13 week-old Oci kittens with (mild) diarrhea, please advise

Can you collect any of the poop to take to the vet for a test, prior to your appointment? The issue could be unrelated to diet.

If they've been on that CN for a few days now I would leave it be for now.

I think that is a lot of food changes in a short amount of time. Plus I am sure they have been nervous being in a new home. I would stick with California Natural. Kingston had bad poops on RC and has good poops on CN. Continuing to change their foods is gonna result in loose stools.

With my cats, it usually takes a day or two to start seeing *some* difference. Their diarrhea will harden a slight bit, so, it will maybe mound up a bit more than the liquid diarrhea.. and then it will start coming out as really soft actual stools.. and then about a week into it, they've got solid stools, usually. You might see some difference as soon as tomorrow, but you may not. I know you're keeping a very close eye on them, and I'd say as long as they're not dehydrating, and they're zipping about the house with normal activity level.. it's probably dietary, or if it's not, it's something that's probably not an immediate threat. With mine, I'm paranoid, and I get free vet visits because I have them on a plan... so I might take them anyway, but if I didn't get the free visits, I'd just be keeping a very close eye on them for a few days to see if there's any change with the stablizing of the diet.

Keep your chin up, and your eyes open. It is possible it's something else, but I'd bet it's related to diet changes. and sending solid poopy vibes for both the babies.

I guess I'm going to ask a stupid question. If it's been addressed, forgive me, I didn't read through the whole thread.

Why aren't you consulting your breeder about the food? And taking her/his advice. No one knows these kittens better than your breeder.

Everyone on this site wants to help you, but you're getting lots of conflicting advice. Your breeder knows what Oci kittens need to eat.

If they had solid stools at the breeders home, then the food shouldn't have been changed. Even if it isn't the greatest food, it's better to switch kittens off the food they are used to when they are beyond 6 months of age.

My advice to you, is to contact your breeder and explain what's going on.

Originally Posted by Kai Bengals

I guess I'm going to ask a stupid question. If it's been addressed, forgive me, I didn't read through the whole thread.

Why aren't you consulting your breeder about the food? And taking her/his advice. No one knows these kittens better than your breeder.

Everyone on this site wants to help you, but you're getting lots of conflicting advice. Your breeder knows what Oci kittens need to eat.

If they had solid stools at the breeders home, then the food shouldn't have been changed. Even if it isn't the greatest food, it's better to switch kittens off the food they are used to when they are beyond 6 months of age.

My advice to you, is to contact your breeder and explain what's going on.

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EXACTLY....

Thank you Nial

RC is a PREMIUM food so the breeder had them on a Good food

I never said that RC wasn't good.. I just said that if it was me, since they'd been put on CN (which I don't know as a brand) then I'd keep them on that until their system straightens out instead of switching them again immediately. The major point I was making was that he'd just switched them to CN that morning.

IMO if they were not having problems on RC, he should have kept them on RC like the breeder was feeding. Not continue to keep switching.

But the kittens have been off of RC now so putting them back on it wouldn't that again upset them? I don't want him to keep switching foods either.

I don't know if it would or not. Doesn't seem like they've been off the RC that long. Personally I'd go back to the RC; but you are right about the switching too fast and too many times.

Maybe he could just put them on a week of nothing but boiled chicken/rice and THEN give them RC Kitten dry (like they had before). RC is good food, I don't understand why he didn't just keep them on RC.

AT this pt ... there systems seem like there in an uproar ...

I personally would be trying boiled chn and rice then reintroducing the RC since the tummys didnt settle down with a simple CN formula ..... FYI all RC formulas are chn based

ARE the kittens getting a probiotic like bene bac>???

The kittens have only been on CN for one day now is that long enough to tell if it will help? Can't wait to find out how they are doing today.

I feel like such an idiot, allowing the vet to get me to fix what wasn't broken (ie.e. getting them off the Whiskas that the breeder had been feeding them) and then switching their dry food to Evo because I heard it was so good.

I think I'm getting this under control. I've been watching out for lethargy but both kittens are as active and mischievous as ever and even though they do not exactly devour the CN dry I've been feeding them exclusively for 48 hours now (with bottled water) they are not turning their noses up at it either. And after a poopless two days, today I was thrilled to see what looked more like a formed stool rather than a puddle of guk.

I spoke to the vet, who thinks an allergy is unlikely as it's affected the two of them, and he's happy for me to continue what I'm doing and he'll examine them again on Saturday.

Their coats smell great, as every healthy cat's does in my experience, even my old Persian's (she's nineteen) but our little girl does fart up a storm, perhaps another sign that their tummies are in a bit of an uproar. However, I'm hoping that the pendulum is swinging back now. I hope.

They are not on any form of probiotic.

A probiotic would be a great thing to add .. One it cant hurt as it is bacteria the good kind they need anyway ... bene bac is readily avail , very tasty and easy to dose

So glad to hear the CN is working out! I hope everything continues to get better on that diet. Thank you for updating

Originally Posted by kitytize

So glad to hear the CN is working out! I hope everything continues to get better on that diet. Thank you for updating

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Well I think it's working out, kitytize. This is making me more anxious than dealing with human babies!

Btw - we need to see more pics of the little ones (especially the Oci owners in here)

Yes, I'm going to go one better and upload video onto YouTube when I get a moment.

They are truly adorable. Playful, mischievous and very "people" orientated; they love to sit on laps, sleep on our beds and literally get in our faces. They are "face" cats, they like to go nose-to-nose.

There are so few "cat people" out there and it seems I can share my enthusiasm about these beautiful animals more reciprocally in places like this rather than with our friends and neighbors ("you paid how much?", they say). However, last night we had dinner with an old friend, ex-military, Lieutenant Colonel, a tough guy...and he loved them.

I'll be happier when I feel I've got their tummies stabilised, however.

Sounds as though you're doing the right thing keeping them just on the same good quality dry for the moment. If they're happy and active and still drinking enough fluids to replace the fluid lost in the diarrhea, then they *should* be ok.

SILLY ?? do you know how to check for dyhydration?>?

The farting will probably calm down as they get used to their diet. Boy oh boy though, those farts are killer. Phew tinky!