New Kitten Issue -ot

[dsnymoners]

We just got a kitten yesterday and i think she was way to young to be taken from her mother but the lady had to get rid of all the kittens becuase they were going out of town. The kitten was born on 10/31 so she is just over 5 weeks old. Yesterday she wouldn't eat her soft food at all so I went and bought a small bottle and some kitten formula. Anyone have any experience of weaning a kitten yourself.

 

[minnie56]

Aww...no experience but it does sound as if she is way too young-poor baby.I would call a Vet and ask, I am sure the staff there can guide you. Kittens are pretty fragile and need to eat pretty regularly.

 

[LakeAriel]

Yes, I think they need to eat every couple of hours. My daughter had a kitten that young (rescued at 3 days old) and she fed it baby food for a couple of weeks. I remember it was all over his mouth...

Call a Vet or animal shelter/rescue for advice.

 

[MAKmom]

Call the vet.... but you can use a medicine dropper to feed your kitten.

If you do not have one yet dip your finger into the milk & let it drop into her mouth. It will be messy but that kitten is starving by now. Wrap her in a towel & do this

 

[LakeAriel]

Be careful not to put it directly down the front of her mouth, she can aspirate. Put the dropper on the side of her mouth. A baby bottle is best. If the kitten is 5 weeks he/she should be able to eat soft food. If it's not eating at all, get it to the Vet ASAP!

 

[momrek06]

My DS also got his kitty from a Rescue Shelter. It was left out in the woods as a newborn...itty bitty. Chris got her at under 6 weeks AND she was BLIND. She had some horrific eye infection. DS and his DF worked night and day with the Vet and the med's he prescribed for Kitty and today (she is 7 months old now) she has PERFECT VISION!!!!

Anyway, I did not mean to digress...so I think that 6 weeks is not all that young if some kitties are out in the woods as a newborn. Definitely call your Vet or call a Shelter.

 

[Pixie Tales]

My friend had twin kittens at 4 weeks old and we would feed them food on our finger and put it in their mouths. Just be careful of the sharp baby teeth

 

[Hoodie]

If she feeds from the bottle, that's great! If not, you may need to use an eye dropper to make sure she's getting something in her tummy!

Mix some of the kitten formula in with the canned food to make it even softer. You may need to dip the tip of the bottle in it as well and let her taste it. A lot of times it's not the actual eating she's having problems with but the texture and taste are so different.

btw - keep some of the formula and mix it with the dry kitten food too. this will make it softer and help her transition to dry food.

Put the food on a saucer as well. She'll make a huge mess, but it's easier for her to reach.

 

[orlandothebeagle]

Call your vet otherwise you will get lots of diff info and go mad

 

[pppiglet]

I've been fostering some that are 5 weeks. They can eat wet food and there is a dry food called Babycat that is really small also. If not eating at all, I will syringe feed chicken baby food.

 

[dsnymoners]

yesterday and today she has been eating a mixture of the formula and the soft food... so looks like it's all going good now. thank you for all the advice.

 

[LakeAriel]

yesterday and today she has been eating a mixture of the formula and the soft food... so looks like it's all going good now. thank you for all the advice.

Thanks for the update, that is great news!

 

[lisajl]

Ok-Where's the photo? Huh? Where is it?!! LOL!
I have to see the baby.

We had someone bring in a kitten to our vet office yesterday that was near death. The poor thing had so many fleas, it was eating it alive.
When I left it was doing well, but not sure if the little guy made it.

Good luck with your baby!
Lisa

 

[dsnymoners]

I will post a picture later today.

 

[TLSnell1981]

yesterday and today she has been eating a mixture of the formula and the soft food... so looks like it's all going good now. thank you for all the advice.

It's what I suspected. She needed her "Mama" to teach her how to eat. She really was too young to wean but, with lots of love and patience she should be fine.