding him about every 3-4 hrs. Do you think I'm feeding him too often/close together & that the wet food is filling him up more so he's not as hungry now? Should I distance the meals more? And he poops after each meal. Is this normal or is he pooping too often? Btw, his name is Jaxon.

 

[handsome kitty]

I think you should feed him as much as he wants. Some ppl have been alternating solid and formula feedings. Does he seem to be getting enough liquids?

Have you introduced the litter box yet? A small pan with nonclumping litter in case he tries to eat it. Yes popping after every meal is encouraged.

 

[luvfelicia]

I think you should feed him as much as he wants. Some ppl have been alternating solid and formula feedings. Does he seem to be getting enough liquids?

Have you introduced the litter box yet? A small pan with nonclumping litter in case he tries to eat it. Yes popping after every meal is encouraged.

Yeah he seems to be getting enough liquids--about 5 mls each feeding. No litter pan yet. Should I wait until he's eating on his own before I introduce the box?

 

[handsome kitty]

I'm not sure. 3 to 4 weeks might be early but ppl have been recommending litter boxes when solids are started. Do you still stimulate him to go or is he going on his own? Just a small tray with short sides so the kitten can get in and out.

 

[luvfelicia]

I'm not sure. 3 to 4 weeks might be early but ppl have been recommending litter boxes when solids are started. Do you still stimulate him to go or is he going on his own? Just a small tray with short sides so the kitten can get in and out.

I'm stimulating him but I have noticed he's been using the bathroom in the crate on his own

 

[handsome kitty]

By bathroom in the crate do you mean litter box?

 

[luvfelicia]

No just on the towels & blankets that's in there for him

 

[StefanZ]

I took in a roughly 3-4 week old kitten a few days ago. Up until the last couple of feedings he's not been picky at all with eating. Last night I started syringe feeding him wet food. He loves it but I also syringe feed him kmr each feeding--which he's starting to kind of push away now that he's tasted the wet. I have to do the wet first & follow behind it separately with the formula cause he doesn't like it combined together in the same syringe. He usually eats anywhere from 6-11 mls of formula & wet each feeding & I'm feeding him about every 3-4 hrs. Do you think I'm feeding him too often/close together & that the wet food is filling him up more so he's not as hungry now? Should I distance the meals more? And he poops after each meal. Is this normal or is he pooping too often? Btw, his name is Jaxon.

Ther rule of thumb is 8ml /Oz a day,   so quickly counting, you arent giving too much, sooner in the lower segment.    Say if the is 10 oz, 300 grammes, it will give  about 80 ml food daily...

It depends in part, on exactly how much he weights.

 

[Sarthur2]

luvfelicia

If this kitten is loving his wet food, by all means see if he will lap it on his own from a dish, and see if he will now take a bottle of formula instead of the syringe. He sounds ready! At close to 4 weeks they can begin to wean. When he's a bit bigger, he will also lap his formula from a dish.

Pooping after nearly every meal is the norm for tiny kittens!

Give the transition a try and let us know how he's doing. He may be ready to be shown the kitten-sized litter pan as well.

 

[handsome kitty]

 
Ther rule of thumb is 8ml /Oz a day,   so quickly counting, you arent giving too much, sooner in the lower segment.    Say if the is 10 oz, 300 grammes, it will give  about 80 ml food daily...

It depends in part, on exactly how much he weights.

Does she need to adjust the kmr since he is eating some wet food?

 

[Sarthur2]

I would need to know how much wet food he is eating.

 

[handsome kitty]

@luvfelicia  There are a couple of current threads you might be interested in following.

Found Abandoned Kitten by NikkyKay; http://www.thecatsite.com/t/297529/found-abandoned-kitten

Need help with a Four Week olud Kitten by Looking for Luna: http://www.thecatsite.com/t/299512/need-help-with-a-four-week-old-kitten

Their kittens are a couple weeks older than yours and you can see some of the hurdles they have overcome.

 

[StefanZ]

 
Does she need to adjust the kmr since he is eating some wet food?

Good question.  This rule of thumb were made up for kmr / goat milk feeding.

I think we may make it easy for us, and count roughly with the same...

But I understand  the number  is what is advisable, is also rather optimistic.   I have noticed quite a few kittens (and caretakers)  have difficulty to get this whole amount.

So @luvfelicia    although in the lower segment of the  optimal, is probably all right here.  

Still,  it gets you an idea where to strive.    

 

[luvfelicia]

@sarthur2 I've tried the bottle but he doesn't like it. He's eating about 3-5 mls of wet food each feeding. Ever since I started syringe feeding him the wet food he acts so disinterested in eating like he used to. He used to welcome about 8-10 mls of formula without a fuss but now I'm lucky to get 5-6 in him with a combination of formula & can. Should I wait more than 4 hrs between feedings? Think he's still too full after only 4?

 

[Sarthur2]

The wet food is filling him up more than just formula, so he's less hungry at each feeding. Don't force the extra food on him if he's full.

At 4 weeks old, he should be able to eat on his own. Have you tried it yet? Ideally he would eat his wet food on his own now, and drink a bottle in between wet food feedings - not all at once.

 

[luvfelicia]

I put some wet on a plate but he just walked around in it & never showed interest in eating it. Is there something I can try to get him to eat the wet by himself? And I'm not sure of his exact age. Should I maybe wait about 6 hrs between feedings or would that be harmful to him? And he's fussy even with the first syringe

 

[handsome kitty]

put a tiny bit on your finger and see if he'll lick it off.  Then repeat slowly leading him to the plate.

 

[luvfelicia]

IMG_20150623_174127258.jpg

• luvfelicia
• Jun 24, 2015
• 1

This was taken yesterday. How old do you think he might be? It's been almost 4 1/2 hrs since I last fed him & he took 5 formula & 1 wet. Should I feed him again or wait a little longer?

 

[handsome kitty]

This was taken yesterday. How old do you think he might be? It's been almost 4 1/2 hrs since I last fed him & he took 5 formula & 1 wet. Should I feed him again or wait a little longer?

He's very cute!

Not sure what you mean by 5 formula and 1 wet.  Are these ml?   And I really am not sure.  I would say offer some and see if he is hungry.  Kittens do eat a lot because they are growing.

@StefanZ  

 

[luvfelicia]

Yeah, sorry, that was meant as mls. I just finished feeding him & he took 4 mls of wet & then turned his head constantly refusing any more. I put some on a plate before I fed him & he did lick it a little & walked away. Progress maybe? I'm gonna feed him again in about 4 hrs; except I'll do formula.