Kittens!!!?

Question

I took in two abandoned kittens. They are now 6 weeks old. I have never had cats before so I could use some help. First of all is it normal that they lie in their litter box ( only when it has not been used). Also is it normal that they do not drink any water or milk? Thanks

Answer 1

yes it si normal for kittens and cats too to lie in their clean litter boxes. Some of them will actually play in the litter until it's used. Cats, kittens more so like to play. Now I don't mind them playing in the clean litter, but if you do and want to stop the action, when they start to do it, pull them out and engage them in some other play, feather, ball, etc. In a while it may curb the desire (I so stress, may, cats can be rather stubborn, even kittens)

Now the not drinking could be a problem but it might just be something as simple as they kittens not having a full grasp of what they need to do.

So as someone else mentioned, gently nudging their nose/mouth into the water will help, gets the face slightly wet and the cat then licks it clean. After a short while they get a hang of it.

Most kittens after they are ween do not ever need milk and milk can cause probems with some cats. If you want to give them a treat, try the juice from canned tuna or chicken. (not too much when they are young, they will eat enough to make themselves sick if you are not careful). If the kittens don't pick up the drinking (normally a day is long enough) consider taking them to the vet to make sure there are no problems (it's about time for their first check/visit too).

Please note that kittens can be off the bottle so to speak as early as 4 weeks. They might not like it, but they are able to eat and drink normally by that age. Most kittens are ween by mommy at 6 to 8 weeks (depending on how pushy the kittens are)

Answer 2

Yes, it's normal they lie in the litter box. Are they in a cage? They should be drinking water. Kittens or cats should not drink cow's milk - that's a big no-no. Call a vet's office for help. They have kitten formula you can buy. Get the little rascals some kitten cat food, follow the directions, give them plenty of water, and enjoy the little darlings.

Answer 3

Cats do sometimes lie in their litter boxes, you see them do it at pet stores and shelters alot. Kittens really shouldn't drink regular milk, there is a special kitten formula you can buy for really young ones. They probably do drink some water, maybe you just don't see them do it. If they eat wet food they get some moisture from that. Always make sure their bowls are filled with fresh water all day. Good luck with your kitties!

Answer 4

LOL! Yeah that's normal. They lay in their litter box all the time because they are used to it.They are cooped up in that little cage at the pet store so they don't have much room.Only a little space,a litter box,a water dish, and a food dish. I go to the pet store ALL the time and always see cats and kittens sleeping in their litter box. They probably drink when you arn't looking, probably because they might not be used to you, yet.
Hope this helps.

Answer 5

They may lie in the litter box because they recognise the others scent.
Or, at that young age, they tend to fall asleep wherever they are !

They are used to suckling, not lapping liquid -DON'T GIVE THEM MILK unless it's cat milk (lactose reduced) otherwise you'll give them the runs.

At 6 weeks, they should still be suckling or being hand fed from a bottle, gradually reducing the number of feeds as an encouragement to start eating 'slops'.

Answer 6

six weeks old is still young for a kitten. they should still be nursing if they had been with the mother. try feeding them milk mixed with raw egg and heated but not boiling, through an eye dropper. if this doesn't work, many stores sell milk designed for young kittens with all the proper nutrients. also, the litter box thing may just be where they feel comfortable. i wouldn't worry about that part too much. Good Luck.

Answer 7

Yes its normal, when my cats were kittens they would play in the cleaned litterbox. They are a couple weeks too young but just give them high quality kitten food. You can mix water in with their dry food and canned food will help keep them hydrated. Do not give them regular milk, it will give them diarrhea as most cats are lactose intolerant. You can get Catsip or Whiskas Cat Milk at the grocery store and u can mix that in with the wet canned food too. It would also be a good idea to take them to the vet for health checkup and to check and see if they have worms. Sometimes cats dont like to drink from a bowl, they much prefer fresh running water, like leave ur sink on but only as a dribble, or buy one of those petmate fountains, i personally like the Cat It fountain from hagen that you can get from http://drsfostersmith.com

Answer 8

Many kittens do lay in their litter box at first-maybe because it smells like them and they know it's theirs. Provide them with a kitten bed and make sure to put them in it whenever you see them laying in the litter box. Eventually, they'll get the idea.
Also, they should still be nursing if they're only six weeks old. Get a pet nursing bottle at any pet store and give them the water or milk out of that.

Answer 9

Hi < i have raised several generations of kittens. The answer to your question is : at the begining try not to allow kittens to lay in their litter box because it can cause infections or diseases. If the kitties don t drink any kind of liquid is not a good sign. I suggest u should use one of those feeding device they use for human babies to suck milk from.
Good luck on raising your kitties.

Answer 10

um if they dont drink anything, no water or milk at all you may wanna make sure they are ok or take them to a vet. cats just sometimes like to lay in the litterbox i guess but my cats dont.
give the kittens some cat food or tuna if you dont have cat food. hopefully the kittens are ok, i'm not sure why they are not drinking on a hot summer.

Good luck!