Expert: Jessica - 7/20/2009

Question
QUESTION:  . . .the two-day old kitten seems to cry aloud much of the time . . .how much crying is normal for a baby kittem??

Thanks,

Dave

ANSWER: Hi Dave.  Newborns shouldn't be crying much.  Babies will usually squeal when mom cleans them or if she gets up when they're nursing.  If they awake from napping and find her gone, they may cry, but she should be attending to them when they begin crying.  If the baby is crying when mom is around, it's likely that the baby isn't receiving enough milk, is having trouble going to the bathroom or is sick.  If mom is leaving the baby alone for long periods and it's crying, the baby could be cold (especially in air conditioned rooms) or hungry.  You should have a vet look at the baby to determine what seems to be the problem.

But because kittens can die in a matter of hours without food, you might want to try offering the kitten some kitten formula, just in case it's hungry.  Kitten formula is available at pet stores and even Wal-Mart.  At 2 days old, I would try feeding it one drop at a time with an eye dropper or a 3 ml needleless syringe you can get from a pharmacy.  The formula should be warmed to 100 degrees.  Make sure the baby swallows each drop before giving it another drop.  If the baby refuses to swallow the formula, don't force it.  

Hope the baby seems better soon!

Jessica



---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Jessica,

Your insights regarding why the Kitten was crying were very helpful.  The Kitten is an orphan and doing relatively well for being about three days old at the time of this writing.  I have been trying to feed her every three hours.  The kitten weighs three ounces.  I am using KMR with a little water and sugar added as a suggestion from a local Cat Shelter.  My question is:   Why does the Kitten struggle so hard to avoid being fed?  She seems very animated and strongly resists being fed about half the time.  The “formula” temperature is just slightly warm, like that for a human baby.  The Kitten’s head position and body are in the proper orientation.  The nipple being used is made for use for Kittens.  I have had other instances where the Kitten sucked the nipple and consumed a reasonable amount of the fluid and behaved in an expected fashion.  I have not seen any bowel movement in the last twenty-four hours even though a sufficient amount of stimulation is applied to cause evacuation of the bladder/sphincter.  I was wondering if some of the resistance to being fed could be due to constipation; and if so, what steps would you recommend and what other possible explanation would you offer as being responsible for the Kitten’s feisty resistance to being fed most recently… is it just not hungry?  I will look forward to hearing your thoughts since my experience is limited regarding orphan Kittens.  Thanks again for sharing your thoughts.

Dave


Answer
If you witnessed a bowel movement just 24 hours ago, then constipation is not likely the cause for her refusal to eat.  Some kittens will have a bowel movement only once a day, and this is normal.  A kitten isn’t really considered problematically constipated until you are starting to approach the 48 hour mark.  If it may have been a day or two longer than the 24 hours, constipation may certainly be the problem.  Many people suggest thickening up the formula to help with constipation.  Add in a little extra formula powder.  However, if the kitten hasn’t had a bowel movement by 48 hours, I will give the baby some Laxatone hairball treatment.  1/4 ml should help produce a bowel movement within a couple hours ONLY IF you can get her to swallow it, but if not, the baby should see a vet.  She may need an enema.

If she’s only three days old and no bowel movement has ever been witnessed, then imperforate anus might be a concern.  This is when the is no anal opening appears normal at first glance but is incomplete, so the kitten cannot defecate.  Some cases are superficial, and there is simply a membrane that must be broken, but others are very involved and would take a major surgery to correct.

A lot of my tiny baby kittens have found the nipples of commercially available bottles to be too big to nurse from right away.  I don’t really care for the Pet Ag bottles (put out by KMR).  I’m not sure if this is what you’re using.  The Four Paws bottles are a lot better.  At any rate, the really little babies sometimes do a lot better when you start them off using a syringe.  This is a lot easier for you to control, too.  You can see that the baby is actually getting formula in her mouth.  Once the baby accepts the formula, and her mouth is a little bigger, she should be a little more accepting of the bottle.  Sometimes it’s better to get them to accept one unfamiliar item at a time – formula first, bottle next.

Constipation is a reason why kittens won’t take a bottle, but if that’s not it, a kitten who is otherwise sick will always refuse formula.  Those who were born prematurely are also classically fussy and difficult to feed, despite appearing perfectly healthy on the outside.  It’s difficult to say why she may be so opposed to eating, but if you can have the vet take a look at her, that would be your best chance at getting an answer.