Kitten problems...HELP!!!

[Deleted]

We picked up our new kitten a week ago. He's adorable, full of fun.  HOWEVER. We have two major problems with this cutie:

1.  He has had diarrhea since we brought him home. Took him to the vet on Thurs. AM, got kitten shots, wormed, and anti-diarrhea meds.  He tries to use the litter box, but he doesn't always seem to know he's pooping - he'll be playing with you, and then bam!  You're covered in poop. He's pooping about every 1.5 hours.  It's not better since the vets.  He's eating only the Science Diet kitten food from the vet (he wouldn't touch the IAMS kitten food). The vet says he has no parasites. I'll call the vet this AM, but what is going on?

2.  Our older cat, Aggie, hates him. She will hiss and growl, and if he approaches her she'll bop him. I dont' have a problem with this, but mostly she is isolating herself in the master bedroom or the garage, both of which are hot and kitten free.  She's laying around like she's depressed. She'll purr if we pet her, but it's like the life has been squished out of her! 

Please lend me your wisdom, Oh Wise Cat Ladies! 

Thanks!
Laurie

[kritter]

I am assuming your vet did a stool culture. Did he/she tell you what was causing the diarrhea? what medicine did she prescribe?

I am not a big fan of Science Diet any food. It is overpriced crap but vets push it because they get kickbacks from SD. Do you know what the kitten was eating before he came to your house?

Without knowing any more than I do now about what was diagnosed and what was prescribed, I would get come regular canned pumpkin (not the spicy kind for pies) and get her to eat some. I would also try some boiled or baked chicken made in the crock pot or however. Since I don't boil or bake chicken, I usually try the canned breast meat chicken low or no sodium or grab a regular flavor roasted deli chicken.

[Deleted]

A week is a short time. Especially when he's now had/gotten shots ect which could very well be the cause of his upset little tummy. Couple with stress and instant runny poos.

I am going to sound a bit preachy for a second here so bear with me. Cats are true carnivores while dogs are considered carnivores technically they can be omnivores. Cats especially need meat. Iams and SD honestly are yuck foods imho. Laden with corn. Dogs and cats were never meant to eat corn. While many....as in a vast majority...of people do feed cat food with corn and heck most cats do fairly well on it, there is the cat that doesn't.

You could look into Felidae, Taste of the Wild, Orijen just to name a few. And I bet you'll be surprised to find that they cost pretty much the same or minimally more than the Iams or SD.

For now I would NOT feed him for at least 12 hours. Give his little stomach time to settle. He MUST have water though. So even if you have to force eyedropper it into him no food for 12 hours is not going to hurt him. I would then boil up some chicken and overcook some white rice...cook the rice in the leftover chicken water. Then puree that up and add some plain canned pumpkin to it. This is a very bland recipe which should help settle his stomach and the pumpkin will help firm up the stools.

If kitteh does ok with that do more frequent mini meals as opposed to 2 big meals or allowing him to free feed. Try that for a couple days and see how he does.

I'd also ask the vet to prescribe some metronidazole. It's kind of an all encompassing med which can help with anything that might need an antibiotic but also helps with inflamation of the bowels.

As far as previous resident cat. Make sure little one doesn't bother her too much and honestly...give it a week or two and she'll come around. She's got her noise out of joint. I have yet to have a cat who doesn't get all pissy when a new feline or canine comes into the house and within a couple weeks all is back to normal. Or as normal as it ever gets around here.

[kritter]

As for the other issue, it is only been a week and Aggie has not had time to adjust to the newcomer. She is showing you that she thinks you made a big mistake here bringing in this small wild animal.

Pay Aggie extra attention and maybe even confine the kitten into another room for a period of time each day so Aggie can come out and smell where the kitten has been without being attacked by the little misfit.

How old is the kitten?

[Deleted]

Thanks. I'll do my best to answer the questions, but the kitten managed to reduce the text on this forum only to microscopic by running across the keyboard...I can barely see it.

He was a feral that some maintenance guys at my husband's office caught. Vet said he's probably 6 - 8 weeks old. I don't know what they were feeding him before - he had the diarrhea when we got him. (He was with someone else for 3 weeks. Just a tiny baby when they caught him!) He's a major scavenger which I guess comes from the wild start...we've vacuumed and mopped and hidden Aggie's food so I don't think he's getting anything but the Science Diet.

Vet did a stool test, no parasites, no red flags. When I talked to him today, he said to give it until Friday and call if it's still a problem. I don't know what meds they gave him. It's in a little bottle and the tech said it was two meds mixed. It's an orangey pink, kind of chalky. He's getting 3 ML 2X a day. I think I'll keep on the Science Diet until Friday at least. I don't want to change up again and start a new round of problems. Gotta deal with one variable at a time!

I've been making sure to get Aggie out of the bedroom when the kitten is sleeping in his bathroom. She seems okay, though she patrols for the kitten first! I think his extreme energy makes her look more lethargic then she really is. When I think about it all she did was lay around all day anyhow.

