3 to 4 week Kitten

beayuu

TCS Member
Thread starter
Kitten
Joined
Jul 27, 2014
Messages
17
Purraise
1
Hey Guys, 

i'm a new owner to a kitten and i have 0 experience in handling cats because i have never own one before . I stumbled upon her at the road side crying for help one day with no family on side, after much observing i realized the mother is not coming back for her and she is crying very loudly so i have decided to bring him home and adopt her.

Don't worry i have already brought him to a vet and he is healthy and stuffs but i have a few questions about kittens because i can't find any answers online and i have nobody to ask. 

1. My Kitten shivers and twitches when he is asleep. 
i have provided him 2 blankets and a sock filled with rice, i even warm it up for him and place a clock near by him so he can sleep peacefully but he twitches hard when sleeps occasionally, is it normal? is he too cold?

2. Bitting or playing?
My kitten likes to bite on my finger when he is on my lap but he doesnt bite it unless the chance presents it self. i'm not sure if i should be giving him a bite to chew on? i dont want him to chew on my cables and shirt and other misc stuffs when he grows older . Is he playing? or is he just itching to bite?

3. Vision
I dont think he could see properly because when i put something in front of him he will just ignore , is it suppose to be like this? how do i know when can he see properly?

4. Feeding
He doesnt really drink alot unless i have to shove the bottle nipple into mouth and he will drink a few seconds, How do i know that he is eating properly or he just don't wanna eat or he is starving? I'm afraid that i will choke him if i make him drink too much yet at the same time i'm afraid that he gets hungry 

5. Yelping and Crying

Recently he keeps on crying non stop even though i made him poop / ate and burp. i don't know why is he doing this, is there something wrong with him? is there anything i could to help him to stop crying?

 please help i'm really confused at lost.
 
 

artem

TCS Member
Young Cat
Joined
May 16, 2014
Messages
53
Purraise
9
Hi.  I've never raised an underaged kitten and am sure someone much more knowledgeable will be along to help you soon, but I figured I'd help as much as I can.  You should not let him chew on your fingers, as he's still at the stage where he's learning appropriate social and play behaviors.  Get him a toy he can chew and gently redirect him when he tries (although he may also still be trying to suckle at this age and you should give him an appropriate place to do that).  Normally, kittens would learn a lot of social lessons from their littermates and momcat, as they're not around, you have to teach him.  Do you know anyone who has a cat or kitten who might be able to foster him for a few weeks?  He's really too young to be away from his feline family and a cat role model will help you prevent some pretty serious behavior problems.  If you call your local shelter, they may know of a mom cat with a similarly aged litter who could foster him until he's ready to rejoin you in his forever home (preferably at around 10-12 weeks).

You may be able to try adding wet food.  He may not be ready yet, but it's certainly worth a shot if he doesn't seem to be satisfied from milk alone.

For more detailed instructions, you should probably check out this article on hand-raising orphan kittens: http://www.thecatsite.com/a/hand-rearing-kittens

As for his eyes, it's likely he's not seeing great yet, but that's not abnormal for a young kitten as vision takes some time to develop.  If by ten weeks he still seems to be having trouble, you can have the vet re-examine him.  Don't worry.  Blind cats generally adapt pretty well.

He's probably crying because kittens that young are rarely alone in nature.  You can try getting him a Snuggle Kitten (I think that's the name) which is basically a stuffed animal with a heatpack and a ticker to help him feel like he's sleeping besides mom.

Young kittens do chill very easily, which could actually be tied to both the crying and the reluctance to eat.  You should have him in a warm room with plenty of blankets and a heat pad might not go amiss (but be careful not to burn him!)  The article I linked you too should go into this more.

