Help on determining if one of my kittens may be fading

[Momo97]

Me and my girlfriend were given these two kittens Ace(left) and Zoro(right) that were 4 week old about and this was about 2 weeks ago.They had fleas and seemed to be in not the best health. Zoro was throwing up 2-3 times each day throughout the weeks up until today. While Ace 2 or 3 times during each week. At the moment neither kitten has thrown up in the past 2 days. We had switched to a different food recommended by the Vet we took them too. As well as Zoro was having small amounts of blood in his poop up until a few days ago. The vet took a stool sample of Zoro and called back yesterday saying he didn’t have parasites and to just monitor him. We were told we had to wait until 2 months to use any type of flea medicine so we have been giving them dawn soap baths every day. Ace is definitely more playful while Zoro just wants to cuddle all the time. They are eating similiar amounts of food.Our main concern right now is that Zoro is not growing at the same rate as Ace and just wanted to see if we could get any advice. After looking up possible causes and coming across FKS and the mortality rates of kittens we are getting nervous.

Thank you so much in advance

 

[StefanZ]

Them growing differently is in part individual... Also, its not sure they are from the same litter! Esp as one is tabby and the other not. Even if this can happen if the tabby parent is heterozygot on the tabby gene. (has just one tabby gene).

How much do they add every day? One raisning more is OK, as long the other raise too decently... 10+ grammes a day is what we hope for, but some kittens raise even 20+...

What kmr do you use?
Can you get goats milk? And specifically, raw goats milk? Goats milk is always an ok alternative to a cheap kmr, but raw goats milk does have some potential advantages... And it would be my advice you try with this.

If they are flea free now, and you dont have any fleas, you dont need to bathe them with dawn soap water no longer.

What amounts of the kmr do you give? Do you give till they had enough? its easy to give too little...

 

[StefanZ]

ps. its soon time to begin to wean them. But as they have sensitive tummy, and has stopped vomiting just recently, do not have any hurry with changing of what is working for now.

 

[Kris107]

Was there always a size difference or has Ace grown that much while Zoro stayed small? You said Zoro tends to cuddle more, not as into play as Ace. That does concern me a little. When Zoro has been to the vet, no temperature? His diarrhea is still resolved? They can definitely grow at different rates a bit, but sometimes a kitten who loves to cuddle and not play is also a sign they don't feel well or is sort of lethargy.

 

[StefanZ]

DOES Zorro has diarrheas? If so, he must also have some extra electrolytes, ie salts... The easiest and quickest is to sprinkle a little table salt into his kmr.
Or dilute the kmr not with water but with minerale water or even better, flavorless pedialyte for children.

Because, having diarrheas, they also lose electrolytes / salts.

Its a little funny vet found no parasites. Because, moms whom arent strictly indoor, very often have round worms, and thus, their kittens too.
And fleas are inbetween hosts of tape worms... So a kitten whom was flea infested, do often have tape worms.

Do you have access to Milbomax? Here in Sweden is it prescriptiions free.
Its MILD, may be given to healthy kittens 2+ weeks, and takes both round worms and tape worms.

 

[Momo97]

Them growing differently is in part individual... Also, its not sure they are from the same litter! Esp as one is tabby and the other not. Even if this can happen if the tabby parent is heterozygot on the tabby gene. (has just one tabby gene).

How much do they add every day? One raisning more is OK, as long the other raise too decently... 10+ grammes a day is what we hope for, but some kittens raise even 20+...

What kmr do you use?
Can you get goats milk? And specifically, raw goats milk? Goats milk is always an ok alternative to a cheap kmr, but raw goats milk does have some potential advantages... And it would be my advice you try with this.

If they are flea free now, and you dont have any fleas, you dont need to bathe them with dawn soap water no longer.

What amounts of the kmr do you give? Do you give till they had enough? its easy to give too little...

