Got ourselves into potential mishap..

Threecatstwodogs

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..With a breeder who was less than forthcoming with some information. We ended up with two new kittens, one seems incredibly small for his age. We just weighed him, and at twelve weeks he is about 1.28 lbs. He doesn't seem to be growing with the other kitten.. all though they are merely a week apart in age, our other kitten is now 3.89 lbs at thirteen weeks and growing seemingly every day.
I am mainly worried about the smaller one but upon investigation of their papers (which were provided AFTER full purchase was made) I noticed a few instances where the same Dam/Sire was used in either line, therefore connecting to the current offspring. I looked into this and found it is called "linebreeding". What really worries me, is that the smaller one was born to parents who are half siblings (same father). There are also instances in both kittens lines where the same couple or cat has been paired on both sides of the parents lineage. I know that this can skip a generation before it crosses over again and the further removed offspring is "inbred". The smaller kitten was the only surviving of FIVE. Apparently the Dam's last litter only consisted of two. (Not sure if that means two surviving or two in all, or how many survived.) This tiny kitten supposedly weighed just over a pound at one week and has barely gained anything. We did not get them until they were ten and eleven weeks, and paid full price for both. As well as an expensive transportation fee.
The smaller kitten is much less active than the other and naps much more often (at first we accounted this to the fact he is a week younger, but now it is becoming more visible that this may not be the reasoning) and cries a lot for mot much apparent reason. Even when he has dry and wet food, water, multiple clean litter boxes and ample toys, beds and scratchers. They seem to be ACCUSTOMED to sleeping in a crate. The smaller one seems to have very little socialization and does not usually enjoy being petted or held. He will dig all four paws worth of claws into you if he feels you have held him for too long (more than a few moments). He, on very rare occasion, will purr and when he first got here would actually dart away from your hand in fear. He no longer is shying/running away but will still slink and tuck his butt under sometimes when you try to gently stroke his back, almost like cowering away from it. He does love his half brother and they do play a lot but as I said he tires much more quickly. He seems to have a nonstop appetite. We are afraid he might have some sort of issues from all of these litters that have been less than ideal and this newfound inbreeding.. He does not seem to catch onto things NEARLY as quick as his brother but does seem to try to follow his lead.. our third cat is indoor/outdoor and has been since we found him starving and parasite infested, close to the edge of death at eight months old more than ten years ago. He goes out for periods during the day but is always in at night and sometimes most of the day. We call him the "ever revolving door". We are afraid if he has immunity issues that our older cat could track something in to him and spread.. We are contemplating supplemental feeding of KMR. He has been to the vet and they claimed they are "healthy" but not sure if he has been tested for everything as the cattery was "negative" for all diseases and therefore don't test the kittens? Not sure if there are some loopholes here. Our vet is also new and this is her first time owning a practice, as our other has retired. He has been acting a little sluggish today, which could be attributed to anything, but giving the data we seem to find out by the day is worrying us greatly even though we truly found it hard to believe. I feel I might be missing some information that gone out of my head now, if anyone can think of some questions please do. We are not sure what our options are now. Of course we love him and want to keep him, and want him to be healthy. I guess I am at a loss.. it was hard to learn our breeder and long time friend had passed away who presented us two beautiful, healthy, purebred cats sixteen and seventeen years ago who we lost just this last year. Both to kidney failure. We were devastated as it is hard to find another good breeder of certain breeds in particular.. we love the breeds for their personalities but if looks are going to come at the cost of health for these breeders, then they are doing it for the wrong reasons and I feel a shelter kitten could have been healthier..
Not sure if this is related, but the smaller one seems to have diarrhea a lot and much of the poop gets stuck to his butt and stays there until we have to either wipe or gently pry it (when it dries) off.

I welcome any help/ideas/advice anyone has to offer. Just please state your credentials (if any, none are needed) and a little about your experience relating.
Thank you and have a wonderful day.
 

GoldyCat

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Does your contract include a health guarantee? If so you might be able to get the breeder to at least pay the vet bills.
 
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Threecatstwodogs

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Does your contract include a health guarantee? If so you might be able to get the breeder to at least pay the vet bills.
I believe so for at least the first (two years?)
 

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This tiny kitten supposedly weighed just over a pound at one week
That's not even possible (kittens usually weigh around 4 ounces at birth, and gain an ounce every coupld days, but even if he gained 1 ounce a day he wouldn't have been 16 ounces after a week), so I'm really doubting their record keeping.

