4 month old kitten suddenly eating much less and has strange poop

Just an FYI, fresh raw poop is still very firm and almost smell free.  Definitely mucus free.  Very dry right out of their little back ends (unless there's a problem)  And I have never heard gas coming from mine. 

I definitely think a Vet visit is in order.  (and most Vets will admonish you for feeding raw...that's just the way of the world .  Just tell them it's 100% nutritionally complete and that you buy it from a farm in PA, not from a grocery store, etc.   I think they are worried it's not balanced mainly.  That was my Vet's concern until I explained it.  Now she's fine with it .  Happy, actually.  And she can't keep her hands off of 'em, since they're extra soft and silky .  I may make a convert of her yet)

and I would second that x-ray advice

Yes I've never smelled ANYTHING from her before this. Also it seems like her backside itself actually smells, and she doesn't seem to care very much. I can smell it just sitting 2 feet away from her. She's going to the vet tomorrow.

maybe she ate a bone or grizzle that stopped something up?

I saw what you just posted---google around and you can see what I was talking about

This sounds like some kind of parasite just from the smell.  It's good that you're taking her to the vet.

Going in an hour. What are the odds he blames it on the raw diet?

It depends on the vet.  With most conventional vets odds are very good that he will.

I'm sure the vet will blame it on the raw diet, but use this as an opportunity to educate the vet on the positive benefits of a raw diet.  Don't argue or get upset, but agree to disagree.  Let us know what you find out at the vet's.

DO let us know what the vet says.
Math is not my forte so I can't do the percentage bone in my head, but the other thought I had is, maybe too LITTLE bone, which would make the poop possibly less firm though definitely NOT more smelly.
Out of curosity, what is her history--where did you get her? PS: we love pictures.

So when I got up this morning, all of the grilled chicken I had ordered and gave to her last night was gone, so I guess it's good she ate something. I gave her half a portion of her own normal food about an hour before the vet and she didn't touch it.

The vet doesn't know what it is yet, but we did a CBC (complete blood count) to see if she has a elevated amount of white blood cells, which would indicate she is fighting something off. Also I gave them a stool sample that they are going to test. They also gave her a subcutaneous fluids because they said she was slightly dehydrated, which makes sense if she isn't eating her raw food. They also gave me Metronidazole Suspension that I need to give her in 2ml doses twice a day. She was NOT happy about the blood test (or the nail clipping I had them throw in at the end). 

I hope it's something as simple as a parasite that we can easily treat with medicine! She's a little bit lethargic right now.

I stopped by the holistic pet food shop and picked up some of that stuff you put on top of cat food to make it smell more appetizing for the cats. It smells like bacon. I tried it when I got home from the vet and she still didn't touch it, but that might be because she had already eaten the chicken this morning anyway. Also picked up some canned Weruva just to give it a shot.

Ritz said:

DO let us know what the vet says.
Math is not my forte so I can't do the percentage bone in my head, but the other thought I had is, maybe too LITTLE bone, which would make the poop possibly less firm though definitely NOT more smelly.
Out of curosity, what is her history--where did you get her? PS: we love pictures.

Click to expand...

I got her from Purrceptive in Northern California. Their site is http://www.britishbluekittens.com/.

For photos, she has her own instagram! Check it out here: www.instagram.com/tamagocat 

Oh and also, she only gained .04lbs in the almost 4 weeks since she was last at the vet. Seems like she must've lost some weight in the last week... she's only 4.5 months old, she should be gaining weight faster than this, no?

She should be gaining weight faster as a young kitten.  Hopefully the vet will figure out what is wrong.  The metro along with being an antibiotic with inflammatory properties will kill some of the parasites that aren't routinely checked for.

So right now she's scarfing down the Nature's Variety Instinct rabbit formula that I got her... her first time on canned food in her life .

If this entire incident is just her being picky (besides that being a relief, of course) I'm gonna be really annoyed! After all this work and learning about raw foods, and preparing dozens of pounds of it, and her being happy with it for months... I feel like I'm almost a raw food evangelist amongst my social group and now she's eating canned food! 

I guess that doesn't explain the weird mucusy poop or the gas though.... 

But she's EATING!  That's the best thing.  You can always feed her a combination of both.  I'm a wet food advocate big time, but I also feed a very small portion of dry food to my kitties.  Don't beat yourself up! 

Yes, of course! I'm hoping she's just suddenly feeling better after rehydrating and getting her first dose of medicine, and will come back around to the raw food tomorrow! 

You could be correct about feeling better due to meds and rehydration.  You can always mix some of the raw into the wet food, or offer a smaller serving of wet food and also serve raw at the same time.

Yes, right now just concern yourself with getting her well from whatever is bothering her.  To me, it's obvious because of the gas and condition of her poops that something is not right.  After she is all better, if she doesn't immediately take to her raw food, we can help you transition her back.  And, BTW, there is nothing wrong with feeding the occasion can of GOOD canned, IMHO.  But since she does eat mainly raw, do try to keep the carbs really low, and I would try to find something with no carrageenan, if you can (I have no idea about Nature's Variety, as mine don't like it).  I feed my raw eater canned at least once a week because, in case of emergency, I want him to eat for our cat sitter.   We use Weruva for him.  But also have Natural Planet and Be Nature Organix.   

Hopefully they will find the culprit of what's causing her issues and get her fixed up in no time .

Oh...what did they say about you feeding her raw?  Did they give you a hard time?