I have an orphaned baby

[jeanor]

I have an orphaned kitten that I'm estimating about 3 weeks old. I've had him/her since Tuesday morning. Things are going great (this isn't the first time I've hand raised kittens). But my question is...

He hasn't pooped since Tuesday night. I'm stimulating him with every feeding and he pees just fine. The first night he pooped, it was very normal looking, and I'm just hoping it has to do with the change of diet.

He was without his mom for 2 days before we found him (from feral community next door, mom got ran over).

Should I be concerned at this point, and if not, at which point should I be?

Other than that, he's SO sweet, a little orange baby

 

[liza24]

are you using KMR to feed him? sometimes it constipates kittens. someone with better knowledge will explain better.

 

[snosrap5]

I went and found this information.

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

It does say they may not go after every feeding or even every day. It also gives other ideas on stimulating him to go.

You might want to call the vet, just to get their advise. They could tell you at least how often he should be going and whether or not he should be brought in.

Good Luck!

 

[jeanor]

I'm not feeding KMR, I'm using the kitten glop formula.

I just had that same kitten rescue page up too! He seems to be doing fine in all other areas.

 

[friskycatz]

Hope this helps!

Stimulation and Litter Box Training

By nature, momcats lick the "back end" of their babies to stimulate the bowels and bladder on a regular basis. If you are the babies' new momcat, guess who gets this duty! After each feeding, gently rub the kitten on its low abdomen, as well as the genitals and rectum, with a cotton ball, cotton pad, or tissues moistened with warm water. Make sure you rub only enough to get them to eliminate; overstimulation will irritate the area. Keep an eye out for chafing and lingering dirt.

Kittens should (and almost always will) urinate during each stimulation. They should defecate at least once a day. One trick is to slowly count to 60 while you're stimulating a kitten; at that point, you'll know if they're done or if something's on its way out!

When kittens get to be about four weeks old, they are usually ready to experience the wonderful world of litterboxes (and you'll be liberated from stimulation duty!). After each meal, put the kitten in the box and see what transpires. If they don't get it right away, try taking its paw and showing it how to scratch in the litter. They'll catch on before you know it!

Cleaning and Flea Control

After each feeding session, you should also give them a full-body once-over with a barely damp washcloth, using short strokes like a momcat would use. This keeps their fur clean, teaches them how to groom, and gives them the attention and "mothering" they crave. Kittens will often get very dirty and mucked-up in between cleanings; it's okay to wash a kitten with warm water under a sink faucet, but try to focus only on the areas where they need it. A simple "butt-bath" will usually do the trick, but if you must get a kitten wet over more than half of its body, it's safe to dry kittens over one week old with a hair dryer set on low and used carefully, avoiding their faces.

You should also check their ears regularly for dirt and, especially after intial rescue, ear mites. Dirt can be cleaned gently with a cotton ball or swab; consult your vet if you find the telltale ear mite "coffee-ground" type dirt.

If you find fleas or flea dirt on kittens of any age, you must get them flea-free as soon as possible. Young kittens can easily get anemia from flea infestation and really endanger its life. First, use a flea comb to remove as much of the dirt and fleas from the fur as you can. Ask your vet for a flea spray that's okay to use on very young kittens; always read the warnings on any flea product to confirm at which age it is safe. Place the kitten on a towel for about 20 minutes; then discard the towel with the dead and dying fleas that have come from the kitten. After using the spray, give the kitten a bath in gentle or surgical soap.

If you donâ€[emoji]8482[/emoji]t have a safe flea spray, you can wash the kitten with a gentle dishwashing soap like Dawn or Palmolive (do not use antibacterial), or a citrus-based shampoo, and comb all of the fleas out afterwards. Make sure water temperature is lukewarm so as not to chill the kitten. Dry the kitten, if old enough, with a blow dryer or you can towel-dry it, then put it in a carrier and aim the blow dryer into it to gently dry the kitten with warm, circulating air.

Other skin irritations to look for are ringworm and mange. If a kitten is scratching excessively and there are bare patches where fur is missing, isolate the kitten from littermates and consult a vet immediately for treatment.

 

[jeanor]

Originally Posted by friskycatz

One trick is to slowly count to 60 while you're stimulating a kitten; at that point, you'll know if they're done or if something's on its way out!

That's a great tip. I'm on my way home right now to feed him. Thanks for all of the help and I'll keep you guys posted.

 

[friskycatz]

PLease update and let us know how it goes.

 

[jeanor]

Update:

He(?) still hasn't pooped. I called my vet, they said unless he seems to be in distress keep doing what I'm doing.

I called another vet to see what they would say and the gal said "well, they won't poop every day" so I clarified how long it's been since he pooped and she said that was fine. (I won't be going there anyway)

My vet did suggest to water down his formula just a little bit.