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Fri 13 Jan, 2012 02:39 am
On New Years day 2012 an approx 8 wk old male kitten showed up at my door. I am 32 yrs old and have never had and animal as an adult. I decided to keep him, since he is sooo sweet and good natured. The next day, I took him to the vet and had him tested for disease, dewormed, nails clipped, and his f1rst vaccine. I then went to Walmart and got him IAMS dry kitten food (bc it looked like the best one) and the cheap $1 bag of litter. I put the dry food in a all day feeder. I just got him a small litter box for now. He ate the IAMS good and also immed started using the litter box. We are not feeding him wet food, people food or treats, only dry food and water. We kept him in a small bathroom more the 1st few days and then started letting him roam the house while we are home. We still put him in the bathroom with everything he needs when we are asleep or gone. He was very playful and seemed fine for the 1st 3 or 4 days. We gave him a bath, after we had him a week, with Dawn dish liquid bc I was told that was safe. I decided to put the x small kitty nail caps on him that same night. He is so good, he took him bath great and he let me put the caps on. You just put a little glue in the cap and put in on his claw so he can't scratch. I noticed the next day that he was not covering his poop anymore and it seemed a little soft. I noticed this, 3 or 4 times and he was getting poop on his back paws so I would have to wash them off. I figured it was the nail caps and since I had read that there could be complicaions with them, I took him to have them removed after 2 days. I also had them put Revolution flea stuff on him bc I had found a couple fleas but couldn't find anything to treat them for under 12 wks old. They said this one was for over 6 wks. That was on Monday evening Jan 9th. I also mixed his IAMS dry food with a better quality dry food called Natura Innova Kitten food after about a week. I started noticing that he was having liquid diarrhea. He had been sleeping alot too since probably the 4th or 5th day we had him. Everyone was saying its bc hes a kitten, but I knew he was sleeping more than at first . He would still play a little but not near as much. He didn't act like he felt bad, just tired and would go have diarrhea every few hours. When I saw him poop liquid and vomit at the same time, I got and appt for the vet that day. The vet said the it probably wasn't the vaccine or the deworming since it was given on the 2nd and it was the 11th. He thought he ate christmas tree, we had a real one. We kept him away from it so I wouldn't think he had much. He also said he was probably over eating. After a whole week, the free choice feeder was still 3/4 or more full so I don't think he is over eating. He had us fast him for 24 hrs, which was heartbreaking, and then give him a teaspoon of dry food 3 times a day. The vet also sd not to leave a full bowl of water bc he would drink it all since he was hungry. I only left a little bit in a bowl, but he didn't drink it the whole night. He has been drinking some water, but I used a dropper and gave him some more to prevent dehydration. When I gave food to him this morning, I only gave him one piece at a time and he quickly ate about half and then stopped and seemed satisfied. He stopped meowing and acting frantic and starting playing and being calm. The vet also gave us a liquid med and a 4th of a pill that we are to give him once a day for 5 days for the diarrhea and he dewormed him again. I took a sample of his vomit and poop to have it checked. The vet said he didn't see any parasites in it.
Anyway, I wanted to give a full description of what all we have done for him before asking my question. I was wondering if even though the vet said its not the vaccine or deworming could it be that or something else? Also, is it good to leave dry food out for a kitten?
@angelray1128,
That's an awful lot of trauma, chemical exposure and changes in diet packed into the 13 short days since New Year's Day. It is no wonder the little guy's metabolism is upset.
I suspect it could be any one of these things:
Quote:1. We gave him a bath, after we had him a week, with Dawn dish liquid bc I was told that was safe.
2. I decided to put the x small kitty nail caps on him that same night. He is so good, he took him bath great and he let me put the caps on. You just put a little glue in the cap and put in on his claw so he can't scratch. I figured it was the nail caps and since I had read that there could be complicaions with them, I took him to have them removed after 2 days.
3. I also had them put Revolution flea stuff on him bc I had found a couple fleas but couldn't find anything to treat them for under 12 wks old.
Stop switching up his food. Stick to one good brand and let him stabilize. Also, stop applying all the chemicals, glues, soaps and other stuff to his little body.
@angelray1128,
You might want to bookmark this website and start reading some of the articles to better familiarize yourself with the needs of a kitten.
http://www.vetinfo.com/category/cats/
Here's their section on kittens:
http://www.vetinfo.com/category/cat-kittens/
@Butrflynet,
Thanks for the comment. I know it's a lot in a short time. I haven't ever had a kitten and when I researched the food, I saw that IAMS wasn't the best because it has a lot of fillers like corn and by-products in it. I did mix the new food with the old but, I did it bc I wanted to get him the best nutrition. He had only eaten IAMS for a week, but that could have still made a difference I guess. I wish I hadn't done the nail caps but, I rethought it and had them taken off because of him not covering up his poop anymore and I read that there could be complications like infection, etc... So I'm just gonna keep them clipped. The flea stuff, I had to do, bc I can't take a chance of getting infested. I had found a few on him after a week of having him. I am definately going to let him be though. I want my sweet little boy to feel better.
