My 2-week-old kitten on KMR isn't pooping. How long can I safely wait?

Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! You should offer a small amount of food about 3-4 times daily and in really small kittens, every few hours might be needed. Eliminations and the frequency thereof, are dependent on many things depending on food intake, type of food, water intake etc. As long as she is not straining and trying to poop, it could be up to another 24-36 hours. She is getting accustomed to her new and that is probably slowing up the fecal elimination process. Again, no straining to have a bowel movement usually means that everything is ok, especially if the kitten is eating and drinking normally. Just keep monitoring for a bowel movement and monitor behavior, appetite, etc. If things change and you are unsure have your veterinarian evaluate the kitten. I hope everything works out ok.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Kachie! Constipation is serious in pediatric puppies and kittens. Since it has been a week I urge you to take Katchie to the Vet and see if an enema is needed. Kitten milk replacer/formula commonly causes GI problems, either diarrhea or constipation. After every bottle feeding the kitten needs to be stimulated with a warm wet soft washcloth over the anus and genitals. I always recommend bottle fed kittens be weaned sooner, around 3 weeks. So I would start offering canned kitten food mixed with formula and decrease bottle feeding. By 5 weeks she should be off formula and eating kitten food 100%. I wish Kachie the best!

MIracle is REALLY cute! You could check to see if she is dehydrated by pinching up the skin between her shoulder blades. If it is slow to go back to normal then she is dehydrated which could be contributing to the lack of feces. I would have your vet take a look at her if she is dehydrated so they can give her a little fluids if needed. If she is well hydrated then I would continue to feed her every 3 hours and be sure to use a warm wet cloth at every meal to rub around her anus. This will help to stimulate her bowel movements. If she still hasn't pooped within the next 24-36 hours then I would have your vet look at her. With her being so small, I don't want to give her a bunch of stuff over the counter as they can be quite sensitive. I hope this helps!

I am not sure how many days she has gone without having a bowel movement. But if she is attempting to poop and straining, then she should see a vet immediately for an enema to help her go and then treatment for long term care. However, if she is not straining and it has been less than 3-4 days since she has pooped, give her time to adjust to whatever new things may be going on around her. Offer her food (Canned food is best @ this age or kitten formula if she has not transitioned yet) like normal and monitor her the next few days to see if she finally goes. Cats are notorious for holding their bowels when they are recently adopted, move, or there's a new introduction to the home. And finally, if you are seeing any other symptoms such as vomiting, decreased appetite, or straining, then Olly should be seen by your vet right away. You can try stimulating her to go as well by using a warm wet cloth. I hope that your furry friend Olly is able to have a bowel movement soon! Best wishes and take care. : )

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Kitten. It could be she is a bit constipated. Try adding a little bit more water to her formula to dilute it to see if that helps her poop. If it does not, and she has not pooped in another 24 hours, have her seen by a vet. Best of luck, I hope this helps!

Hi, she should pass feaces at least once a day. Sometimes making the formula milk a little less concentrated helps. You should also massage gently Lulu’s tummy after every feed. If no feaces are passed within the next 12 hours, it’s best to have her checked over. Hope this helps and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

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/