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Member
 
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Last Login: 10/25/2009 10:05:13 AM
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Hi all.. I got 2 new Manx kittens that are just over 4 weeks old. When I first got them a week ago, they were still nursing, which we ended up ok with that. Now I have moved their food to the bowl, a short shallow good bowl. The problem is, the kittens wear the food! It ends up all over them, and the floor. They still try to suck the food and will not chew. also the seem to be trying to forcefully stick their head in the bowl, I see their little legs just treading hard pushing and pushing. Now my little boy is scraping it with his paws.
Will this get better and how soon? Is their anything I can do to make them learn better to eat, not wallow?
Before anyone says it, I KNOW THEY ARE TOO YOUNG! but I had no choice, because the owner was giving them away because she was moving, and had to get rid of them, and here where I live in Mexico, thier are not Human society's so I took them to save them, and will raise them , and have them for many years!
Any advice and or help will be greatly appreciated!!!
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Supreme Being
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| Welcome to CC! We look forward to seeing pictures of your new cuties, and we can help you raise them. Yes, 4 weeks is too young to be away from their mothers, but life's what happens when you're making other plans. Several of us here have cats who were separated from their mothers too soon - MiniBeast got a kitten when she was about 2 days old (I think) and had to learn how to handraise her. She did a wonderful job and her kitten is now about 4 months old. So your new babies can grow up just fine, they'll just need more help from you right now. I'm going to defer to some of those here who've actually raised cats that young - I haven't. I do know that 4 weeks is a little bit too young to be eating solid food, and that's probably why they're making such a mess with it. Can you get them some Kitten Milk Replacement for a couple more weeks and then try them on solid food again? Mama-cats normally start weaning them at about 6 weeks. Again, welcome!
Cats_Dolls  
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Member
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Thanks for the reply!
Yes, I do have Kitty Milk, and soak the food in the milk before I give it to them, and the slurry just ends up coating the kittens ans the floor. And then I must clean them, and then when I put them in the litter box they get covered in litter! By the way, they are doing better with the litter box! I have been cutting up ham in tiny tiny pieces, and mixing it with the milk, and also a little bit of bread soaked in the milk.. They eat it but its through suck it up. I bought some science diet kitten food (hard) today and tried it and they do not like it, but I am sure they will grow into it!
I just really hate the mess they make and the effort they think is needed to eat.. they seem to go crazy and if I help them, they claw the devil out of me, not being mean, but trying to climb my hand and grab!
They are both drinking water out of the water bowl normally though , so it is wierd they cannot do it for the food!
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Supreme Being
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| Welcome to Cat Channel. Yes cat dolls was right, I got my cat Sadie (the grey one in my signature) when she was two days old. Four weeks is young to start weaning, can you get two kitten bottles and wait on trying to feed them solid food? But if you can't the kittens will make a mess for awhile, another idea is to feed the kittens baby food (meat only, chicken, turkey, beef, veal, lamb, ect.). I am surprised that they can use the litter box but the earlier they learn the easier it is for you!  Congrats on your new kittens and once you look back on this you will laugh! Trust me I do with Sadie. It sounds like you are doing great and will get these kittens a great life, so thanks for being a good person and saving these two kittens, show use pictures when you can.
  
"The really great thing about cats is their endless variety. One can pick a cat to fit any kind of decor, color scheme, income, personality, mood. But under the fur, whatever color it may be, there still lies, essentially unchanged, one of the world's free souls." Eric Gurnery
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Senior Member
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Last Login: 9/7/2009 8:03:44 AM
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| I think maybe I'd try a canned kitten food mixed with milk replacer for now. Being messy is just the way it's going to be for now until they get the hang of it, poor babies, they're trying. staffordmom
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Supreme Being
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| I have to go with the bottle suggestion, enlarge the hole though. This is the only way you can be certain they are ingesting as much food as they are wearing! Still give them some the way you are now, they do need to learn. They have got to be absolutely adorable!!
CricketYou don't have to be crazy to be my friend, but it helps!!! 
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Member
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Here is the link to the post where I added pics of my new babies!
http://board.catchannel.com/FindPost51990.aspx
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Senior Member
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| Hi Mexicangringo. I am in love with these two cuties. Beautiful kitties. I was having trouble getting to the link so I hope you don't mind that I copied these photos right into the post. 
 
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Member
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| No problem, I am still learning how to work things here.. And dealing with screaming babies.. Since I disturbed them to take pictures, they think its time to eat, even though the little gluttons already ate less than an hour ago.... They have finally calmed down now, and I am being very quite!!
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Supreme Being
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What cuties! I can't wait to see them grow up. 
"The really great thing about cats is their endless variety. One can pick a cat to fit any kind of decor, color scheme, income, personality, mood. But under the fur, whatever color it may be, there still lies, essentially unchanged, one of the world's free souls." Eric Gurnery
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