A lot of shady breeders have very limited health guarantees, just enough to look good but be fairly useless. Some require that you return the kitten, which, obviously, most people don't want to do. So give that section of the contract a good hard look and see what can be done.

Are you weighing him every day? Has he gained at all since you got him? Did the vet do a fecal test for parasites?
 
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Threecatstwodogs

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That's not even possible (kittens usually weigh around 4 ounces at birth, and gain an ounce every coupld days, but even if he gained 1 ounce a day he wouldn't have been 16 ounces after a week), so I'm really doubting their record keeping.

A lot of shady breeders have very limited health guarantees, just enough to look good but be fairly useless. Some require that you return the kitten, which, obviously, most people don't want to do. So give that section of the contract a good hard look and see what can be done.

Are you weighing him every day? Has he gained at all since you got him? Did the vet do a fecal test for parasites?
That's what I pointed out to my Mom, how could this kitten weigh just 1.28 lbs now and if he does weigh that now, at twelve weeks, then there's no bleeping way he weighed a pound (and an ounce or two as it states) at only a WEEK old. Plus, I've met week old kittens before years ago with my old breeder. They are tiny little barely recognizable nuggets. Not to mention they can fit in the palm of your hand. I had trouble believing at that age he could be a pound and then some at just a week, for any kitten but especially him judging by the size he is now! A lot of this stuff seems sketchy as we investigate further.. because of the supposed credentials this breeder has, we feel we wouldn't have any issues but I've quickly been catching onto them.
We didn't weigh him until today as I wasn't even sure you could use the bathroom scale tactic until I looked it up today. Plus, when they came, they were around the same size so it appeared they were growing at an equal rate and given the breeder is actually a vet we didn't feel this was something that needed to happen at home every day until I did some research and these issues started arising. We're not sure if they got weights at the vet as my Mom was not allowed to go in, with the crisis going on, they swiftly scoop them from your car and then came back with a "healthy" verdict. But to me, that doesn't mean anything unless tests have been done and facts have been presented. I'm looking into switching vets actually. Our last one was amazing but he was also family of my Mom's ex and he was in his seventies.. most thorough, knowledgable, trustworthy vet I ever knew. These new people that have bought the practice seem they are more worried about their ego and reputation, and how much money can the make for how little work. It's not easy finding a new, reasonable, reputable vet around here though. It seems, judging by appearance, that he is literally a TAD bigger than when he got here. My Mom is going to call and see if they got the weights tomorrow as apparently they were never reported back. Also, when my older cat recently dropped weight in seemingly a day and I brought it to this new vets' attention, she brushed it off and said it was "only" a just under three pound weight loss and totally brushed off his lethargy I reported and decreased appetite.. that really told me all I need to know about her but I'm having trouble convincing my Mom otherwise as she has fallen for their verbal charm. I was told they should have a SNAP test done which of course they didn't do, no fecal test, and no further testing for things the cattery claimed was negative. Shouldn't they test for it anyway though? Anybody can claim anything on a piece of paper. I was just looking at some of the records in the files we received and they seem a little sketchy. It really sucks when you want the best for your animals and you feel there's incompetence in the two most important areas.. my Mom thinks I'm "overly paranoid" of everyone but now that I've pointed out some of these things I've now been able to prove she's starting to think twice.. I feel bad though as it's making her feel guilty for going to these people as opposed to shifting the blame with the people who failed these babies to begin with.
 

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Do you have a kitchen or postage scale? Those are the easiest way to weigh kittens. Grams are more precise than ounces, but even with ounces you can see if he's gaining or losing. A kitten losing weight is a pretty serious problem and any vet should be concerned if you tell them that.
 
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Threecatstwodogs

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Do you have a kitchen or postage scale? Those are the easiest way to weigh kittens. Grams are more precise than ounces, but even with ounces you can see if he's gaining or losing. A kitten losing weight is a pretty serious problem and any vet should be concerned if you tell them that.
I don't but I'll be heading out tomorrow to buy one, will post an update! Thank you for all your help thus far!
 

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A 12 week old kitten is severely underweight at that weight, so clearly something is wrong. However if you are using a scale for humans and holding the kitten, the weight measurement might not be accurate, so I agree it would be best to get an accurate weight on the kitten with a kitchen or postal scale. What does his body feel like?

