How do I ween baby kitten off of bottle feeding?

[greenthumbnails]

How do I ween the abandoned kitty I found off of the bottle formula?  He refuses to eat the wet food prefering instead to scream for 3 hrs beyond his feeding time than eat the wet food left out for him at his feeding time?  I am going to be coming home really late for the next week and cannot be home in time for his normal feeding time.  He refuses to eat the wet food left out for him during the day when I am gone too....still does not know how to drink water from a saucer yet (sign). 

At least he has figured out to go to the mini kitty liter to pee now...just keeps missing and goes on the outisde of it.  Finally pooped by himself yesterday too without having to be stimulated to do so...hooray! 

[Indiana Karen]

I have bottle raised kitties, but its been a few years.

Have you soaked up dry kitten food with the formula you have been raising him on, then actually forced it into the side of his mouth when he is good and hungry.

Sounds like you have done well otherwise with the potty training and pooping.  It takes a commitment to raise the little guys.

[jw]

What I have done in the past is take some of the cat food and mix a little bit of it with the formula and use a tiny baby spoon and put it in his mouth a little at a time. He will complain at first but when he gets used to it then you can add more of the cat food till it's all cat food. Then he should eat it out of the bowl by then. It can be a messy task at first so keep your moistened towel handy for wiping his little mouth. If you take a box about the size of the litter box and cut a little door out of it and put the box over the cat box then he can't poop over the sides. The box should be in the inside rim of the cat box. Hope this helps. Janice

[frloplady]

if he won't drink out of a saucer he's not ready for hard food yet.  Dunk his little nose in a shallow dish of formula.  Do you have a place you lock him/her up when you are gone?  Put kitty in there, dunk in nose...walk away.

[greenthumbnails]

Thanks, will try some of these ideas this weekend. 

[Kittyzee]

These are all good signs, especially the pooping and peeing in the box.  It means his body can go on its own without being stimulated by mom or you. 

As far as the eating thing goes, he may just not be ready yet.  I know you are probably feeling a little panicked by this too.  He also needs the warm touch and interaction that bottle feeding brings, which is probably why he is crying so much.  They are a lot like human babies and "cry" to be cuddled and held.  When you pick him up you probably notice he quiets down a bit, liking the contact and also knowing he'll get fed.  Aww, poor little guy, I wish I was there to help you out greenthumbnails!   

But to answer your question, he'll ween himself when he's ready to eat on his own.  Some kittens still like to be nursed even when they are eating good on their own too.