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- Sep 1, 2014
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Hello All.
I have a litter of foster kittens I've raised on a bottle since they were 3 days old. They reached Seven weeks on June 13. The shelter they belong to will take them back at 2 pounds for spay/neuter and adoption, and they're all in the 1 pound 15 oz range now, so they'll leave me pretty well any day.
I am worried because one of the kittens has still not learned to take water from a bowl or puddle. He eats solid food just fine, but he still wants his bottle. I stopped putting KMR in the bottle, but he still begs for it even if it is just water. I have seen him inspect bowls or puddles of liquid, and he'll get his little nose in it, feel the wetness, and pull away shaking the water off of his face. He knows it's there, just won't take it. He doesn't like to lick water off of my fingers either. His two siblings are drinking fine, and my own two cats drink from a bowl. He's seen the process, but won't participate. I hadn't pressed the issue, but now that he's getting big enough to leave me I need to get him drinking properly so he can go on to the shelter and be adopted.
Has anyone ever seen this before? Any suggestions? I'm sure the shelter would want him to stay until he is independent, but the transition from a home to a shelter seems like it would be easier with his siblings.
I have a litter of foster kittens I've raised on a bottle since they were 3 days old. They reached Seven weeks on June 13. The shelter they belong to will take them back at 2 pounds for spay/neuter and adoption, and they're all in the 1 pound 15 oz range now, so they'll leave me pretty well any day.
I am worried because one of the kittens has still not learned to take water from a bowl or puddle. He eats solid food just fine, but he still wants his bottle. I stopped putting KMR in the bottle, but he still begs for it even if it is just water. I have seen him inspect bowls or puddles of liquid, and he'll get his little nose in it, feel the wetness, and pull away shaking the water off of his face. He knows it's there, just won't take it. He doesn't like to lick water off of my fingers either. His two siblings are drinking fine, and my own two cats drink from a bowl. He's seen the process, but won't participate. I hadn't pressed the issue, but now that he's getting big enough to leave me I need to get him drinking properly so he can go on to the shelter and be adopted.
Has anyone ever seen this before? Any suggestions? I'm sure the shelter would want him to stay until he is independent, but the transition from a home to a shelter seems like it would be easier with his siblings.