@Butrflynet,
Agreed - there is no reason to switch a cats/kittens food unless he is having trouble with it. I've given my cats Iams their entire life and had no issues.
DO NOT WASH your cat is dish soap! Cats usually do not need to be bathed any way as they keep themselves clean. In unusual situtations where a cat is sick/old or just lazy (I had a lazy cat) and you can tell they are dirty - ie a mass of dried clump on the fat cat's back that he can't reach to clean - there is no reason to clean him. Cats use their tongue to clean and they do this very frequently. The soap could likely get in their stomach causing the diarrhea. And if you need to clean your pet - get an approved item from a pet store or better yet a vet.
Also, kittens, puppies get into crap all the time. We had an issue with our dog when he was a pup - not sure what the heck he got into, but he had an issue like your cat - the vet told us to feed him a bland diet of boiled chicken and rice. What did your vet suggest to feed him?
@angelray1128,
Also, when I adopted a new kitten she had fleas. I did not use any flea powder. The place I adopted them from had either done that or a vet did - I'd suggest with such a young kitten you have the vet put the right stuff on him. Then use simply use a flea comb regularly on the kitten and usually it does the trick. I did not have any issues with fleas after that.
@Linkat,
Quote:DO NOT WASH your cat is dish soap! Cats usually do not need to be bathed any way as they keep themselves clean. In unusual situtations where a cat is sick/old or just lazy (I had a lazy cat) and you can tell they are dirty - ie a mass of dried clump on the fat cat's back that he can't reach to clean - there is no reason to clean him. Cats use their tongue to clean and they do this very frequently. The soap could likely get in their stomach causing the diarrhea. And if you need to clean your pet - get an approved item from a pet store or better yet a vet.
Yep. This was my first suspect, especially if all the soap was not completely rinsed out of his fur.
If your kitty is still experiencing diarrhea today, you might consider getting some cat shampoo from a pet store and give him yet another bath and be doubly sure to thoroughly rinse all residue from his fur so he isn't continually making himself sick when he licks himself clean.
Then, leave him alone. Cats are good at keeping themselves clean.
Thanks to all for the comments about the Dawn. I had called the Petsmart groomer and asked what to use and that's what she told me. I didn't imagine that that could have given him diarrhea. I guess if he ever needs a bath again, I will take him to a professional.
@Linkat,
I wrote everything down that we had done to him for the vet also. He thought that since I was leaving dry food out all day, he was overeating. The vet told us to fast him for 24 hrs, with water only. Then we were to give him a teaspoon of the dry food mixture (old and new) 2 times a day for a couple days. After that about a 1/2 a cup a day. However, Toby is still starving after the teaspoon and he cries and seems frantic looking for more food. I don't really think he was overeating because the food dispenser was still almost full after a week, but I am doing what the vet said just in case.
@angelray1128,
Just an opinion because I haven't raised a kitten for maybe ten years, but I suspect Toby knows more than the vet.
@angelray1128,
Has your cat been wormed, angelray?
I was wondering, given your cat's diarrhea & his appetite.
Quote:The most common causes of acute diarrhea include dietary intolerance, viral infections, and intestinal worms.
http://www.cathealth.com/digestive-system/cat-diarrhea
I feel sorry for the poor little thing.
He's having a pretty rough time of it!
@msolga,
Yes he was wormed on jan 2nd but didn't start having softer stool until probably the 7th or 8th. I noticed the liquid diarrhea on the night of the 10th and on the 11th when I saw him do it again and throw up after, I immediately took him to the vet. I took a sample of him vomit and poop so the vet could check it. He said he didn't find any parasites, but he wormed him again anyway. Is that ok for him to be wormed that close together? It was on the 2nd and the 11th.
Just wanted to update. He does not seem to be having diarrhea or throwing up since we have been following the vets advice and giving him his med from the vet. One med is a liquid and the other is 1/4 of a pill. I think they are to help with nausea and diarrhea. I just wish he wasn't still starving after we feed him.
@angelray1128,
Quote:Is that ok for him to be wormed that close together?
My guess, at 9 weeks old (or younger), perhaps.
Though I'm not a vet, just talking from my experience with cats over many years, you understand?
It seems that he has been medicated quite a lot for an unwell, young cat.
If these symptoms don't clear up soon, if he doesn't become the lively kitten he
should be at this age, I would seriously consider getting a second opinion from another vet. I have done that more than a few times myself, when necessary,
@msolga,
Apologies for asking if he'd been wormed.
I just
properly looked at your thread title for the first time!
My mistake.
@msolga,
It's ok. lol. I know it was long winded.
@msolga,
He is defiantely playing now and not sleeping too much anymore as long as he's had enough to eat. He started playing again yesterday.
@angelray1128,
No, I should have properly read your thread title before jumping in ....
I hope patiodog, a terrific "resident" A2K vet sees your thread & offers his advice, angelray.
@angelray1128,
Well that definitely sounds a lot more positive.
I'll bet you're enjoying this!
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