Manx Kitten Health Issues?

This is sort of a preemptive strike to keep my kitten healthy - I recently acquired a stray tailless kitten who I'm referring to as a manx, though she isn't purebred at all. While so far she seems healthy and happy, she hasn't gone to the bathroom AT ALL in the last 24 hours that I've had her. Either she's very sneaky or something is wrong. She's eating and drinking fine. Also, her anus is a little swollen - it was worse when I first got her and has been going down. Are these signs of more serious problems? thanks. 

She definitely needs a visit to the vet as soon as possible. It sounds like you got her very recently and so she needs just a general checkup to make sure she is healthy and free of fleas and worms. And, as you say, since she's not a purebred Manx you need to be sure that whatever the reason is that she doesn't have a tail (whether a birth defect or accident) isn't a problem. If she lost it as an accident you want to take extra precautions that it has healed okay and that there isn't any infection. 

As for her stomach- it's possible that she is going to the bathroom elsewhere so double check the house. But, if she really hasn't gone in 24 hours then she really needs to be checked. A swollen anus could be an indication of diarrhea, which can obviously be a sign of a more serious issue (the first thought is always worms). 

So, call the vet as soon as you can and get your girl in. Hopefully nothing is seriously wrong and she's just having some tummy troubles due to all the changes, but it's best to err on the side of caution. Be sure to let us know what they say! 

Thanks! I have an upcoming appointment (she also has the sniffles). I'm just hoping that she doesn't have everything possible wrong with her. 

On the bright side, I do know that her tail is genetic and not an accident - there is no stub to speak of, just a flat tailless rump, and nothing that looks like scarring anywhere on her, so that's one thing I don't have to worry about.

I too have a small feral manx kitten that I have recently taken on and he wasnt going to the toilet either, not even with stimualtion from me with a tissue like their mum cat would do, so I took him to the vet and the vet gave him an enema and I now have the happiest little kitten out and he is having no problems going now, so yes definately take him to the vet to get him checked out. No body feels good all bound up: Good luck with your baby.

It could be.  I hope not.   Sometimes due to the absence of vertebrae , tailless cats can have problems with defecation and urination.  sometimes it can mean incontinence,  but I think sometimes it might mean they can't go on their own.   You can look up "manx syndrome" for details.

It is named after the Manx breed but it happens in cats that are not Manx.   (  The absence of a tail does not mean there is any Manx ancestry because the same or similar mutations have happened elsewhere, not just on the Isle of Man.   )

I REALLY hope this little cutie does not have a problem like that and is just being sneaky.  Sometimes when they first go to a new home it is incredible how they hold it in the first day.... it may be she is hiding somewhere to pee and just has not pooped yet..  Was she used to a litterbox before you got her?  She might not quite understand the concept yet and kittens often are not fully trained for a few months.

 Can you keep her in one room so it is easier to check?  put some low sided boxes in a couple corners and . try getting some Kitten Attract litter. 

  Then if another day goes by and seems like she is not going,   take her to a vet--- always a good idea when you get a new pet anyway.  but if it DOES turn out she has some health problem you need to find out soon.   And if she is healthy,  she can start her kitten shots.

edited:  somehow the words "a new home" got deleted so I put them in

I'm not sure if she was litter trained or not - my last kitten was a barn cat that had never used a litterbox, though, and I got him litter trained within the day and he never had an accident outside the box, but I guess every kitten is different. I think I may have caught her peeing in the closet, so I'm taking that as a good sign. Also, my dog has been licking her bits since I've had her, so it's possible that he's been stimulating her and just eating it. 

Right now she's confined to my bedroom because my roommate has two other cats (one is about a year and the other is maybe 7-8 months?) and i'm a little worried about them beating the crap out of her because she's so little. 

However, I've been considering getting one of them to pee in her litter box to show her how it works - do you think that would help, or the other cat smell would just freak her out? 

junipersmama said:

I'm not sure if she was litter trained or not - my last kitten was a barn cat that had never used a litterbox, though, and I got him litter trained within the day and he never had an accident outside the box, but I guess every kitten is different. I think I may have caught her peeing in the closet, so I'm taking that as a good sign. Also, my dog has been licking her bits since I've had her, so it's possible that he's been stimulating her and just eating it. 

Right now she's confined to my bedroom because my roommate has two other cats (one is about a year and the other is maybe 7-8 months?) and i'm a little worried about them beating the crap out of her because she's so little. 

However, I've been considering getting one of them to pee in her litter box to show her how it works - do you think that would help, or the other cat smell would just freak her out? 

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It may be worth investing in a urine light (it's basically just a small blacklight) that most pet stores sell for a couple of bucks. You turn off the lights and it will glow anywhere there is urine. Not only would this help you to know but will make it much easier for cleaning it up. If she has peed anywhere she's likely going to do it again in the same spot. Make sure you get a good enzyme remover (like Nature's Miracle) and throughly clean any accidents so she doesn't keep re-marking. I also second the suggestion of getting some Kitten Attract litter. Every cat is different when it comes to how quickly they pick up using the box but I swear that stuff is magic and will help draw her in. 

Are your roommate's cats fixed? If not make sure you keep her confined until they all are, or else she will get pregnant (assuming they are male cats). It's also a good idea to keep her confined until you are sure she doesn't have any illnesses that she can pass onto them (and it sounds like she already has a cold that you don't want to spread). Once she gets a clean bill of health then slowly start introducing her to the other cats. Some rough play is fine and she can hold her own but they may not appreciate her presence and can attack. The best introductions are slow ones! 

