Experiencing severe kitty blues after getting two kittens, any advice would be appreciated!!

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kittyblues1984

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Btw, luckily tonight my sister was at my place so she helped me hold her up while I clean it up. Since I live alone currently, I'm also looking for tips on how to deal with this or if anyone has dealt with this on their own.
 

Whenallhellbreakslose

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TLDR: Got two kittens a little over a month ago and experiencing regret, anxiety and I think what they call the kitty blues. Any help/advice for anyone who can relate would be much appreciated!

Backstory:

I have been wanting cats for the past 2 years, I read extensively about them, watched Youtube videos, cat-sitted for a couple of friends (each time around 2+ weeks, so I thought I was getting a good idea of how to live with cats). I settled on wanting Ragdoll cats based on their personality and demeanor and thought they will be good for a first time cat owner. (Note that I did not grow up with any pets, so this is my first time owning pets).

So after extensive research, my boyfriend and I located reputable breeders and was on a waitlist for around 6 months. Two kittens from two different breeders became available on the same time and we decided to get them both. We initially only wanted one but we were advised by multiple people to get two kittens so they can play with each other and burn off each other's energy. We also thought this was the perfect time as we are both WFH til mid next year so we are able to really be with the kittens full time for their kittenhood.

The first week bringing them home was blissful. We prepared separate rooms for each kitten to get acclimated to the house. We bought all the items the breeders recommended, toys, litter boxes, cat trees etc and they both appear to settle in well, and clearly well socialized by the breeders. They love cuddles, OK with being picked up, gentle around us. We introduced them to each other after around a week and they got along immediately.

Issue:

In the middle of the second week, issues started occurring. One of the kitties started to not eat, and took multiple vet trips to fix the issue. After that was over, the other kitten had watery diarrhea and got it all over her fur and the house at 2 AM. This happened twice. I only slept for 3 hours each night then. After we got her stomach issue resolved, now the other kitten is having soft stool, and having poop consistently stuck to his fur, meaning we have to repeatedly cut his butt hair and wipe his butt. (We are working with a vet to get this issue resolved)

This is where things start to go downhill for me. I'm starting to become very anxious, since I did not anticipate this many health problems so early on and start fearing for the day more serious health issues will happen. I also started becoming very paranoid about their poopy butts being everywhere and constantly checking for poop. I'm also feeling this really deep seated fear of being responsible for not only one BUT TWO creatures. I've always been used to living life just thinking about my own needs and health, but having two creatures fully dependent on me is putting me on the verge of anxiety attacks. I also feel guilty that that I don't spend enough time with them (I spend around 2 hours per day playing with them, broken up throughout the day, and they play with each other constantly too when I'm working), and just not sure if I'm good enough for them.

I'm now at the point where I feel immense regret ever getting these kittens. If I could turn back time, I wish I just stuck with cat-sitting for friends and never attempted this. I know that I will never get anymore pets after this. I'm thinking of returning one of the cats to the breeders where I know he will be cared for greatly (she explicitly stated in her contract that she will take back any of her cats should we not be able to care for it anymore and I saw firsthand the loving environment the kitten was bred in), and try to stick it out with just one cat and see how I feel.
It's weird that I love these creatures and I want to cry just thinking about the potential of giving them up, but I also am starting to somewhat resent them. I also feel immensely guilty for feeling this way, I wanted to provide them a forever home, give them the happiest and best life ever and now I feel that is an insurmountable task that is detrimental to my mental health.

I recognize that my anxiety is the problem. But at what point do I just throw the towel and say my mental health is more important? How many more months should I give it an honest try before I give up? Anyone who have experienced kitty blues have any advice or stories of how they overcame it, and how long it took them?

