Kitten won't eat!

[youngmommy]

Hello. My three kittens are 5 weeks, 6 weeks this sunday. Two of them have already starrted eating wet food. But one kitten doesn't even want to eat a little. I'm worried about her because mommy cat don't nurse them that often anymore. How do I get her to eat? Is this normal for a kitten? Please help!

 

[Columbine]

I don't have experience with young kittens, but you definitely need to be supplementing momma's milk with kmr for the non eater for now. The first priority is making sure she gets enough calories and nutrients for growth.

You might find that using kmr to thin the wet food out to a lapable consistency encourages her to make the transition to solid food.

Hopefully some others will chime in soon with more ideas.

 

[youngmommy]

I bought kitten milk for her and mixed it in with some wet food. She still refuses to eat.. I'm just worried if she might be hungry. Momma cat is still feeding them though.

 

[Columbine]

The most important thing is to be certain she's taking in enough calories - she'll still be growing rapidly (or should be ). If she seems like she's not getting enough food/milk then she needs bottle feeding in addition to momma's milk.

 

[StefanZ]

I bought kitten milk for her and mixed it in with some wet food. She still refuses to eat.. I'm just worried if she might be hungry. Momma cat is still feeding them though.

What is this kitten milk? what brand  Is real kitten mothermilk replacement, or is it such a treat?

You will need a good kmr or goats milk.  Be preppared to give her this with a needleless syring in the corner of the mouth.  Or a bottle if she takes bottle.  Main thing is you are SURE she gets nourishment into her.

The easiest way to KNOW is to weigh her evry day.   You can use a plastic container to have her in while you are taking the weights.

 

[mommawolf]

If you have one near you, ranch supply stores sell everything you need. For kittens and squirrels, I always used one part KMR, one part goat milk from a can. The amount of goat milk you need may very by the weight of the kitten, but I've usually used half and half, and adjusted as needed for the individual. You can do a dehydration test by 'pinching' the scruff very gently, just enough for the skin to touch inside, and let got. If the skin stays pinched, they kiten is dehydrated and you may need to try giving the baby some dehydration reviver until you can get the formula. You can make this by mixing one liter of water with four teaspoons of sugar and one half of a teaspoon of salt. You won't need that much for one kitten if you're getting the formula very quickly, but that's the recipe I use for baby wildlife. Bottles can also be found at ranch supply stores, and you'll need one with a long nipple. If you can't find bottles, you can use plastic, baby, medicine syringes. These you can find anywhere there is a pharmacy, and sometimes pharmacist will give them away for free if you ask nicely. If the kitten gets into late stages of dehydration, you'll see struggling movement and lethargy. Get the kitten warm asap and give them a little bit of the dehydration reviver. The reviver is not meant to be a milk replacer, and the salt and sugar combined is important, so please don't give the kitten just sugar water. If you act quickly though, you may not need the reviver at all. Honestly, just goat milk can help at first if you cannot find a formula right away, but just goat milk is not a suitable replacement for momma's milk. KMR has always been my goto for kittens and squirrels, but there are many brands that are also suitable. The only brand I ask you to stay away from is Petlac. I have no idea why I have had such awful results with it, but I've experienced two deaths, one kitten and one squirrel, with Petlac. I thought that surely if it didn't work for a squirrel then it would work for a kitten it is supposedly formulated for, but I was terribly wrong and I forever regret the thought.

 

[Sarthur2]

The kitten is not yet ready to wean. Some kittens wean later than others. At not quite 6 weeks, she's in the normal range. Most kittens learn to eat solids between 6 and 8 weeks, so please do not worry. She'll get there. In the meantime, see that she has access to mushy wet food (mixed with water or KMR), on a dish or paper plate that she can lap up when she's ready. She is probably getting what she needs from mom and will wean soon!