Laurie

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[Deleted]

You can get cat probiotics at any pet type store. I know Petsmart has the GNC brand & others. I would give them a try, if there are no other problems they could be really beneficial. The vet has my daughter giving them to one of her young bunnies that's on an antibiotic.

[Deleted]

It won't hurt the kitten to be confined to one room for a week or so. Plus less poo trail for you to clean up. One of mine had the same problem for a week when I got her, and cold symptoms as well. I just let her do her thing although everyone (not vets) told me to be worried. If a kitten stops being a kitten, that's when to worry.

My heart is with Aggie. Cats are not big on sharing. Make sure you keep her routine the same, but with extra love and attention. Have you explained things to her? Some cats listen, some cats don't. Sounds loopy, but it helps some cats, probably just when they hear the calm and reasonable tone of voice.

[Tabby]

Jun 30, 2015 5:17:40 GMT @misspettigrew said:

My heart is with Aggie. 

Mine, too!  

I've been through this situation before; it's not your imagination - Aggie is depressed.  

[Deleted]

Poor Aggie. I agree with keeping the kitten separate for a while.

Ferals always seem to have that digestive curve thing going on. All three of mine are ferals, two as kittens, and the problem eventually fixed itself. Good consistent food usually clears it up.

Taste of the Wild - yes. That's what I feed Flyer and I love it. The dog food gets an A+ rating through one of the research sites.

[Deleted]

How is kitty now? And Aggie?

[Deleted]

Kitten is doing much better, his poopies are starting to have some form, I expect he'll be all better in a day or two. He's so much fun to watch. My husband dropped a rib bone on the floor, and kitten went berzerk over it - growling and meowing while gnawing on it... it was hilarious. We didn't let him have it for long. I suppose his growling and meowing was to keep all the other cats away while he enjoyed it...part of the feral coming out?

Aggie is doing better. She will come downstairs and go up on the piano (kitten can't get up there) and watch him for a while then go to sleep. She only gets upset if he touches her - she only bopped him once, now she just tries to avoid him. He so desperately wants to play with her! She's been allowed to stay in the house at night (usually is banished to the garage as she has a nasty habit of standing on our heads several times a night...doesn't want anything, other than to stand on our heads) - she has limited her head standing to me, and I'll put up with it for a while until she's adjusted to the kitten. We've been giving her lots of love and pets, and I make a point of petting her while the kitten is around.

Thanks all!

[Shirley U Geste]

Ah, so Aggie is a cat hat kitty. That's what I can the ones who like to stand/lay on your head at night. Weird isn't it, and very annoying we you are trying to get some sleep.

Glad the kitten is pooping better. Sounds like his system is slowly adjusting to new food and a new home.

Keep on giving Aggie lots of loving and she should come around. She just needs to know you still love her even if you brought in that little interloper to HER home.

[Deleted]

Sounds like kitty just needs to adjust to the food, glad he's getting better. He sounds like he'll be a good little eater, by the way he reacted to the bone!

So Aggie is a head-sitter, lol. A cat gets very heavy very quickly in that position.

[Deleted]

Aggie is a big cat - weighs more than 13 pounds, so her head standing is VERY annoying! She woke me up four times last night!

[Deleted]

And each seperate foot pokes into your skull...been there, lol.

[val2525]

Ahem. You've had the kitten, what, a week?



WHERE ARE THE PICTURES???

[Deleted]

At least wait for the botty trouble to clear up, Val!

[val2525]

I think it is, from what she posted.

But hey, she could post pics of the older cat. Make her feel wanted too, you know. Kitteh pics are kitteh pics.

[kritter]

Kitteh pics are kitteh pics.

Exactly!  It doesn't even have to be of your own cats.  Any kitteh pics will work.

[Tabby]

And just to add a little extra pressure:

[Deleted]

OKay, Okay! I'll get some pics! Gotta figure out how...

[val2525]

Ahem.


WE'RE STILL WAITING ON THE KITTEN PICTURES.

[Shirley U Geste]

Uh oh

Backing slowly away before Val sees me.

[val2525]

Nice try, missy. You're about due for some pics of your cute kitten too, you know.

[Shirley U Geste]

Hah, they are fat, fluffy and cute.

But MomKat has them under the daybed in the farthest back corner, so getting to them is quite a production.

They are just starting to walk around so maybe I will just wait till they come out on their own, it would be a heck of a lot easier.

[val2525]

I was actually referring to Bitty, but the fluffy fosters will do too.

[Shirley U Geste]

Ah, well Bitty is easy.

I can get her tomorrow when she is helping me take pics. She thinks she is my grip and has to help with the cords and backdrops.

[Deleted]

OK, here's the kitty pictures! The kitten is the orange tabby, he's about 1 pound. Aggie is the calico - she's 13.5 pounds!  The only way to photo the kitten is when he's sleepy - otherwise he's rocketing around.

[kritter]

Oh my, it doesn't surprise me that Aggie is taking a stand here. She is a regal beauty.

I love orange kittehs and this one looks like a rascal for sure.

Great pics. 

[Shirley U Geste]

Aggie is GORGEOUS!

Hows she doing now with the little devil kitten.