How long have you had the kittens? I'm guessing two weeks, since you said the smaller one is 12 weeks old now, and they were 10 and 11 weeks when you got them? Has the smaller one had diarrhea continuously for these 2 weeks?

I can't quite figure out from your message if the kittens had a checkup at your vet after you got them. It sounds like your mom took them to the vet, and the vet said they were healthy? When did your mom take the kittens to the vet? Just after you got them?

I'm confused that you said "when they came, they were around the same size." Was the smaller kitten over 3 lbs when you received him, and he has now lost more than half his weight? Or was he already severely underweight when you received him?

If the kitten is lethargic, has little to no appetite, seems dehydrated, and/or has lost significant weight, I would go to the vet immediately. Diarrhea can be dangerous for young kittens especially if it has been going on for a while. He might feel better after getting subcutaneous fluids and/or medication for nausea or lack of appetite (such as a shot of Cerenia). The vet also may be able to get a better idea of the cause of the diarrhea and weight loss.

If you want to have someone look over the vet records, other paperwork and contract that you received from the breeder, I would be happy to do it... you can send me a private message with scans / photographs of the paperwork and contract.

...upon investigation of their papers (which were provided AFTER full purchase was made) I noticed a few instances where the same Dam/Sire was used in either line, therefore connecting to the current offspring. I looked into this and found it is called "linebreeding". What really worries me, is that the smaller one was born to parents who are half siblings (same father). There are also instances in both kittens lines where the same couple or cat has been paired on both sides of the parents lineage. I know that this can skip a generation before it crosses over again and the further removed offspring is "inbred".
Inbreeding can contribute to health issues, but it can actually be difficult to tell from just looking at a cat's pedigree how inbred it is. A cat with no repeat ancestors appearing in its pedigree can sometimes have more inbreeding than a mating of half siblings. Pedigrees can be difficult to interpret unless you are a breeder familiar with the breed and bloodlines. So I wouldn't focus on the pedigree. The real problem is that the kitten is not healthy.
 

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Along with lutece lutece 's comments, I'm thinking this may be why he's cranky. I apologize if I missed it but what are you feeding him? Kitten food, plus extra kmr could be helpful, in several small meals throughout the day and have some kibble available.

Give him a muffled (wrap a towel around it) ticking clock, or a heartbeat toy. You might also give him a sock partially filled with dry beans or rice, gently microwaved, to snuggle with in his sleeping area. You'll need to maintain the warmth sock but it will be worth it if it helps him to be a little more comfortable and possibly feel a little less lost.
 
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Threecatstwodogs

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A 12 week old kitten is severely underweight at that weight, so clearly something is wrong. However if you are using a scale for humans and holding the kitten, the weight measurement might not be accurate, so I agree it would be best to get an accurate weight on the kitten with a kitchen or postal scale. What does his body feel like?

How long have you had the kittens? I'm guessing two weeks, since you said the smaller one is 12 weeks old now, and they were 10 and 11 weeks when you got them? Has the smaller one had diarrhea continuously for these 2 weeks?

I can't quite figure out from your message if the kittens had a checkup at your vet after you got them. It sounds like your mom took them to the vet, and the vet said they were healthy? When did your mom take the kittens to the vet? Just after you got them?

I'm confused that you said "when they came, they were around the same size." Was the smaller kitten over 3 lbs when you received him, and he has now lost more than half his weight? Or was he already severely underweight when you received him?

If the kitten is lethargic, has little to no appetite, seems dehydrated, and/or has lost significant weight, I would go to the vet immediately. Diarrhea can be dangerous for young kittens especially if it has been going on for a while. He might feel better after getting subcutaneous fluids and/or medication for nausea or lack of appetite (such as a shot of Cerenia). The vet also may be able to get a better idea of the cause of the diarrhea and weight loss.

If you want to have someone look over the vet records, other paperwork and contract that you received from the breeder, I would be happy to do it... you can send me a private message with scans / photographs of the paperwork and contract.


