5 Month old Kitten Sick and Not Eating

That picture of him is so adorable!  When we first adopted our Darko, his name was Jerry, and they look so similar  .  Anyway, have you been able to determine IF it's possible he ingested some sort of toxin around your house...perhaps a plant of some sort?  Maybe someone even gave you some fresh flowers? Does he go outside at all?  There are so many things that can cause this, and Easter Lilies are one, but I think it's a little early for those, although I guess it depends on where you live. 

My thoughts and prayers are with you and Jerry. 

I still don't know. I checked all of our cleaning supplies for any sort of chew marks or residue, and they were all fine.

I found a broken ibuprofen on the floor today while cleaning, but i found all the pieces, so at most he bit it, but i doubt that is enough to cause kidney failure.

The doctor mentioned raisins. We aren't the cleanest cooks, so if a few raisins got on the ground while making granola bars, we may have missed them. I had no idea they were a problem.  He never shows any interest in people food though,beyond just smelling it, I have never seen a cat less willing to try my food. He's even picky about treats designed for cats!

We don't have any house plants, and barring a few episodes where he ran out the door, and wasn't out there for more than 30 seconds, he never goes outside. I brought in a few plants when it was freezing (I'm in northern Florida) but I checked that they were ok for cats (parsley, rosemary, mint and sage).

Maybe there was a weed in the pot that he got at, but that was more than two weeks ago and he was fine  until just recently. 

We have a bike/utility room that has some stuff lying around. I don't know, maybe he chewed on a dirty rag or something. No antifreeze, or rat poison, or any of those basic go to killers though. 

Oh my gosh, look at his little punkin face, poor sweet little boy

Actually seeing his pic is making me tearry-eyed.  

Last night when you said he is vomiting blood, was it the dark coffee ground looking blood?

Anything that decreases blood flow through the kidney can cause kidney failure. This includes dehydration from any cause such as severe vomiting/diarrhea. 

Do they have a catheter in him to monitor urine volume vs fluid intake?

Are his potassium levels okay? Commonly, acute will cause potassium to elevate, which causes the heart rate to slow and even stop. But he is in good hands being there. They know all of this of course.

Sending many many

I'd rather not go into too much detail about the vomit, but there was quite a bit, it was very dark and there was red in it when I wiped it up with a paper towel.

I am praying for you and your adorable baby!

I hope Jerry comes through this okay! 

Was he given Metacam recently, by any chance? That has been known to cause acute kidney failure.

Hey all, 

If Jerry gets to come home, I'm assuming he'll be on a strict diet, probably K/D. I have issues with conventional vet recommended food, because they get paid to sell it, and royal canin made jerry sick in the past. I do not believe little carnivores are meant to eat a bunch of corn and wheat and garbage. 

Is K/D really my best option, or is there something better? 

At this point I feel like I've tried so hard to do everything right only to lead to catastrophic failure :/

Also, I got to see him tonight, and he's looking a lot happier and healthier. But, that is him connected to constant fluids, so it's still up in the air. 

Aww poor little buddy. I know how you feel when you try to do right and sometimes their little bodies just succumb

There are a lot of really good sites out there about the best foods. I pretty much give my cats fancy feast or Proplan but only poultry, beef, liver, turkey etc. no fish flavors. I add a powder nutritional supplement and vitamin paste daily.

I had one cat on the brink of death over Thanksgiving who is now just recovering, it takes daily care, love and diligence. You may have to try different foods and see what works best for your baby. I also grow kitty grass for them. I have one cat with dietary issues this seems to works wonder for.

I went to petco one day and bought one can of every kind of food to test and see what they would eat and not vomit up. 

It is like having children. 

You are a great pet parent and will do what's best.