I probably wouldn't have one of the other cats pee in her box- unless she sees them it will probably just confuse her. Try the kitten attract litter and if she does have an accident pick it up and put it in the box. You can even soak up urine on a paper towel and put that in there. Once she starts going it's pretty easy to train her- the concern now is that she is not. And, while it's entirely possible that your dog is eating it you want to be sure.  Is your appointment in the next day or two? If not then I would probably call and try to get her in sooner. 

Oh, and you may want to get a hooded box if you don't already have one. Some dogs are perfectly fine eating out of it and can lead to an intestinal blockage. Having a covered box will help ensure that your dog stays healthy and that she is going! 

To clarify, the dog does not eat out of the litter box - he knows better. I just think that if he was licking a cat butt and got poop in his mouth, he'd probably just go with it. 

I'll get the kitten attract - our appointment is tomorrow, so I should know everything for sure then. 

Also, neither of my roommates' cats are fixed and she has a male and a female and I regularly have to fight the urge to abduct them and get them neutered. My kitten is probably about 8 weeks old, so I'm not worried about her getting pregnant just yet, but I do plan to get her spayed when she's a little bigger.

  I agree with all EB24's good advice about the blacklight,  clean up with enzymatic cleaner,  and that if you find where she is going,  soak up some and put a piece of the urine soaked towel in the litter box.      I f you do get the Kitten Attract there is a brochure that comes in it with good tips for cleaning.    

Hmmmmm....  I think I might stop resisting the urge to take those cats to get altered!  There are way too many cats who need homes already..... and what if the female had complications giving birth?  Does your roommate know what a C-section can cost at an emergency vet?   Usually at Least $1000 and can be over twice that much.    A lot more than spay / neuter especially at a low cost clinic.

along the same lines, keep in mind that some kittens can get pregnant as young as 4 months!    and often the first heat is not very obvious,  but a tomcat can tell even if you can't.  
If you get her spayed at about 12 or 14 weeks it would work out fine, that would give her time to get a bit bigger but still would be in time to avoid it if she starts estrus at a young age.    It is not something I would take a chance with if she is living with a whole male cat,  or even  if he gets neutered he could still potentially be fertile for up to 7 weeks! 

Trust me, I have no intention of allowing her to get pregnant. Your spay timeline seems right on track with what I've got planned. She's just super tiny right now - the size she is now is the same size my last kitten was at 4 weeks. She seems developmentally fine, though (all her baby teeth, her eyes changing color right on track, very active and self assured) so I think she must just be a tiny kitty. 

UPDATE: Juniper pooped! Not in the litterbox, but she still pooped. I feel like I'm probably way too excited about it, but I was starting to get really worried that she had manx syndrome, so this is a great sign! I think she may have just been constipated - I fed her a little butter and things got moving.

junipersmama said:

UPDATE: Juniper pooped! Not in the litterbox, but she still pooped. I feel like I'm probably way too excited about it, but I was starting to get really worried that she had manx syndrome, so this is a great sign! I think she may have just been constipated - I fed her a little butter and things got moving.

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Haha oh the things you get excited about when you have a new kitten!   I'm so glad Juniper has finally pooped and that she still has her vet appointment tomorrow. 

I totally hear you that you have no intentions of letting her get pregnant and it sounds like you have a good plan to get her spayed. Unfortunately cats are quite the tricksters when they want to mate and once the male reaches sexual maturity no one is going to be safe! All it takes is 10 seconds and BAM- kittens on the way. Keep trying to talk to your roommate about how important it is that they both be altered. Not only do you not want to have to deal with a litter of kittens but you don't want to deal with the spraying and everything else that comes with intact felines. It's your home too! 

I would be sure to talk to your vet tomorrow about when would be a good age to get her spayed (as a general rule so long as they are at least 8 weeks and over 2 pounds it is safe to do). It may take her a little longer to get to that point and that's okay, just keep her confined until then. I would also make sure your vet knows the situation with the other two cats- who knows, they may offer a discount if your roommate will agree to have them fixed too! 

Just as a post-vet update if anyone was curious: Juniper had an upper respiratory infection and a prolapsed anus. Neither were considered serious and she's on antibiotics. Otherwise I've been told to continue keeping on the lookout for any signs of manx syndrome. 

junipersmama said:

Just as a post-vet update if anyone was curious: Juniper had an upper respiratory infection and a prolapsed anus. Neither were considered serious and she's on antibiotics. Otherwise I've been told to continue keeping on the lookout for any signs of manx syndrome. 

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Great news!

Thanks for the update. I'm glad they are treating her with antibiotics and that it's not life threatening. Good job to you for still taking her in even though things were seeming to get better. Well done! 

junipersmama said:

Just as a post-vet update if anyone was curious: Juniper had an upper respiratory infection and a prolapsed anus. Neither were considered serious and she's on antibiotics. Otherwise I've been told to continue keeping on the lookout for any signs of manx syndrome. 

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Good to hear little Juniper  is doing well and nothing serious.    I had a kitten who sometimes had prolapsed anal tissue,  and it helped to put him on a diet of grain free wet food.   

Will keep fingers and paws crossed that she doesn't have any of the problems  of manx syndrome.