Inbreeding can contribute to health issues, but it can actually be difficult to tell from just looking at a cat's pedigree how inbred it is. A cat with no repeat ancestors appearing in its pedigree can sometimes have more inbreeding than a mating of half siblings. Pedigrees can be difficult to interpret unless you are a breeder familiar with the breed and bloodlines. So I wouldn't focus on the pedigree. The real problem is that the kitten is not healthy.
Yes we have been using the scale while holding the kittens to weigh them. I agree it is probably not close to accurate. We are doing this while in search of an appropriate scale that is big enough, sensitive enough, and reasonable enough to use for the time being. His body feels like a small kitten who has hardly grown in the (yes, two weeks to three) weeks that we have had them. His half brother is seemingly growing every day and his body feels much more filled out and adult like. You can feel more mature body parts growing in the bigger kitten, he has more of a "body" to him, as when a puppy grows up and the stature really begins to develop. The smaller one visibly looks hardly any different and suddenly his one week older brother looks much larger. What I meant about being the same size when they came is that relative to how his brother looks, they were much closer in size when they came home a few weeks ago. Now the size difference is evident. The smaller kitten seems a tad bigger but doesn't seem to be growing and filling in like his brother is. We just bought some KMR today. Still on the hunt for a scale. Of the places to choose from that are open (instead of having to wait for one to ship) Target has almost no viable choices. All too small for the kitten to have enough room to stand on. My Mom suggested purchasing a bowl or plate type of platform to balance on the scale and put the kitten in. I'm just not sure how accurate these $20 miniature Target kitchen scales are either. I would like one with relatively good accuracy and little kitten likely does not weigh much..

Yes she took them to the vet right after we got them. The very next morning, I believe. The problem with this new vet who has bought out the practice is that she seems very new/not very knowledgeable/inexperienced/money driven and very quick to shrug things off if it means feeding her ego. I have only met her a few times but every time my Mom goes to the vet alone with one of the animals and comes back, it seems she has not been very thorough in testing and or addressing the issue that may be at hand in any of these circumstances. Neither has had continuous diarrhea. The smaller one has definitely had more. It seems he may be over eating as he often eats dry all day, then eats his entire serving of wet as well as the rest of his larger and older brother's portion! We have always "free fed" cats and have never had an over eating problem but may have to start feeding in intervals? The smaller kitten has definitely not LOST any weight. It just does not seem as if he has gained much to any. Like I said judging visibly as we can't rely on the accuracy of the bathroom scale, he appears a tad bigger. But it's VERY noticeable how quickly older brother is growing at a supersonic speed. We did get them at ten and twelve weeks, which was late, due to this CV crisis. We half expected them to be quite a bit bigger by the time they got here but were really still quite small. Little one has always been smaller but when they first came there wasn't a whole lot of difference in size. The difference in size seems to be increasingly growing. What ticked me off this time about the vet is that the verdict they came back with (you cannot go into the office right now) is "they are healthy and adorable". What about their weights? What about the tests that should be administered to any new kittens? Etc.? Also upon arrival both kittens had much eye gunk and tear stains already.. they are Scottish Folds but I don't remember our last two having this problem until later in life.

Kitten is very playful with older kitten often during the day, all though tires much more quickly, naps much more often, and some days he just seems very tired and will flop over on his side and not move at all and sleep and sleep and sleep. Seems "out of it". Older kitten can go and go and go all day long and takes minute long power naps before he is off and running like the Energizer Bunny. Little kitten has, as I mentioned above, a HUGE appetite. He will eat more in a sitting than his older counterpart. I'm thinking maybe this could he cause for the diarrhea and perhaps I should intervene this overeating behavior? Older kitten only had a few bouts of diarrhea when he first got here, which we did mention to the vet but was chalked up as either diet change or new household stress. What I can tell you is that one or both has EXTREMELY stinky poops in that you can actually smell them as they hit you in the face in the next room. Older kitten actually had a few bouts of explosive diarrhea when he first got here, In which I could clearly hear his bowels releasing and his belly queasing from the inside, but his seem to be much more regular now. Smaller kitten does still have diarrhea here and there but also has formed, wet poops mostly. They are very light colored, one long string mostly that I assume would leave residue if you tested it. Today somebody threw up, but we are not sure which. I am inclined to believe it is the smaller kitten as he is the one who seems to be experiencing the most issues..
I find it odd why this breeder would breed this queen again if, as she said, she has had "difficult" litters before. Shouldn't this have been a big red flag to an experienced breeder of multiple decades?

