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10 week old kitten and some feeding questions!! Help!

Luzard

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Hi there, my sphynx Sueda is still only 10 weeks old. I give her half of a 3 oz can of wet food every 6 hours along with a good sized portion of goat milk poured over top. Sometimes I give her milk inbetween feedings to make sure she's hydrated. I also keep a water bowl out for her just in case she does want to drink water but I remember reading that they won't drink it out of a bowl. I will be getting a fountain soon so she can have fresh water but for now a bowl and milk is what she gets. I was just wondering though when do I start feeding her dry food and how long still she's done drinking milk? Also what brands of dry food do you guys recommend?
 

Yoda mom

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@Luzard , welcome to you and little Adorable Sueda- she is a youngster - looking forward to your pics and journey with us..
I am sure others with baby kitties will chime in soon- I never had a very young Sphynx kitty and can't offer advice-
I don't know Sueda's background , but know most wait till around 16 weeks to go home-
Hopeful some breeders/lairians can reply with some great advice and recommendations :)
I know @susi794 is very helpful with great recipes

She is a cutie!
 
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Toa and Ross

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@Luzard hello and welcome to sphynxlair for you and Sueda. Is Sueda on the photo of your avatar? She's cute!
My boys came to live with me when they were 13 weeks old so I don't have personal experience with 10 week old kittens. But I know my breeder start feeding my boys knibbles/dry food when they were 8 weeks old. One of my boys, Ross, refuged to drink milk with his mother from the start. So my breeder hand feed the milk to him. She stopped doing that when he was 9 weeks old. I don't know if this is how it supposed to be but I know Ross is a strong, healthy and big boy:)!
 

Hairless Blessing

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Welcome to sphynxlair, good to have you.
I would put out some dry, she will probably eat it.
Great that she eats wet good. Sphynx will drink water from bowls.
Just not all of them. They will drink from the bathroom sinks
some will and won't drink from a fountain. You will just have to see
what works for her.

I suggest getting Ceramic or Stainless steel bowls.
Plastic is a germ hazard when scratched and will cause black heads.
Goats milk is good for her. It won't hurt her at all. What is her weight?
10 Weeks is very young to be sent to their new homes.

Most reputable breeders will not let their babies go until age 14-16 weeks.
Did you have her wellness check up yet? Did you get a contract with her.
With a health guarantee?
 

admin

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Hi there, my sphynx Sueda is still only 10 weeks old. I give her half of a 3 oz can of wet food every 6 hours along with a good sized portion of goat milk poured over top. Sometimes I give her milk inbetween feedings to make sure she's hydrated. I also keep a water bowl out for her just in case she does want to drink water but I remember reading that they won't drink it out of a bowl. I will be getting a fountain soon so she can have fresh water but for now a bowl and milk is what she gets. I was just wondering though when do I start feeding her dry food and how long still she's done drinking milk? Also what brands of dry food do you guys recommend?
Welcome @Luzard ! 10weeks is a bit young to leave momma cat, 12 weeks is the average. I would probably stay clear of feeding milk, Cats do not possess large amounts of lactase, an enzyme that breaks down lactose in milk. Feeding milk to cats can actually cause them to vomit or have diarrhea. Although goats milk has a bit less lactose, it still can have ill effects on cats. Water in a bowl is fine. We feed wet twice a day, the small cans of Science Diet and leave kibble out all day. You should be able to feed a good quality kibble by now. :)
 

Luzard

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Welcome @Luzard ! 10weeks is a bit young to leave momma cat, 12 weeks is the average. I would probably stay clear of feeding milk, Cats do not possess large amounts of lactase, an enzyme that breaks down lactose in milk. Feeding milk to cats can actually cause them to vomit or have diarrhea. Although goats milk has a bit less lactose, it still can have ill effects on cats. Water in a bowl is fine. We feed wet twice a day, the small cans of Science Diet and leave kibble out all day. You should be able to feed a good quality kibble by now. :)
Hello! And thank you so much! I thought she was a bit young too but the breeder said that she has always given away her kittens at that age. Okay wasn't sure if sphynx's were different so I just went with what my breeder said which was to continue with milk because shes super picky. The breeder I went through also told me to feed her fussie cat because its grain free. Does it mattter if its grain free or not?



