Look what I found in my back yard...

[Kyree]

So yesterday I let my dogs out in the back yard to do their business and play. When we neared the garbage can that's tipped over in the yard (left over from the last owners of the house..just bought the place), the dogs went nutso. They started whining and pawing at the can and sticking their noses in it. I figured they cornered a squirrel or something so I went over to get them away before something happened. I peeked inside the can...and it wasn't a squirrel.

It was these little guys:






I took them to Petsmart/Banfield, and the Vet took a quick peek at them for me for. I only got the sexes and the ages, otherwise she would have had to charge me. The one on the right is male, and the one on the left is female. They're 4-6 weeks old, and the Vet said that they should be okay to eat dry food, or dry food mixed with KMR.

Now here's the part where I need tips on. They'll drink the KMR out of an eyedropper, or off my finger, or even in a shallow bowl, but even if I soak the dry kitten food in the milk, they won't even look at the dry food. How do I get them started eating dry food?

Short version:
I found kittens in my back yard, need tips on how to get them to eat dry food since they're old enough.

[Reyneth]

No suggestions unfortunately, but AWWW! kitties!

We seem to be having a recent pet boom here. Loving the pics!

[fireheart]

Awww kitties!

Umm...maybe try mixing in a little dry food with some water or something similar (if you can buy special kitten milk, use that.) And then as you go, slowly decrease the amount of milk to dry biscuits?

Make sure that they can use a litter box...

[One-Fang]

Well, they look pretty healthy and happy. I'd say one or two skipped meals until they eat the dry food in front of them ain't gonna hurt them.

Four to six weeks though? How young do you wean kitties? They look like they're all set to go to new owners, but that sounds really young.

They're probably due some shots, too. If you're going to either take care of them or adopt them out, you should look into what they need, when, and start saving for that.

[Kyree]

I really really really want to keep them, but...I have two cats and two dogs already and I think the boyfriend is going to say no

Either way, I'm still bringing them to Banfield to get the pet plan and get them their shots and neuter/spay before I give them up. The boyfriend agreed to do that, and may have a co-worker interested in them when they get older. He said that the guy will repay us for the shots and pet plan if they decide to get them.

(I still want them... )

[Kogarashi]

I honestly don't know how well it would translate to kittens, but they look to me like the toddler-method would work: keep providing the dry+KMR until they realize they're hungry and it's food and actually eat it. Other than that, sorry.

So cute! I want kitties, but our current apartment doesn't allow them.

[Shpepper]

Yay for kitties. I really miss having one. It's just not possible right now.

[ArcticChicken]

*sigh* I want a kitten, but I'd be worried with my dog. He likes to rip the squeaky out of his toys.

[tropicsgoddess]

I unfortunately don't have any suggestions for the kittens.Eeeeeeh!!! They're so cute!!!!

[candyshopgirl]

My cat will look at me like I'm crazy with just hard food. Try putting just a teaspoon of soft cat mixed with hard food. They will scoff it down like crazy.

[Javakat]

I've had my female tabby since she was born, and she'll be 11 this summer. She's never eaten any dry food.

She was the runt of her litter, and didn't move over to the dry food with the rest of her litter when her mother stopped giving them milk. She was always hungry; she'd climb our legs when we were in the kitchen to get to our food on the counter.

We finally figured out that she'd eat soft food, and started her on a brand of moist food called Tender Vittles, but that became hard to find, so she eats normal wet food now.

One of her littermates, on the other hand, won't touch wet cat food, only dry. But he'll eat all kinds of people food: broccoli, mandarin oranges, jello...

So, I suggest trying a wet food, or even see if they'll eat moist cat treats.

Good Luck! ^_^

[Kyree]

*sigh* I want a kitten, but I'd be worried with my dog. He likes to rip the squeaky out of his toys.

My big mean baby eating Pit Bull does that too, but he tries only to lick and sniff the kittens to death. Only thing I worry about is him stepping on them

[Dreamstalker]

*snuggles the kittehs* So cute

keep providing the dry+KMR until they realize they're hungry and it's food and actually eat it.

Our vet has said that cats will starve themselves rather than eat something they don't like. What we do with McGriff is mix tuna water or chicken drippings (not the fat, just the juice) in with dry food if he gets picky so it will smell/taste a bit more interesting. Not too much of the liquid though else they might lap that up and ignore the actual food.

[Kittish]

If they don't realize the dry stuff is food, try holding a piece of it that's been dipped in the KMA up to them (since you said they'll like KMA off your finger) so they will maybe at least lick the food and get a taste of it. Hopefully, after a few licks, they'll try to eat the piece of food.

[strawbabies]

That original post sounds like something I could've written back in October. The same darn thing happened to me--kittens in the backyard trash can. Except I had 4 of them.

I had them on KMR for a few days before any of them would eat regular wet cat food. They never touched the kibble soaked in KMR. I left dry food out, and they eventually switched to it on their own.

Good luck finding homes for them. I re-homed 3, but kept the little calico runt.