Caring for abandoned/orphaned kittens

[wonderstruck016]

I highly recommend Gerber turkey or chicken baby food. I used it to wean my kittens and they loved it.

It smells good and is easy to lap and digest. Also protein-filled. Offer it on your finger. If he's interested, guide him to the plate with the baby food on it. It can also be mixed with KMR and added to the bottle. Either way, he'll get there soon! [emoji]128522[/emoji]

Thank you. I need to get these guys weaning. Carlyle had another coughing fit after his bedtime formula. Guess I spoke too soon.

I love these little guys so much but sometimes I just feel so scared for them and so frustrated that I'm doing something wrong

 

[Mamanyt1953]

You know, he may be desperate for that kneading, nursing action.  You might try wrapping your arm well in heavy cloth, propping the bottie in the crook of your elbow, and letting him knead on your arm while he takes his bottle.  Dollars to donuts, this one is gonna be a smurgler when he grows up!

 

[Sarthur2]

Begin offering mush or gerber on a plate before their bottles. See if this helps.

 

[wonderstruck016]

Thank you @Mamanyt1953  @sarthur2   I will try your suggestions.

I am so worried about little Carlyle every time he coughs like this. I am terrified of losing him

 

[wonderstruck016]

I picked up some plain Gerber turkey baby food on my way home today. I am going to offer it to them at their next feeding. Wish me luck!

 

[wonderstruck016]

Offered them the Gerber Turkey. They wouldn't take any from the bowl but they would take some from the spoon if I put it directly in their mouths. I guess some progress is still progress.

I also called my vet for advice. They suggested beginning to gradually stretch feedings closer to 6-7 hours apart and give the kittens ample time to figure out lapping the slurry/gruel before giving the bottle. She said they will typically figure out feeding themselves soon enough if you do this. 

 

[wonderstruck016]

Please help.

I don't know what else to do. All 3 kittens are now attacking the bottle to the point where they are barely actually eating anything from it. I cannot get them to latch without them biting the entire top of the bottle anymore.

Meanwhile, they are still not readily accepting gruel or baby food or wet food or dry food or anything that isn't pure formula from a bottle.

They are meowing like they are starving but I cannot get them to eat. The nipples on the bottles are all absolutely fine, brand new and tested for flow.

I am exhausted and frustrated and scared. I don't know what else to do and they need to eat

 

[Sarthur2]

Have you tried burrito-wrapping them for feedings?

Are they frantic now because you followed your vet's advice and waited longer between feedings?

Otherwise, put them in the bathroom with a flat plate of Gerber baby food and a shallow dish of KMR, and they will figure out how to eat.

 

[wonderstruck016]

I have tried burrito wrapping but they break free.

That is exactly how I have been offering the food but they haven't taken interest. They either come to me and crawl on me to beg or ignore it and go to sleep. My mom cares for them in the morning when I am at work and she's consulting with the vet again.

It wouldn't be a problem if they were still taking the formula but they are literally not taking anything right now. They do not seem sick and are acting normal other than the fact that they are not eating.

I'll let you guys know what we hear from the vet today.

 

[Sarthur2]

If you close them up long enough with their food, and they get hungry enough, they will eat.

Wrapped and held tightly enough, kittens cannot escape the burrito wrap.

 

[wonderstruck016]

I got Carlyle and Cordelia to take 30cc each from the bottle. Cobalt will still only attack and chew. 

The vet advised to leave wet food, dry food, and gruel out for them throughout the day and night. I am also going to continue trying to supplement them every several hours with the bottle. The vet also advised to pick up a dewormer from Petsmart to deworm the kittens.

 

[Sarthur2]

What dewormer from Pet Smart did he recommend? The vet himself has good quality prescription wormers.

 

[wonderstruck016]

They said any wormer for kittens. I didn't get it because when Cobalt was tested for worms/parasites his fecal test was clean and I also read really scary reviews about the OTC wormers on Amazon. 

Bad news: each of the kitties lost an oz today

Good news: we introduced the kittens to one of my parents labs and let them watch him eat his dinner. Immediately after that my husband got Cobalt and Cordelia to lap up a ton of the kitten gruel! Carlyle still isn't going for it but I'm hopeful that he will soon follow suit.

 

[Sarthur2]

I'm glad to hear that two of them are eating mush. Hopefully Carlyle will soon follow suit!

Has he had a bottle in the interim?

 

[wonderstruck016]

Yes - we fed him a bottle as soon as Cordelia and Cobalt were finished and it was clear that he was not going to join the big kids food party. 

Cordelia and Cobalt ate SO MUCH of the slurry. Hopefully they don't develop the runs 

I don't know if showing them the dog eating was a happy coincidence or not but it is awfully sweet to imagine our senior dog helped them learn to eat. They did watch him eat very intently. 

 

[Sarthur2]

They are more likely to have a more solid poop. They were clearly hungry. As they get more used to the slurry you can make it less mushy. Eventually, Carlyle will copy them!

 

[wonderstruck016]

Excellent. 

Carlyle drank another bottle last night. Cordelia and Cobalt sipped but I think they are far more interested in the regular food now. My husband got Cordelia and Cobalt to eat like champs again this morning before he went to work and I gave Carlyle another bottle once it was clear he was still not interested in eating the food.

Looks like things are heading back in the right direction! 

 

[Sarthur2]

This is good news! [emoji]128522[/emoji]

 

[Mamanyt1953]

It is amazing how they learn by watching.  When my neighbor's pom died after giving birth to three pups, my cat had just had kittens (she escaped out the stove vent, we think, a week before spaying).  We introduced them, and Berry reared the kittens and pups as one litter.  The little guys started using the litter box after watching Berry and her own using it.

 

[wonderstruck016]

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• wonderstruck016
• Jul 7, 2016

Cobalt and Cordelia eating!