Expert: Jessica - 7/8/2010

Question
QUESTION: Hi,

I have an orphaned 26 day old kitten that I've been bottle-feeding since she was 1 day old.  She's been doing well; she's gaining weight, looks healthy, and is playful and loving.

She's been eating about 5-6 tablespoons of KMR daily.  Today, however, her feeding has been "off."  I've fed her 4 times so far today, and at 3 of the feedings, she only ate 1/2 tablespoon, and she didn't really suckle the bottle.  At her 4th feeding, she ate 1 3/4 TB of formula.  This just isn't normal for her.  She's still acting fine, but I'm worried something is wrong.

Any idea of why she's not eating as much?  Thank you,

Kelly

ANSWER: Hi Kelly,

I'm not sure why she'd be off, but that is definitely something to be worried over.  Are her bowel movements normal?  Constipation is a big reason why a kitten wouldn't eat her normal portions.

No matter the reason, your baby should definitely see a vet if she's still not back to her normal portions by the time you get this.  Whether it's constipation or something else, being off her diet is a sure sign something's wrong, and in a baby this little, it can kill them quickly.  Their blood sugar drops quickly if they don't eat full meals regularly, and hypoglycemia is quickly fatal.  Fortunately, at almost four weeks, she's at an age now where antibiotic treatment is becoming safer, and subcutaneous or IV fluids containing dextrose, to prevent hypoglycemia, will be a little easier to administer if necessary.

Your vet can also give you a calorie-rich food such as Hill's a/d or Royal Canin's Recovery diet that can be good for a first food for her, if it seems that her formula is starting to cause constipation problems for her.  She is at an excellent age to start introducing solid foods, and these two prescription diets would be fantastic choices to either water down or mix a little bit of formula with.  Discuss weaning her using these with your vet if you wish, as they are by prescription only.

Until her vet visit, you may want to rub a little corn syrup or sugar water onto her gums.  This can help prevent hypoglycemia that might occur as a result of her not eating enough.

Good luck!

Jessica



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

QUESTION: Thank you so much for your response.  I called my vet and he didn't seem to think it was anything to worry about.  BUT, I'm a worrier by nature, so I thought and thought until I wondered if her new bottle was the cause.  I cut a bigger hole in the tip so the milk flowed more freely, and I'm very happy to report that today, she has eaten 4 tablespoons so far, and it's not even 1 pm Central time.  So I think that before, she just wasn't able to suckle enough milk from the bottle.

I do have another question: She's now 4 weeks old, and she's still not going to the bathroom by herself.  There are no "accidents" in her towels, nor is there anything in her little pan of litter.  So I'm still having to stimulate her to get her to use the bathroom.  I'm not sure if she's constipated - she pooped yesterday at 5 am, and that was the last time.  Shouldn't she be using the bathroom by herself by now?

I have a vet appointment on Saturday morning, the earliest my vet had available, but I thought I'd ask anyway.

Thank you,

Kelly

Answer
Oh, good!  I'm glad your detective work was able to reveal the problem, and that the baby doesn't seem sick!

Kittens usually have a bowel movement once a day, but sometimes they go once every other day, and this isn't considered worrisome.  If she goes beyond 48 hours without a bowel movement, then it is considered constipation, and you should consult a vet about her condition.  A lubricant laxative will usually be recommended if the vet feels she is constipated.  Severe constipation may require an enema.  Your vet can administer these treatments on Saturday if the kitten still hasn't had a bowel movement by then, but if she stops eating or becomes fussy before then, she should see a vet on an urgent basis sooner.  Severe constipation can cause toxicity and death.

The baby really should be eliminating on her own by now, especially urinating.  Most kittens are urinating on their own around 3 weeks.  Defecation can take a bit longer.  The majority of kittens are defecating without stimulation around 4 weeks.  Your little one may just be a bit slow to mature, and I would think she should begin eliminating on her own at any time.  Stools that are too hard may prevent this, so certainly have your vet feel her abdomen closely to see if her fecal consistency feels too firm.  You may need to begin weaning right away to address some mild constipation, or add in a mild laxative as directed by your vet.