Rescue kitten with diarrhoea

Thank you so much. She really was in a bad way when I got her. We think she got dumped as a kitten (a litter was dumped at the yard - sadly we didn't find out before they dispersed, but we know one found a good home - but we're not sure Asha was connected to them. It's also just possible that she was born there). A dominant semi feral (who I'm still working to get) was preventing her from eating /hunting enough.

I'm adding water/broth to Asha's food to stop her getting dehydrated again. I'm so glad she showed herself to me and we were able to get her out.

The probiotics are a great idea - I'm feeding the goat's yogurt for that reason, but I also know that live cultures taken that way often don't make it beyond the stomach. I can see I'll have a long list to go through with the vet tomorrow! Hopefully I'll have some answers and treatments soon.

Update: Asha finally had a bm tonight. It was pretty normal, no mucus and much less smelly - in fact, it barely smelt at all

I'm still going to talk to the vets about the earlier discussion, but at least I don't have to be quite so worried about dehydration in the short term.

Columbine said:

Update: Asha finally had a bm tonight. It was pretty normal, no mucus and much less smelly - in fact, it barely smelt at all

I'm still going to talk to the vets about the earlier discussion, but at least I don't have to be quite so worried about dehydration in the short term.

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Yay,hopefully it was either a little food intolerance or connected to the antibiotic.  Just to be clear, none of us were trying to diagnose your cat, all we wanted to do was make sure you had all the options in front of you.

I know none of you were trying to diagnose, nor would I expect it over the Internet It just really helps to know what questions to ask.

Since my last post, Asha's had another bm - just formed but very soft and mucusy again

Before this happened, I'd made a vets appointment anyway. I'm increasingly concerned about urine volume (loads - reminds me of Cal on diuretics) as well as the feces. I think most likely is malnutrition basis, but I'm also aware she was living near (nest 15 feet or so away from ) rat poison. It's possible she'd eaten poisoned mice or rats

She's well in herself anyway. We'll go to the vet on Wednesday morning and insist some tests are run

Correction - getting appointments mixed up

Asha's seeing the vet first thing tomorrow morning not Wednesday!

If she has not been near rodenticide for 2 weeks, it's unlikely she has rodenticide toxicity. Your vet would've noted petechia, abdominal/thoracic contusions, and would have ruled out such a toxicity as these are classic signs. By now, she'd be deceased, honestly, with blood draining from her eyes, mucous membranes, and internal hemorrhage.

Glad she's headed to her vets' clinic tomorrow, as they can help evaluate both her urine and persistent diarrhea.

Large volumes of urination secondary to deliberate increase in water intake is normal. But, while her volume is dilute, her urine is at risk to develop bacteria. Highly concentrated urine is at risk for crystal formation, as highly dilute or bloody ruine is at risk for growing bacteria. If she's urinating more often and larger volumes, UA should be done, including ketone count, as well as checking blood electrolytes and BUN/CREA.

Many dehydrated cats need intravenous/subcutaneous fluid administration as their GI tract can't absorb their daily fluid requirement, either due to increased water elimination in urine and stool, or retaining fluid, such as edema.

Soft stool indicates her large intestine (colon), and possibly her small intestine also, isn't normal, is inflamed, and her colon is not absorbing all the moisture from her digesta it should before sending it to her rectal pathway. Hydration via a fluid bolus (IV/Sq) can decrease GI inflammation, improve cellular/intracellular fluid, as well as balance of electrolytes between and within cells, all necessary to resolve diarrhea and maintain her body's homeostasis. Treating the cause is important, even if intermittently her stool is normal, thus the diagnostics.

Thank you. I didn't think poison was vastly likely, but it was at the back of my mind.

I'm going to make sure they run full bloods tomorrow, as well as whatever they need to test for parasites (particularly important - and not just for Asha's sake - I have older animals who can't afford to get them).

She's booked in to see one of the two best cat vets in the practice. Hopefully I'll have answers and treatments soon.

Columbine said:

I know none of you were trying to diagnose, nor would I expect it over the Internet

It just really helps to know what questions to ask.

