kitties using the bathroom

Question
QUESTION: I have cats...3 in the house..and 10 at the farm..i regularly worm them..they are well fed and taken care of..but i just found a 3 week old kitten (i approximated the age..its eyes are open, but still the milky blue)..i went to the vet and got milk replacement..they stated to not forget to help it use the restroom...my question is, at this age, i think they use it on their own? what is your opinion? i did try to gently stimulate, but i dont know that it needs it? It may have peed, but not sure...

ANSWER: Hello Sandy,

Wow, 13 cats - you certainly have your work cut out!  Firstly, well done on taking care of this little baby that clearly needs a home badly - not everyone is as kind as you.  I think you are correct in your approximation of this kitty's age.  The eyes generally open at around two weeks of age but remain cloudy until around four weeks old, so I think three weeks is a pretty good guess.

If kitty is three weeks old, he/she can almost certainly pee on its own.  Kittens need help from their mums in the first two weeks as they physically cannot eliminate on their own, and this is in the form of the mother cat licking the kittens' rear ends to stimulate them.  If you are handrearing a kitten, you can use a damp towel and it has the same effect.  At between 2-3 weeks, the kitten should be in control of its own movements and I would be surprised if it does need stimulation now.  However, in your shoes I would keep a careful eye on the kitten after he/she has been fed and immediately after it wakes.  If it doesn't pee within half an hour or so, I would try the damp towel anyway.  You need to be absolutely sure that you have seen the kitten peeing unaided before you give up on helping it, as a blocked bladder could prove fatal.

Your vet may have meant that you need to help the kitten learn to use a litter box, as this is usually taught by the mother cat so that responsibility now falls on you!  This needs to be taught at around 30 days old, and is achieved by simply popping the kitten on the tray when he/she has just woken or been fed, and making sure he or she has had a movement before you let him/ her go.  Leaving a little bit of dirty litter in the box at all times is helpful as the kitten will recognise the scent of his/her own movements and will remember that this is the restroom!  Also gently take the kitten's paw after each movement and show them how to scrape litter to cover their business.

Hope this helps, and really good luck with this little baby.
Take care
Annie

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thank you so very much for taking the time to answer me and in great detail! now, i have another question...what about solid waste...i am really watching her--how often should they be doing this? once a day? twice a day? I have been helping her do this also..but, for instance, right now, the last time she went--solid waste-- was night before last..and i work with her every time i fed her..but hate to keep doing that, as i am afraid it is not the right thing to do...i know how careful you have to be with babies....
Please let me know what you think..

Answer
Hello again Sandy!

I'm glad everything is going well for you and the kitten.  An average kitten should be having a bowel movement once or twice a day dependent on diet, but some only need to go every other day.  If you think the kitten hasn't had a bowel movement for two days or more, it's worth getting her checked over by a vet.  It might be as simple as her diet causing a bit of constipation.  Other signs of severe constipation are a swollen abdomen and the kitten straining to go to the toilet but not passing anything.  These would also indicate that a trip to the vet is necessary.

Best of luck!
take care
Annie