Malaysia Veterinary Forum (Archive)

psharlene · Joined: 21 Aug 2006 Posts: 91 Location: Subang Jaya

My newborn kitten, Sesame, is close to 1 month old now. When does newborn urinate on their own? Sesame roams freely around the house. I do not notice any feces around the house. The vet told me when they are about 2-3 weeks old, their feces should be about 1 inches long. I tried putting both Sesame and Pepper in a cage for 2 days....but did not notice any 'small' feces. Pepper's one is quite big as she is a big cat. Is it possible that Pepper eat her son's feces? The vet said its very unlikely. Cats are very clean creatures and they do not eat feces.

Below is a photo I took of him about 1 week ago. He is bigger now and knows how to walk. hehe...they sure grow fast!

For more photos of Sesame, visit http://psharlene.blogspot.com

Dr Nat · Joined: 07 Dec 2005 Posts: 1834 Location: Klang Valley

Yes, the mother will eat their kittens faeces (and urine too). If you notice, they like to lick at the genitals area. They are actually stimulating the kitten to pee and poo, and also cleaning it up at the same time. That is why you will never notice any small faeces lying around. Only later, when the kitten is a little stronger, will you start to complain about the faeces around the house. Hehe..

psharlene · Joined: 21 Aug 2006 Posts: 91 Location: Subang Jaya

Sesame is 4 weeks old now and he now walks around the house. Still no feces or urine! Until what age will the mother keep eating the feces and urine?

I have placed a small little box at the living room so that he can have access to it. I read from somewhere that the mother will teach the kitten to use the litter box, not sure whether its true or not.

TiaraBionca · Joined: 09 Sep 2006 Posts: 54 Location: Kuala Lumpur

psharlene wrote: Sesame is 4 weeks old now and he now walks around the house. Still no feces or urine! Until what age will the mother keep eating the feces and urine?
Today is 21st still no poo poo around the house yet? Maybe its all under your sofa. Keep me update on his litter train ya. Thanks

kraniumz · Joined: 20 Sep 2006 Posts: 25 Location: KL

I once took in a stray kitten which was like merely a few days old as her eyes were still shut and was a size of (computer) mouse. Took her to the vet in Ampang and he told me since the mom isnt around, i had to teach it how to pee and poo. What i had to do, as Dr Nat mentioned, was to rub its err "thingy" and eventually she would start peeing and pooing. Had to do it every time after i bottle fed her. This went on for days.

One fine morning, i came into the room and saw the white towel stained with urine. No more rubbing then, but i had to change towels every now and then. After that it was a matter of time waiting for her to be able to walk and train her to associate pee and poo with litter tray. It was quite an experience. Kinda miss it :(

Here is a pic of the snowy during bottle feeding.

psharlene · Joined: 21 Aug 2006 Posts: 91 Location: Subang Jaya

kraniumz, What happen to the little fella? Did he make it? Yeah, you have to do that if the mother is not around. Else, the mom will take care of it.

Tiara, there is poo-poo already! I start feeding Sesame some soft cat food when I caught him eating the litter sand :shock: He climbed into the litter box and just start munching! Gosh! Maybe mom's milk is no longer filling enough. So I fed him some wet cat food and sure enough, he started eating. After eating, he went back to the litter box and did his business. What a smart little kitty :D He is only 1 month old and using the litter box already. I am now no longer worried that I will come home and find poo-poo lying all over the house. hehe....

Will probably post some new photos of Sesame in my blog next week. Hehe...

Dr Nat · Joined: 07 Dec 2005 Posts: 1834 Location: Klang Valley

I wouldn't worry much about not seeing any poo around. Usually the mother cat will eat it all up, to avoid leaving any of the kitten's scent for predators. The kitten would soon learn to use the litter box, its their natural instinct. And when they do, the mother will stop eating their poo. I don't know if anyone can pinpoint the exact timing of when they will stop eating the baby's poo.

kraniumz · Joined: 20 Sep 2006 Posts: 25 Location: KL

psharlene wrote: kraniumz, What happen to the little fella? Did he make it? Yeah, you have to do that if the mother is not around. Else, the mom will take care of it.

Tiara, there is poo-poo already! I start feeding Sesame some soft cat food when I caught him eating the litter sand :shock: He climbed into the litter box and just start munching! Gosh! Maybe mom's milk is no longer filling enough. So I fed him some wet cat food and sure enough, he started eating. After eating, he went back to the litter box and did his business. What a smart little kitty :D He is only 1 month old and using the litter box already. I am now no longer worried that I will come home and find poo-poo lying all over the house. hehe....

Will probably post some new photos of Sesame in my blog next week. Hehe...

Snowy grew up perfectly. She was adopted by a close relative.

Here are her pics during various age and sizes :D

Few days after her eyes opened.

Spot the doll :P

Slowly gaining strength.

Here she is, sub-adult and looking good!

fhinz · Joined: 25 Aug 2006 Posts: 295 Location: KL or Miri

she really looks sophisticated, the way her jaw line looks. she really is a snowy cat, very white!

fhinz · Joined: 25 Aug 2006 Posts: 295 Location: KL or Miri

speaking of urinate and poo-poo, there is one newer generation of my cat family that not too "civilized" about where they should poo-poo. I mean, the older generation know how to dig dirt and do their business. but this new generation seems rather poo-poo at their lounge place than go to any available area where they can poo-poo. Has anyone have any idea why?

Dr Nat · Joined: 07 Dec 2005 Posts: 1834 Location: Klang Valley

Its a cat's instinct to use litter box. Or to poo wherever they can dig. Sometimes, if the litter box is used by another cat, then it's scent will be on the litter box. This will deter other cats from using it. Some cats are also very picky. They won't like to use a dirty toilet.

Try using multiple litter boxes for your cats. And, of course, clean it often. Maybe you can put the litter box exactly over the place where they poo and pee.

Another thing, deter them from pooing outside the litter box. If you see any "accidents", scold them. But praise them for using the litter box.

fhinz · Joined: 25 Aug 2006 Posts: 295 Location: KL or Miri

One time, we tried to put a litter box for the kittens, to see if the problem would be solved. One new problem - the adult cats were using the litter box, too! Maybe the adult kittens thought the litter sand was much high-standard than the dirt, hahaha...

We also tried to clean their lounge place by washing the place a lot of time, sometimes use fragrance detergent to remove their waste smell. Or when we luckily caught the cat in the act, we would sprayed them with water. But, the cats (or maybe the kittens) still poo even though the floor was still wet! I don't think the cats get the message.