Kitten Feeding ???

[Stormwing3]

Hi guys! I'm new to this site and hope I'm in the right place for this. I have an 8 day old kitten that I rescued when she was 2 days. I was just wondering how much she should eat at each feeding? She's 6oz and gets fed every 3 hours usually around 2 teaspoons. If I try to feed any less she'll wake up after only an hour crying continuously and trying to suckle on my hand. Am I feeding her too much? This is the first time ive had a rescued kitten survive past the first week of life and am not too sure about it. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[talkingpeanut]

That sounds like a good amount of wet food, but I would leave dry kitten food down at all times too for nibbling. It's very difficult to overfeed a kitten.

 

[Sarthur2]

Stormwing3

I think talkingpeanut thought you said 8 weeks, not 8 days old.

At 6 ounces, the kitten needs a minimum of 8mLs per ounce per day, but can have as much as she wants.

As long as she's doing well and gaining weight, it's not too much at all. Kittens usually let you know how much they need.

Is she peeing and pooping okay?

 

[Stormwing3]

I dont think that she is ready for dry food yet. Shes only 8 days old.

 

[Sarthur2]

See my Post #3.

 

[Stormwing3]

Sarthur2
Yes she is gaining weight at a good rate. She does have a problem with hard poop some times, I heard that was common with the powdered formula, I water it down a bit and that usually helps but she has no problem with peeing

 

[Sarthur2]

Instead of watering down the formula, add a few drops of olive oil to each bottle. It should help.

 

[talkingpeanut]

Oh, jeez. Ignore everything I said! Sorry!

 

[Stormwing3]

Okay, she was having some hard poops again so I added a few drops of olive oil to a couple of her bottles. However, now she's having some very very soft poops, like borderline diahhrea. Ive been keeping watch on her to make sure she doesn't get dehydrated. What can I give her to at least get her through till I take her to the vet on Monday?

 

[Sarthur2]

Just back off on the oil. Kitten poop on formula should be of toothpaste consistency.

 

[Stormwing3]

I stopped using the oil yesterday but this is more of like cow patty consistency.

 

[Sarthur2]

That is actually more normal for kitten poop at her age - like soft-serve ice cream.

There's not much more you can do for a kitten this age until you see the vet.

Take a poop sample in a baggie to the vet on Monday. They can examine it under a microscope for parasites or bacteria. If they think she needs it, they will prescribe antibiotics or whatever she needs.

 

[Stormwing3]

So it could just be that the oil is flushing her out? Because nothing like this happened before I started using the oil. I had planned on taking a sample for the vet to make sure she didnt have any problems but I'm just worried she might get a bit dehydrated if it continues for too long.

 

[Sarthur2]

Stormwing3

Is it diarrhea, or is it soft-serve poop when you stimulate her?

Her system may be cleaning out, but as long as she is getting plenty of formula, she should not get dehydrated.

 

[Stormwing3]

It's like right inbetween. It's a bit harder than diahrrea but mushier than soft serve.

 

[Sarthur2]

She should be okay until you see the vet on Monday.

 

[Stormwing3]

Okay, I'll just keep an eye on her till then. Thank you for the help and putting up with my new mom jitters.

 

[Sarthur2]

No problem! We're here to help.

 

[Stormwing3]

Update and more questions! So everything is going fine with her she's growing good and becoming more playful by the hour. We went to the vet because she had developed some sneezing and a gunky eye, and all the vet could say was "she's so small." She'll be 4 weeks on Saturday (where has the time gone) and I'm trying to get her ready for the litterbox but am not sure how to go about doing that. Also should I start trying to introduce soft foods along with her formula or is it still too soon? She has started cutting her teeth. Posted is a picture of her.

 

[Sarthur2]

Did the vet give you an antibiotic for the kitten? It sounds like an upper respiratory infection. The gunky eye probably needs terramycin eye ointment. The vet should have treated both.

She's too young for soft foods and the litter box, but should be ready to try both starting at 5 weeks old. Some kittens do better at 6 weeks.

When she's ready to eat, mix pate style wet food with kitten formula to make a mush, and see if she will lap it.

Once she's eating, you'll want to begin putting her in a kitten sized litter box before and after meals. Take her paw and show her how to dig. Kittens usually catch on quickly!