New kittens need feeding 3 x a day

[Youcantscaremeihavechildren]

Hi, we are bringing new kittens home from a rescue on Saturday, saw and booked them a couple of weeks ago. Currently have a 5year old moggy. But.. When we booked them, they told us feed wet cat food 2 x a day, then leave a few biscuits out when we're at work. I work 4 days and am out from 7.15 till about 4 or 5 each day, school hols off, but also the odd later night, but not too many until September.
The rescue phoned today and said they forgot yo tell us they are on a special diet, no biscuits, wet for which is over twice the amount of the original food they said, 3 x a day...
How do I manage this when we have to work... I'm only out of the house for 4 days once they are here, off for a week then, so no problem for that week.
Our older cat has wet food in evening but is just as happy to graze on biscuits all day.
Just trying to figure out how to manage, how long before we can introduce biscuits, they are on the diet I think because they came in St 7 weeks with no mum, we're struggling to eat.
So excited about them coming but nervous about the feeding now!

How old are they OP? Could you get some timed feeders for the middle feed?

I have a motion activated feeder that opens when my cat put her head down towards it - she grazes on her wet food all day and has used this since she was about three months old. keeps the food fresh.

Ooh yes... I shall Google... Have until Monday to sort it. They're very nervous though, only 9 weeks, they don't know how long without mum so need socialising. Not sure how they'd take to something that moved, but then if it's food I guess they'll go for it eventually...
If I fed them as I left, say 7.15, then left some food in another spot, then fed in the evening? Would they leave it till then, or eat it when hungry?
They also said it's a pouch of pro plan kitten 3 x daily, that's 3 pouches... My fully grown cat eats barely a tablespoon of wet food, and maybe half a small bowl of dry, 3 pouches sounds like loads, they're so tiny!
We did get ours as kittens (lost her sister to the road 6 months ago) but I can't remember what the kitten says were like, it's like with kids 🙄

We are getting an 8 week old kitten and have been told he needs feeding 4x a day until he is 12 wks then 3x day.

Ours is currently on Whiskas (will be changed!) and their advice is 1.5 pouches a day per cat at that age. Is your 3 pouches for both of them maybe?

When I got 8 week old kittens they ate 3 pouches a day, over several meals. The vet prescribed special food, and I had to keep going back for more and more - I got a bit upset that no one believed how much they were eating.

I wouldn't be comfortable leaving such young kittens for so long, especially as they might need socialising. Can you get someone to pop in a feed them during the day or pop home?

Do you have a picture of the kittens?

Can you pop home? It’s a very long time to leave 2 kittens, particularly with another unfamiliar cat.

Just a thought OP but could you delay the adoption just until you're off for the week? Would give them a bit of time to settle in and you time to sort timed feeders, or even better someone to pop in on them during the day. Just seems silly to me to put them (and you) through a potentially stressful first few days when a few days delay would mean you wouldn't have to leave them til they've settled.

Take time off and take photos and post them here please. It’s the only thing to do.

Do you have a kitten photo now??? ?......

I wanted to wait till my holidays start, but the shelter will only book them for 7 days before collection, they have to go home Saturday, or not at all.
Just remembered I think DH is taking a day off next Friday, so they'd only be at home on their own 3 days.
Can't pop home, I live 45 mins from work, plus a teacher, so no lunch breaks etc. Might be able to do a shorter day on the Thursday, so home by 2.
So, it's Monday, I can go in later, time to play, feed before I go in.
Tuesday, off
Weds all day, but hopefully only till 4ish
Thurs 7 til 2
Friday dh off
Then a week with us all at home..
Looking at times feeders now.
The food sounds about right then, I guess lots of growing to do! Had already bought loads of the kitten food they said they used, but I guess I can gradually add some of that in over time, as its easier to get hold of for a start! I'm struggling to get hold of pro plan kitten, only pets at home does it, one flavour..

We are keeping them separate, they have a whole room to themselves, with attached bathroom, plus it's off the kitchen so they'll hear all the normal noises to get them used to us. Will do scent swapping and gradually allow more time spent with them over the first few week, will not be letting older cat near for a few weeks I think. Have feliway plug in, plus boxes, toys, cat post etc...

You sound like you know what you’re doing OP How exciting.

Give the timed feeders a test run as we had one that didn’t actually pop open when it was meant to! We had a very angry and hungry DCat.

