My orphaned 4-week-old kittens won't eat or poop. What can I do?

[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.

If the kitten is only 15 days old it should be on a completely liquid diet of formula (KMR or another kitten replacer) as it is way too young to be eating any solid food. Once the kitten is about a month old you can start to introduce solid foods such as wet kitten food mixed with a slurry of the formula and then start weaning to more solid foods from there. The kitten likely also doesn't know how to properly use the bathroom yet, so using a warm washcloth on its bottom can help stimulate it to go much like a mother cat would do. Once it is a bit older you can start bringing it to a litter box as well. Check out this article on orphaned kitten care that may help you more: https://www.petcoach.co/article/how-to-raise-orphan-kittens/

If you're unsure how to care for orphaned kittens, contacting your local humane society is a good first step as they often have programs to help foster parents learn how to raise kittens and can provide services such as food and medical care for the kittens. I'm also including an article on orphaned kittens that may help you. Most kittens this young will still need help with stimulation to go potty, however if they still do not go potty or seem ill or in discomfort, vet care is best. https://www.petcoach.co/article/how-to-raise-orphan-kittens/

Hi there, well done for being so good as to look after these little kittens! It is no easy task. Unfortunately with abandoned kittens there can be issues that have begun long before the adopter ever come into their lives, it can take these issues a while to manifest as disease in the kittens. Such issues could be due to infection, malnutrition or underlying congenital problems. Even kittens which have been with their mother from the start and have adequate colostrum can begin to fade. I say that more as a general point because successfully hand rearing kittens can be very difficult even when you are as dedicated as yourself. Having said that your kittens may be fine and just struggling to put on weight due to a poor start, you may find they are slow but suddenly start to grow. However I think it would be wise to take them back to the vet again for a follow up exam as their could be underlying problems. They should certainly be going to the toilet much more often. This suggests some sort of issue with the gut. Gently massaging the tummy and wiping the bum with a piece of wet cotton can help stimulate toileting. But I would stress that I think it is important you take them back to the vet asap. Good luck and no matter what happens please remember you have tried your absolute best with them. Fingers crossed they do well.

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

Unfortunately the babies are still young so if mom will not feed them then they will depend on you. The best food is KMR (kitten milk replacer). You should be able to find it online. You can also purchase a nurser bottle. If mom is also not keeping them clean or stimulating urination/defecation this is important as well. I have attached an extensive link that gives a lot of helpful information about raising orphan kittens. I hope this helps and thank you for using Petcoach! www.google.com/amp/s/mobile.petcoach.co/amp/article/how-to-raise-orphan-kittens

Hello. I am a little concerned about your kitten because at 4 weeks of age she should be a little fireball & not require stimulation to move her bowels. She should also be eating a canned kitten food with a little replacement milk mixed in. If she has not been dewormed, this would be a priority as intestinal parasites like roundworms can make a kitten pretty weak. She may also be a little dehydrated if you have not seen her urinate. I truly hope you can have her seen by a veterinarian soon. Little babies like this can be pretty fragile. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.