Food For Kitten With Diarrhea (already Getting Medication)

david68

TCS Member
Thread starter
Adult Cat
Joined
Oct 15, 2014
Messages
204
Purraise
153
It turns out that a kitten that turned up out of nowhere at my cat colony is only about 8 weeks old. For years, the only cats that have showed up at my colony have been adults, so I'm not an expert on kittens.

He's on Albon and Metronidazole for the diarrhea, and I've been feeding him canned food for kittens, which he is eating. But is there anything that would be easier on his tummy while he's recovering from whatever gave him diarrhea and terrible gas?
 

1 bruce 1

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Apr 8, 2016
Messages
5,948
Purraise
14,439
It turns out that a kitten that turned up out of nowhere at my cat colony is only about 8 weeks old. For years, the only cats that have showed up at my colony have been adults, so I'm not an expert on kittens.

He's on Albon and Metronidazole for the diarrhea, and I've been feeding him canned food for kittens, which he is eating. But is there anything that would be easier on his tummy while he's recovering from whatever gave him diarrhea and terrible gas?
What brand of kitten food is he on now?
I wonder if something (very short term) like boiled chicken if he'll eat it, or all meat baby food (no onions), or even tuna (pretty low fat, so helpful for GI problems).
Something like forti-flora probiotic would be very good to start giving and keep him on it for a week or better after the antibiotics are done.
 

StefanZ

Advisor
Staff Member
Advisor
Joined
Sep 18, 2005
Messages
25,995
Purraise
10,642
Location
Sweden
Yes unflavored pedialyte is essential as diarrhea causes salt losses.

Some nice probiotic could help some.

Goats milk or kmr it you want something really mild for stomach.
 

1 bruce 1

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Apr 8, 2016
Messages
5,948
Purraise
14,439
The Kitten Lady has a nice video and article about diarrhea in kittens. She recommends giving unflavored pedialyte to help prevent dehydration, and a probiotic, like fortiflora, like others have suggested.

Diarrhea — Kitten Lady
I learned awhile back that unflavored pedialyte is a good thing to have on hand, always. You just never know.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #7

david68

TCS Member
Thread starter
Adult Cat
Joined
Oct 15, 2014
Messages
204
Purraise
153
Thanks for the replies! He's getting better, and his appetite is very good, eating two small cans of wet food a day now. Poop has gone from yellow to brown, and is getting firmer. I'll get some probiotics to reset his digestive system in the wake of the antibiotics. He was extremely gassy, but that has abated.

Now I've got to scrub the whole bathroom. One kitten with diarrhea can make an awful mess :-(
 

abyeb

Charlie's Purrson
Veteran
Joined
Feb 18, 2017
Messages
7,565
Purraise
9,599
Thanks for the replies! He's getting better, and his appetite is very good, eating two small cans of wet food a day now. Poop has gone from yellow to brown, and is getting firmer. I'll get some probiotics to reset his digestive system in the wake of the antibiotics. He was extremely gassy, but that has abated.

Now I've got to scrub the whole bathroom. One kitten with diarrhea can make an awful mess :-(
I'm glad to hear that he's doing better! :heartshape:
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #11

david68

TCS Member
Thread starter
Adult Cat
Joined
Oct 15, 2014
Messages
204
Purraise
153
While I was cleaning the bathroom today, he pooped in the carrier on a puppy pad, and the poop was greyish. One kitten poop guide suggests that grey poop may indicate over-feeding. I haven't dealt with a kitten this young in a while. Should an 8-9 week old kitten be eating two 3oz. cans of wet food per day, or is that too much? I thought kittens needed all the calories they could get, but maybe he's eating too much?

The chart also said that it could be a lack of probiotics, and he has been on Albon and Metronidazole for a few days, so that may have nuked his gut flora.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #14

david68

TCS Member
Thread starter
Adult Cat
Joined
Oct 15, 2014
Messages
204
Purraise
153
Just to follow up, things have been slowly improving, and he had his first completely "normal" poop today, two weeks and two days after finding him outdoors. I'm sure both of us are glad I won't have to dip him in the sink to wash his back end off again, even though he was really an angel through all of it.
 
Top