Ok I started weaning the kittens a couple of days ago by mixing dry kitten chow, wet/canned kitten food and their formula into a thin broth and then making it a little thicker with each feeding. I have a few questions though...
1. The two trouble makers knocked the bag of dry kitten food over and before I could get it picked up they were all eating it dry and off the floor. Thankfully no one chocked and some of them seemed to like it better dry than wet. Is it ok to offer them some dry kitten chow as well as the wet mix?
2. None of them seem to get the concept of water. I tried dipping my finger in it and letting them lick it off my finger, I tried dipping their paws in it, I even had my little shitzu give them a lesson in water drinking...all to no avail. They just look at the water dish then look at me and meow. I've been giving them water in the syringe to keep them hydrated but what do I do? My DD laughed and said "I can see it now, a group of full grown cats having to be feed water out of baby bottles" ... this was a "payback" for me telling her not to worry about her son wanting to drink from a bottle rather than a sippy cup I said "Well, if he's still drinking from a bottle when he goes to college...he's probably going to be a lawyer"
3. I boiled some chicken for my dogs and hamsters last night and when I told the kids to "feed the animals" they missunderstood and gave the kittens some boiled chicken, too. This morning they did not want to eat the kitten chow mix...wet or dry. They just looked at it then crawled up in my lap and started to claw at me and meow. I'm thinking they want more chicken. The chicken didn't seem to have any ill effects...except for the possible refusal to eat kitty food. Is it ok to put a little more chicken (shredded into small pieces of course) in with the kitty chow to get them interested in eating solid food again?
4. Should I let them eat as much as they want? How do I know if they are eating enough? If I can ever get them to drink water out of a bowl how will I know if they are drinking enough?
Ok I think thats it
You have no idea how totaly stupid I feel, I am just way out of my element here.
Thanks again for all the advice!
1. The two trouble makers knocked the bag of dry kitten food over and before I could get it picked up they were all eating it dry and off the floor. Thankfully no one chocked and some of them seemed to like it better dry than wet. Is it ok to offer them some dry kitten chow as well as the wet mix?
2. None of them seem to get the concept of water. I tried dipping my finger in it and letting them lick it off my finger, I tried dipping their paws in it, I even had my little shitzu give them a lesson in water drinking...all to no avail. They just look at the water dish then look at me and meow. I've been giving them water in the syringe to keep them hydrated but what do I do? My DD laughed and said "I can see it now, a group of full grown cats having to be feed water out of baby bottles" ... this was a "payback" for me telling her not to worry about her son wanting to drink from a bottle rather than a sippy cup I said "Well, if he's still drinking from a bottle when he goes to college...he's probably going to be a lawyer"
3. I boiled some chicken for my dogs and hamsters last night and when I told the kids to "feed the animals" they missunderstood and gave the kittens some boiled chicken, too. This morning they did not want to eat the kitten chow mix...wet or dry. They just looked at it then crawled up in my lap and started to claw at me and meow. I'm thinking they want more chicken. The chicken didn't seem to have any ill effects...except for the possible refusal to eat kitty food. Is it ok to put a little more chicken (shredded into small pieces of course) in with the kitty chow to get them interested in eating solid food again?
4. Should I let them eat as much as they want? How do I know if they are eating enough? If I can ever get them to drink water out of a bowl how will I know if they are drinking enough?
Ok I think thats it
Thanks again for all the advice!