Thank you everyone who read the whole post.
Instead of kitty blues it sounds like "the what the heck did I get myself into" blues. You weren't expecting these problems and it has thrown you for a loop. It is a huge adjustment becoming a new pet owner and their are going to be changes to your lifestyle. This is something pet parents should really think about before they adopt. Do you really know what you are getting into? The next thing is getting the pet that would fit into your household best. Kittens are not the right choice for everyone because they require a lot more attention and overall work in taking care of them. Perhaps an adult cat would have been a better fit for your household.

Then their is the matter of the bouts of diarrhea and their health issues. Did the vet get to the root of these issues. I have taken in outdoor kitties who had diarrhea and were vomiting & when I took them to the vet it was discovered they had Giardia (parasitic infection). I had to have them on multiple rounds of treatment before it cleared up. That is one cause of kittens having GI issues. In your case it could be as simple as the cats having a sensitive stomach or maybe a bad reaction to the food you feed them. Are you sticking to what they were fed in the shelter? If you switch food brands too quickly on the kittens it may cause them to get sick.

Please don't be easily scared off by these problems. Once I got over that difficult period with the street kitties I took in being sick, things got a lot better and the kittens were a joy to have around. Give it a little more time, don't make rash decisions while you are feeling the blues. If you still feel the same way when some time has passed than return the kittens to the breeders. Explain that you think that your home is not the right one for these kitties and you want them to find their furever home. Don't be hard on yourself if this happens, you tried and realized it the kitties would be better elsewhere.

Well, I wish you all the best. Goodnite.🙂

P.S. It is best that kittens stay in pairs or be adopted into a household with a young cat. It is better in the long run unless the kitten has shown it does not want the company of other kitties.
 
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kittyblues1984

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Instead of kitty blues it sounds like "the what the heck did I get myself into" blues. You weren't expecting these problems and it has thrown you for a loop. It is a huge adjustment becoming a new pet owner and their are going to be changes to your lifestyle. This is something pet parents should really think about before they adopt. Do you really know what you are getting into? The next thing is getting the pet that would fit into your household best. Kittens are not the right choice for everyone because they require a lot more attention and overall work in taking care of them. Perhaps an adult cat would have been a better fit for your household.

Then their is the matter of the bouts of diarrhea and their health issues. Did the vet get to the root of these issues. I have taken in outdoor kitties who had diarrhea and were vomiting & when I took them to the vet it was discovered they had Giardia (parasitic infection). I had to have them on multiple rounds of treatment before it cleared up. That is one cause of kittens having GI issues. In your case it could be as simple as the cats having a sensitive stomach or maybe a bad reaction to the food you feed them. Are you sticking to what they were fed in the shelter? If you switch food brands too quickly on the kittens it may cause them to get sick.

Please don't be easily scared off by these problems. Once I got over that difficult period with the street kitties I took in being sick, things got a lot better and the kittens were a joy to have around. Give it a little more time, don't make rash decisions while you are feeling the blues. If you still feel the same way when some time has passed than return the kittens to the breeders. Explain that you think that your home is not the right one for these kitties and you want them to find their furever home. Don't be hard on yourself if this happens, you tried and realized it the kitties would be better elsewhere.

Well, I wish you all the best. Goodnite.🙂

P.S. It is best that kittens stay in pairs or be adopted into a household with a young cat. It is better in the long run unless the kitten has shown it does not want the company of other kitties.
Thank you so much for taking the time to type out a response.

So more context - the first kitten who got diarrhea, I suspect she ate something off the ground. She managed to get into the kitchen even though I blocked it off with some pet gates. I left her for 5 minutes to go the bathroom and came out seeing her on the kitchen floor chew something but could not identify what it was. 1.5 hour later, she was having diarrhea. The vet put her on a bland diet and some antibiotics. I also got her feces analyzed for parasites/worms and came back normal. She was OK after 2 days, and had one more bout of diarrhea, and after a week on bland diet, she's been reintroduced to her regular food and stable for a little over a week (fingers crossed!)

