Really worried about one of my kittens :(

Lisa's litter was all healthy & happy up until a week ago. A kitten started to lose weight. We were trying to help her out & get her extra food but no matter what we did she just declined. The last 3 day its been getting worse with the quickness but she's still alert & walking around but she doesnt have the same activity level or playfulness her 4 brothers & sister have. She's always been a bit smaller & a bit more docile. She's never been playful but always alert & active (walking around, never did run much). I think somethings been wrong from the get-go but it didnt truely effect her until last week.

I believe Lisa is starting to reject her. She will allow her to nurse but its never for long, and this little kitten we named Tipper, is the weakest so she cant fight for a nipple but mama tends to nurse them where they are & if Tipper is alone then Mama will feed her but if she gets distracted or just decides shes not going too, she'll run off within a minute maybe 2 if we're lucky. We've been supplimenting to help because we know mama isnt giving her enough. Im feeding her small amounts at each time but every hour. In the end it equals what a typical kitten is said to have (or at least what the packaging says she should be eating).

She's practically skin & bones now but she does have a belly but she's now losing it. Her butts been constantly wet & i had picked her up because she was crying like she has been the last 2 days, and i picked her up & it looked like she pooped (or pee'd, unsure, it covered the entire area) curdled milk. Also appears her rectum is swollen but she has no tail so its not always that easy to tell but im almost sure of it. Her neck doesnt snap back anymore so we know shes dehydrated. Ive been fighting to save her, to help her gain weight, but with this symptom we have no choice but to get a professional & pray its not too late.

We're taking her to the vet tomorrow & pray they will see her & help us when we have absolutely no money to take her. I just hope they'll work with us on a payment plan since we're on a very tight fixed income. I just hope that im not prolonging the inevitable.

I dont know what to do. Im afraid they'll want to put her down, we've gotten seriously attached to this little girl prior to this happening but at the same time, tho i dont want her to go, i dont want her to suffer. We were going to keep her. Im heart broken & my husbands heart broken. We havent told the kids yet & this will devistate them. They love all the kittens.

I dont know what to do. I dont know what they'll say. Im scared. I think i need to know why this is happening because i have 5 other kittens. 3 of which im begining to worry about but so far they havent lost noticeable weight & all playful tho i fear it wont be long b4 they go down hill, im just being paranoid since they show no signs but i cant go thru this again & im scared for them all.

i read about this online, she might be having a reaction to the KMR, lactose intollerance which would explain white poop she had not too long ago. Oh God, i hope i didnt make her sicker! If i cant feed her KMR or powdered milk, how can i help her get enough food, especially since mama wont feed her long?! what do i do!!!

ajbkm said:

Her butts been constantly wet & i had picked her up because she was crying like she has been the last 2 days, and i picked her up & it looked like she pooped (or pee'd, unsure, it covered the entire area) curdled milk. Also appears her rectum is swollen but she has no tail so its not always that easy to tell but im almost sure of it.

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How old are the kittens? Have you started introducing any wet food to them if they are 3 weeks or older? They'll be messy at first, but they learn by cleaning it off of themselves and eventually eating it. Id try maybe some tuna broth, boiled chicken broth, anything to get some nutrients in her. If you can, sit there with momma cat and gently 'hold her' there while the baby nurses for as long as possible, and do this as many intervals as possible. Don't be rough with momma, but talk to her and pet her while the baby is nursing to keep her entertained. I'm no expert, these are just my opinions.

No, actually it escaped my mind to attempt to start her on soft food. They are 4 weeks old now. I gave her some tonight & she ate a few bites before she had the white liquid squirts. Poor baby. Made my heart smile to see her eat but made me heartbroken to see the dirreah & to know i possibly caused it by just trying to help her. I dont mind the mess they make, i have 3 children & they make no mess compared to my own children, lol!

Lisa will not allow us to hold her down, if we try she gets seriously agitated and will have absolutely nothing to do with that idea. ever. we've been trying for a week to try to coax her. It gets irritating when Tipper will finally seem to get a good feeding in but something -anything- will make her run off, including another kitten crying, meanwhile any other time she'll ignore them.

