Four week old kitten eating litter, is there a better non clumping litter?

[SheriB]

Four week old Lucky Dice is eating a lot of litter and has had some constipation. Psyllium has helped the constipation. Right now I have replaced their litter with torn up newspaper but I’m worried about teaching them to pee on papers, not a good thing when you have papers sitting out on your desk, I know from experience! Does anyone know of a better solution?

 

[Furballsmom]

Hi! What a sweetie!! Non clumping litter should work. Also, are you feeding enough?

The Essentials Of Kitten Nutrition – Cat Articles

 

[FeebysOwner]

Hi. Maybe you would like to take a look at some of these options for non-clumping litter?
Best Non-Clumping Cat Litters (2019)

 

[SheriB]

Hi! What a sweetie!! Non clumping litter should work. Also, are you feeding enough?

The Essentials Of Kitten Nutrition – Cat Articles

It is non clumping clay that Dice is eating quite a bit of, maybe it’s okay and he/she will grow out of it soon. I just wondered if there was another option.
Dice and sibling Potter have yet to try solid food but it is constantly available to them in the form of canned kitten food mixed with water, and dry Mama and Baby Kibble. As you can see they are quite roly poly, mama is doing a good job.

 

[Furballsmom]

It is non clumping clay that Dice is eating quite a bit of,

I apologize, I was thinking I'd missed something there lol!
They're so darling!!
Maybe FeebysOwner has something that might work?

 

[SheriB]

Hi. Maybe you would like to take a look at some of these options for non-clumping litter?
Best Non-Clumping Cat Litters (2019)

Thank you, the article tells me what is available. I will probably try the yesterday’s news which I have used before. At that time it was hard pellets, not the soft version, so maybe that will be better. It is not good with odors but since I am only dealing with two babies and their mom I can change it often.

 

[Furballsmom]

Let us know how things progress and how the babies do as they go along

 

[SheriB]

So after seeing no poops from our babies from Friday to Monday, despite being given a laxative, we were off to the vet. They both got enemas and Potter, the white one, cleared out. But poor baby Dice is still struggling. After two days of enemas and now a new laxative he is slowly eliminating tiny rock filled poops so sticky I have to check and clean them off of him periodically. Thankfully he seems to feel good and is nursing often.
I’ve had babies before and seen them eat litter but not like this! I continued with torn newspaper until today when I suddenly realized I could use pee pads. At least until things are moving properly, then I’ll try another non clumping non clay litter.

 

[Furballsmom]

Awwww, babies!

 

[Petu_900]

Hi! I'm having the same problem, I'm using World's best cat litter, but I'm worried about the fact that they go straight to eat it so I don't let it at their reach when I'm there in put them in the box, they are 5 weeks old and the mom is still cleaning after them but we are struggling the mom has been a really slow learning in caring for them and she's not really helping with the weaning or the litter training, my previous rescued took care of all of that by herself with her kittens so I have no experienc either

 

[Furballsmom]

Hi! Not to hijack the thread but these may help, Petu_900 ;

Weaning - How To Get Your Kittens To Eat On Their Own - TheCatSite

Watching a litter of tiny kittens suckling voraciously, you may be wondering how they will ever switch over to eating on their own? The transition from nursing to independent eating is called weaning. It is a process and does not happen over night, but the good news is yes, every kitten...

thecatsite.com

How To Train Kittens To Use The Litter Box [A Guide] - TheCatSite

Learn effective techniques for training kittens to use the litter box with our comprehensive guide for a successful litter box training.

thecatsite.com

 

[Sarthur2]

Please use non-clumping litter until they no longer want to eat it!

 

[SheriB]

Hi! I'm having the same problem, I'm using World's best cat litter, but I'm worried about the fact that they go straight to eat it so I don't let it at their reach when I'm there in put them in the box, they are 5 weeks old and the mom is still cleaning after them but we are struggling the mom has been a really slow learning in caring for them and she's not really helping with the weaning or the litter training, my previous rescued took care of all of that by herself with her kittens so I have no experienc either

Hi! It’s working for me to put pee pads is their boxes. They dig around which just crumples up the pads but they still use it. Most kittens will eat some litter and that’s normal, these guys just ate too much! It sounds like yours might b doing that too.
As to weaning, it seems like they eventually take care of that themselves, these guys seemed slow to me but I kept putting out canned food mixed with water and one day they just started eating. I also keep kitten kibble out for them and one of them started eating that first. Mama will still nurse them some, just not as much as before. Thanks for rescuing!

 

[SheriB]

Finally I can report a positive result! Lucky Dice was still not pooping by Friday despite vet visits and enemas. We started Saturday with the conversation no one wants to have, that he might not recover. Having only passed tiny amounts for two weeks it was getting dire. On Saturday a different vet in the same office asked me to leave him with her. As a last ditch effort she gave him lactulose ( hairball treatment that is mostly mineral oil), Metamucil, and pain killers because she figured he might not be trying because it hurt! Four vet techs and the doctor danced and cheered when he produced a hard turd the size of the last knuckle of my little finger. I brought him home and he produced four more and then a normal soft kitten poop. So grateful! Keeping an eye on him now but he seems great, playing and zooming around!

 

[Furballsmom]

Four vet techs and the doctor danced and cheered when he produced a hard turd the size of the last knuckle of my little finger.

Oh. My. Gosh!!

Bless their hearts, and yours for hanging in there with him - Lucky Dice indeed!! and they are SUCH darling cuties!!