I don't know much about young kittens, but by the time he's 10 weeks or so you'll want to have the following, in addition to basic supplies like food and litter of course:
A toy he can wrestle with (I like this one:  My cat loves it even though he does not generally care for catnip, I think it's just a good shape for wrestling)

A wand toy he can chase (I'd recommend getting a few you can rotate.  Neko flies and Da Bird are pretty popular, but I find Hunter equally enjoys random ones I find at PetSmart)

Some independent "games" he can entertain himself with (ball in track games are a big hit at our house, as is the Undercover Mouse and its derivatives)

Some small balls or springs he can chase around or play "fetch" with

A cat tree

A scratching post (preferably at least one horizontal and one vertical)

Sticky tape

I'd recommend just searching cat toys on amazon and seeing what comes up.  Once you've had him a bit longer, you'll probably be able to guess what your cat will and won't like (for instance: Hunter likes jingling sounds but is unimpressed by squeaking).  As an aside tip, try buying some of the light up replacement balls for the turbo chaser or catit track, as they provide much of the fun of a laser, with the satisfaction of catching something at the end.  Catnip toys may eventually be a big hit, but probably not at this age.  Food puzzles are also frequently recommended, although Hunter was never particularly interested as he doesn't care for dry food.  Lasers are a great way of getting energy out and can be fun for some cats, but others find them very frustrating and can develop some neurotic behaviors so it's really your call if you want to use them or not (I personally offer light up balls as a nice alternative).

You'll probably also want to do some general reading on cat behavior and kitten development.  You can find a lot of good articles here: http://www.thecatsite.com/atype/45/Cat_Care to help you through any problems that arise and this site: http://cats.about.com/cs/kittencare/a/tracksixweek.htm has some basic milestones to look out for.

It sounds like you're off to a good start and your kitten was very lucky to find his way to you.  Good luck!  Hopefully some of this was helpful.  Like I said, I don't know much about kittens that age but it may be a few hours before an expert is able to help and you'll want to get him warm as soon as possible.
 

helsic

TCS Member
Adult Cat
Joined
Jul 23, 2014
Messages
190
Purraise
18
Location
China
Hello!!!

thank you for rescuing this baby, it's a good thing he found you! I'm not an expert but I recently rescued 2 kittens myself, they were 2 weeks old so I would try to answer your questions:

1. My Kitten shivers and twitches when he is asleep. 
He shivers because kittens younger than one month can't generate their own body warm so basically he is chilling! this is very dangerous since he can die if he gets to cold. You should get an electric blanket or something that generates heat because he can't do it himself. You can also put a bottle with hot water next to him or under the blankets.

2. Bitting or playing?
His tiny teeth are coming out so he likes to bite, that's normal, plus he is a baby and he misses his mommy cat and he's looking for her tits for milk, he will bite your fingers in attempt to satisfice his need of sucking mommy's nipples. My kittens still do this when I hold them, they feel happy if they suck my fingers.

3. Vision
It takes time for the kittens to develop their sight. After one month he would be able to see clearly so don't worry. If the corner of the eyes appear red or sore he may have an eye infection, you should take him to the vet and he will give you some eye drops.

4. Feeding
If he is cold he won't eat. You shouldn't feed him if he is cold. He needs to be warm and the milk too. Are you using a kitten formula? be careful with cow's milk, kittens are lactose intolerant and he can get very sick if he drinks cow's milk.

5. Yelping and Crying

My guess is that he is cold, try to keep him as warm as you can, even in this hot summer a young kitten like yours can't regulate his on temperature, if he is chill he would cry nonstop.

I hope this information help you out!
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #4

beayuu

TCS Member
Thread starter
Kitten
Joined
Jul 27, 2014
Messages
17
Purraise
1
thank you guys for the reply, i 'm currently feeding him kitten formula  ( http://www.doggyfriend.com.sg/assets/images/products/animalac-1.gif ) and i have been feeding him every 3-4 hours a day.  however i won't be able to feed him when i am work but i guess i'll get someone else to do it as soon as possible :( 

i bought him a toy which look something like this (http://www.petco.com/assets/product_images/7/780824102684C.jpg) but bigger haha it has dangling legs and arms but he doesnt seem to be playing with it often. 

He doesnt walk around often he normally just wakes up and sleep and eats and cry but after i feed him some formula earlier today which he finished half the bottle he started to be more quieter, should i change to wet food now?   his hind legs still wobbles and shakes when he attempts to walk on the floor though

May i know how warm should the kitten nest should be? 

singapore's really warm ( it's currently 28 degress here )  and i have placed some towels in his cardbox  house for now as it was a really last  min adoption and i wasn't really ready to prepare his nest , i filled a clean sock with rice and heats it up at night when he is sleeping but he doesn't seem to be using it often. despite sleeping on my neck/tummy or arms he still twitches and .. i am sweating like mad haha  does it means he is still cold?