Its like she wants nothing to do with her because she had been a real good mama, takin real good care of them, until Tipper started her decline. Im not sayin its Mama's fault she's declining, i think Mama knew she was sick & since she was weaker the others took priority.

clynn11 said:

How old are the kittens? Have you started introducing any wet food to them if they are 3 weeks or older? They'll be messy at first, but they learn by cleaning it off of themselves and eventually eating it. Id try maybe some tuna broth, boiled chicken broth, anything to get some nutrients in her. If you can, sit there with momma cat and gently 'hold her' there while the baby nurses for as long as possible, and do this as many intervals as possible. Don't be rough with momma, but talk to her and pet her while the baby is nursing to keep her entertained. I'm no expert, these are just my opinions.

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KMR is tolerated better than other brands.  If she is not nursing you may have to supplement with some fresh (not canned) goat milk until she can eat all solids.  Take a fecal sample in to the vet, this will rule out any parasites that may be causing the diarrhea.

KMR gave her white stools thats why i started her on powdered milk but that made it so much worse. After the few bites of solid food she's decided to play a little bit, i mean more then she ever has. Goat's milk is super expensive but i'll get a can. My worry is what if it makes her worse, still?

I do not know any medical history on the mother, she was a pregnant stray & ive never taken her to the vets. I dont know if genetically something could be wrong.

HappyKitty said:

KMR is tolerated better than other brands.  If she is not nursing you may have to supplement with some fresh (not canned) goat milk until she can eat all solids.  Take a fecal sample in to the vet, this will rule out any parasites that may be causing the diarrhea.

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I would take a poop sample to the vet to rule out coccydia. I know I am paranoid but it can be a silent killer and failure to thrive and

diarrhea are two major symptoms. The colour is either, yellow, green or can be beige in colour.
 

I'd definitely start offering her wet food, as much as possible and whenever she'll eat it. To get my little ones started id just mush a little across their tongue and then once they realize it's food they go crazy! She should pick up on it quick being 4 weeks! I really hope she starts to get better, and i'm sure a vet visit can rule out any possible illnesses, or get her medication if needed.

The second she smelled it she went to town. I didnt have to put any in her mouth which i was prepared to do because ive had to do it before to get another litter but i was happily suprised that she started munching immedately. She ate only 6 or so bites but for her thats a lot! She didnt have a poofed out belly like she did a week ago after eating tho. I just want my little girl to live. we named her after my husband's old cat that had to be put down due to cancer (she was only 11) and she'd stand on her toes when being petted. Well this little kitten does it too, only 1 out of the litter.

I have planned on getting up every 2 hours to feed her. Since she doesnt eat much at once, i figured she needed to be fed more often instead.

clynn11 said:

I'd definitely start offering her wet food, as much as possible and whenever she'll eat it. To get my little ones started id just mush a little across their tongue and then once they realize it's food they go crazy! She should pick up on it quick being 4 weeks! I really hope she starts to get better, and i'm sure a vet visit can rule out any possible illnesses, or get her medication if needed.

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Her poop is white, dirreah is white. Not any normal color by far.

Levi68 said:

I would take a poop sample to the vet to rule out coccydia. I know I am paranoid but it can be a silent killer and failure to thrive and

diarrhea are two major symptoms. The colour is either, yellow, green or can be beige in colour.
 

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Mum could have worms which is why it's a good reason to take a pregnant foster to the vet.

Not sure why you were supplementing in the first place - mums milk straight to wet food works fine nearly all the time.  Personally I wouldn't be giving this little one (or the others) any kind of milk product.

Have you been weighing every day?  As soon as a kitten stops gaining weight for more than a day it's a warning sign.  If they all stop gaining weight it suggests mum might have a problem.

Have you also tried taking the other kittens away (out of mum's earshot) for a while to let this one suckle?

She should have been at the vets early on for fluids, antibiotics and supplements, kittens go downhill quickly waiting this long until she's skin and bones could be too late.

Hopefully she pulls through. White poop indicates a severe bowel infection and requires treatment asap to prevent death.