Norachan is correct! Feed as much as she wants! Also, she is suckling on your fingers for comfort. Kittens and human babies have a suckling reflex - it’s normal.
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Very Young Foster Kitten - Help!
- Thread starter chromecat
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- #62
Hi all, updates updates!
We have definitely solved the issue with poop, now she is going after every feeding, right amount, consistency and colour. For future reference if this happens to other people: yes, it is normal to go a few days without poop at that age. She went from completely constipated to rock hard to mildly constipated to completely regular. We simply resumed the formula adding more water and that did the trick.
We also suspect she is younger than we thought. She just started growing teeth, so she wasn't 2.5 weeks when we got her, maybe more 8-10 days. She is not doing her business on her own yet, but we started stimulating her only in the tray, so hopefully she'll get the hang of it.
I want to start weaning, we're told it's ok to start a bit earlier when they're orphans. Sometimes she licks the wet food off the plate but 90% of the times she just wants the bottle, I think she needs more time. Yesterday we placed a large plate with some kitten wet food + milk in front of her and our 5 month old kitten Felipe. She started imitating the older one and started eating the wet food - big mistake!! Felipe literally growled at her and we just removed her and let him eat.
She is gaining a bit less weight than I'd like, about 7/8 grams per day, but she walks and run now, much more steady on her paws and started liking herself, cleaning her front paws, scratching etc. She even tried to attack my hand yesterday!
I guess the next target is to get her weaned properly!
We have definitely solved the issue with poop, now she is going after every feeding, right amount, consistency and colour. For future reference if this happens to other people: yes, it is normal to go a few days without poop at that age. She went from completely constipated to rock hard to mildly constipated to completely regular. We simply resumed the formula adding more water and that did the trick.
We also suspect she is younger than we thought. She just started growing teeth, so she wasn't 2.5 weeks when we got her, maybe more 8-10 days. She is not doing her business on her own yet, but we started stimulating her only in the tray, so hopefully she'll get the hang of it.
I want to start weaning, we're told it's ok to start a bit earlier when they're orphans. Sometimes she licks the wet food off the plate but 90% of the times she just wants the bottle, I think she needs more time. Yesterday we placed a large plate with some kitten wet food + milk in front of her and our 5 month old kitten Felipe. She started imitating the older one and started eating the wet food - big mistake!! Felipe literally growled at her and we just removed her and let him eat.
She is gaining a bit less weight than I'd like, about 7/8 grams per day, but she walks and run now, much more steady on her paws and started liking herself, cleaning her front paws, scratching etc. She even tried to attack my hand yesterday!
I guess the next target is to get her weaned properly!
There’s no rush. If she is just now getting her baby teeth, she may need another couple of weeks. Even once she is eating soft food, she may still want her bottle for a bit. They do grow up fast though. 
Yes, we would love a picture!
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- #66
She's so adorable!
As far as weaning, be careful about weaning her too early, as it can be very hard on their systems if they're not ready. You'll know she's ready once she's walking steadily on her feet and chewing on the bottle when you feed her. Technically you can wean as young as three weeks, but I think it's much safer to wait to 4-5.
When she's ready, you should mix soft food into her formula and feed her through the bottle, so she tries it in a medium she understands, and then switch to a shallow bowl. She can definitely learn from watching other cats (like kittens with their moms), but if she's not getting it then going through the process slowly is necessary. I have also had kittens that, even drinking the slurry in the bottle, would not wean when offered it in the dish. Ultimately the trick was giving them hard food (I use Royal Canin Babycat - formulated for 1 month olds and very tiny pieces).
She's growing beautifully, she's very lucky to have you!
As far as weaning, be careful about weaning her too early, as it can be very hard on their systems if they're not ready. You'll know she's ready once she's walking steadily on her feet and chewing on the bottle when you feed her. Technically you can wean as young as three weeks, but I think it's much safer to wait to 4-5.
When she's ready, you should mix soft food into her formula and feed her through the bottle, so she tries it in a medium she understands, and then switch to a shallow bowl. She can definitely learn from watching other cats (like kittens with their moms), but if she's not getting it then going through the process slowly is necessary. I have also had kittens that, even drinking the slurry in the bottle, would not wean when offered it in the dish. Ultimately the trick was giving them hard food (I use Royal Canin Babycat - formulated for 1 month olds and very tiny pieces).
She's growing beautifully, she's very lucky to have you!
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- #68
I believe she is ready - she bites the teat and tries to chew on it, she definitely has teeth as when she plays she bites me and it's even a bit painful! She is walking steadily, will just get a bit unbalanced when she tries to scratch herself.
I tried to mix soft food in the milk formula and she takes it, if I give her wet food sometimes she licks it a bit and then leaves it. She only goes for it when she sees out resident cat at the plate, but she comes close to eat and growls at her.
As of now she is tasting wet foot and will have a tiny bit, I don't know if that's OK and the amount will increase as she gets more confident. Today I tried to give her some dry kibbles with milk, she licked them happily but then realise cannot chew them (too hard) and lost interest.
A bit frustrating at the moment! And she is not peeing/pooping on her own yet... I am also a bit worried about that.
I tried to mix soft food in the milk formula and she takes it, if I give her wet food sometimes she licks it a bit and then leaves it. She only goes for it when she sees out resident cat at the plate, but she comes close to eat and growls at her.