He doesn't really poop so far at what age should i start to train him to poop ?

 

helsic

TCS Member
Adult Cat
Joined
Jul 23, 2014
Messages
190
Purraise
18
Location
China
I live in China, we're in summer currently over 30cº and still my kittens need an electric pad (I used the one I kept from last winter) they sleep next to the electric pad and until after one month they naturally started to come away from the pad.

If your kitten is 3 to 4 weeks old you should feed him every 5 to 6 hours not every 3. I think that's why he doesn't want to eat much, he is full. After feeding him if the tummy looks rounded and plum he is very full!!!

you should introduce wet food after 5 weeks, check this out! it would help!

http://www.ehow.com/how_4451014_wean-kittens.html

from the picture I can tell your kitten is VERY young! it needs a lot of special care!

also check this one:

http://www.ehow.com/how_8497850_feed-kittens-three-weeks-old.html

http://www.ehow.com/how_7779444_care-abandoned-newborn-kitten.html
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #6

beayuu

TCS Member
Thread starter
Kitten
Joined
Jul 27, 2014
Messages
17
Purraise
1
@helsic   ahh which part of china are you staying at? and he always cries when he wakes up so i normally feed him when he wakes up, he does eat alot though, i brought him to the vet and he mentioned that he is about 3-4 weeks old, so in a week from the day i pick him up i could try soft food ( this coming thursday i guess ) thank you so much for the tips and articles ~ i will read them up . i guess tonight  i will try the hot bottle thing in his nest. maybe he won't shiver that much now 
 

helsic

TCS Member
Adult Cat
Joined
Jul 23, 2014
Messages
190
Purraise
18
Location
China
I live in Chengdu in Sichuan Province since more than a year ago but I'm from Colombia! nice to meet you ^^
 

Willowy

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Mar 1, 2009
Messages
31,886
Purraise
28,287
Location
South Dakota
If s/he has teeth you can try solid food. That's how you know they're ready :). Mix canned food with formula to make a mush and expect a big mess the first few times! But s/he'll get the hang of it soon enough. S/He may be crying because s/he's hungry, so adding some solid food should help with that.

Once s/he's eating solid food, that's when you introduce the litterbox. Put a small amount of non-clumping litter in a very shallow box (I like cat food can trays) and put him/her in there about 5-10 minutes after every meal. Scratch your fingers around in the litter to make the kitty start digging around, and that should trigger some instincts. You'll have to put the kitty in the litterbox when you think he/she has to go for a few weeks, because they don't really pay attention to when they have to go, but after that the kitty should be able to find the litterbox on his/her own :D.
 
Last edited:
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #9

beayuu

TCS Member
Thread starter
Kitten
Joined
Jul 27, 2014
Messages
17
Purraise
1
Neko hasnt really has teeth but when he start to bite my finger it start to hurt ^^: i guess he is gaining strength haha 

on a side note, he seems to be struggling to drink from the bottle i'm not sure if it's because he is excited for it or too hungry but he seems to be biting on the bottle nipple and pushing the bottle away from him at the same time; i'm not sure if its because he is too hungry or too full .. i feel like im force feeding him sometimes when he does it. but when i pull the bottle away he start to cry and meow again :( 
 

wendy56

TCS Member
Kitten
Joined
Apr 15, 2014
Messages
8
Purraise
1
Hallo, I have read your story on the catsite.

The first thing you will want to do is to take your kitty to the vet. He doesn't have his mother to give him the nutrient that will help his body get strong.

Don't wait to see the vet, \in the meantime go to a petstore and find a small bottle and buy the formula for him.

My heart goes out to you because I have a soft spot for cats and I have 3 of my own. In factm the three females I have are sisters and they all had a litter but they have all been neutered since then.

I know how you are feeling. You will find out what wonderful companions they can be.

Take care
 
Last edited by a moderator:

jennyr

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Dec 6, 2004
Messages
13,348
Purraise
593
Location
The Land of Cheese
Hallo, I have read your story on the catsite.

The first thing you will want to do is to take your kitty to the vet. He doesn't have his mother to give him the nutrient that will help his body get strong.