Since my last post, Asha's had another bm - just formed but very soft and mucusy again

Before this happened, I'd made a vets appointment anyway. I'm increasingly concerned about urine volume (loads - reminds me of Cal on diuretics) as well as the feces. I think most likely is malnutrition basis, but I'm also aware she was living near (nest 15 feet or so away from ) rat poison. It's possible she'd eaten poisoned mice or rats

She's well in herself anyway. We'll go to the vet on Wednesday morning and insist some tests are run

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well i urine out put could mean kidney issues or diabetic issues but she is young for either.

I agree that she's young for kidney problem or diabetes. Possibly a potassium deficiency is a more likely cause given her background.

She's had another bm - looser and more mucusy

At least she's hungry and looks well (if you ignore her weigh).

I know how extreme the impact of malnutrition / starvation in people can be. My hope is that that's all that's going on here.

Will post again after the vet visit.

Saw the vet this morning. She's more worried about the excessive urination than the diarrhoea. She gave me a special cat litter that will allow me to get a clean urine sample. She also wants another fecal sample - the one I took in was from a very small bm and I'd found it impossible to get it free of litter. Both samples will be sent off for extensive testing. The plan is to get that done first, then do bloodwork if necessary.

I've also been told to starve Asha for 24 hrs :confuse3: Really not happy about that, but will have to do what I'm told.

The vet I saw was the one who treated Cal all the way to the end and I do trust her. I just don't like starving a 9 months-ish kitten who's still 3-4 lbs underweight... ...

Asha's now hiding under the desk She was shaking at the vets. The vet I saw is very good, but she's also a bit loud.

Wonderful that they are kosher with the diagnostics. Even young cats can have bladder/kidney infections, inflammation, acidosis or ketosis, or pre-renal azotemia/changes in the blood that can affect urination. Electrolytes and BUN/CREA help determine if the latter is an issue.

She'll be okay if you withhold food just the 24 hour period, as your vet indicated. It may help calm down her GI tract, to have nothing to digest for a few hours (it won't be empty for 24 hours, as the last meal you feed will take 8-12 hours to move through her GI tract).

Please let us know what the lab results are. Some Feliway spray/diffuser and collar, and brushing/petting can help with calming and release of endorphins, aiding her recovering from the stress of the car ride and vet office.

It's not that they won't test over here, I think it's just that they like to give things a couple of days to see if they settle before jumping in with a barrage of tests


Asha's a lot better now - the scared didn't last very long. She just spooks easily still..not surprising when you consider her background. We've just had a 20 mins game, the longest she's ever played for I'm hoping her problems simply stem from malnutrition and can be easily rectified. We shall see...

That is such good news.  Hopefully you will know more in the next day or two.  She also will be happy to eat again tomorrow!!

Asha will definitely be happy to eat tomorrow. She's been bugging me for food since lunchtime!

I kind of caved about food :sulk: Asha was going nuts so I gave her a bowl of chicken water (leftover water from poaching skinless chicken breasts) to shut her up :disa: I know I shouldn't have but I couldn't take her whining any more. Also, I left it too long before swapping out her litter with the weird plastic stuff the vet gave me so I could get a clean urine sample. I figured she couldn't pee with an empty bladder and she really doesn't seem to drink very much water at all. Hope I haven't screwed things up ara2:

Columbine said:

I kind of caved about food

Asha was going nuts so I gave her a bowl of chicken water (leftover water from poaching skinless chicken breasts) to shut her up

I know I shouldn't have but I couldn't take her whining any more. Also, I left it too long before swapping out her litter with the weird plastic stuff the vet gave me so I could get a clean urine sample. I figured she couldn't pee with an empty bladder and she really doesn't seem to drink very much water at all. Hope I haven't screwed things up

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I think it's fine you had chicken water.  It satisfied her a bit without giving her too much to upset the digestive tract.  My cats hated the plastic pellets for pee.  I had a terrible time getting them to use it.  My one cat didn't pee for 36 hours.  It  was a nightmare.  I hope you  get her pee and also a fresh stool sample.

Got the pee sample!!! We've made it to morning and I'm about to feed Asha too Hoping she pooped overnight as nothing emerged yesterday.

She was so much better in herself last night...had three or four long play sessions with her. The best she's ever given me before has been 5 mins. We're going to need a new feather soon at this rate :lol3:

Still no poop yet...

Any updates?  Did you get any poop?  What about pee, did the vet find anything or do they have to send it away?

Hope she is still on the mend.