16 week old kitten with diarrhea

ZombieTiger

TCS Member
Thread starter
Adult Cat
Joined
Sep 23, 2020
Messages
250
Purraise
605
First time hysterical kitten parent need some advice from knowledgeable cat-gurus.

My kitten has been growing up on Friskies Adult, and I mean to have him eat Pure Natural for kittens and high protein wet food instead. I think I might have overfed and/or changed my kitten's diet a little too abruptly. He had some diarrhea when he first came here a week ago, but I assume that was just stress. His stool was solid again up until a day or two days ago, and I suspect it's because I've been a little too enthusiastic about changing his diet as well as given him way, way too much. He's otherwise behaving normaly and is curious and playful.

I've been reading that I'm supposed to give him lean meat until his stool improves, preferably turkey and maybe rice or sweet potato. It's virtually impossible to find turkey this time of the year where I live (not US), so I was wondering if I could give him boiled ground chicken meat instead? He's tummy is getting a little rest right now, but I was thinking that I could give him maybe a spoon or two of boiled chicken every 2 or 3rd hour? Should I add some white rice? He always has access to water that gets changed several times a day.

A thousand thanks to any advice!

(Sorry about the weird English).
 

white shadow

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Nov 28, 2010
Messages
3,102
Purraise
2,985
Location
CA
.
Hi Zombie Tiger !

First, rice? No. No rice:
"Do not include rice. Many vets recommend a “bland diet” of chicken and rice. Rice can ferment in the GI tract, create gas, and make the diarrhea worse." [foodfurlife.com - my-cat-has-diarrhea...]​

.I would go back to the "old" food.....you said Friskies, I think. Go back to what he was on before you (too) abruptly changed things over.

Wait a while, perhaps a week or so, then you can start - ever so slowly - to add a very small amount of the new one in every day. Do that for a few days and watch carefully what happens in the litter box. If all is OK, add a little more and watch for the result. Keep doing that until you've been able to fully replace the Friskies.

That slooooooooooooow changeover applies to almost all foods........where cats are concerned. (and, change....any change of anything in their environment needs to be done.....again.....ever so slowly! Change is very stressful for cats!]

You could offer that plain chicken, not much though, perhaps a few tiny chunks as 'treats'. I wouldn't want to add too much of a (now) 3rd type of food......best to just go back and let things settle.


....weird English?......Huh?......Where? :lol:
.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #3

ZombieTiger

TCS Member
Thread starter
Adult Cat
Joined
Sep 23, 2020
Messages
250
Purraise
605
Thank you. So, like resetting the gut in a way? I'll try that then.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #4

ZombieTiger

TCS Member
Thread starter
Adult Cat
Joined
Sep 23, 2020
Messages
250
Purraise
605
BTW, how little is a little? A teaspoon or even less?
 

white shadow

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Nov 28, 2010
Messages
3,102
Purraise
2,985
Location
CA
.
OK..........say............10%


(so, the first time you 'up' that...you'll add another 10%, making a total of 20%.....then +10=30 etc
.
 

mrsgreenjeens

Every Life Should Have Nine Cats
Staff Member
Advisor
Joined
Aug 13, 2009
Messages
16,391
Purraise
7,130
Location
Arizona
But ZombieTiger ZombieTiger , when you put that new food into his old food, you don't what to actually ADD that amount into his old food, you want to take 10% of the old food out and replace it with 10% of the new food, if that makes sense. Otherwise, he may eat too much overall and get diarrhea all over again. So all in all he will be eating the same portion as before.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #10

ZombieTiger

TCS Member
Thread starter
Adult Cat
Joined
Sep 23, 2020
Messages
250
Purraise
605
I don't want to say anything too soon, but it looks like "things" are reverting back to normal. I'll keep an eye on it for a couple of weeks more before I start replacing his food.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #12

ZombieTiger

TCS Member
Thread starter
Adult Cat
Joined
Sep 23, 2020
Messages
250
Purraise
605
I might have spoken too soon. His stool has been a little better, but for various reasons the food regime hasn't been what it should have been.

Sunday night I also found what looked like a dead and dry roundworm (cati).

The vet gave me a prescription today for a de-wormer without even seeing him, which I found a bit odd., but oh well, I guess? Some kind of Spot-On formula, the boy has smelled liked fatty old plastic all evening. We'll see.

He was supposed to be neutered on October 23., but his weight was less than 1.5 kg today and no vet around here will neuter a cat that is less than 2 kg, so that was postponed as well. I always thought he was on the small side, according to the people I got him from he's always been bony. I wonder if worms have anything to do with it?
 
Last edited:

mrsgreenjeens

Every Life Should Have Nine Cats
Staff Member
Advisor
Joined
Aug 13, 2009
Messages
16,391
Purraise
7,130
Location
Arizona
Worms can definitely keep a cat from gaining weight. AND can cause diarrhea. (often do)

Now that you applied the de-wormer, have you seen anymore evidence of worms? Hopefully if he does have them, which it seems like he probably does, you can get rid of them and he will start gaining so he can get neutered.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #14

ZombieTiger

TCS Member
Thread starter
Adult Cat
Joined
Sep 23, 2020
Messages
250
Purraise
605
Worms can definitely keep a cat from gaining weight. AND can cause diarrhea. (often do)

Now that you applied the de-wormer, have you seen anymore evidence of worms? Hopefully if he does have them, which it seems like he probably does, you can get rid of them and he will start gaining so he can get neutered.
I haven't seen any more, but it's a bit hard because of the litter sand. The boy has been pooping like a champion though.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #16

ZombieTiger

TCS Member
Thread starter
Adult Cat
Joined
Sep 23, 2020
Messages
250
Purraise
605
:(Poor baby, you have to keep him hydrated.
He's very good at drinking from his water bowl when he's eaten. He doesn't seem dehydrated and his feces isn't as watery as it was. I've been strict about what enters his mouth now as well. Dehydration is something I'm keeping my eye on for sure. Hope he gets well soon. 😐
 

codebrigadeamerica

TCS Member
Kitten
Joined
Sep 30, 2020
Messages
17
Purraise
22
He's very good at drinking from his water bowl when he's eaten. He doesn't seem dehydrated and his feces isn't as watery as it was. I've been strict about what enters his mouth now as well. Dehydration is something I'm keeping my eye on for sure. Hope he gets well soon. 😐
Good to know that. Good Luck!
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #18

ZombieTiger

TCS Member
Thread starter
Adult Cat
Joined
Sep 23, 2020
Messages
250
Purraise
605
He's more energetic and playful now, as well as putting on weight faster. I don't know if it's because of time or dewormer, but I'm leaning towards dewormer since his stool keeps getting better and he became comfortable in his new home pretty quickly.

The vet never said if he was to have both ampoules (?) of the dewormer, so I guess I have a phonecall to make.

Anyways, seems like he's doing better now! What a good boy! :D

IMG_20201021_135821.jpg
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #20

ZombieTiger

TCS Member
Thread starter
Adult Cat
Joined
Sep 23, 2020
Messages
250
Purraise
605
.
Totally 'off-topic', but...........picture perfect !

He's just precious !
.
I know how people like pictures on here. 😄

Thanks! He is a cutie pie too. He has a "grandma" who isn't really comfortable around cats, but I have no doubt they'll be good friends when she comes visiting for Christmas.

I'm definitely going to regret not getting two cats. 😅
 
Top