BABY KITTIES!!!

We adopted Gatsby at 8 weeks. We immediately started socializing him with the other two. (Jayda didn't mind and started mothering him shortly thereafter. Biggie had a "WTH is THIS?" look on his face at first and there was some jealousy, but once he figured out he was not being replaced he was fine. This was odd because prior to this he had never met a human or animal he didn't like. He tried to make friends with a DOG once.) Only feeding time was a bit of an issue. We tried to give Gatsby kitten food but unfortunately Biggie would always eat it - and he doesn't need to put on any more weight. Then we tried feeding Gatsby separately, but that didn't work well either. (Gatsby was rejected by his mother and hand reared so he was among humans from the start. He loves people and promptly decided that I'm his mum. If left alone in a room with the door closed he would cry.) Eventually, we kind of threw up our hands and just free fed him the regular adult food that the other two eat. He is a little small for a cat but otherwise has done okay.

agnurse that sounds lovely, I've read that a few times in your other posts as I've been frantically googling introducing kittens to an older cat. She's 5, she's called Murphy and her sister was Guinness, but she was hit by a car back in October, we all muss her terribly, she was a real lap cat and my daughter loved her. Murphy is less happy around humans but loves to be outside catching mice, she gets in with the cats in the street OK. We actually went to the rescue to see a 2 Yr old male, but he was so loud and over friendly I could see her being overwhelmed by him. We are hoping that as she is used to cats the kittens will giver her dome company and also a companion each for our children, as she would like the respite from them I think!
Tricky about food, I'm going to feed them separately to begin with, then see how we go... She is out a lot, we live surrounded by fields and woods, so she can get away from them if she wants to and its a big enough house, they won't be allowed upstairs until we are sure she's happy and they're all settled in. Fingers crossed! Going to order a timed feeder now, will test it over the weekend, bit worried about them being nervous of it, but hopefully it'll just be something they get over if they are hungry enough!

This is Murphy.. Oblivious to what is coming... Double kitten trouble 😬🙄😻

She sweet!

We are in a very similar boat. We have a 4 year old cat M who lost her brother in a car accident about a month ago. She has been lonely and not quite right ever since.

We are picking up 8 week old kitten P on Sunday and are very excited and very much hoping he will become the company that M needs.

@agnurse very interested you introduced straightaway rather than waiting. I would love to do that as I think the younger he is the better chance there is of M
mothering him. P is used to other cats, dogs and lots of people in the house he is in now. I guess I could test the water very gently and then revert to over a few weeks if needed? Any tips? Was your kitten already vaccinated? P won’t be vaccinated for another week so that may be an issue?

As I know the rules, the fluffy one is M and the tiny one is P two weeks ago 😍

Good luck kittekat we brought the kits home today, name by my children Cookie and Scratchy... 🤔
They're ensconced in the bathroom, with all manner of toys, they've eaten, pooed, and attached each other and my feet. Are playing happily near the kids, we're going yo leave them to settle in and keep popping in and out, not sure how to start introducing them but will plan out the first meeting for a weeks time and see how we go.
Got a timed feeder which they were fine with, used straightaway. So problem solved!

Cat tree arriving weds but until then they have boxes which they're enjoying!

How exciting OP! We got 9 week old kittens a few months ago. I work part time, full day 2 days a week and then half a day on a Friday. The first weekend we put them in the spare room and popped in every now and then to see them. Then we gradually allowed them access to other parts of the house. Now they have free rein . I think tbh they appreciated the peace and quiet when we all went to work / school on Monday. They seemed fine with me working 2.5 days a week. I tried to spend most of my days off with them most of the day for the first few weeks. I'm out the house a lot more now they're a bit older and they seem to cope okay with it.

Re food yes they will need feeding 3 x a day as their tummies are only little. Can you get timed feeders? We got two from zooplus. I think they were catsmates ones at £40 each. It was a lot of money but worth it as otherwise they were waking us up at 5 am for food!

Oops sorry I see you already have a timed feeder. They are gorgeous kittens btw. And so small and cute! Ours have more than doubled in size in a few months!!

Loving all the kitty pics! I love kitties!

We collected P today and he seems to have settled amazingly, he has taken turns to play with and sleep on us all!!

M knows something is up but hasn’t yet seen him.

Pics of P sleeping on my arm and on DS

Not yet used the litter tray though 🤞

How are yours today OP?