Over 1week Old Orphaned Kitten Won’t Gain Weight

[Furballsmom]

Hi! My post just above might help a bit although I don't know if her peeing is more than normal.

 

[Uzo]

Have you found a way to give her something washable on top of a material that is waterproof until you work out the litter box situation?

http://[URL]https://thecatsite.com/c/how-to-train-kittens-to-use-the-litter-box/

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I literally just asked about this again, thank you for replying. I don’t know what waterproof material to use. I have just been changing the blankets regularly, which is a lot of work tbh. He/she has gone through three blankies today alone.

Also, he/she is so small, I have been wondering all day how he/she is going to learn to go to the litter box when he/she needs to pee or poo. Sigh!

 

[Furballsmom]

. I have just been changing the blankets regularly, which is a lot of work tbh.

I don't know, this might be the only way to do this. S/he is in her own bed now, not on yours so that helps.

 

[StefanZ]

I think the vet was correct, but either you or he misunderstood the scale... Or simply put down the comma sign wrongly.
I would guess on "communications difficulties"

Because its 200 grammes as he said.

200 grammes is slightly underweigh, but not grossly. And if she was born smallish, its OK weigh for her.

So, essentially false alarm. We can haul down the Red Alert flag, its probably not even Yellow Alert...

Just proceed as well you can.

 

[Sarthur2]

The peeing is normal. Peaches is too young to litter train right now. Normally the mother cat would clean up somewhat, but nest bedding always needs changing. Kittens are messy!

The good news is that when they are ready, at around 5 to 6 weeks old, kittens usually learn the litter box very easily and quickly. Based on weight, Peaches is about 2 weeks old. If you can take pictures of his/her behind and under the tail, we can try to determine if he/she is a male or female.

Enjoy this stage - it will be over before you know it!

 

[British Girls]

Hello everyone, thank you so much for being here for Peaches and me.

I checked Peaches’ weight today and I’m happy that he/she’s actually 200g (+ a tiny little more!).
I’m so so happy + relieved, omg. I’m thankful I said something here and that many of you pointed out how incorrect the vet was.
I would have gone around sad and worried, had I not mentioned it. Thank you all.

Is it normal that Peaches pees a lot on him/herself?
Like beyond making him/her pee before and after each meal is me picking him/her up at mealtime to find that he/she’s soaked in urine.

Also, between when I get his/her milk and actual feeding, he/she pees on my bed or couch. I have to change the blankets in his/her bed regularly because between sleep and next mealtime, he/she would have peed in different parts of the blanket.

If this is normal, I can handle it until he/she is grown enough for the litter box. But if it’s not, should I find a good vet to go to?

Thank you everyone. I have attached a photo of Peaches on the scale.

It is normal for her to urinate on him/herself. Normally, if (s)he were with his/her mother, she (her mother) would be cleaning Peaches a lot and you wouldn't notice it. One thing that would lessen the workload though, is to put a puppy pad under him/her and it would absorb it and you can just throw it when it is dirty.

 

[Kittycatcat]

The peeing on blankets is normal until little one learns to use a litter tray.
I currently have 5wk old kittens, they are only just starting to use a litter tray but still accidents on their blankets (I know its a pain, I too have to wash them daily)
Where is Peaches sleeping now?
You need to put alittle shallow litter tray in with her soon she can maybe attempt to use it. Make sure you get a non clumping litter. Im using a wood base one incase they shallow it, its easy for them to pass.
Your doing great with little Peaches at least you have your own scales now to keep an eye on weight.

 

[British Girls]

Hi, hows little Peaches doing?

 

[Uzo]

One thing that would lessen the workload though, is to put a puppy pad under him/her and it would absorb it and you can just throw it when it is dirty.

This has been so helpful, thank you for suggesting it.

 

[Uzo]

The peeing on blankets is normal until little one learns to use a litter tray.
I currently have 5wk old kittens, they are only just starting to use a litter tray but still accidents on their blankets (I know its a pain, I too have to wash them daily)
Where is Peaches sleeping now?
You need to put alittle shallow litter tray in with her soon she can maybe attempt to use it. Make sure you get a non clumping litter. Im using a wood base one incase they shallow it, its easy for them to pass.
Your doing great with little Peaches at least you have your own scales now to keep an eye on weight.

