Thirsty Kittys-

Hello again, I cannot tell you how much it means to have friends and mentors like all of you! I cannot tell you how happy I am to have taken these kittens to rasie as my own as opposed to certain death. Here comes my second post and question.

One of my kittens continues to have a light brown yellow gel-like stool which has small traces of bright red blood (the vet attributed the blood to the dewormer). To refresh, yesterday morning he was given de-wormer (Nemex), he is on Albon (as of yesterday afternoon), and I have given him small amounts of kaopectin twice a day (As of today). He used to have more diarrhea (not quite like the gel stuff but still loose) which was uncontrollable. For the past 2 days he has warned me and gives me time to take him to his box in order to eliminate. He has a bowel movement every 4-5 hours and urinates very regularly with no assistance (although I’ve tried).

He is about 14 ounces, and looks to be 4 weeks old. He has no sign of dehydration. In fact, the opposite! He is extremely thirsty all of the time that he is awake, and cries or suckles his sister if I don’t get in soon enough. I use half water and half KMR because otherwise he’d go above the recommended amount of KMR.

He acts happy. Runs around (although not as much as sis), initiates wrestling bouts often, and purrs the second you pick him up and does so for minutes

Am I ok to let him drink to his little hearts content? I assume it could help with the diarrhea.

Any other suggestions? All are appreciated!

PS: The kaopectin has done nothing

P.S.S: Anyone with experience with this? Do you think he’ll be ok?

I assume he is drinking much because he is letting out much. Good he manages it itself, so you dont need to force-watering him.

With such big turnout of water you must think about the "electrolyte-balance". Ie he is letting out much salts and so.

KMR takes care about some of it, so good he doesnt drink only water.
But probably good if he get in more of salts as pure water will delute them so to speak.
Perhaps dont give half-half, but mostly KMR and only a little water??

Some extra kitchen salt into the water would probably be useful... Perhaps also a trifle of dextrose. (1 tea spoon kitchen salt, 1 soup spoon dextrose per litre water is the usual dose)
Here in Sweden we do have an alternative kitchen salt containing several different salts, not only the usual NaCl... Do you have it where you live?
I usually recommend this if possible, if the extra watering is longer then a couple of days. And it is definitely so in your case.

As you have good contact with a vet, you could perhaps ask him? About the salt-balance / elektrolyte balance, and what to do to safeguard it?

Home remedies may be very useful, but if you do have access to a vet, always consult him/her.


Good luck!

Try a little-Bene-bac. It's the gut flora he's probably missed from not nursing with mom. You can get it from PetSmart or Petco. It comes in a gel in a little tube. You just squirt it into their mouths and believe me it works!

Bless you for helping them. Personally, I think 4 weeks was a little young to be dewormed. Now that you have the situation, though, the Bene-bac and good food will help him.

Also, if the vet didn't check him for guardia or coccidia, you might take him a stool sample. Both of those can cause the poops.

Should I just stick with KMR or should I give them some soft stuff a couple times a day as well? I have Nutro Chicken and Liver in gravy (for kittens) as well.

Are they lapping the KMR or are you bottle feeding? They will let you know when they've had enough bottle feeding. And pretty soon, they will probably stop lapping it, too.

Keep in mind that changing their food might cause the poops, too. As they get used to the new food, baring any other problems, their stool should firm up.

If they are lapping, then I start to offer canned food. It's sometimes easier to transition bottle feds from a bottle to real food by getting them to lap the KMR out of a shallow saucer first. I've not had my orphaned litters go straight from the bottle to food for me in the past (that's not to say that some kittens will do that).

They are lapping it on their own out of a tupperware lid, I haven't bottle fed in 4 days or so. If I soak canned food with some KMR they will eat some of the food, but mostly prefer the gravy. I push the food three times a day... just a few chunks that I mash up.

I was diluting the KMR 1:1 with water because he was drinking so much that I was afraid the overfeeding of KMR would upset the bowels even more. What mixture would you all use? When I dilute 1:1 he gets his 22 tsp of formula he is supposed to get + all the extra water. After drinking I feel his little stomach and it feels like it'll just pop

He has bowel movements every 4-5 hours and they are still loose, but with very very little blood.

He also has gained an ounce and is now at a little over 14.

PS- Per This board's advice I gave him his first bene-bac a little earlier tonight. That was a struggle!