Kitten won’t nurse

[Brandidoll]

Hi! So I have recently taken in a tiny 5 week old kitten. That’s what I was told. However, she can barely walk though she is better than yesterday by a lot. She shakes like crazy. She has symptoms of CH. she was rejected by her mother and is in my care. Went to the emergency vet and everything was normal, she was just lethargic. She’s being fed every 3-4 hours with what the vet sent me home with by syringe. Here’s the thing, she is not exactly enticed by the food. She kinda just doesn’t care. She comes in and out of the moment but has crawled out of the shoe box she’s in and walked around a bit. She is not the runt but is very small for her supposed age, she has tiny teeth as well. I’m just not exactly sure what’s going on. She is eating she just doesn’t care too much. She does suckle eventually but she will smell it and just not do anything. Rarely she’ll lick her lips. I believe she will make it, I just think she is.... special. Any ideas on what could help?
-Basil

 

[kateallen]

First of all, a big thank you for taking care of the little kitten. She looks so adorable.

Second, there is most likely an underlying problem that is preventing her from breastfeeding and receiving care. I would start by warming her slowly with a blanket. When she gets warm, you can try feeding her with a bottle or syringe. You will need to purchase a milk replacer (called "KMR") for feeding. Make sure the milk is warm before feeding, and if she is not sucking too much, do not bottle feed her as this can cause choking.

 

[Sarthur2]

The shaking may be fear as her environment has recently changed, or it may be low blood sugar or low calcium. If she has her baby teeth, those come in at 4 weeks, so she is likely 5 weeks or close to it as you suggest.

Continue trying to feed her formula by syringe or bottle, but also try Gerber turkey or chicken meat baby food. See if she will lick it from your finger, or lick it from her lips if you smear it on. Often a runt or elderly cat will really take to the strong aroma and go for it. The other thing you can try is wetting dry kitten chow with formula, and once it softens see if she will go for it.

Otherwise, she may be missing her mom and littermates and needs time to adjust. Her appetite may pick up eventually as she gets more comfortable with you, but she does need daily nutrition to thrive, so continue offering her formula and try the Gerber baby food. Most kittens love it!

Do keep us updated. I am anxious to see that she thrives!

Brandidoll

 

[StefanZ]

Agree with above.

Some of my additions:

She may need a somewhat more frequent feeding than these 3-4 hours... Try with every 2 hours if she takes.

Another tip may be to give her a little of glucose sugar / dextrose, gives energhy. And reduces the risk of low blood sugar. In USA it will typically be a droplet of white caro syrup on the gum, inside of the lip.

If you can get raw goats milk, try with this. It has some potential benefits. You can blend it with KMR if you wish, a good ratio is 1part powder KMR / 3 parts of goats milk. Goats milk is also a very good supplement when she is weaned, if you by any reason think she needs supplement.

Some nice vitamine paste can too be useful.

Make sure she is warm and cozy, ie has an heating source. being weakish, she doesnt produce enough of her own body warmth, so a cozy blankets may not be enough. The weak and sick do always freeze, no? So its for humans, so is it for cats.

Brandidoll