As of now she is tasting wet foot and will have a tiny bit, I don't know if that's OK and the amount will increase as she gets more confident. Today I tried to give her some dry kibbles with milk, she licked them happily but then realise cannot chew them (too hard) and lost interest.
A bit frustrating at the moment! And she is not peeing/pooping on her own yet... I am also a bit worried about that.
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- #69
Hmm, I wonder if it's different here. Our's is called Babycat, and it doesn't smell great, but then again what cat food does haha.
Maybe try letting her watch your kitten but holding her in your lap so that she can't disrupt him, and after he's done letting her have a turn.
As long as she's peeing and pooping, it's okay that she's not doing it on her own yet, that may still take time. About how old do you estimate her to be?
Maybe try letting her watch your kitten but holding her in your lap so that she can't disrupt him, and after he's done letting her have a turn.
As long as she's peeing and pooping, it's okay that she's not doing it on her own yet, that may still take time. About how old do you estimate her to be?
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- #71
The kitten chicken my resident cat eats smells delicious!!!! This one smells like hospital food 
I will try letting her watch from my lap.
I was hoping she'd start going on her own by now as in 2 weeks I need to leave for 4 days and I am leaving her with another foster carer.
When she arrived the vet said she would be about 2/2.5 weeks, but she only weighted 175gr, I suspect she was younger than that (although eyes were open already). I reckon she is 3 to 4 weeks old now. Teeth are out, ears are up.
I will try letting her watch from my lap.
I was hoping she'd start going on her own by now as in 2 weeks I need to leave for 4 days and I am leaving her with another foster carer.
When she arrived the vet said she would be about 2/2.5 weeks, but she only weighted 175gr, I suspect she was younger than that (although eyes were open already). I reckon she is 3 to 4 weeks old now. Teeth are out, ears are up.
Yes their eyes typically open around 10-14 days, but some open within a week. The general rule is a pound a month, so at 4 weeks she should weigh ~450 grams. In two weeks she should be peeing/pooping on her own, don't worry about that. As you know, they change so much every day, so two weeks is plenty of time for tons of progress!
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- #73
We literally just saw her digging in the litter box. Then she didn't do anything, but she digged, which is new! She is only 285 grams we know she is under weight, will try to concentrate the formula a bit more.
we know she is under weight, will try to concentrate the formula a bit more.The digging is definitely encouraging. Two weeks is plenty of time for her to start going on her own. 285 is small, but small is okay. Just make sure she continues to eat well and gain. I've had really small kittens that did fine, and then suddenly caught up to (and in many instances outgrew) their siblings as they got older.
Only consideration is to have her dewormed if she still has not been, as they can stunt growth.
Only consideration is to have her dewormed if she still has not been, as they can stunt growth.
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- #75
Just this morning as she woke up I placed her in the tray, she dug a bit, crouched and peed! A very long one! After that we fed her 15ml of milk, she ate half spoon of kitten wet food mixed with some water, played and bit, and went to sleep. So there is good progress today!
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- #76
Hi all! My foster kitten Naboo has started peeing on her own at what I supposed was 3/4 weeks of age. Now she's 4/5 and she makes no mistake, always in the tray, but she hasn't pooped on her own yet. We used to stimulate her before and after each feeding and she is pretty regular, now we're trying to stimulate her 2 or 3 times per day to see if at some point she'll feel the urge. Every time we stimulate her she goes, just not on her own.
Has anyone seen this before? Will she catch up?
She's not weaned yet, she started eating wet food a week ago but we're still giving her the formula as she just screams if she doesn't get it when she's hungry. She's super fussy and we haven't found a wet food she likes it. She loves raw meat but obviously we cannot wean her on that. Her baby teeth are out that's why I am guessing she is 4/5 weeks now.
Has anyone seen this before? Will she catch up?
She's not weaned yet, she started eating wet food a week ago but we're still giving her the formula as she just screams if she doesn't get it when she's hungry. She's super fussy and we haven't found a wet food she likes it. She loves raw meat but obviously we cannot wean her on that. Her baby teeth are out that's why I am guessing she is 4/5 weeks now.
Orphans are often later with all such. Stimulate her in the litterbox... Have a little of the poo in the litterbox, so she recognizes its for this use.
Possibly, do have two trays, one for poo and one for pee. In nature, they do it in different places. It may be her instinct whom tells her, the pee place isnt for poo.
And you know to use non clumping litter? If she tastes the litter, you dont want clumping litter inside her.
Possibly, do have two trays, one for poo and one for pee. In nature, they do it in different places. It may be her instinct whom tells her, the pee place isnt for poo.
And you know to use non clumping litter? If she tastes the litter, you dont want clumping litter inside her.
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- #78
She’s ADORABLE! How long have you waited for her to go on her own before you stimulate her? Is it possible she just hasn’t been given the chance?
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- #80
She goes the whole night, 7/8 hours, and nothing. We find pee, but no poo. During the day we tried to not stimulate her for 5/6 hours and nothing.
Not sure whether I should wait longer, just leaving her for a couple of days until she goes. She started a bit of wet food, raw meat, gaining weight, she is super active and tries to ambush anything that moves - but no poo on her own.
Not sure whether I should wait longer, just leaving her for a couple of days until she goes. She started a bit of wet food, raw meat, gaining weight, she is super active and tries to ambush anything that moves - but no poo on her own.
