3 week old foster not eating well..advice and suggestions welcome please.

[Kittymom35]

Hello all,
I am fostering 3 orphaned kittens. I took them in at 4 days old and they are now 3 weeks old and growing. They were having terrible constipation with KMR even with olive oil as vet suggested. Poop times were filled with straining and tiny kitten yells. I switched them to Breeder’s Edge Foster Care formula the night before last and have been slowly adding less and less of the KMR. All 3 of their tummy issues are gone and their poops are healthy and soft and now mustard yellow. One of the kittens, Oreo, seems less than thrilled with the new formula and while he was eating about 14mls per feeding with KMR, he’s only eating 8 to 10mls with Foster Care formula. He hasn’t lost weight today even though he is eating less. Has anyone experienced this? He is also chewing much more on the nipples instead of latching like he was. I noticed they are all getting their little front teeth so could this be why? They were all very underweight when I got them but are all now at 300g, 307g, and 340g. Oreo is at 300g today whereas yesterday he was at 10:30am he was at 289g.
Please let me know if this seems normal? I’m so worried about them. This is my first time fostering any kittens and I love them each so much. He is purring loudly after each feed and cuddling up to me so I don’t think he is ill. Any peace of mind would be so greatly appreciated. Thank you all in advance.

 

[crystal dawn]

I'm not an expert on kittens but as long as he's gaining weight well I think he's ok. The new formula may be richer than the previous one and so hes drinking a little less. That's my thoughts I could be totally wrong. There is a few here that know lots about kittens who should be along shortly with more info.

 

[crystal dawn]

Sarthur2 can you help here?

 

[Sarthur2]

It sounds like the kittens are doing well! Their weights are a touch under where they should be at 3 weeks, but they seem to be catching up nicely.

They are definitely teething, but as long as they continue to gain and their poops are good, they should be okay. Their baby teeth should be in soon and they should then feel more comfortable. The time between 3 and 4 weeks is always tricky with teething.

For reference, kittens should be around 12 ounces at 3 weeks and around a pound at 4 weeks, but orphans sometimes take a little longer to reach their milestones.

Keep doing what you’re doing because it sounds like you are an excellent kitten mom!
K Kittymom35

 

[Kittymom35]

Thank you so much for both of your replies, crystal dawn and Sarthur2 !

Things started to look better with Oreo’s poop yesterday but about an hour ago, after feeding him, he had a pretty normal poop but then at the end it was liquidy and there were a couple drops of blood. I spent the last hour reading about kitten diarrhea and all kinds of horrifying things popped up. Now I am lying in bed, terrified and worried.

Have you experienced this before? I am pretty sure it’s from the formula change and possible overfeeding. He ate less yesterday but then gobbled down 20mls in one feeding today. I feel this is my fault and now I am worried. I think I’ll take them to the vet just to be looked at. He’s acting fine but the blood at the end really scared me. Is there anything I should do right away? I gave him 1 ml of pedialyte and some bene-bac probiotic right now in a syringe.

Thank you for your encouragement and the advice. This is a very rewarding and also terrifying experience for me. I don’t regret it but my heart wasn’t prepared for all the worrying about these babies.

 

[Kittymom35]

Here are some pictures of his poop. I’m sorry they are graphic and gross. The blood on the tissue is what came out at the very end. Thank you for taking your time to reply and your wisdom.

 

[Sarthur2]

I think he’s fine. The probiotic will help his gut bacteria. The vet may want a fecal sample to test for parasites. You’re doing a great job!

 

[di and bob]

I, too, think it's parasites. They may have to be a little older before they can be treated. They sound like they are doing well, all the luck!

 

[Kittymom35]

Sarthur2 di and bob Thank you both for your guidance and support. I took them to the vet just to be sure and she put Oreo on antibiotics and did fecal tests. They were all negative for parasites! And the antibiotics have helped Oreo’s stomach and diarrhea.

I am sorry to bother you with more questions but I have some worries.I thought the kittens are about 4 weeks this week. They are each weighing 460g, 440g, and 420g. Oreo is the smallest and he’s the baby tuxedo. He has been only wanting to eat 10mls, sometimes 15mls, during each feeding. The other 2 are eating 15 to 22mls a feeding. Oreo is steadily gaining weight but not as fast as the other 2. He seems to get full at about 7 to 10mls so
I put him back, feed the other 2, get him again and feed him more. I also have syringe fed him today and yesterday to monitor exactly how much he is eating. I do weigh them at every meal still. It usually takes at least 2 times of feeding him within a feeding to get him to take at least 10mls. I am feeding them every 4.5 to 5 hours now. He is worrying me but today I decided to check his mouth and felt his molars! According to what I have read and Kitten Lady, the premolars don’t come in until 5 weeks. Could I somehow have their age wrong? When they came to me, they had umbilical cords so I estimated them to be 3 days old based on that and the lady whose property they were on said she thought they were born 3 days before. They got their canines at the beginning of this week. Now the premolars.
Sorry! I am rambling. I thought maybe Oreo would have interest in Babycat food since he’s being so challenging to bottle feed and he loved it. He took many actual bites and chewed it. He ate at least a couple teaspoons of food. So did his brother, Darcy, but Snowbelle was not at all interested. She wouldn’t take a bite on her own even after I put a tiny bit in her mouth.
Could this be why he is not drinking enough milk? Or is he and I’m obsessing too much? I think he should be weighing more according to all the reputable charts out there. I appreciate your time and experience. This is all new to me and I love them so much. I am trying my best to keep them growing and healthy. They have all been practicing pouncing and running. I moved them into a big playpen since they were attempting to escape their bin and needed more room. Does being more active contribute to growing more slowly? Because of using up food for energy? Sorry for all the questions today. I really appreciate your help.

 

[Sarthur2]

I think you are worrying too much. They are healthy weights and very close to where they should be. A couple of ounces in either direction is fine.

Kittens cut their milk teeth around 3-4 weeks, and will cut other teeth and lose baby teeth anywhere between now and 12-16 weeks.

Teething goes on for weeks. When the pain is acute, as with human babies, their appetites may be off.

I think your age estimate is accurate, and the kittens sound healthy. You are doing a great job so keep it up! They will be eating soft foods like crazy before you know it.

K Kittymom35

 

[Kittymom35]

Hi Sarthur2 , thank you so much for your reply and encouragement. I definitely am worrying too much, especially when I read about weight loss, diseases, and things like panleukopenia. I tend to have health anxiety and apparently it also applies to my animal friends! I need to just stay in the present and enjoy these little blessings and their hilariously cute antics. I really appreciate the cheers and wisdom. They had a great day today and are starting to play with toys so my daughter is thrilled she gets to interact with them more. Have a lovely day/evening/week!

 

[di and bob]

I would go by if and how much they are gaining. If they want soft food, by all means, give it to them. The milk-drinking would decrease depending on how much food they eat. You are doing fine!