It's a brand that Petco usually carries. It comes in a syringe with notches on it to indicate proper dosing.
https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petco...ve-digestion-gel-supplement-for-small-animals
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2 Week Kittens - Help Please
- Thread starter Humblebee
- Start Date
https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petco...ve-digestion-gel-supplement-for-small-animals
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- #82
I used Benebac Plus for my little Tilly and she has continued to stay healthy and strong.
I love all the kitten pictures with descriptions - your rescue/foster adventures are shaping up to make a great book!! or at the very least, an ongoing thread.
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- #84
catsknowme
We’re going to to th pet store this weekend to find kitty probiotics. 
(We don’t have Petco here but I’m hoping Petsmart has the same thing or something similar. Thank you! I know I can go a bit overboard with the worry, but so far they seem to be doing well and I’m incredibly grateful for all the help on this forum.
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- #85
When do you think it’s alright to start giving dry food that has been softened with water?
I’ve been trying to give them a wet food slurry and they enjoy it but it seems to be causing diarrhea.. I know that might just be due to a dietary change, especially considering these guys have all had sensitive tummies. And hopefully finding/starting to use some probiotics will help them out too.
We’re still mixing the formula with pedialyte to be safe and predominantly doing bottle feedings with the wet food slurry being an addition to our routine.
They’re tolerating the 4 hour interval feedings well and gaining weight steadily. They’ve started to play with one another and it’s super cute!
I’ve been trying to give them a wet food slurry and they enjoy it but it seems to be causing diarrhea.. I know that might just be due to a dietary change, especially considering these guys have all had sensitive tummies. And hopefully finding/starting to use some probiotics will help them out too.
We’re still mixing the formula with pedialyte to be safe and predominantly doing bottle feedings with the wet food slurry being an addition to our routine.
They’re tolerating the 4 hour interval feedings well and gaining weight steadily. They’ve started to play with one another and it’s super cute!
Soften the dry kitten chow with their kitten milk instead of water. My kittens loved it. Try anytime you think they are ready after they cut their baby teeth.
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- #87
Checking in/a few questions.
I’m curious when can we stop feeding the kittens overnight? Right now we’re feeding every 4 hours including over night. (The kittens are officially 4 weeks old as of yesterday).
We’ve been introducing wet food in a slurry for a few days now. So far 3 of the kittens are fairly interested and getting the hang of it, one is being a bit stubborn.
I also don’t understand how to know how much wet food to feed them in a serving/day so that I know they’re getting enough nutrition. Any tips?
We’re still supplementing with formula but it seems the kittens are starting to struggle with bottle feeding, they’re chewing the nipple and hungry but uninterested in suckling.
Also, when will the kittens be able to poop on their own? They’re peeing in the litter box super well but I’m not sure when they will be able to poop on their own.
I’m curious when can we stop feeding the kittens overnight? Right now we’re feeding every 4 hours including over night. (The kittens are officially 4 weeks old as of yesterday).
We’ve been introducing wet food in a slurry for a few days now. So far 3 of the kittens are fairly interested and getting the hang of it, one is being a bit stubborn.
I also don’t understand how to know how much wet food to feed them in a serving/day so that I know they’re getting enough nutrition. Any tips?
We’re still supplementing with formula but it seems the kittens are starting to struggle with bottle feeding, they’re chewing the nipple and hungry but uninterested in suckling.
Also, when will the kittens be able to poop on their own? They’re peeing in the litter box super well but I’m not sure when they will be able to poop on their own.
I am so glad that the kittens have reached the 4 week old mark 
I would try letting them sleep overnight until they wake up. I keep the nest on a chair nearby so I will hear their cries. By one month, my latest singleton Tilly was sleeping a good 6-7 hours at night. For her last feeding of the night, I offered food periodically for an hour - the more she ate (with ample opportunity to burp and digest), the longer she slept.
They will probably start pooping soon. If they don't poop everyday, it can be because their bodies are using the formula efficiently. Our member Hissy has an excellent webpage: www.kitten-rescue.com. I did a screenshot of the feeding schedule for your convenience (I know that three kittens keep you busy enough already). Thank you for the update!
Stretch the night feedings to 6 hours and see how they do. You are about 1-2 weeks from the kittens being ready and able to eat on their own and poop on their own.
When you say how much wet food, do you mean slurry in their bottles or in a dish?
When you say how much wet food, do you mean slurry in their bottles or in a dish?
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- #90
Sarthur2
Oh good!! I kept reading online that they should be pooping on their own and I got worried. Sometimes they poop while being stimulated and sometimes they still need a suppository to go; using the suppositories won’t cause any long term negative effects on their bowel will it? My husband is worried that using them will mess up the kittens ability to go on their own.
I mean a serving size.
With the formula I can figure out how many mls they need based on their body weight but with the wet food I don’t know how to calculate it.
