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Cats/Kitten wont go to the bathroom!

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Expert: - 10/9/2009


Question
I found a kitten meowing like crazy in our shed. We have many stray cats around & I'm sure its one of their babies. But it was alone & the mother was no where to be found so I took the kitten in & have been feeding her kitten formula. I have fed her 3 times & she has yet to use the restroom. I even rubbed the warmed towl on her botton several times & nothing has happened. I put her outside in a box over night to see if her mom would come back for her & it never happened so I'm thinking about just raising her myself. So my questions are, will a mama cat take her baby back after a human has held it & what is another way to make it go to the restroom. She's about 3 weeks old I think. Her eyes are open wide but she wobbles a bit when she walks.

Answer
Tara,

You are doing everything right. The kitten should urinate after each feeding and poop once a day.  Your gently massaging the anal and genital area with a soft cloth should do it. It may be that the kitten had not eaten for a while, so it may take a bit to get things going again in the elimination department.  What are you feeding the kitten? Are you weighing her every day?  Do you need some idea of how much and when to feed her?  If so, please get back to me with a follow up.

I would wait about two weeks and see if you can wean her.  Please get back to me if you need weaning instructions.

Best regards... Norm.  

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Norman Auspitz

Expertise

I can answer most non-veterinary questions about cats. My particular expertise is pedigree cats, breeding and showing. However, I am versed in feline behavior, cat breeds and their characteristics, general feline husbandry, and the like.

Experience

I judged for the Canadian Cat Association from 1975 until 1982. I am currently an approved allbreed judge for the Cat Fanciers'' Association (the world''s largets cat registry), and have been judging for them since 1991. I have been breeding pedigreed cats since 1971 and have been exhibiting pedigreed cats in shows since 1970. I obtained my first pedigreed cat in 1970 and have never looked back. In 1971, I obtained my first Abyssinian which has become my primary breed. In addition, I have bred Manx and Persians. Currently, besides the Abyssinians, I am also breeding Maine Coons.


Organizations
Cat Fanciers'' Association, inc. (CFA) and the Manx, Maine Coon, and Abyssinian breed councils. I am currently Abyssinian breed council secretary.

Publications
Cat Fancy Magazine, The Abyssinian Chapter in The Cat Fanciers'' Association Complete Cat Book, and Articles for various editions of The Cat Fanciers'' Association Yearbook

Education/Credentials
I received a B.S. from Drexel University in 1968, a M.Math from University of Waterloo, in 1970, a Ph.D. from University of Waterloo in 1975, and a MBA from McMaster University in 1980. I received my approved allbreed judging status in the Cat Fanciers'' Association in 1999.

Awards and Honors
We have produced a number of Cat Fanciers'' Association (CFA) National winning Abyssinian and Maine Coons. We have produced a number of Abyssinian and Maine Coon Distinguished Merit females (an award for a top producing cat), including the first Distinguished Merit Abyssinian in the red (sorrel) color. I am the CFA Abyssinian breed council secretary and belong and/or hold office in a number of cat clubs. I am also a member of the CFA Judges Association.

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