Four Week Old Kitten

[Fostering]

Hi, we're fostering a four week old kitten. She was found in a barn and we agreed to foster her until she is socialized and old enough to be returned to the animal society for adoption. Can someone recommend a feeding schedule and amount of food until the kitten begins to feed herself?

We're feeding the kitten using a syringe. We take canned food, add some water and create a gruel/mush that will pass through the syringe. We're feeding her 6 ml every four hours. The kitten weights 1.8 pounds. Also, to keep her hydrated, we give her 3 ml of water a few times a day.

The kitten feels a bit bony, if you know what I mean, yet she doesn't cry for food. The idea of force-feeding more calories, if required, is a little unnerving. So any comments are appreciated.

 

[Sarthur2]

At 4 weeks old and 1.8 pounds the kitten sounds like she is doing well!

The goal weight for a 4-week-old kitten is only one pound.

Have you tried letting the kitten lap from a dish yet? If she's not quite ready she will be in another week.

Is she using the litter box on her own yet?

6 mLs fed 6x/day is 1.2 ounces of food. If she is gaining weight it is enough food. If not, then she needs more.

Kittens are constantly growing and so need as much as they can eat the first 6 months.

Weaning kittens need about a teaspoon of wet food 4-6 times a day plus dry kitten chow in between.

Hope this helps! Thanks for fostering!

 

[Fostering]

She doesn't lap from the dish, yet. I've tried a bit on my fingertip, too. Yes, she is remarkably good with the litter pan, thank goodness. The shelter also gave us two kits at ten days old. Neither made it. Both were 4.3 oz when we got them. That was sad enough. The shelter is too busy to answer the phone. We're glad there is site like this. Thanks for the reply.

 

[Sarthur2]

Sorry to hear about the two who did not make it. Kitten season is a tough time.

We're here for all your questions. You can continue using this same thread.

 

[Fostering]

Thank you all. Kit started eating on her own.

 

[Sarthur2]

That's wonderful!