For example two of the kittens are favouring the wet food slurry (on a plate, wet food mixed with formula so it’s thinner). Because of this they aren’t taking the bottle as well/refusing it so I want to make sure they’re still getting enough calories to keep growing and stay healthy/strong.
So I’m trying to figure out how many calories they need that way I can make sure that even the ones who are preferring wet food are still getting what they need.
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- #91
catsknowme
Thank you for the photo and link! We tried stretching last night out to 6hours and the kittens slept the whole way through!! It was perfect and I’m so grateful we got some actual rest.
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- #92
c.u.t.e.n.e.s.s. overload 
Thank you for the pictures - your kitten crew is doing so well!! I love, love, love your descriptions -- Cricket reminds me of my Maine Coon JC - Cricket certainly had the personality! When the trash truck or the UPS truck drive up, all the other cats scatter but the MC saunters up to the gate to see if it's being driven by someone to whom he wishes to say "hello".
For the kittens eating the slurry, just give them plenty and let them eat as much as they want at each meal. Measure out the amount of milk they would normally get, then add a teaspoon of wet food per kitten to it for now. If they eat it all and look around for more, give them more.
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- #95
Hey everyone just wanted to check in and ask some questions.
The kittens are growing and doing well, I have photos to post of them at 5 weeks, you can also see their weights in the photos.
How do I know when I can stop bottle feeding? The kittens have been chewing through nipples and refusing the bottle.. But it doesn’t seem like they’re eating enough wet food on their own yet.
They’re gaining weight every day but then lose some overnight (I assume poops) and gain again the next day. How much should they be gaining every day? Is it similar to when they were purely bottle fed?
Also, any tips or tricks to get them eating dry food? I keep offering it and I’ve wet it with formula and wet food but they don’t seem interested..
Long term I’d like them all to be eating dry (with some wet in their diet) by the 8 week mark as this is when we’ll be taking them to their new families. (Some people in our family all offered to take kittens and give them good homes )
As of today they’re 5 weeks and 3 days.
The kittens are growing and doing well, I have photos to post of them at 5 weeks, you can also see their weights in the photos.
How do I know when I can stop bottle feeding? The kittens have been chewing through nipples and refusing the bottle.. But it doesn’t seem like they’re eating enough wet food on their own yet.
They’re gaining weight every day but then lose some overnight (I assume poops) and gain again the next day. How much should they be gaining every day? Is it similar to when they were purely bottle fed?
Also, any tips or tricks to get them eating dry food? I keep offering it and I’ve wet it with formula and wet food but they don’t seem interested..
Long term I’d like them all to be eating dry (with some wet in their diet) by the 8 week mark as this is when we’ll be taking them to their new families. (Some people in our family all offered to take kittens and give them good homes
)As of today they’re 5 weeks and 3 days.
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- #96
No more bottles needed! When they start chewing nipples, it’s time to put their milk in a dish.
It sounds like they are doing great! Continue with wet and dry, as kittens need both.
Let the folks know who are taking them that they need both.
Will they be spayed/neutered before going to their new homes?
They are cute as buttons!
When they start chewing nipples, it’s time to put their milk in a dish. It sounds like they are doing great! Continue with wet and dry, as kittens need both.
Let the folks know who are taking them that they need both.
Will they be spayed/neutered before going to their new homes?
They are cute as buttons!
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- #98
Sarthur2
Thanks! How do I get them to eat the dry food? Right now they won’t even try it.
And how would you help them figure out drinking from a dish? They just keep stepping in it and spilling it everywhere. Haha.
No, we’re not spaying/neutering. (Our family members have already talked to their vets about having it done.) Because we’re just two people trying to help these kittens (not working with a rescue) we have no financial support for their care. Our veterinary clinic has been kind and offered some discounts (we’ve had to take them in a few times for upper respiratory and other things) but ultimately we’re not able to pay for absolutely everything ourselves.
The people they’re all going to have had long term relationships with their own vets and have had cats/dogs before. So we feel confident they will care for them appropriately.
They should begin to gravitate to the dry food in the next week or two. In the meantime, pour some of their milk over it and see how they like it softened. Mine loved it like that. Also, consider keeping the kittens yourself an additional 2 weeks until you are certain they are eating and drinking milk, wet, and dry food well on their own.
....temporary.....a suggestion:
H
Humblebee
- Can you consider volunteering to take kitty pictures and caption them, for your local shelter and rescues? You have an awesome talent and the new cat rescue motto is "Seen = Saved"....as for your kittens not wanting to eat, my singleton Tilly continues to be the same way. She is my most stubborn kitten foodwise. She is small but my vet isn't worried - the vet keeps saying that as long as Tilly is healthy, I should be grateful as it was touch&go a few times.
Your crew is adorable and they look great. Congratulations on a job well-done.
