Gnochi is home!!!! (at last)

anita1216

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We finally were able to pick up the new baby girl this afternoon. What a relief, she is in our home at last. So I have a few questions and concerns regarding the newbie.

1) She is currently set up in my daughters room. She was still testing positive for Coccidia and is on meds for another 4 days. is this ok considering we have other cats?

2) She is so tiny and bony feeling. They told me she weights 1.51 lbs. Seems underweight to me for a 10 week old kitten. Could it be that the intestinal parasites have caused a delay in healthy weight gain?

3) How much do we feed her? She has gobbled up 3/4 of a 3 oz can of RC babycat and nibbled some kibble. Not a fan of the dry, but she needs all the calories she can get at this point.

4) She seems really jumpy, is this a normal behavior in kittens this young? Its been many years since a "baby' was here and I forget.

5) She does not vocalize much, even when left alone and that leads me to how much time can we leave her alone for? an hour? minutes? what really is appropriate given her young age?

Thanks for any help or insight anyone can offer!
 

levi68

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Congrats on your new girl!

Keep the kitten away from your other cats until you can have her tested again once she in done this round of meds.
Coccidia is highly contagious. You and your family should wash your hands after handling her or her bowls and litter.
Coccidia is a horrible parasite to these little ones. Often causing bloated tummies and the rest of them, skin and bones.
Once you get rid of the Coccidia, she should fatten up.
She is def underweight for 10 weeks. I have a healthy 7 week old kitten that is over 2lbs. It is def most likely the coccidia.
I would give her 24hr accessability to the RC Baby kitten kibble. Feed about 3 tbsp of wet at least 3 times daily.
It is normal for her to be jumpy. New people, new surroundings and new smells. She will adapt very quickly.
Make sure you keep her warm. Offer a hot water bottle wrapped in a towel so she has something to curl up with. A small teddy bear is great too.
I always try and visit my foster kitties every couple hours at least. Except at night. If it were MY kitten, I would have it with me all the time. Of course, if you have to do housework or can't watch her, then put her in her room. You might want to get up once a night for the first week or so, til your sure her health is 100 %.
Before giving her the run of the house...baby proof. Think like a kitten and see what trouble she might get into. Poisonous plants, unsturdy tables or large objects that she may try and climb. Open floor grates, holes in dry wall or under cupboards where she may get into and not know how to get out.
Hope that helps...
 

white cat lover

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Generally at 8 weeks they should weigh 2 lbs. It's not uncommon for kittens w/ giardia or coccidia to be smaller. IMO, let her eat as much as you can.
 
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anita1216

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Thanks!

That helps alot. My daughter just let her have yet another serving of wet kitten food and she will have access to the dry at all times. She will be with my daughter at night, so there will be someone to comfort her should she look for it.

My daughter is 14, so she is doing a great job of looking after her
It is her kitten, so she should! I will of course be making sure things are transitioning smoothly, getting her meds finished and making sure she gets vet care. Adrienne asked me what to look for if the kitten is not drinking or eating. We discussed testing the skin on her neck. She is even checking the litterbox after Gnocchi gets out, making sure things are looking normal


I just want to see her fatten up and be healthy!!!
 

white cat lover

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One thing I've done when fostering kittens w/ coccidia or giardia is buy tin trays, for baking, and non-scoopable litter. I just throw out the box/litter a few times a day (depending on how often used). If Gnochi uses the same box/litter over & over, she could re-infect herself. (At least that's my understanding)
 
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anita1216

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I guess it worries me that she seems to just pick at her food. I am hoping it is just her getting settled in a new home. I am tempted to take her to see the vet this afternoon (they are open 12-6). I don't know what they can do other than tell me to just make sure she eats and drinks *sigh*.
 

stephanietx

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You can also add some stage 2 KMR to her wet food to give her a boost in calories. Giving her access to dry kibble 24/7 is necessary since she's underweight.
 
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anita1216

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So we went to the vets office this afternoon! he said her heart and lung sounds were excellent and she was underweight, but a quality diet would help that. They want a stool sample after she finishes this course of Albon. They also gave me a couple of cans of SD Critcal care food. I was told it is more palatable for sick or out of surgery animals. I guess they want to entice her to eat more. She weighed 1.55lbs..very tiny!

My daughter kept her interested in her latest meal and she finished all of it! She would normally take a bite or two and then walk away. It was a relief to see her finish a full meal.

I know she is adjusting and is very likely a lonely kitten. I just want her better so that she can integrate into the house completely. There are cats here to play, to groom and to cuddle with. Im looking forward to seeing her piled happily with them in the living room
 

stephanietx

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When we first got Tumbles, we had to keep him focused on his food or he'd walk away. I think it's not necessarily because they're not interested, just that they're interested in everything else, too!


Glad she's doing better!
 
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anita1216

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She has gained a half pound since we got her!!!! YAY!!! She is very happy to eat pretty much whatever is being served and purrs all the time.
 
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