I see in both of their pedigrees, the rebreeding of common ancestors on both parents sides in both kittens, on smaller ones it is multiple. There were other smaller red flags I felt my intuition has pointed out along the way, but, presented with the facts, this woman seemed like a safe way to go. I can see back on each pedigree about five generations (if record keeping has been done genuinely) starting with the Dam and the Sire. If inbreeding or "linebreeding" was done back further than this, and not again, surely some of the negative consequences wouldn't be as impactful this many non-inbred generations later? I mean what would cause this seeming mutation where this poor kitten will not grow, unless he would have been the runt, or if the others died of infection, just too many questions to answer. I hope to God he does not have an immune system deficiency. What would cause four of five kittens to die with an experienced breeder through the birth? It sounds like they either were stillborn or died shortly after. And the last litter being "only two" whatever that means.. a lot of this information was not offered up until hundreds had been paid.

How would I send you a dm? I am new to this site. Thank you and everyone for all your help.
 
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Threecatstwodogs

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Along with lutece lutece 's comments, I'm thinking this may be why he's cranky. I apologize if I missed it but what are you feeding him? Kitten food, plus extra kmr could be helpful, in several small meals throughout the day and have some kibble available.

Give him a muffled (wrap a towel around it) ticking clock, or a heartbeat toy. You might also give him a sock partially filled with dry beans or rice, gently microwaved, to snuggle with in his sleeping area. You'll need to maintain the warmth sock but it will be worth it if it helps him to be a little more comfortable and possibly feel a little less lost.
They are on Science Diet kitten dry and cans. The first day they got a taste of the wet they horked it down so fast as if they'd never seen food before.. especially the smaller one. It makes me wonder if he was rejected by Mom as the only remaining kitten and hadn't proper nutrition? They are also getting KMR as of today, little one only drank half a tablespoon. Should I supplement one tablespoon or one for him when it says two for orphan kittens preweaning (which obviously they're not) or one tablespoon for post weaning, for every five pounds of body weight. But he doesn't weigh five pounds. And could probably use the extra nutrients. So should we try for two? Also, it couldn't hurt to give the other kitten right?

He screams a lot more than the older one but doesn't seem to know what he is screaming for sometimes. Sometimes he will just cry at you for no apparent reason, even after the wet food portions have been placed and his belly is full. He does not purr often at all and his purr is very different than that I've ever heard of another cat, instead of a full sounding motor purr it is more clicky sounding, if you get what I mean. It is never NEARLY as loud as his brother's or out other cat's, usually you have to put your ear to him to hear anything, and that's if he even to begin with.. Little guy did fall asleep on my stomach yesterday which was sweet and my Mom caught them both sleeping with me last night, with bigger one on top of me and little one next to me. I have decided not to crate them at night anymore because I have enough trust in them at night and have been slowly giving them more reign of the house and with the other animals and they seem to be integrating well. I also have hopes for further socialization though I know it is well past the period, if they are not confined to a kennel at night, perhaps they will eventually get accustomed to sleeping through the night like all of our cats have learned to, at the very least they seem to settle down when they know we are going to bed. I also do not want to crate them so long that one day, they are a year old and finally get their first night out.. and MASS MAYHEM!!! More like "cat party" in another language LOL. But anyway they have been fine sleeping out and part of the crate reasoning was for their own safety as I carefully inspected the room to make sure it was truly kitten antic proof. Even though they did well in the crate I just don't feel they should have to be in them, after all they're cats. Any animal that can be trusted should be given more freedom if they understand the value of it. And can be invested in their safety. I will definitely try some of those tricks, my younger dog had the heartbeat toy when she was a pup and we still have some of the heating packs for it. Unfortunately, being a GSD, she got a little older and way gave up on it after replacing two of them (lol). I've seen both a purring plush toy for cats at Petsmart and also a heatable toy. I imagine the dog variety would work just as well for a cat. Thank you very much for your suggestions. Greatly appreciate it all!
 

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I used a postal scale for weighing my foster kittens. The scale is flat but there's enough room to set a bowl on it to put the kitten in. Just be sure to zero the scale with the bowl already on it.
 
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Threecatstwodogs

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I used a postal scale for weighing my foster kittens. The scale is flat but there's enough room to set a bowl on it to put the kitten in. Just be sure to zero the scale with the bowl already on it.
Where could I find one that is accurate enough? Ideally I could get one in the store and start right away. And accurate as he is so small I want to make sure I'm getting the precise weight.. I find it odd how he was recorded as being over a pound at only a week old. I forgot to mention, and maybe this is relevant, that both of the males came neutered before they got to us. Would this have any effect on the current situation?
 

