How can we get a tiny kitten to feed?

[heebeegeetee]

Morning all,

We have at work a 3 week old kitten that is being neglected by it's mother - its siblings are all much bigger and this little chap is very small and listless. We have been trying to get the kitten to take in Whiskas kitten milk, fed via a syringe, but it's having none of it. It seems to like the heat lamp we have obtained for it, but other than that it doesn't seem as though it has long to live.

Is there any way we can get the little mite to start taking in fluids? Apparently one of the guys has gone out to fetch a small nipple to put on a baby bottle, but tbh, from what i've seen the kitten isn't interested in the milk at all.

Any ideas, guys?

[bonsai]

You're on the right track with the nipple, that's what it needs. Once you get that on the end it should latch onto it after a bit of fiddling around and then drink for ages.

Try asking at the local vets if they have any you can use.

Good luck!

[Cupid Stunt]

Simply explain to it that if it doesn't start eating soon it'll die of malnutrition. It'll then realise how important it is & start eating

[Japveesix]

Does it need a surrogate mother to feed from - ie. getting a hot water bottle, wrapping it in a soft towel and then somehow attaching the syringe/nipple etc to that so it feels as if it's feeding from a living thing. I would have thought 3 week old kittens are fairly easily fooled?

And make sure whatever liquid you are feeding is warm (just let it sit in warm water for a bit until it is up to temperature).

(this kind of technique definitely works in zoos etc with exotics that have been neglected/abandoned)

[heebeegeetee]

Cupid Stunt said:

Simply explain to it that if it doesn't start eating soon it'll die of malnutrition. It'll then realise how important it is & start eating

I've tried that and it told me to fk off, and if that isn't a perfect example of parental neglect i don't know what is.

Japveesix said:

And make sure whatever liquid you are feeding is warm (just let it sit in warm water for a bit until it is up to temperature).

That's agood idea, ta.

[Daniel1]

we had a cat killed by a fox with 1 week old kittens, had to go to the vet and get baby milk that smells like haulics and feed every 4 hours. All kittens survived and are happy as larry

[Morningside]

Find a working toy baby bottle and teat - Ah, re-read it and see you are doing that.

Kitten milk? warm evaporated milk and water. Try putting a bit on their nose to encourage them.

Lost count the number that mother used to bring home.

Edited by Morningside on Friday 7th May 12:29

[moosepig]

Cats are lactose intolerant and shouldn't be given cow's milk.

[Fer]

Good luck with the little critter.

From what I remember of kitten rearing, remember to wash it's "bits" with a warm wet cloth, to simulate the mother washing it, and encouraging it to "do it's business".

[iggletiggle]

moosepig said:

Cats are lactose intolerant and shouldn't be given cow's milk.

My cat is coming up to 14years old and is fed Cows milk every day (and has been) for the majority of its life and she is in perfect health..

my grandparents cat is around 16yrs old and has had two bowls of cows milk everyday for its whole life also and is as lively as a kitten!

[Getragdogleg]

Milk the mother cat and bottle it.

[WorAl]

There is only one solution to this riddle and I'm afraid it's not pleasant.

http://www.theshootersbox.com/store/images/misc/ma...

[Getragdogleg]

WorAl said:

There is only one solution to this riddle and I'm afraid it's not pleasant.

http://www.theshootersbox.com/store/images/misc/ma...

I doubt the Kitten would eat that.

Edited by Getragdogleg on Friday 7th May 12:55

[illmonkey]

WorAl said:

There is only one solution to this riddle and I'm afraid it's not pleasant.

http://www.theshootersbox.com/store/images/misc/ma...

Sigh, its getting old.

[WorAl]

iggletiggle said:

moosepig said:

Cats are lactose intolerant and shouldn't be given cow's milk.

My cat is coming up to 14years old and is fed Cows milk every day (and has been) for the majority of its life and she is in perfect health..

my grandparents cat is around 16yrs old and has had two bowls of cows milk everyday for its whole life also and is as lively as a kitten!

It's a load of bks, it's the same as saying don't give dogs chocolate, my last dog died older than any other dog we've ever had and she had all of the coffee and other horrible chocolates out of Quality street and roses boxes and also a few bars of dairy milk and mars bars etc.

[ferkle]

we have had some success with this stuff http://www.vetuk.co.uk/digestive-supplements-early... the tricky bit, as you are seeing is convincing the kitten to actually eat.

you might have to get creative with a hot water bottle, some fake fur and the teat poked through may also be worth resting the whole lot on your chest which will also transmit the sound of your heartbeat which will likely put the kitten at ease and make it more inclined to eat.

good luck with it.

[WorAl]

illmonkey said:

WorAl said:

There is only one solution to this riddle and I'm afraid it's not pleasant.

http://www.theshootersbox.com/store/images/misc/ma...

Sigh, its getting old.

OK then, let it live in pain then die of malnutrition. Your choice. The gun was a joke, it'll probably have visit the vet if it doesn't start eating though.

[13th]

WorAl said:

It's a load of bks, it's the same as saying don't give dogs chocolate, my last dog died older than any other dog we've ever had and she had all of the coffee and other horrible chocolates out of Quality street and roses boxes and also a few bars of dairy milk and mars bars etc.

My cats have had milk nearly every day for the last 9 years or so and they are fine.

When I had my old boy a doberman I had no idea that dogs shouldn't have chocolate and often let him have some and his own egg at easter, he lived to 16.

I have to admit though that I don't allow the two dogs I have now chocolate as I'd never forgive myself if I made them ill.

Good luck to the little kitten

[becksW]

WorAl said:

iggletiggle said:

moosepig said:

Cats are lactose intolerant and shouldn't be given cow's milk.

My cat is coming up to 14years old and is fed Cows milk every day (and has been) for the majority of its life and she is in perfect health..

my grandparents cat is around 16yrs old and has had two bowls of cows milk everyday for its whole life also and is as lively as a kitten!

It's a load of bks, it's the same as saying don't give dogs chocolate, my last dog died older than any other dog we've ever had and she had all of the coffee and other horrible chocolates out of Quality street and roses boxes and also a few bars of dairy milk and mars bars etc.

It is not a load of bks!!!! A lot of cats cannot take cows milk but it doesn't mean all cats are the same. Having seen the toxic effects of chocolate poisoning I would class this comment as irresponsible.

True dark chocolate is the more dangerous one but as people do not know the doses of toxic levels for size of dog it is safer to say no choclate for dogs.

Any way re: kitty, there may be a good reason why mum is not feeding it, take it to a vet or at least get weaning milk from a vet, a 2ml syringe with a catac teat on it can work well (as long as kitten still has the strength to suckle) but be really careful if actually syringing as easy to cause inhalation pneumonia. The vet may offer to inject a glucose solution under the skin to give kitty a bit of a boost.

Kitty is going to need round the clock care and removing from the mum. Sometimes a vet nurse will take on the care (I know we've all done it at our place at one time or another!)

It's going to be a challenge but good on you for giving it a chance. They go down hill very quickly so you need to act quick, sometimes they look like they are starting to improve then worsen again so don't get your hopes up too much early on.

A healthy 3 week old can start weaning onto meat so as soon as it's got strngth offer kitten food

Edited by becksW on Friday 7th May 14:48

[Fer]

And don't forget to let us know when we can start a poll to name the little blighter!