Orphaned Kitten

Annaconda

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Tunkhannock, Pennsylvania(Northeast)
I've been taking care of a little kitten since Mothers Day, Her mom was killed when she got hit in the road. She was about a week old, Her eyes were still closed.So shes about 4-5 weeks old now.
The vet told me I can start weaning her, by wetting dry kitten chow with her forumla, and she wont try it.
How do I wean her??
 
I'll tell you what I did. It might not be right, but it's what worked for me and the kittens. Is she lapping at all? The first thing I did was teach the kittens to lap. I put their supplement in a condiment dish (of all things, but it was a perfect size) and got them used to lapping. To wean them, I first used wet solid food. I found a very good brand of canned kitten food. I added some into their supplement (I used KMR). Once they got the hang of it (When they actually the majority into their mouths), I gradually introduced more solid food until they were eating solid food. Now, I'm in canned food stage, which is a good second step. When their teeth look good and strong, I started introducing a good quality kibble, just a few kibbles at a time to see what they do. They are now on a combination canned food/kibble and I'm gradually increasing the amount of kibble. This method was great for about half of the kittens I weaned (weaned 6 kittens total). The other three never learned to lap and went straight from the bottle to the solid food, after some coaxing with fingers laced with solid food. I personally liked the gradual method better, but these three kittens went from absolutely loving the bottle to hating KMR and not wanting to eat, so I had to resort to drastic measures to keep them healthy. Needless to say, they are now all rather large for their age.

I don't know, there's been a lot of talk lately about what diet is best for cats. Before, it was table scraps, milk, and fish. Then canned food came on the scene, followed by dry kibble being all the rage. Now vets can't make up their minds. Some say canned, some say dry, some say combination. I'm teaching the kittens I'm going to adopt out to be flexible and eat both. Who knows what the owner's going to decide.

My kittens are about a week older than yours, right at 6 weeks. I have five from one litter raised from 1 week and an older kitten that I raised first from three weeks. I hope this helps a little and I wish you the best of luck. It's hard raising a young kitten and raising 6 has been no picnic.

llj
 
How long did it take them to eat the wet cat food? Mine is not wanting her forumula much now either. I tried giving her some wet cat food tonight * friskies * and she licked the spoon a little, you can tell shes not really interested. :no: Im gonna try to get her some whiskas,maybe shed prefer that?
 
How long did it take them to eat the wet cat food? Mine is not wanting her forumula much now either. I tried giving her some wet cat food tonight * friskies * and she licked the spoon a little, you can tell shes not really interested. :no: Im gonna try to get her some whiskas,maybe shed prefer that?

I had a stubborn one too. I actually had to basically stuff small pieces into his mouth at first, wait for him to swallow and then repeat the process. Basically, hand-feeding. Then he got the point and was able to eat alone. Try and find a wet food where meat is one of the first if not the first ingredient. Some cats are allergic to wheat and corn gluten meal and other carbs like that. For stubborn kittens, it's going to be a messy process, my fingers were covered in food at first, the stubborn one at first would only suck the food from my fingers. If your little one is not eating enough in one sitting, for a brief time, it may be wise to increase the frequency of feeding so you make sure it's getting enough to eat. Besides the first week, the weaning period is the most dangerous time for a young kitten. Watch for weight loss, keep a bottle handy, and provide water as well for them to drink. A food scale was my best friend for the first few weeks, made it very easy to monitor their progress. My vet's technician said it can take as little as 12 hours for a kitten to crash, so I was literally on pins and needles the first week of weaning. Of course, I've got a 6 week kitten that's nearly 2lbs now, so I may have over done it just a tad. He's not overweight, though, just a big, big boy.

Feel free to ask questions if you get stuck. Believe me, I know how you feel.

llj :)
 
Maybe just try still bottle feeding her for a couple more weeks.. then try again?
 
Thank you lljdma06, Shes really stubborn! And Im sure Im driving the vet nuts about it too , Im just worried about her getting ill. Since she really isnt wanting her formula either. And I know shes ready for solids, she bites at the nipple now to get milk, instead of sucking. And the vet says to keep trying !!
 
Thank you lljdma06, Shes really stubborn! And Im sure Im driving the vet nuts about it too , Im just worried about her getting ill. Since she really isnt wanting her formula either. And I know shes ready for solids, she bites at the nipple now to get milk, instead of sucking. And the vet says to keep trying !!

You're welcome, Annaconda. It's hard, you really worry that they won't put on weight. Have you tried wetting the canned food with formula? That worked well for a few of my kittens. Then, as time progressed, I reduced the amount of formula. Also, try really stirring the canned food, so that it is almost like it's whipped or like oatmeal. It makes it easier to eat. They kind of almost suck it up then.

llj
 
Good News!!! I whipped the wet cat food,and even warmed it in the microwave for 10 seconds, and she ate it! :hyper: I started with using my fingers, than moved to a spoon, Tommrow Ill try to get her to move from the spoon to her dish!! Im so relieved!!!
I was so worried about her decreased formula intake, I feel so much better now.THANK YOU A BUNCH!


6420072.jpg
 
What does "weaning" and "chow" mean? + Cute kitty :wub:
 
I knew whipping would work! Bravo!!! :yahoo: Try the saucer, she'll probably like that better. Cats like to be able to look around while they're feeding, so she'll feel more secure if her head isn't stuck inside a bowl.

You're welcome.

She is lovely, by the way. You going to keep her? They make incredible pets at any age, but there is something very special when they are raised by you.

EDIT: POTM nod for her. Has she got a name?

EDIT#2: Then I second the nod! :lol:
 
OMG, that kitten is sooooooooo cute!
I say POTM for her!

Well done for helping her! Are you going to keep her?
 

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