Don't wait to see the vet, \in the meantime go to a petstore and find a small bottle and buy the formula for him.

My heart goes out to you because I have a soft spot for cats and I have 3 of my own. In factm the three females I have are sisters and they all had a litter but they have all been neutered since then.

I know how you are feeling. You will find out what wonderful companions they can be.

Take care
I think if you read through the thread that the kitten has already been to the vet and is being fed on kitten formula.
 
Last edited:
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #12

beayuu

TCS Member
Thread starter
Kitten
Joined
Jul 27, 2014
Messages
17
Purraise
1
haha yes its already done so. 

is it normal for the kitten to cry alot at this age?
 

helsic

TCS Member
Adult Cat
Joined
Jul 23, 2014
Messages
190
Purraise
18
Location
China
 
haha yes its already done so. 

is it normal for the kitten to cry alot at this age?
About the feeding. It happened to my kittens too, they try to bite the bottle nipple and push it with their paws, one reason can be that the hole is not very big and is hard for her to suck the milk. When this happened we used a syringe without the needle instead of the bottle, if the nipple is very big it's difficult for him to suck.

And yes, since he is lonely he feels scared if he is not by your side, kittens at that age stays with their mothers all the time so they get so scared if they're alone, specialty because his senses are not well developed so he is confused by what he hears and smells.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #14

beayuu

TCS Member
Thread starter
Kitten
Joined
Jul 27, 2014
Messages
17
Purraise
1
I see , I just bought him a litter box and introduced him to the litter and his pillow ,do I still continue to wipe him so he will pee ?
 

panamapatti

TCS Member
Kitten
Joined
Jul 31, 2014
Messages
11
Purraise
1
Kitten twitches when he sleeps because they is dreaming - you have rapid eye movement

He is calling for mom and mom is not answering - he is lonely and in an environment that he is unaccustomed to - ripped from the only thing you ever knew at that age, would be traumatizing for you too

His eyes will improve and so will he sense of smell - he just doesn't know what you what and his priorities don't list what you set in front of him as important.

All babies put stuff in their mouths - he will learn skills based on his interactions with your hand that he would otherwise learn for siblings or mom

Keep him on the formula - I'm fond of a syringe (be careful if you use one and don't drown him)

Keep up the formula (at least 6 weeks old) and introduce canned kitten food - don't expect miracles when he starts with it - remember, just like a human - it's a baby

I prefer Royal Canin Cat food - they have Baby Cat (1-3 months) followed by Kitten food (3 months to a year). It's a baby so make sure that you warm the food after you remove it from the refrigerator - not hot - don't scald his mouth - test it on your wrist. There is a dry Baby Cat too, just be patient that is a tiny baby and may not start to eat dry it for a week or two ( when he starts nibbling on the dry, keep feeding the canned too).  The canned is going to be a new  adventure  - for both of you - and the dry will just be another learning adventure - possibly a toy at first, then a snack, followed by a meal.    At three months reduce the canned food feedings to one a day and offer dry for the other meals. Either free fed or  feed regular meals - cats love routine - I like free feeding but its a personal preference.  No big demands when I get home because the bellies have never been that empty for very long.  They just greet me with out the demand for food being part of the welcome home.  Food is less of a priority because they are never without it.  Only one of my six has a weight problem and he is not obese just chubby.

His mom would wipe (lick)  his backside to stimulate bowel movement.  A wet,  warm (not hot - check on wrist like you would a baby bottle) wash cloth very gently wiped on his bottom will help and keep you informed of any blockages forming on the exterior. 

He is a baby and the staggering in like a baby going from crawling to their first steps - he will become more stable

Just remember its a baby - cat or not - a baby.  What would you do if it was a infant human?