The second kitty who wouldn't eat was ultimately prescribed antibiotics for potential URI. After the antibiotic course, his appetite returned to normal however his stool started to become a little soft and sticky which is why it keeps sticking to his bottom (not watery, but just soft serve consistency). Vet prescribed some probiotics to help firm things up in case the antibiotics messed up his system, and its been 2 days of good poop from him so far. Also sent in fecal samples and waiting to hear back on the results this week!

I'm also feeding them the same things they were given by the breeders.

You are right that I might have underestimated the amount of attention /issues that a kitty would have. I talked to a couple of my friends who had kittens and they all said it was manageable, but then again maybe they are a lot more resilient than I am :(

I'm going to see how I feel in another month or two, combined with therapy and hopefully get to a more level headed place to make a rational decision that will be best for everyone involved <3
 

Furballsmom

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A hygiene trim, under their tail and along the upper back of their hind legs can help with those sticky dingleberries. I have to keep my 15 year old boy trimmed all the time :)

By the way, I wanted to mention that I added to that other post of mine, number 19.
 

Whenallhellbreakslose

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Thank you so much for taking the time to type out a response.

So more context - the first kitten who got diarrhea, I suspect she ate something off the ground. She managed to get into the kitchen even though I blocked it off with some pet gates. I left her for 5 minutes to go the bathroom and came out seeing her on the kitchen floor chew something but could not identify what it was. 1.5 hour later, she was having diarrhea. The vet put her on a bland diet and some antibiotics. I also got her feces analyzed for parasites/worms and came back normal. She was OK after 2 days, and had one more bout of diarrhea, and after a week on bland diet, she's been reintroduced to her regular food and stable for a little over a week (fingers crossed!)

The second kitty who wouldn't eat was ultimately prescribed antibiotics for potential URI. After the antibiotic course, his appetite returned to normal however his stool started to become a little soft and sticky which is why it keeps sticking to his bottom (not watery, but just soft serve consistency). Vet prescribed some probiotics to help firm things up in case the antibiotics messed up his system, and its been 2 days of good poop from him so far. Also sent in fecal samples and waiting to hear back on the results this week!

I'm also feeding them the same things they were given by the breeders.

You are right that I might have underestimated the amount of attention /issues that a kitty would have. I talked to a couple of my friends who had kittens and they all said it was manageable, but then again maybe they are a lot more resilient than I am :(

I'm going to see how I feel in another month or two, combined with therapy and hopefully get to a more level headed place to make a rational decision that will be best for everyone involved <3
Well, I wish you all the best. One thing came to my mind. You must make sure your home is completely kitten proof where kitties can't get a hold of anything bad. They can be very mischievous and get into things in no time.

TG your vet prescribed probiotics. I am happy when I see a medical professional prescribe that. Too much antibiotics or a very strong prescription can make things much worse (e.g. Antibiotic resistant diarrhea).

Well, take it one day at a time and see how everything goes. I hope everything works out for the best. 🙂
 

Jcatbird

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It’s going to get easier. Kittens do need more attention, especially in the beginning BUT they don’t stay kittens. I think we all have moments where we get stressed or tired. That’s normal . Your NF has to leave too do that must be hard for you. I had a thought though. How would you feel being alone there without the kittens! They do provide companionship and distraction fro everything else that may be going on. I bet the house would feel retry empty and way too quiet now that you have had them around. Often, it’s true that we don’t miss what we’ve got until it’s gone. These little ones are work. You got floof kitties but trimming the fur around their bottoms will hall. I have a couple of floofs too. Do you drink a relaxing tea? Do you have a favorite food you could just sit back and enjoy? Maybe sit down somewhere and give the two kitties something they can do together, like catnip, and just watch the antics. Let them amuse you and laugh for a little while? Along with stress, there is great joy in the antics of a kitty of any age. It sounds like you need some time for the really fun parts of having kitties. They are wonderful at giving us joy, companionship and at being comforting when we are down. As you and these kitties learn more about each other, the bond becomes strong. I hope the poop issues end so you can start enjoying everything. :alright:
 
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