5 Weeks Orphaned Kitten Care

kashmir64

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What a cutie. I am not entirely sure she's as old as you think. Based on this picture, I would put her at 3 1/2 - 4 weeks. I still have my heating pad in with the kittens. Just make sure she can get away from it if she gets too hot.
Also, when it comes time to litter train her, use only non clumping litter. Just like human babies, everything goes in their mouth.
 

Sarthur2

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At 5 weeks she can regulate her own body temperature now, so a heat source is not necessary.
 
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Beebun

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Got it! Thank you everyone - I'm so relieved I found this forum. Everyone is so helpful, I feel like crying for a bit :')
 
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Beebun

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Okay, after 5 feedings of slurry, we have poop. It's still loose, but it's normal poop colour (brown) and not watery. A little like thick baby poop. Some part of it is a bit better formed, like watercolour ink off the tube.

Maybe her tummy is trying to cope with the changes, or is this a reason to go to the vet? How many days should I give her to adjust?

Thanks everyone!
 

Sarthur2

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Oh, wow, that's awesome! Give it the weekend. It sounds like she may adjust and not need the vet right away.

You can slowly make the slurry more wet food and less liquid also. :)
 
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Beebun

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Yay for a small milestone! I wouldn't be able to do this without you two. This thread had taught me so much. Hopefully she'll continue doing better.

Ah, right, Sarthur2 Sarthur2 , when you said 2-3 hours, did you mean overnight, too? Is it possible for me to give two 'doses' of slurry before I go to bed?
 

Sarthur2

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Her little tummy will need to eat during the night right now. If she were still with mom she would nurse through the night at this stage.

You can feed her before you go to bed, then leave a dish out for her. If that doesn't work, you'll have to set your clock to get up once during the night for now.

I had a kitten (now age 12) I acquired at 5 weeks that used to nip at my nose at 2am to be fed. I did not need a clock! ;)
 
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Beebun

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Got it! I go to sleep typically at around 12 so I'll probably feed her a bit more there, and wake up maybe once through the night. I'll leave out a dish, too, but I'm worried about ants. Those dang ants.

Haha! They do have some sort of an alarm clock in them, don't they

I'll update in the morning. Hopefully little peaches continues to thrive. Nosebumps from the equator x
 
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Beebun

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Turns out the 9pm poop was a Precursor for... Well, a lot more. Peaches had pooped twice since, same consistency (thick, like, eh, like Greek yogurt?) but the colour looks a tad lighter. Some bits are more slightly formed. My suspicion is the kmr powder getting exposed to too much air, etc (the one I bought come in small sachets of 20g powder). Will take better care next time!

Here's to better poops tomorrow.
 

kashmir64

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Since you have no idea of her background, I would make sure to give the Bene-Bac. I would also get her de-wormed. What you're seeing may be prior to you getting her.

You are doing a great job. Still haven't seen pictures. Where are they?
 
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Beebun

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Pictures! Aaah it's so hard to take them, she's in three places at one lmao kittens are so light on their stubby little feet aren't they? I'll post a video maybe when I'm on the pc, or get her in a burrito and take pictures :D

Got it, Kashmir. I'll give her those today <3

I'm reducing the formula slowly, feeding her a teaspoon of wet food every 2 hours. She weighs around 320g now. Chunky little monster.
 

kashmir64

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Got it! I go to sleep typically at around 12 so I'll probably feed her a bit more there, and wake up maybe once through the night. I'll leave out a dish, too, but I'm worried about ants. Those dang ants.

Haha! They do have some sort of an alarm clock in them, don't they

I'll update in the morning. Hopefully little peaches continues to thrive. Nosebumps from the equator x
I read this, then did a double take. You mention ants. Is she outside? If so, please bring her in.
 
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Beebun

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Nope, she's inside on top of a chair in our dining room :> ants (those really small ones) here can and will go eeeverywheere, it's really annoying. If it smells remotely like food, they'll track it down and have a feast /sigh

I do keep her quarters and food very clean, though, and it's probably coming off worse than it really is (it's not that we have a serious ant problem or anything). It's just the ants here can really resilient (or desperate) sometimes, and I don't want to take the risk of them getting to peaches :'
 

kashmir64

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Understand. Right now the ground is moving outside (ants, all sizes) but thankfully, they never come in the house. Although, we do have those sonic rat things, I wonder if that is what keeps them out?
I don't know that I would want to leave canned food out anyway. Not only does it go bad fast, but it can also attract things you don't want. ie...mice, roaches, etc....
 
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Beebun

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Ooh, do they actually work? I saw one in the hardware store several weeks ago. We rarely have mice around, thankfully.

Yeah, that's my concern too..although I'm pretty sure she'll gobble up 99.7% of it in minutes, haha! The remaining 0.3%...ant bait!
 

kashmir64

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They seem to work. A while back, the packrats built a condo in my car engine. It happened overnight as I usually check it before starting it. That day I didn't. My engine caught fire and destroyed my car. My new car I got one and put it under the vehicle, since that's where they get in. Haven't even seen a mouse poop. I put them in the house and have no trouble with them since. One is positioned not far from my where the kittens are, and they obviously don't hear anything since they haven't even looked that way. Hasn't bothered the dogs either.
 

kashmir64

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How is she doing today? And how are you holding up with little sleep?
 
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Beebun

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Whoa what a week. Sorry for the lack of update - she's still with us, potty trained, and weighing about 430g :) she's more interested in biting and playing around now, and even met some of our other cats.

One thing she doesn't do yet is drinking water on her own- not sure why my mum cooked some chicken broth and gave some of it to her (sans onions or seasonings) and she lapped on it, though. But not water.

Thanks for checking on us! Here she is asleep on my lap :D
 

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Sarthur2

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Wonderful! :)

Kittens don't drink a lot of water if they are getting wet food, as it contains moisture. She will begin to drink water when she's thirsty though.
 
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