Diarrhea For Both Kittens

[nerdgirl5]

Hi there,

I have two kittens (one is 7 1/2 months old, the other 6 1/2 months old). Yesterday, the older one of them had liquid diarrhea--twice (in the evening, she first did poops outside of the litter box, then liquid diarrhea inside near the side). The younger one (last night) had mostly normal-ish poops, but also a little wet.

This morning, the older one hasn't gone to the bathroom yet, but the younger one had liquid diarrhea.

Here's what's changed:

They've been totally fine, eating fancy feast kitten wet food with a little orijen dry cat and kitten mixed in (for over a month). About 5 days ago, I started mixing in a little cats in the kitchen chicken frick a zee with the fancy feast. Still fine. Two days ago, I added one little kernel of a treat (a freeze-dried chicken from pure bits).

Of course I thought it was the pure bits, but I eliminated that this morning and the younger one still had the liquid diarrhea. Also, both of them haven't eaten as much as they normally do (they normally lick their plates clean). Adding to the mix: the LOVE the pure bits snacks and when I added one each to their plates last night, they RACED over to eat it.

Since it's both of them, I suspect it's the food.

Aside from the diarrhea and being a little less active than normal, they seem fine.

So: should I go back to ground zero (meaning just fancy feast) and take it from there?

 

[FeebysOwner]

Yes, I think you should start over, wait until the diarrhea is completely gone, and then add one new food - in a very small amount to begin with - with increases, if applicable, in the amount over a week or two. Then, proceed - or backtrack - depending on what happens.

 

[nerdgirl5]

I'm going to do something like that. Just go back to Fancy Feast and possibly add some pumpkin puree (when they were younger and had diarrhea regularly from stress of moving and new food that really helped clear up the diarrhea in a day). Then after a week, start adding the dry, then the frick a zee, etc.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Let us know how that goes!!!

 

[nerdgirl5]

Thanks! Will do.

 

[nerdgirl5]

UPDATE: So this morning, Huey (the 6 1 /2 month old) had normal poops.

Gomez (the 7 1/2 month old with the more sensitive tummy hasn't pooped yet).

I've been feeding them pumpkin puree mixed in with the Fancy Feast Kitten, plus a few pieces of Orijen Cat & Kitten dry and some FortiFlora sprinkled on top.

Last night, they were both super active--a good sign.

Both of them don't gobble the food, though. I suspect that's more a taste thing. They LOVE the Cats in the Kitchen Frick a Zee chicken but I'm going to re-introduce it slowly after a week or so of the above formula (if it continues to work).

 

[nerdgirl5]

UPDATE #2

Gomez (the older one) just pooped--and...normal poop!

I'm keeping them both on the pumpkin for the next few days to be on the safe side, then slowly adding the Frick a Zee back but no treats. I wonder if there is something wrong with the treats (I used to feed that brand to my old cat with no problems and he loved them) or this was just an anomaly.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Good for Huey! Not so good for Gomez.

Did you decide against going back to the just the FF?

 

[nerdgirl5]

Gomez pooped and was fine! (I realize I just typed in "normal diarhhea--just edited it to normal poop")

Re: going back to just FF, because they'd been eating the Orijen with no problem for the past 3 months--it wasn't a new bag--so I thought there wouldn't be a problem. I suspect the issue was with the Pure Bits. But I'll find out when I re-introduce the Frick A Zee. So far, fingers crossed, they're ok.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Gomez pooped and was fine! (I realize I just typed in "normal diarhhea--just edited it to normal poop")

Oh - great!! That makes a world of difference! And, yay!!

 

[nerdgirl5]

Thank you!! And yes,

 

[nerdgirl5]

UPDATE 3--So last night, they both were feeling great and started doing kitten things--racing around the house, trying to knock stuff over, etc. They had A LOT of energy--I think because they had the diarrhea before. So we all stayed up till about 3:45am.

Woke up this morning and both weren't that hungry (they had completely eaten their meals the night before). Wouldn't touch the food. Then Gomez threw up--just foam (no food or hairballs). Then Huey started eating. She didn't.

I decided to put some Cats in the kitchen Frick a Zee in her bowl. She gobbled it right up.

The rest of the day, both mostly ate the Frick a Zee with the Orijen and didn't touch most of the Fancy Feast. (that's part of the problem with the Frick a Zee type food--mostly they don't want to eat other stuff after eating it--sigh).

Just now, both pooped and both had diarrhea. Gomez worse than Huey, but still.

But after she pooped, she seemed more energetic. I'm wondering if the Frick a Zee has issues in the cans. Either way, they're back on the Fancy Feast and pumpkin tomorrow and I'm calling the vet to be on the safe side.