MY TINY KITTEN WON'T POO!

It's ok! Nursing kittens can poo every 4-5 days and be totally fine. What's important is that they pee every time they eat. If you sense that the baby is constipated, there are a few very easy and safe things you can do to get things...moving. I do not use methods 2 and 3 on kittens younger than 2 weeks.

The best, of course, is to go to the vet for any help and assessment of the baby's pooping needs. ALWAYS go to the vet when possible. But if you have no access to a vet or are highly experienced with neonatals and know how to spot minor issues and are comfortable with administering basic treatments, this post is for you.

Kittens have very week intestinal and abdominal muscles, so it can help them very much to simply apply some pressure when rubbing their little bums. The most effective method is the toothpaste method. Why toothpaste? Well, cuz you kinda press the sides of their bellies...and out comes the paste. Yummy! How do you do it safely? By applying tiny amounts of pressure on either side of their bellies (NOT any ribs or spine!!! You shouldn't feel ANY bones, or you aren't doing it right!). Use the flat parts of your fingers on one side and the palm of your hand on the other. Then kinda massage toward the butt by rolling the fingers in order. Stimulate the tush, as you normally would, with the spare hand. Kitten might make straining face and noises, but don't be too scared. As long as you are only pushing lightly and not on any bones, it's ok... the kitten noises and stuff help them push. If nothing's coming out, let it go and try another time. It's not that important. I only do the toothpaste trick if I see that something smelly really wants to see the day of light. It's VERY important to emphasize that you are only assisting the kitten by creating resistance against which he can push the poo out by himself. You're not really squeezing, but letting him push his guts against your fingers and the palm of your hand.

The two other ways to induce pooping are these (only for healthy kittens 2 weeks and older):

Simply add a tiny bit of paraffin oil to the bottle and shake it up so it mixes with the formula. Tiny bit means about 1ml for kittens 2 weeks and older. Only do this for one feeding! I never use it on smaller kittens, as it can interfere a bit with nutrient absorption and has the vague potential to cause aspiration (when it goes down the wrong tube). This will soften the stool and help it move out safely about a day or day and a half later. Remember to only use paraffin once!

The last way is only for people with decent experience and comfort with medical care of kittens: using a flexible thermometer and vaseline. Put a big chunk of vaseline on a sterlized thermometer and work it slowly up the tiny butt. Baby will scream and squirm--you would too! That does not mean it's in pain. The thermometer will have about 2-3cm of straightaway--use it! Don't be afraid. You might feel a hard poo up there-- that's where you gently push toward the intestinal wall and work around the poo, essentially detaching it. Then, when you remove the thermometer and squeeze a tiny bit, the whole lot should come out. If it's been awhile since the last poo, expect a good few inches of nastiness to emerge.

Once your kitten has pooped, you will see how happy and relaxed it is. Usually, they purr immediately, eat well, and fall asleep smiling. Hooray!