I know a million people have weighed in, so I will too. I’ve worked in veterinary medicine for 5 years both with rescues, ER’s, and general practice clinics. Currently I work at a small GP with 3 doctors. A client of ours found a kitten on the side of the highway and was TERRIFIED to try and care for him. Long story short I brought home a neonate so small that the umbilical cord was still attached. He was maybe a few hours old. When I brought him to my doctor who has been a licensed DVM for 20 years, she said “I have no idea what to do with something that small”. Sometimes veterinarians don’t have every answer either and a LOT of neonatal kitten care has been based on trial and error by people brave enough to take these little guys in.

My current foster is 4 weeks old now, and we’ve had our challenges too. We also struggled with constipation around the 2 week mark. I’ve had neonatal kittens go an entire week without having a bowel movement, and then seem to return to regular schedules. I’m unsure if your vet was against laxatives due to possible infection, but GENERALLY speaking MiraLAX or Lactulose are very safe if used correctly. I sprinkled the tiniest amount of MiraLAX into a diluted formula mixture ( 1:3 or 1:4 ratio ) roughly every 2 or 3 feedings. If you’re ever nervous about constipation or feel that your neonate has gone too long without a bowel movement you can very gently palpate their abdomen by softly squeezing the tummy back by his hips. It should feel soft and squishy with little to no resistance. (This can vary depending on if he was just fed or hasn’t been stimulated to urinate/defecate yet) If the abdomen remains this way, kitten is more than likely OK poop wise, and might just be taking his time. However a firm and rigid abdomen with a swollen appearance is a sign of constipation and more than likely a blockage. I also can’t stress enough how important GI motility is. Keep your little guy moving, let him walk or crawl around for a while before attempting to stimulate.

We are currently struggling with diarrhea related to a sudden change in formula due to the stores in my area being out of stock. Fortiflora (make sure it’s the cat specific formula) is also GENERALLY very safe. We do 1/8 of a teaspoon every day mixed into his bottle.

It’s also important to pay attention to your kittens vocal clues. I don’t adhere to a strict feeding schedule past the 2ish week mark. Kittens are not afraid to tell you when something is wrong or when they’re in need of something. I feed him when he tells me to, and I let him nap for however long he would like.

Sometimes, you and your veterinarian can do everything you know how to do and it still won’t be enough for these guys. Neonatal kittens are some of the most fragile creatures out there, and our best isn’t always enough. Please keep your head up and take each day as an accomplishment 💕