Thank you.
Peaches sleeps in a storage box on my bed. I fear he/she’ll make a mess if I put a litter box in there because he/she moves to different parts of the box all the time. Maybe it’s time to move it to a bigger space?

 

[Uzo]

Hi, hows little Peaches doing?

Peaches is doing alright, I think. Thank you for asking. Just a little worried about his/her weight.

 

[Uzo]

Hello everyone,
I’m sorry I haven’t given any updates in a while. I have been working, and I have been taking Peaches with me to work, which means that I’m tired all the time. I’m not complaining, but it’s really a lot for me.

I’m still worried about the weight. It’ll be 3weeks on Thursday since I found Peaches. And when I found him/her, the vet said he/she was about 5days old. So going by this, Peaches will be 4weeks old on Saturday. Weighs 200 + a liiitle more.

Peaches is not consistent with feeding. It should normally take 12-15mls of kmr every 3-4hrs. Sometimes, he/she is hungry exactly 3-4hrs after meal, sometimes after 7-8hrs before he/she would accept milk. When he/she is hungry, it scratches its carrier and tries to get out of it and the few times that I tried to feed it in time, it refused.

Should I now start feeding it wet foods? I get this feeling that it’s bored with the milk, I don’t know.
Also, should I give it water sometimes?

I keep forgetting to take photos of his/her behind so you can help with its gender identification because tbh I’m tired of calling he/her an ‘it’.

I’ll post a photo as soon as he/she wakes up.

ps. I have shared a photo of what Peaches looked like one day after I found him/her. According to the vet, he/she was 6days old in that photo.

 

[jefferd18]

She is adorable. She wouldn't be alive if she wasn't gaining weight by this time so I don't know if the scale is being read correctly.

 

[Kittycatcat]

Have you tried introducing a shallow bowl of both water and kmr? My kittens learn to lap up water at roughly 4wks. Also you could mix some wet food with kmr and put in on a flat plate and just see if he/she is interested. Little Peaches most certainly still needs milk constantly right now so still keep offering every 3/4hrs but obviously don't force fed.
Your doing a wonderful job with Peaches
Yes do try and upload a photo from behind so we can try and sex. Also at photo from the front would be lovely, I'm sure we would all like to see a photo with his/her eyes open now

 

[Uzo]

She is adorable. She wouldn't be alive if she wasn't gaining weight by this time so I don't know if the scale is being read correctly.

Thank you. I hope I’m wrong. I’ve attached a photo of Peaches on a scale today. I don’t know the exact figure...

 

[Uzo]

Have you tried introducing a shallow bowl of both water and kmr? My kittens learn to lap up water at roughly 4wks. Also you could mix some wet food with kmr and put in on a flat plate and just see if he/she is interested. Little Peaches most certainly still needs milk constantly right now so still keep offering every 3/4hrs but obviously don't force fed.
Your doing a wonderful job with Peaches
Yes do try and upload a photo from behind so we can try and sex. Also at photo from the front would be lovely, I'm sure we would all like to see a photo with his/her eyes open now

Thank you so much. I’ll try this out on the weekend and see how it goes.

 

[Uzo]

Peaches would not hold still for me to take the photo, but I hope this is enough to tell its sex. Thank you!

 

[Sarthur2]

Peaches looks like a male to me. It’s okay to feed him every 6 hours now. Does he have his baby teeth yet? If so, you can try feeding gruel, but he still needs milk too.

 

[klunick]

Peaches would not hold still for me to take the photo, but I hope this is enough to tell its sex. Thank you!

Second photo looks like there is a little nut sack so I'm guessing male.

 

[Kittycatcat]

Peaches is adorable Looks like you have alittle boy to me, see what the others think.
300g so still alittle light for 4wks but so long as he's gaining roughly 10g a day then he's doing okay, digital scales are always best as they are more accurate if you have any.