4 Week Old Tiny Kitten

[Marymenaf]

Hi guys!
So, on April 18th, 2018 I found a female kitten and I think it was about a couple days old; I took it home because it was all alone on the sidewalk and there was no sign of its mother (I waited and also asked the neighbors about it). I took it to the vet and they told me it was healthy and had good a suckling reflex.

I’ve been feeding it with diluted liquid baby formula(vet told me it was ok) because there’s no kitten formula available where I live. It likes it and there’s no diarrhea/constipation problem.

The thing is, it is about 4 weeks old and it is very tiny, almost as if it was 2 weeks old. It eats very well (currently drinking milk mixed with kitten food), poops and pees on its own, has teeth, walks and runs (woobly), bites, meows, purrs and now it’s learning to bath itself.

I would like to know what do you think. Is it just that it is little or do you think there is a problem?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Kieka]

While kittens can eat human baby formula in an emergency but it has too much lactose and not enough fat for continued usage or healthy growth. If it is used it should be made from powder at double strength (double the powder and half the liquid) to compensate. If you have access to goat milk the kitten would be better or to make the formula with. Her smaller size is probably due to the diet but if she is active and alert she is making it work. Nothing can be done about the past, you followed your vets advice and didn't know better, so don't dwell on it or be mad about it. She wouldn't have made it this long without you. Just move forward and her growth will hopefully make up for the past.

Focus on increasing the amount of kitten food the kitten is eating. At four weeks old she should be starting to up her intake of the kitten food and once she gets fully on that her growth should catch up. Do not limit the amount of kitten food she eats, she should eat as much as her little tummy can hold to help her grow.

Also, if you haven't already, start using a clean toothbrush to brush her with. It mimics a cat cleaning her and will encourage her to start grooming a little bit more.

 

[love67742]

She could just be small, but i doubt it. Is it possible you could order some kitten food? Baby food isn't exactly what she needs. I had three kittens that where tiny when I brought them in. After a few weeks of feeding them kitten formula they where happy and healthy. Other than their mother's milk, kitten formula is best for them. Good luck! Thank you for rescuing her. Without you, she could have died by now.

 

[StefanZ]

You got good advices, espec. Kieka.

 

[kashmir64]

The other problem with human baby formula is that it lacks Taurine, which kittens need to grow and be healthy.
As others recommended, I would try to order a kitten milk replacement formula (stay away from Hartz) and mix it with goats milk.

 

[catsknowme]

She is adorable!!! My best results with kitten formulas have been with goat milk, with fresh raw or formula made with canned or powdered. I have raised kittens with infant formula but my vet said to make sure that it was No-iron or low-iron. I was only able to get Carnation GoodStart low iron and 2 litters thrived on it. (It was in the 1990s, before our stores stocked goat milk and/or kmrs).
I am curious about her pink skin. Does your vet think that is normal?
Once your tiny girl's food uptake is optimum, her genetics will kick in. My daughter's kittens just turned 1 year and the 2 boys are 12# and the sisters are 5 & 7#s. (I am 5'2" but my younger brother is 6'2").