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My 3-week-old kitten won't drink from a dish. What should I do?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Mixed Breed | Female | unspayed | 20 days old | 1lb

Hello; i have an orphaned kitten and she is doing very well ( 3/4 weeks old) but she still wont drink frim a plate or dish no matter how hard i try , she is now litter trained also

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Rebecca, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on May 30th, 2017

Hi. Aren't bottle kittens fun? But they can be tiring and I understand wanting to her her to eat from a bowl. However 3-4 weeks is still a little young to eat from a bowl. If she was nursing mom she'd be nursing until about 8 weeks old and usually start nibbling on solid food around 5-6 weeks. So don't give up hope. But continue to bottle feed. Before each feeding when she's hungry offer a small amount of formula in a bowl to try to give her the idea. But it may take a couple more weeks. Also be prepared to give her quick baths a lot! She will wear more of the food than she ingests at first. Keep her warm after any baths or wipe downs. She needs to stay on a high quality kitten milk replacer until at least 6-8 weeks as you start to transition her to kitten food. Don't forget to schedule a first kitten visit with her vet at about 6-8 weeks to get her off to a healthy start. Your vet can help guide you on best diet, vaccinations and parasite control products for a young kitten.

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Other Answers

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    Answered By Angel Alvarado, LVT

    Licensed Veterinary Technician

    Published on

    Offer kitten food (canned or dry) mixed with kitten milk replacer to make a slurry or gruel. SErve it warm or mix ina teaspoon of baby food to stimulatre her appetite. Foods with stong odors may pique her interest.

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