Expert: Norman Auspitz - 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: Kelly,

If there is a problem, your vet should be able to isolate it.  If she is dehydrated, get her to your vet immediately.  You can try mixing some unflavored Pedialyte in with the formula at about 1-1 with the liquid you are currently using.

At 26 days (almost 4 weeks), you can start to wean the kitten onto cat food.  We usually start with a good meat baby food (only ingredients strained meat and broth or gravy).  They usually will eat any flavor.  We usually have to put a little in their mouths to get them going. It usually takes a few days for a kitten to get the hang of eating the baby food.  Once they get the hang of eating the baby food, you can begin to mix a little cat food in with it and gradually go to all cat food.  You will have to have a lot of patience at first.  We usually go from finger to spoon to plate to get them over to all cat food. The whole process takes a couple of weeks.

Still if you think the kitten may be off and is not back to normal after a couple of days, a visit to the vet would be a good idea.  If the kitten could have a slight infection and be running a slight fever.

Please let me know what your vet syas.

Best regards... Norm.



---------- 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
Kelly,

Good!!!!!  I am glad this was a ttemporary setback and not a health issue!!

I suspect because she is a singleton and has no mama to emulate, she has not figured out the litter pan, yet!

So, once she is on solid food and you show her where to go after each time she gets solid food, she will get the hang of it.   It may take a while, but eventually, they all do figure it out! As a kitten, I would avoid clumping litter as some kittens will eat litter and that can have disastrous consequences.

When they are on milk/formula, they tend to poop only once a day.  I beleive it is time for her to be weaned!!!!!

Best regards...Norm.