Kitten Crying in litter box......is she just scared?

AriRio

TCS Member
Thread starter
Young Cat
Joined
Aug 2, 2021
Messages
55
Purraise
31
I might have put this is the wrong place.....i just adopted two almost 12 week old kittens yesterday. This is not my first time with a kitten - i fostered 3 kittens for a few weeks like 13 years ago and got my last cat 12 years ago.
My one kitten Orion is a little small/underweight, but he is active, plays, uses the litter box and eats well - i am giving him extra to help him gain more weight. He seems the more confident and has settled in nicely, though i still have them limoted to my bedroom/bathroom area.
The other one, Artemis, is about 3 lbs. She too plays amd eats well. I havent really seen her drink anything, but today i got out thr water fountain and she seems to like it. But there might be an issue in the litter box.
I saw Artemis use the litter box when i picked her up - no issues. And there was 3 poops and two pees overnight between the 2 of them. Today, twice, ive heard Artemis meow in the litter box. I believe she peed and pooped at the first time, but not sure. The second time i heard her meowing....i peeked at her and saw her did and squat (like she was peeing) before standing up, digging around some mkre, squattng again (high squat) and having a poop (though just a small one). It doesn't appear she is straining.
When i was bringing the kittens home, one of the pooped and she ended up with a lot on her nether area. I cleanes her up when we got home. She has not settled as well as Orion has and does meow a lot (then Orion goes running to her and she fine....they might also be playing hide ans seek).
I am having a lot of anxiety these days. My last cat had some issues with poop and pee and maybe i am just paranoid. I am calling my vet tomorrow to make an appointment for them. Should i be worried about Artemis? Other then this litterbox issue she has been fine - playful, running around jumping, eating, wrestling with Orion. I am trying not to worry and not to hover because that can affect them too. Any feedback welcome.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #2

AriRio

TCS Member
Thread starter
Young Cat
Joined
Aug 2, 2021
Messages
55
Purraise
31
Sorry i should add.....when she first squatted like shebwas going to pee, there was nothing there. They are just small so their squats put them right close to the litter
 

mrsgreenjeens

Every Life Should Have Nine Cats
Staff Member
Advisor
Joined
Aug 13, 2009
Messages
16,391
Purraise
7,130
Location
Arizona
I have a cat who for years and years, from the time he was a kitten until he was probably seven or eight years old "announced" every time he went into the litterbox. So I would say "good boy" and that would be that. He never had any issues until one UTI at age eleven, and hasn't had any since. Maybe Artemis is simply letting you know she's in there :dunno:? You're not using clumping cat litter yet are you? They need non-clumping until around 16 weeks. Maybe she just wasn't happy with the hole she dug with the first squat and that's why there wasn't anything there!

I haven't had a kitten for twelve years now, so don't recall how much they pee, but I would just try to catch her in the act to make sure everything is working fine. If she is doing everything else like a normal kitten, I'm guessing she's AOK, but the Vet visit is a good idea anyway, so everyone has a baseline on the new kits.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #4

AriRio

TCS Member
Thread starter
Young Cat
Joined
Aug 2, 2021
Messages
55
Purraise
31
I have a cat who for years and years, from the time he was a kitten until he was probably seven or eight years old "announced" every time he went into the litterbox. So I would say "good boy" and that would be that. He never had any issues until one UTI at age eleven, and hasn't had any since. Maybe Artemis is simply letting you know she's in there :dunno:? You're not using clumping cat litter yet are you? They need non-clumping until around 16 weeks. Maybe she just wasn't happy with the hole she dug with the first squat and that's why there wasn't anything there!

I haven't had a kitten for twelve years now, so don't recall how much they pee, but I would just try to catch her in the act to make sure everything is working fine. If she is doing everything else like a normal kitten, I'm guessing she's AOK, but the Vet visit is a good idea anyway, so everyone has a baseline on the new kits.
Good evening and thank you for responding. I am using a clumping litter....why is it not good for kittens? Im pretty sure i used it with my last guy. After i posted she did go to the litter box and peed and pooped, but was diarrhea. I offered her some wet food but she didnt want it.
Funny enough, he brother meowed on bis way to the box.
 

mrsgreenjeens

Every Life Should Have Nine Cats
Staff Member
Advisor
Joined
Aug 13, 2009
Messages
16,391
Purraise
7,130
Location
Arizona
I'm glad you saw her peeing. The diarrhea may be from a change in foods if you aren't feeding what they ate before. Or it could be from the stress of a new home.

Clumping litter can cause clumps in their tummies as younger kittens still tend to play with their litter and sometimes ingest it. Or have little accidents and step in it then lick their feet and legs clean and ingest it that way. You know kittens, they get into everything!
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #6

AriRio

TCS Member
Thread starter
Young Cat
Joined
Aug 2, 2021
Messages
55
Purraise
31
The other thing im struggling with is the meowing....i have no idea what they want....i know it takes time to learn, but when they are babies the meowing makes me feel like sometbing is wrong. I am trying to give them space tonight (sleeping on the coich)...and i think i need a little space too. They kept me awake most of last night with their antics. They were in my living room today because my barrier was not high enough, but its too soon for them to have full access.
 

mrsgreenjeens

Every Life Should Have Nine Cats
Staff Member
Advisor
Joined
Aug 13, 2009
Messages
16,391
Purraise
7,130
Location
Arizona
Not sure why they would be meowing unless perhaps they are hungry? Do they have access to food all the time? As kittens it's a good idea to leave out some food for them to nibble on at their leisure, aside from meal time.