Good Luck
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #16

beayuu

TCS Member
Thread starter
Kitten
Joined
Jul 27, 2014
Messages
17
Purraise
1
sigh been trying to wean him for a few weeks and he refuse to drink out of the bowl..
 

jennyr

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Dec 6, 2004
Messages
13,348
Purraise
593
Location
The Land of Cheese
He may still be a bit young to drink on his own. The important thing is to make sure he has enough water/milk in him so he does not get dehydrated. Get liquid into him each day by whatever method you can - he will learn to drink in his own good time.
 

panamapatti

TCS Member
Kitten
Joined
Jul 31, 2014
Messages
11
Purraise
1
It has been a few weeks, so baby cat is big enough to start drinking out of a bowl.  1st question - is the bowl bigger than the cat? Use a itty bitty bowl or even a lid.  2nd - he's spoiled (that's what they are made for).  3 - expect him to walk through it . 4 - how's the licking   - a bunch of unanswered questions.  Mother cats have a tough time weaning their kittens and you are now pseudo-mommy. In the cat world - is mom eats it - the baby eats it. This creates a problem when kitty gets older because kitty will try to eat every meal with you and you will have taught them to do so.  You will have to get down on the floor.  Kitty has their food space on the ground and your food is on a higher elevation.  I know you are not going to be willing to eat cat food, so you will have to find a food source that both of you will be interested in.  Tuna spoils them - mine are spoiled - too much is not good for the  urinary tract - but if you smash into very small flakes (if it is not small enough kitten may have a hard time eating it) - lie on the floor and act like it is the best thing you ever ate - the social side of kitten may cause him to join in. You might try putting something right at the front of his mouth and lip to stimulate licking (don't use peanut butter), with more of it on a lid in front of him.  Since there is a lot of info missing, it is hard to give you a direct answer.  Are you refer to drinking water out of a bowl?  Is he dibbling on solid food?  Like the other person that responded to your post - watch the hydration.  Kittens are notorious for not drinking enough water (if that is what you are referring to). I assume you are off the formula. I had a spoiled rotten Bengal Cat that would only drink out of the faucet - I had to buy a water fountain. He was also the cat with a sweet tooth - especially Honey Comb cereal.  I trained obedience dogs years ago and he ended up being obedience trained due to his love of that cereal. If you are worried about him getting enough water - give him a couple of cc's of water by a syringe several times a day.  Are you feeding wet food - it has water content.  Remember the kitten is little so don't over water either. Do you know about checking for dehydration.  The skin at the shoulders should not stand up or hesitate when returning to the original shape. Pull slightly upwards (about 1", depending on size of cat) and release. It should be supple and not hesitate when going back into place.  You should be off the formula by now and do not offer cows milk or any other milk that is not kitten formula. It will cause diarrhea and dehydration.  Hope this helps.  More info from you would be helpful it I completely missed your question - be specific.  There are a lot of answers I could give you. Kitties like fresh water - change it several times a day - and remember when washing the bowl to rinse and rinse again - they have very good olfactory receptors and can smell almost as good as dogs. I will give you more input if needed.

Good luck!
 

jennyr

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Dec 6, 2004
Messages
13,348
Purraise
593
Location
The Land of Cheese
I have been asking around among my catowner friends and I have not found anyone (myself included) who has had to go to the lengths of eating on the floor with a kitten to teach it to eat from a bowl! That is a new one on me, but I will bear it in mind next time I have an orphan to look after. Usually, kittens will eat in their own good time but may need to be encouraged with a smear of food on the paw or mouth a few times so they understand that it tastes good. I also give my orphans an intermediate stage with fromage frais (unsalt cream or curd cheese) or Greek-style yoghurt (less lactose than milk) so they have something solid to lick before they go on to meat-based food. As long as they are gaining weight do not be too concerned if they take longer than you think they should to go on to solids.
 

savingkali

TCS Member
Adult Cat
Joined
May 9, 2013
Messages
113
Purraise
11
Location
Australia
Hi there, I raised a very young orphan kitten (10 days old) so I went through the bottle and weaning stage. Ive only done it once and it was a year ago. First my kitten took a little bit from a teaspoon when she wqsnt interested in her bottle an slowing down. It improved her immensely. But the sudden change of food can shock their system. Dont worry if your kitty has gas or diarrhea. I mixed the formula and wet food in the bottle and she loved it.
When I noticed she was able to chew the nipple of the bottle off, I switched her to a small shallow plate of warmed up wet food (if their eyes aren't good, they'll use their nose and heating the food will make it smell really strong and yummy). She had a meal with formula in the morning, bottle in the afternoon, small meal in the evening and a good big bottle before bed. Doesnt matter what order. But by slowly alternating the kitty gets used to its new food. :)

Heres my pussycat as a baby:
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Top