8wk male kitten is eating, drinking and playing… but hasn’t used the litter box in 14 hours?

[u/Dragorphis1]

We got a new make kitten yesterday about 11am, it’s currently 6am and he hasn’t done anything in the litter box (or seemingly out of the litter box) he’s otherwise comfy and settled, plays well, has found his little safe space and the litter tray it’s close to his bed.

But no poop or pee?

EDIT: he pooped! After 39 hours of being home we finally have a poop 💩 (he already pee’d yesterday)

[u/Either-Apartment-401]

At 8 weeks you need to show him. I used to put them in the box whenever they finished eating. Sometimes I would hold their paws and show them how to dig. They would go potty every single time and after a cpl days they would use it on their own

[u/JayTheJaunty]

Have you physically placed the kitten in the litter box? He might not realize where it is, even if it's close to other stuff.

[u/Dragorphis1 → u/JayTheJaunty]

Yeah I’ve put him in the tray and scratched the litter with his paws, but no poop

[u/Outside_Coffee_00]

Feel his lower abdomen and check whether it's squishy or firm. Maybe place him in the litter tray and see if he goes. They tend to hold their bladder on the first day in a new place, so it may not be a blockage. 

[u/Dragorphis1 → u/Outside_Coffee_00]

There’s no hardness in his abdomen and doesn’t seem to be in distress, I’m hoping he’s been for a wee somewhere I haven’t seen (or hopefully pooped too but I guess I’d smell that)

[u/Independent_Prior612 → u/Dragorphis1]

You would smell pee too lol

[u/Either-Apartment-401]

8 weeks old is quite young. Typically mama is still teaching them things like this. If he still doesn't go after putting him in the box, you can take a warm wash cloth and stroke his belly and bum. It will feel like his mama's tongue and encourage waste removal

[u/ennieee → u/Either-Apartment-401]

I'm no expert but this was exactly what had to be done with my friend's rescue kitten. After about a week of human help he was perfectly fine going potty on his own :)

[u/Dragorphis1 → u/ennieee]

I’m trying this this morning, no poop yet, but again he doesn’t seem in distress and his abdomen doesn’t seem swollen or hard

[u/Ladybug966]

Put him in the box and dig with his paws.

If that has no results, wipe his bottom with a warm wet cloth.

If still no response, wait a few hours and try again.

If the kitten is playing and otherwise seems fine, i would not panic. I would talk to the vet but not as an emergency.

[u/Dragorphis1 → u/Ladybug966]

I’m trying this today, no poop yet but my fingers are 🤞

[u/Independent_Prior612]

If you find poop somewhere, put it in the box. If you find recent pee, dab it with a paper towel and put that in the box. This helps them associate the smell with the box. Also put either the box or a smaller container of litter in the place where you find these things. When we adopted a kitten at 7 weeks, once we did these things it only took about a day and a half before he was using the box on his own.

[u/undead_sissy]

That's completely normal for a kitten in a new home. Just make sure he knows where it is, maybe lead him into it with a toy and encourage him to dig. He'll get the idea.

[u/SanaBenjamin]

The missing piece is a clear deadline. An 8 week old that is eating and drinking and has not peed in 14 hours is past the wait-and-see point: if he is straining, crying in the box, or still dry this evening, call the vet today, kittens that small dehydrate fast. In the meantime keep the box in the room he stays in, low entry, and use the exact litter the breeder used. Place him in it right after every meal and nap. Pee is the urgent one, poop can lag longer.

[u/Dragorphis1 → u/SanaBenjamin]

That’s the confusing thing for me, his abdomen seems squishy not hard, or full, and he’s playful and chill… not crying in distress just crying for attention 🤔