With Acute Kidney Failure, not sure if he will require low phosphorus food or not (that's what kidney diet food is really all about).  But you are correct in that you don't have to go with prescription food full of corn and wheat in order to feed foods lower in phosphorus.  Here is a food chart that lists phosphorus in many canned foods.  I have a kidney cat, and I look for good quality protein, highish fat, low carbs, and low phosphorus.  I use the 2nd column (dry matter basis).  This list is in alpha order, which I find easiest, but it also comes in phosphorus order, if you would prefer.  Unfortunately, it hasn't been updated for over a year, so some of the newer foods out there aren't on it.  But it's better than nothing.  http://www.catinfo.org/docs/FoodChartPublic9-22-12.pdf   Also, Daves just started making a low phos canned food  which isn't on this list.  They make a pretty good food. 

Additionally, I refer to THIS website constantly  http://www.felinecrf.org/index.htm   It's really for Chronic Kidney Disease, but there may be something in there that you could find helpful.

I'm so glad Jerry seems to be reacting positively to his treatments

Continued vibes for a full recovery

Oh my..... I just read through your thread and I just wanted to send you lots of . I hope your little guy will pull through this. He is absolutely adorable and looks like a sweet little kitten. My heart is with you both.

How is Jerry doing?

Has there been new blood panels done at all? Anything showing there?

He is doing better in some ways, worse in others.

All the things that you read in blood panels for kidneys (idk the technical terms) have changed pretty drastically for the better

he now is reading anemic, where he wasn't before, so that's worrisome. Im going to get a call this evening on his numbers of rbc precursors.

I was also told he ate a lot of food today. So that's good.


We are working with them to hopefully get a scholarship for his bill. The vet made it sound very possible.
he was not very energetic when I saw him

How's Jerry hon?

Sending loads and loads of vibes to you, hun, and to Jerry. He is darling and I am so sorry he is so sick. I hope that he pulls through all of this for you. :cross: :rub: It is not easy, not at all.

He looks like a very sweet baby. Sending lots of good vibes that he pulls through. I'm sorry you both are going through this

I am so very sorry to read this...it sounds like you have been doing everything you can - literally- which is more than most people do.

We have a young cat where I work - 2 - and he is in kidney failure. He gets three day a week fluids and procrit and recently started gaining weight.

I also....had a little baby that got uveitis at 5 months of age. When it started getting better, and the fevers were going down...she peed unusual blood on the floor in the hall and I knew she was in kidney failure. She didn't make it the week. Your baby sounds like a fighter, and I am sending all my best wishes. I have the same food concerns as you, but at this point having your little baby eat ANYthing is good. From terrible Fancy Feasr to other Purina or Science Diet, Iams, etc. etc. to the good foods like Wellness and Orijen. As long as he is eating... But if you want a food that isn't full of bad stuff like Science Diet I would see a holistic vet and try adding what he needs in supplements. You sound like great parents! 

Dropping in to send some more vibes to Jerry and to you... update when you can. :cross:

Hey all a little tentative update on Jerry, in case anyone is still wondering. 

He came home once about a week ago and by the next morning I knew he wasn't better. He was too anemic. The vet called me before I had a chance to call her saying she wanted to continue treatment and she managed to get me a scholarship. So he went back.  

On Monday I picked him up again, and he was doing much better, but over the course of the day he threw up multiple times and I knew he wasn't well. It seemed like the toxins were not being eliminated by his kidneys. 

The vet met me at the hospital at about 11pm and I was intending to put him down. He didn't need to suffer anymore, and I couldn't possibly continue treatment because of my financial situation.  

As a last stitch effort the vet decided to run his kidney  numbers one more time (for free) and they were actually better. She is convinced she can help him and has taken him to her house and is caring for him free of charge.  

On Friday we'll check his numbers again and see where we stand.  If his quality of life is going to be ruined I do not think it is a good idea to just prolong his life.  I tried my best and it may very well be out of my hands now. 

I am so sorry to read this. I do hope his numbers will keep getting better and he would be a healthy playful kitten.

Sending many many vibes to you