Did not know about them comign from different litters! Unfortunately we currently dont have a scale so we are unable to weight them. They both were slightly over .5 pounds at the vet last Thursday with Ace being slightly heavier (both were under .6 pounds). For KMR we have not been giving them anything only the food the Vet recommended which is the Purina pro plan for kittens. The vet did not mention anything to us about using a KMR!!! As far the goat milk im going to try to see if theres any way i can obtain some! For the Fleas we are still seeing a couple and after each bath we are seeing them come out with the water as well as when drying them.

 

[Momo97]

Was there always a size difference or has Ace grown that much while Zoro stayed small? You said Zoro tends to cuddle more, not as into play as Ace. That does concern me a little. When Zoro has been to the vet, no temperature? His diarrhea is still resolved? They can definitely grow at different rates a bit, but sometimes a kitten who loves to cuddle and not play is also a sign they don't feel well or is sort of lethargy.

When we got them they were the same size, last thursday at the vet they both weighed over .5 pounds but under .6 pounds with Ace being the slightest heavier. Zoro will play with Ace and has energy but any chance he can get to cuddle he wants that the most! At the vet they did not take temperatures just weighed them, took a look, and got the stool sample to test. They both seem to be pooping more normal now , slightly mushy not hard or solid but I also wouldn’t call it diarrhea. Zoro also Meows alot randomly while Ace not so much. It seems since last thursday Ace has been steadly growing while Zoro has not.

 

[Momo97]

DOES Zorro has diarrheas? If so, he must also have some extra electrolytes, ie salts... The easiest and quickest is to sprinkle a little table salt into his kmr.
Or dilute the kmr not with water but with minerale water or even better, flavorless pedialyte for children.

Because, having diarrheas, they also lose electrolytes / salts.

Its a little funny vet found no parasites. Because, moms whom arent strictly indoor, very often have round worms, and thus, their kittens too.
And fleas are inbetween hosts of tape worms... So a kitten whom was flea infested, do often have tape worms.

Do you have access to Milbomax? Here in Sweden is it prescriptiions free.
Its MILD, may be given to healthy kittens 2+ weeks, and takes both round worms and tape worms.

I will look into the milbomax or something similiar, we are located in USA so i dont know if i will be able to buy that specifically. Zoro ia not having diarrhea but alao not having hard stiff poops they are slightly mushy and currently havent been aeeing blood in it. Regardless would it be safe to give them something you mentioned for electrolytes even if they don’t necessarily need it ? I would like to do that to just be safe and make aurw theyre fully hydrated. Truthfully from what you and the other person was stating asking about what temps where, the KMR, and the stool sample as our vet did neither of the first two im starting to think if he even actually cared about what could happen to them as me and my girlfriend both agreed it seemed like we were rushed through the appointment.

 

[Sarthur2]

I would give both kittens KMR to drink daily along with their food. Try Purina Kitten chow and soften it with the KMR. Walmart sells powdered PetAg KMR in a can, as well as the kitten chow. Pick up a couple jars of Gerber turkey or chicken meat baby food and see if the little kitten will lap it. It’s all protein and easy on the tummy.

If the mushy stools continue, see a different vet. Sometimes kittens can have an intestinal bacterial infection, and/or parasites (such as giardia or coccidia) that are not picked up in the stool sample, but which a medication such as metronidazole can knock out.

I would not bathe them every single day. They need their natural oils in their skin. Comb them daily for fleas with a flea comb — also at Walmart. You can pick up a digital kitchen scale that weighs in grams and ounces while you’re at it. It’s the best way to know gains or losses.

I would worry less about their personality differences regarding playing, snuggling, meowing, etc. They are just different kittens. The main issue is they need to grow steadily right now.

 

[StefanZ]

Kitten poo usually is NOT hard as from adult cats. A typical description is tooth paste consistency...

But some extra electrolytes sholdnt hurt anyway. Flavorless pedialyte for children, or a good minerale water are useful for this.

If you have possibility, do weight them in grammes. Its easier to see exctly what is what, and the daily changes....