Welcome to sphynxlair, good to have you.
I would put out some dry, she will probably eat it.
Great that she eats wet good. Sphynx will drink water from bowls.
Just not all of them. They will drink from the bathroom sinks
some will and won't drink from a fountain. You will just have to see
what works for her.

I suggest getting Ceramic or Stainless steel bowls.
Plastic is a germ hazard when scratched and will cause black heads.
Goats milk is good for her. It won't hurt her at all. What is her weight?
10 Weeks is very young to be sent to their new homes.

Most reputable breeders will not let their babies go until age 14-16 weeks.
Did you have her wellness check up yet? Did you get a contract with her.
With a health guarantee?

Hello and thank you to you as well! That's good to hear because I've been worried about her being dehydrated. So hopefully she is drinking from the bowl I have out.
I do have stainless steel bowls so that's good and have just started putting out a good kibble for her and she loves it! Now someone just told me that goat milk was bad for her because lack of the lactase enzyme so which is true?
Okay so everyone is saying that she is too young and I thought so too because I have always had cats and gotten them much later. Is there anything specific I should do for her or is it too late? I've already had her for about 2 weeks so I actually got her at 8 weeks ): I feel so bad for her now! Poor little thing!
Anyways...the breeder did have her wellness check up and she is perfectly healthy and at a healthy weight for her age. I did get a contract with her that did come with a health guarantee as well.
 

Luzard

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@Luzard hello and welcome to sphynxlair for you and Sueda. Is Sueda on the photo of your avatar? She's cute!
My boys came to live with me when they were 13 weeks old so I don't have personal experience with 10 week old kittens. But I know my breeder start feeding my boys knibbles/dry food when they were 8 weeks old. One of my boys, Ross, refuged to drink milk with his mother from the start. So my breeder hand feed the milk to him. She stopped doing that when he was 9 weeks old. I don't know if this is how it supposed to be but I know Ross is a strong, healthy and big boy:)!
Yes that's her! She's the cutest little thing and I have completely fallen in love. Never thought I'd like a hairless cat haha. Glad to hear he is strong and healthy! I will probably stop feeding her milk depending on if she starts drinking water or not! I have a bowl out there but I never see her drinking from it. Could she be doing it behind my back? I don't notice any huge changes in the water level in her bowl but I do change it quite a lot too... Anyways Thank you! :) Nice to meet you.
 

Toa and Ross

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Yes that's her! She's the cutest little thing and I have completely fallen in love. Never thought I'd like a hairless cat haha. Glad to hear he is strong and healthy! I will probably stop feeding her milk depending on if she starts drinking water or not! I have a bowl out there but I never see her drinking from it. Could she be doing it behind my back? I don't notice any huge changes in the water level in her bowl but I do change it quite a lot too... Anyways Thank you! :) Nice to meet you.

Nice to meet you too! With a cutie like your girl you can't do anything less then completly fall in love:). Same here I used to say I would never want a naked cat. Untill I saw one in real life and fall in love.

I guess your girl loves the milk more then the water. So probably she won't drink the water as long as the milk is available for her. Maybe you can try to only give water when your home for a few hours. That way you can observe her and give her milk if she refuged to drink the water. Just an idea, cause I'm no expert at all.
 

naomi

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Grain free food is a great thing to do. I would choose a food that is as low carb as possible. Cats should be eating food that is high in protein and fat. I would continue to feed wet food for her entire life if you can. It is much healthier and more natural for cats to get most of their hydration from their food. This helps them to avoid all kinds of health issues.
Here is a great article about how wet food will keep your cat from getting overweight
http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2012/05/25/wet-cat-food-diet.aspx
http://www.catinfo.org is also a great resource
 
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Hairless Blessing

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@Luzard

If she is a good weight then, you won't need to give her goats milk.
Plus, if she's Eating both wet and dry real good. But, Goats milk
is the best milk of all animals.
Since she got her Mother's Colostrum at birth. Or she would have died
unless seen by a Vet to get it. Any animal has to get the Colostrum
from their mother or by a Vet or blood transfusion from the mother.
Then they can be feed milk replacement or goats milk.
Sphynx like to drink from a glass or plastic cup too. Put her one where she
normally is, in your living room, bedroom. This is besides her water bowl.
You'll know if she's drinking or not after you stop the milk. I know you said
the breeder had a wellness check done. But, since she let's them go way to young.
I would set up a Vet app. for her and have one myself. To make sure she's where
she needs to be In weight and all else is well.
 
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