It's possible they are missing the rest of their fur family, but since they have each other, I'm not sure if that would be the case or not.

Do you keep them mainly in your bedroom, is that why you slept on the couch? Since it's been awhile, maybe this article will help you feel comfortable letting them have the run of the house: Kitten Proofing Your Home: 13 Practical Tips – TheCatSite Articles
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #8

AriRio

TCS Member
Thread starter
Young Cat
Joined
Aug 2, 2021
Messages
55
Purraise
31
Good Morning,

Artemis' stools appear to be firming up a bot. Shes had some where its like diarrhea, but then part of it is formed (though really soft and wet) and others that are more like soft serve ice cream. She is still eating, playing and drinking.

Ive noticed that she meows when she digs in the litter box (not when shes actually pooping as far as i can tell). Does she maybe not like the litter?

I also noticed, more when she had puddle diarrhea, that she would drag her bum on the floor. There was nothing there though. Maybe her glads were a little full and not expressing due to the diarrhea?
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #9

AriRio

TCS Member
Thread starter
Young Cat
Joined
Aug 2, 2021
Messages
55
Purraise
31
Now my other kitten just had a soft stool (not a puddle).....good thing we go to the vet on Friday
 

mrsgreenjeens

Every Life Should Have Nine Cats
Staff Member
Advisor
Joined
Aug 13, 2009
Messages
16,391
Purraise
7,130
Location
Arizona
I've not heard of such a young cat having anal gland issues, but I guess anything is possible. I'm guessing maybe she either feels like she's not clean back there, or feels like she still needs to go a little bit, or itches :dunno:

As far as the meowing, I suspect if she didn't like the litter, she would simply go elsewhere (like the floor). How often are you cleaning out the box though? I guess it's possible she is meowing because she can't find a good spot to go in. But that would only be if the box is full. We scoop out our boxes twice per day. Just to prove you're n ot alone, here is a thread about cats meowing at or in the litterbox: Very vocal cat before pooping

Yes, it's a good thing you have a Vet visit colming up shortly. It's possible they have some sort of parasite, which is very common in kittens. Could still be a change in foods or stress though.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #11

AriRio

TCS Member
Thread starter
Young Cat
Joined
Aug 2, 2021
Messages
55
Purraise
31
I clean the litter twice a day. She only meows in the litter box when ahes going to have soft serve or puddle poops.....so weird.

Ive had a lot of anxiety since getting the kittens....no idea why. I got my last guy at 11 weeks, but he was a singleton. I fostered 3 seven week old kittens for a few weeks a year before i got my last guy (my first experiance qith cats). So i dunno why ive beem so anxious. Today has been better though
 

mrsgreenjeens

Every Life Should Have Nine Cats
Staff Member
Advisor
Joined
Aug 13, 2009
Messages
16,391
Purraise
7,130
Location
Arizona
Hoping everyday gets better and better so you can enjoy the babies and all their antics :alright:. They are only kittens once. Soon they'll turn into cats and then who knows what'll happen. They may become aloof like some cats, or may stay sort of kittenish their entire lives.
I've got one of each. the one who has stayed kittenish sometimes even looks like a big kitten
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #13

AriRio

TCS Member
Thread starter
Young Cat
Joined
Aug 2, 2021
Messages
55
Purraise
31
So i took them to the vet on Friday. Orion was starting to have some soft poops. Other then the GI issus they are perfect in every way. They stayed with the vet over night to ger some fluids (artemis was a little dehydrated) and start some antibiotics. Poop samples came back today and theres no parasites. They are responding to the antibiotics and will be on them for a week. They come home tonight :)
 

mrsgreenjeens

Every Life Should Have Nine Cats
Staff Member
Advisor
Joined
Aug 13, 2009
Messages
16,391
Purraise
7,130
Location
Arizona
Glad they basically got a clean bill of health. I'm sure you feel better now that they have been seen by the Vet. Hoping you can relax and enjoy these new babies
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #15

AriRio

TCS Member
Thread starter
Young Cat
Joined
Aug 2, 2021
Messages
55
Purraise
31
Hi!

I wanted to provide an update on my babies. It has been a very very long, poop filled few weeks. On Aug 9 i kind of spazzed and took my babies back to the vet because i couldn't handle it. They stayed for two nights (3 days) and this helped me soooo much. I realized i was having panic attacks due to massive anxiety issues that were unrelated to the kittens (though definately did not help). While at the vet they got dewormed and put on a high fiber wet food.
On aug 20 they went in for thei vaccines a follow up. Though the frequency was much improved the babies were still having some puddle poops (and others that were better). The vet assured me it was most likely from all the changes (i returned to working at the office 4 days a week on aug 13) but to be safe she gave them another round of antibiotics and dewormer and told me to keep feeding as is (still high fiber).
I am happy to report the babies have normal poops now. They finish the antibiotic on friday and ill be moving them to fancy feast kitten wet food (please no judgement). They also get some probiotics and pure pumpkin mixed in and have kibble through the day.
My anxiety is still running high but is helped by the routine of going to the office. I am also trying to remind myself that, although it seems like its been 2 months its only been 3 weeks since i got them and its ok that i am still not used to their prescence. I love them and it's so funny to watch them. I will be happier once they get off the high fibre because its making them fart a lot XD
 
Top