New stray-bloated tummy and wouldn't go?

Hi there,
Not long ago I adopted an 8 week old so I have zero experience in caring for kittens who still depend on their mothers. Just this morning I found a stray wobbling on the sidewalk almost ran over by motorbikes. I took her in, looks like she is 2-3 weeks old. Eyes open, ears fully erect but still wobbling around on her tummy. Ran to the nearest pet store and got her a bottle of kitten milk. I specifically said 3 week old kitten milk and they have me a bottle of "ZEAL Lactose free pet milk- cow's milk enjoyed by dogs and cats of all ages". It's been around 7hours since we took her in, she has not poop nor peed, gave her water and milk drops on my fingertip and she licks it. I was worried because her tummy looks kinda big and feels like it's weighing her down. Took her to the vet, they gave her a shot, not deworming though cuz they said if she's not eating she can't be dewormed yet. Vet said that milk should be ok. I tried stimulating her butt but she wouldn't go either. I'm just worried that she's not going and not drinking milk. Has anyone experienced the same bloating tummy? Any suggestions would be great. Thanks a lot!

the milk seems not to be mother milk replacemen "kmr"t, but a lactose free adult milk.  Surely better than nothing, but not optimal...

KMR is the best wellknown brand of kmr.  Goat milk is OK...   So you must go one round more...

Im at work now, cant write much...  I will come back later, and I ask others to step in...

A dropper is useful to giving fluids and milk...  In the cheek, not down the throat.

Her lying on the tummy, feets down, head a little up, like she would with mom.

Burp her a little after feeding.

What country are you in?

proceed to report and ask!

A good adresse is  www.kitten-rescue.com

@tulosai  @catwoman707

Good luck!

Hi there! Thanks a lot for replying.
I've been using a dropper/syringe given by the vet to feed her that lactose free milk. I will go get special formula just for kittens later, with a bottle for easier feeding.
She hasn't poop nor pee yet, and her tummy is still swollen, that got me worried.. But she's healthy and active, always moving around and exploring, and pretty loud too.
I will keep you posted and take her back to the vet tmr for a follow up. Thanks!
Btw I'm on vacation in my hometown in Vietnam. Will go back to Cali in a couple weeks.

missy123 said:

Btw I'm on vacation in my hometown in Vietnam. Will go back to Cali in a couple weeks.

Click to expand...

As said, if you can get goat milk, it should be OK, some forumites managed just fine just  with goat milk.  Fresh if possible, but bottled is OK.

Hi there, she is eating formula now. I am so glad and thankful for your help.
I've tried stimulating her to poop but haven't been successful. She only peed a little. I attached some pics, please let me know if that belly looks like it's swollen? Thank you!

It looks a little swollen yes, esp on the first pic. but the thin legs increase the impression.

I hope feeding her with a correct kitten kmr  formula or goat milk will help.    I suspect this bloated tummy may be from her getting cow milk (if someone before you tried to help her, giving cow milk).

A trick for stimulating is, you do it in running warm water.  You held her in one hand, and with a wet forefinger of the other hand,  tap her around the anus and genitalia.... Easy, but not too easy.   Feels like mom licking energetically.

works nicely, and the big advantage is, you dont risk the skin gets sore if you stimulate much without quick results.

-  Catwoman707   did taugh this  with tipping as extra touch.

Make of course sure there is no draugh, warm and nice, and you dry off the kitten afterwards.

This tip also learn us,  it IS possible to bathe them if necessary.  For example, if they have fleas and you dont have suitable mild defleasing preparates.   In such a case bathing with a mild liquid soap helps (in USA they often use Dawn dish soap, but I suspect most mild liquid soaps should do).

You shall return back to USA you say.  what will you do with this baby?  try and take it in, or leave it with some relative??

Good luck!

Hi there!
Sorry on the late update, but she just pooped!
She has been peeing just fine on her own (and peeing a lot, too!), and I've still been trying to stimulate her to poop, but with no luck, until today. She was sleeping on her blanket on my lap, then suddenly woke up, squealed a little then just started pooping. It is definitely on the soft side - like toothpaste I would say, and light colored. So now she is eating, peeing, finally pooping on day 4 since we found her, and very active.
The vet gave her deworming shot on day 2, but her poop doesn't look like there is any worm in it. If her bloated belly doesn't improve, I will take her back on Monday and see what the problem is.
Here are some pix where you can definitely see her belly

I have friends who will take her in after I leave. Just want to make sure she is in good health before I give her away, in case they don't have time. Thanks again for your help!

Toothpaste consistency is the perfect one for small kittens, just what the doctor prescribed!   So whatever she had, it was no real constipation.     Yippee!

Good luck!

ps.  The bloating seems not to be so protruding any more.  If it is lesser now, or because she is coming more into shape tx to your  care, I dont know, but she looks better and almost normal now.

Pretty tabby spots too.  

from what I've read around here wobbling usually isn't good, is it because of her stomach or something else?

and could it be her stomach is protruding because she is malnourished? did the vet do blood tests? I've never seen that young a cat with that big a stomach!

what was the shot the vet gave her?

Awww she is adorable..but I think your bet is to take her back to the Vet on Monday and they can test her poop and maybe see better that her tummy is flatter.
Its really weird a baby with a large belly like that. Please do make sure that who ever you give it to will take good care of her.

You have done a great job with her.

After she peed and pooped her stomach did seem to get smaller, but after meal time it looks so big again it's alarming. The vet gave her a de worming shot, they did not run blood test or stool test yet. And maybe the big belly is making it difficult for her to walk, from what I've observed. I did not know they could get bloated from malnutrition? I've had her for 5 days now, almost 6 and she has only pooped once. She burps after meal and does not show any sign of pain or discomfort even when I press on her belly. She is very happy and playful and looooove human interaction. I will take her back to the vet in the morning. She is the sweetest thing in the world; I'll try my best to get her in best shape. Thank you a lot for helping me

I just did my homework and found that malnutrition can lead to swollen bellies, a condition called Kwashiorkor, like those children in Africa. Not sure how long she's been on her own before we picked her up but that could really be what she's having, too.
Not sure if this is worth mentioning, but she has scabs on her tail, and shoulder. it's almost healed now, not sure if it's from falling or bumping into things or from another animal bite. But, where the scab is, it smells funky even after we showered her to get rid of the fleas. Husband said it smells like skunk. That smell is going away now as the scabs are almost healed. Don't know if that should be a concern?

Try massaging her bottom with vaseline so it will not get raw..stimulate her like her mom would do with her tounge also get some chamomile and water and give ger some of that all she wants..that will help her belly.

Smelling scabs?...   One idea is it may be some sort of  mold or bacteria infection, and that is why it smells...

Raw honey is good on such, being somewhat antifungi and antibacterial.  Or  coco oil of good quality.   Soured liquid soap (ie a liquid soap with lower ph than usual), if you has it, is also nice In Sweden we have the Lactacyd. . Soothing on most types of sores.  For example, when I had riding sores / wounds, it was the only soap I could wash myself with.  And it was soothing the inlammation too...

Oh my! I hope your baby is ok? Did the vet help? Thinking of you two.