troubled skinny momma-cat

[lolabeck]

So, the stray pregnant cat we took in gave birth some time ago, and now the babies are about a month old. The kittens are active and playful. We took them to the vet a week ago and the kittens weighed 1 pound, or slightly less in the case of boys. The vet said that they were a little underweight but nothing to worry about. The momma cat, on the other hand, is too skinny. To our knowledge, she has been a stray cat all her life (we're guessing she is 2 years old), and she weighed less than our adopted first cat even when she was pregnant. I think the vet said that she weighs 9 pounds last week, but I am not sure. Anyway, she has premium dry food 24 hours and recently we have also given her some canned food additionally, that she seemed to like a lot. Yesterday and the day before we found diarrhea-like poop on the carpet, near the litter box. We guess it is the mom-cat, and that it has something to do with the canned food. Maybe her tummy was upset because of mixed food? Last night, when I checked on her, it seemed as if she had just puked on the floor and was licking it. She still eats the dry-food though. Its not like she stopped eating altogether. But, now I am freaking out. Our vet is not open on sundays and the nearest emergency vet is about an hour away. Does anyone have any clue WHY this is happening? Should I take her to the emergency vet, or do you think it can wait until tomorrow?
Oh, and we have also given the canned food to our other cat, and he doesn't have any problems whatever. He did not like canned food much, and wouldn't eat a lot of it, so we stopped giving canned food to him, but the momma-cat loved it and I didn't think it would hurt her. I was actually hoping that she would gain a little weight. Any ideas what is going on?

 

[beckiboo]

It does not sound to me like she needs to see the vet immediately. Did they check her and the kittens for worms? Most outside cats have worms.

My litter had their poo checked, and no worms were found...a few days later I took another sample in, and they found roundworms and tapeworms. So it is possible she and the babies are wormy, even if none showed at the vets office. This would explain the skinniness, and diarrhea.

The change in food may have caused her upset stomach, too. Go back to just the dry for now, and when her tummy settles you can try slowly reintroducing the canned food. My Momma cat looks real skinny, too. Probably the combination of worms and feeding so many kittens. Her favorite food is the cheap canned Friskies with all the gravy. I give cans of kitten food, too, which she cleans up when the babies are done. I hope after she finishes getting rid of the worms and the kittens grow up she will fill out a little.

Then call the vet tomorrow, to get their advice!

 

[familytimerags]

I agree, I would check for worms. The canned food could have caused stomach upset as well. You might try Hils A/D canned food, it is easily digestible for Momma and the kittens. Your vet can write you prescription for it, and you can go to Petsmart to pick it up.
It is probably a lot on her body to nurse the kittens, she will begin to gain more as she begins weaning.

 

[charmed654321]

If the Mom is nursing still, she should be given kitten food, not adult food, and should stay on that until the kittens are weaned. And leave out dry food so she can eat as much as she wants any time. (don't leave dry for the kittens right away, add some warm water to it for them). Although mom might like it with warm water also, Deja Vu did.

I was told by my vet that 8-1 dewormer (I got it at walmart and it wasn't very expensive) was okay to use, and the package said you can use it on kittens over 6 weeks old (I made sure I followed the dosage directions exactly). I gave it to Mom and the kittens when the kittens were about 7 weeks old (just to give them a bit more time).

Just do them together or they'll give each other worms back and forth.

Once she starts weaning the kittens she should start gaining weight.

You can also give her some kmr if you have it also.

 

[familytimerags]

I respectfully disagree about the wormer medications at any store. They have other ingredients in them, that are not needed. I am unsure of the effectiveness of these wormers.
I also believe that kittens should be wormed prior to 6 weeks old. I usually worm once between 3-4 weeks and again a couple of weeks later. You can take in a stool sample, and the vet should give you a worming medication along with the correct dosing for the weight of kitten.
More than one worming is needed in the case of some parasites, so worming 2-3 times before they leave home at 10-12 weeks old works well, and of course don't forget to de-worm Momma kitty as well.

 

[momof3rugratz]

Also mom can have KMR if she is nursing and is skinny.

 

[lolabeck]

Thank you very much for all your advice. I have just checked on the mom-cat, and found a weird puddle of goo on the floor. She is acting as if nothing happened, and she is eating her dry food right now. I have decided to call the vet first thing in the morning.
The momma cat did have roundworms, but all of them got dewormed at the vet's office last weekend, and the mom-cat got her first vaccinations. We only buy kitten food, Hill's Science Diet kitten dry food and Innova Eco cat/kitten formula canned food, since our other cat is also younger than a year old. All cats have dry food available all the time. I will stop giving any other form of food for some time, and talk to my vet.
The momma-cat is teaching the babies to eat dry food. She breaks the dry food into smaller pieces and makes a mess around the food bowl. The babies seem to eat the smaller pieces easily, but the mom-cat still nurses them sometimes. They also drink water.
Hopefully they will all be okay.

 

[beckiboo]

I'm not sure what your vet used for wormer...my vet uses Strongid (I think the generic is pyrantel pamoate) because it is so safe. But he recommends redosing the strongid every week for 4 weeks. Then a day or two after each worming, I clean out all the litterboxes with bleach, and start with fresh litter. Maybe your kids (and Momma) just need their second dose of wormer?

Talk to the vet tomorrow.

 

[momof3rugratz]

Originally Posted by lolabeck

Thank you very much for all your advice. I have just checked on the mom-cat, and found a weird puddle of goo on the floor. She is acting as if nothing happened, and she is eating her dry food right now. I have decided to call the vet first thing in the morning.
The momma cat did have roundworms, but all of them got dewormed at the vet's office last weekend, and the mom-cat got her first vaccinations. We only buy kitten food, Hill's Science Diet kitten dry food and Innova Eco cat/kitten formula canned food, since our other cat is also younger than a year old. All cats have dry food available all the time. I will stop giving any other form of food for some time, and talk to my vet.
The momma-cat is teaching the babies to eat dry food. She breaks the dry food into smaller pieces and makes a mess around the food bowl. The babies seem to eat the smaller pieces easily, but the mom-cat still nurses them sometimes. They also drink water.
Hopefully they will all be okay.

Wow she is being a great mom. Teaching them what they need to know.

 

[charmed654321]

As far as the Mom goes, remember, she is expending an exorbitant amount of energy nursing and caring for the kittens, and often they do get skinny. As she weans the kittens more, she will gain weight.

As far as the dry food goes, the reason she's breaking it up is not to teach them, but because it is too hard for them.

You shouldn't give dry food to kittens 4 weeks old, not until they are about 6 weeks old when their teeth are strong enough.

You need to moisten the dry food for them now with warm water for about another two weeks, then you can give them the dry as it is.

 

[momof3rugratz]

I think she said the mom is eating the dry food but she is breaking it up also. Did I read it wrong...