Bottle Fed Kittens: Starting To Bite Bottle, 3.5ish Weeks

[nanette]

Hello! I need advice. My husband and I took in three little abandoned kittens a week ago. We started bottle feeding them. By the looks of them and all the research I did, they are 3-3.5 weeks old. They have their little incisor teeth coming in, they are starting to play, they are starting to poop and pee on their own. The thing that I am struggling with is that two of the kittens have started spending a lot of time biting the nipple and moving their heads back and forth, with very little sucking and latching on. The nipples drop a drop of milk when I turn it over if I put very light pressure on the bottle. Using these same bottles and nipples they would latch on and eat very well only about two days ago. They still have energy and are playing, and I try to make sure they still are getting enough formula, but I'm starting to worry that they won't get enough formula. Is it time to introduce actual food? Could I be wrong about how old they are? The three weigh 11oz, 12oz, and almost 13 oz. Two of them are also having diarrehea, but have been to see the vet. Fecal test shows no parasites or disease. He thinks its from the formula and prescribed probiotic, which I add to the formula along with a little Pedialyte. Lastly, do I need to continue stimulating them after feeding if I am finding them going on their own? Any advice would be appreciated! This is our first time doing this!

 

[Sarthur2]

They sound ready for soft foods now! Try soft pate mixed with a little formula to make a mush, or straight Gerber turkey or chicken baby food. Use a flat plate and smear a bit on their mouths, or put some on your finger.

If they are going on their own, no need to stimulate them. Start putting them in a kitten-sized litter pan - an aluminum disposable pan from a dollar store works well in the beginning! Use only non-clumping litter the first few weeks in case they try to eat it.

Their diarrhea should clear up once they are eating food. If not, they may need Albon.

 

[nanette]

Thanks so much for the advice!

 

[nanette]

I wanted to follow up! One of the kittens was rejecting the bottle and had lost weight. She weaned almost immediately and has been eating canned food for the last 3 days and has been gaining weight again. The other two still want to eat their bottles spiked with a small amount of the canned food. We are trying to get them to lick the canned food or formula off our fingers but no luck yet.

 

[nanette]

View media item 421065View media item 421064View media item 421063View media item 421064

 

[nanette]

View media item 421066

 

[Sarthur2]

How sweet! The others will catch on soon!