How do I help my 3-week-old bottle-fed kitten eliminate waste?

[Kittens ](https://www.petcoach.co/article/how-to-raise-orphan-kittens)on formula or mother's [milk](https://www.petcoach.co/article/the-constituents-that-make-up-milk-for-cats/) will still have bowel movements, however it may tend to be more watery or liquid rather than the solid movements of a cat on solid food. Mother cats will lick a kitten's bottom to stimulate defecation and urination, and this can be done by a foster parent by using a warm wet washcloth to gently rub their bottoms to stimulate a bowel movement. If the kittens are still unable to go, speaking with or scheduling an appointment with your local vet is best. For keeping [kittens](https://www.petcoach.co/article/5-myths-about-kittens) warm during feeding, you can create a little kitten "burrito" by wrapping them in a warm towel or blanket. This will help them to retain their body heat while drinking. Making sure the kitten formula is also slightly warmed up will help prevent a decrease in body temperature.

3 weeks is very young. Under normal circumstances a kitten should be with its mommy until it is 10 to 12 weeks old. Your kitten will still need to be fed with kitten milk (bottle feeding). You can get a bottle and Kitten milk at a large supermarket or your vet;s office. At three weeks, the mother still licks and stimulates the kittens genitals and anus to entice it to urinate and defecate. She then removes the urine and feces. You will need to do this with a soft tissue moistened with warm water every time you feed her. At 3 weeks of age she should be fed every 4 hours. Once she is around 4 to 5 weeks old you can offer her canned kitten food in addition to the milk. Here is extensive information on raising a kitten: http://animalalliancenyc.org/feralcats/tnr-colony-care-resources/managing-kittens/raising-orphaned-kittens/

Kittens need to eat frequently! What goes in must come out, and on a liquid diet it will be mostly urine. You need to rub and rub and rub the anus with a warm wet washcloth to stimulate defecation. This is a great article on raising orphan kittens: https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=4951456

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Boba. As long as she is eating, gaining weight and seems comfortable, she should defecate soon. Make sure you are stimulating her after each meal. Apply a warm cotton ball to her genital area. This replicates the mother licking her and will help her to urinate and defecate. If she stops eating or her belly appears distended, then she needs to see a veterinarian. In this case, an enema may be warranted. I hope this information helps!

If your kitten doesn't have a mother to feed her, you need to feed a formula made for kitten (KMR). You need to feed by a bottle every 2-4 hours and then wipe her bottom after wth a wet cloth to stimulate her to poop and pee. Make sure she stays warm because she cannot regulate her temperature. In another week you can start giving a dewormer for round worms and hook worms (follow the instructions on the bottle). At 8 weeks, she needs to see a vet to start vaccines. Good luck and congrats on you new baby!

Now that she is 3-4 weeks old she may be peeing or pooping without your knowledge. Go ahead and start teaching her the litter box but make sure it is small enough that she can get in and out. If you haven't already I would also start weaning her to cat food. At first you will still have to supplement with formula but you start by putting all for feet in canned food on a paper plate. Soon she will start eating that. And once she gets a little older, approximately 6 week, you can start adding softened kibble. The fact that she is still playful and acting normally, I do not think she is block and not urinating or pooping. Usually they will become lethargic. If you still haven't see any irons or poop in the next day or she becomes lethargic then I would see your vet for an exam. They will be able to tell if she is constipated or if the bladder is really large. I hope this helps!

This could be urine scalding. At her age, she needs to be stimulated to urinate and defecate after each feeding. This is done by gently wiping a warm, moist cotton ball or washcloth around the genitalia until elimination occurs. Clean her up and dry her thoroughly afterwards. The mother will typically do this, but if she isn't, the job will fall toyou. .