Trouble Transitioning

[Allajoke]

I'll try to keep it to the point, but this is only my second batch of bottle babies so there's a lot I'm still learning about. My trio of kittens just turned 5 weeks, and I started them on slurry at 4-4.5 weeks. Now they're at the wet food/water mix and we're at a stand still. Two of them eat the food, but only every other time, the other nibbles at it, point being that they never get a full meal so I have to give them a bottle after. Even thats getting difficult because some of them have started to chew the nipple and try to rip the bottle from my hand.
I've tried just about everything, I warm it up, put it in a pile, I put it on my finger and put it on their mouths so they can taste it. I'm just at a loss at what I'm supposed to do now. Any and all help is appreciated!

 

[Koda&Jack]

Hi! What type of food are you feeding? Have you tried a different food? You could try mixing the kitten formula with a little bit of wet food and slowly start to increase the wet food as they get used to the mixture. I hope this helps!

 

[Sarthur2]

Mixing the formula with the wet food is a good idea. It’s not unusual for kittens this age to eat and still want a bottle. You could also try letting them suck from a 5mL syringe with no nipple on the end. That way they get their milk, they get to suckle, but no one chews and swallows the tip of a nipple. Luckily this phase does not last long!

Let us know how it goes!

 

[Allajoke]

Hi! What type of food are you feeding? Have you tried a different food? You could try mixing the kitten formula with a little bit of wet food and slowly start to increase the wet food as they get used to the mixture. I hope this helps!

They're on Science Diet (its the only brand we're allowed to use with our rescue.) Rhey did give us multiple flavors, but I've been sticking with the one I mix in their bottles. I did mix the food with formula initially and it was basically the same reaction, and at this point their bottle is 85% meat, 10% water, and 5% actual formula. Hopefully it's just a matter of time and perseverance, but I've not had enough experience to gage whats normal and whats not yet so I appreciate the support. They never show you this side of things in those instructional videos, they make the process seem so easy!

 

[Koda&Jack]

That’s unfortunate to hear Is there anyone you can make the wet food more enticing, say adding some treats on top? I would also go with the syringe idea without adding the nipple, I think that will definitely help them transition a bit more. Keep us posted on how it goes (;

 

[gilmargl]

You are doing very well so don't despair! Feeding orphaned kittens is hard work and, I know from experience, one is thankful when the kittens no longer need the bottle. Without a cat-mama, kittens have no adult cat to copy so weaning generally takes longer and, because they chew the nipple, one needs an endless supply of replacements! I am sure you will see a big change within the next week or two so keep up the good work, let the kittens have the bottle, try a syringe (an excellent idea from Sarthur2 which I'd forgotten about - when I went into the kittens' room with 4 syringes - medication mixed with gravy from kitten food - I had 4 kittens purring under my feet who couldn't wait for their "treat"). In special cases, I had to supplement wet food on a saucer, with a bottle of formula for kittens well into their eighth or ninth week. I always kept them until they were 12 weeks old - by then they were all completely weaned! So, you will get there!

 

[Sarthur2]

Here is a helpful weaning video from Kitty Lady that directly addresses moving from bottle to slurry bottle to a dish.


Allajoke