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Where could I find one that is accurate enough? Ideally I could get one in the store and start right away. And accurate as he is so small I want to make sure I'm getting the precise weight.. I find it odd how he was recorded as being over a pound at only a week old. I forgot to mention, and maybe this is relevant, that both of the males came neutered before they got to us. Would this have any effect on the current situation?
It's been so long ago, I really don't remember where I got the postal scale. I know you can order them from Amazon. If you want something you can pick up right away try Office Max or Best Buy it there's one near you.

For a kitchen scale, this is the one I got my BIL for Christmas, from Bed, Bath, and Beyond.
Kitchen Scale
 
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Threecatstwodogs

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It's been so long ago, I really don't remember where I got the postal scale. I know you can order them from Amazon. If you want something you can pick up right away try Office Max or Best Buy it there's one near you.

For a kitchen scale, this is the one I got my BIL for Christmas, from Bed, Bath, and Beyond.
Kitchen Scale
We definitely have Best Buy but haven't heard of Office Max. I'm not sure BB or BB and B are considered "essential services" where I am and may not be open. What is open around here is Petsmart, Petco, Target, grocery chains, Home Depot and Lowe's I believe, Sam's Club, and the infamous hellhole of "Walmart" which I'm trying to avoid at all costs to go into.
 

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First you said that the vet wasn't concerned that your adult cat lost 3 pounds?? That is a significant lose of weight in a cat. For weighing the kitten you can pick up a postal scale at Staples or any office supply store. Preferably get one that weighs in grams and ounces. I would insist on a fecal PCR since it sounds like there is possibly a protozoa parasite involved. They will be diagnosed easier with a PCR rather than a fecal float. While line breeding can cause problems a responsible breeder calculates the inbreeding coefficient to see if it is to close of a breeding to do. Remember that you are your cats voice when it comes to medical treatment - if you don't agree, tell the vet. They may be offended, but they will just have to get over it. It is your cat and you know it better than a vet who sees them for 10 minutes on a visit. I once took a litter in who was having diarrhea and the vet blew it off saying they were just to old to be nursing. I always allow the Mom to wean them when she is ready. I disagreed with him and insisted they test for giardia, which he insisted it wasn't. The test came back positive. That was not fun, treating every animal in the house!!
 

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Did you try a ticking clock when he's crying? Or, as you've been doing, have him on your chest when he's crying. Your beating heart calms him :).

That clicking sound isn't constant, is it?

Are you thinking of syringe feeding him? I'm not sure it's necessary unless he begins to refuse the kmr or starts losing weight. You can give the other kitten kmr too :)
 
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I won't say the vet did anything wrong here, since your mom just brought the kittens in to make sure they're generally healthy (which they were at the time), I'm not sure most vets would do testing and stuff in that situation unless the owner asked for it. So I'd take them back to the vet, talk about your concerns, ask for testing, etc.

Some kittens do grow slower than others but I'm kind of afraid this little guy is fading and you don't want that.

I'd give him as much KMR as he wants.
 
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First you said that the vet wasn't concerned that your adult cat lost 3 pounds?? That is a significant lose of weight in a cat. For weighing the kitten you can pick up a postal scale at Staples or any office supply store. Preferably get one that weighs in grams and ounces. I would insist on a fecal PCR since it sounds like there is possibly a protozoa parasite involved. They will be diagnosed easier with a PCR rather than a fecal float. While line breeding can cause problems a responsible breeder calculates the inbreeding coefficient to see if it is to close of a breeding to do. Remember that you are your cats voice when it comes to medical treatment - if you don't agree, tell the vet. They may be offended, but they will just have to get over it. It is your cat and you know it better than a vet who sees them for 10 minutes on a visit. I once took a litter in who was having diarrhea and the vet blew it off saying they were just to old to be nursing. I always allow the Mom to wean them when she is ready. I disagreed with him and insisted they test for giardia, which he insisted it wasn't. The test came back positive. That was not fun, treating every animal in the house!!
Yes she said it "wasn't very much weight" and that they "couldn't find a previous weight on him" ok well that doesn't mean he didn't lose it.. then somehow came to the conclusion he lost 2.70 or 2.80 lbs? If they didn't have a previous weight how would they calculate that, and how would they not have a previous weight anyway when all the animals go regularly?! Unbelieveable. Even the larger part of two lbs plus is a significant percentage of body mass for a cat, I would say..

Also, just to update, we purchased a kitchen scale from Walmart, with the largest platform we could find (some are tiny) and I went and picked it up and it says he is about 2.50 lbs. Better than we thought. Hopefully this is a more acceptable weight.
 
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