Sick Kittens

missmimz

TCS Member
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Jan 11, 2015
Messages
2,301
Purraise
365
I have 4 9 week old kittens (former ferals) that I've had since they were about 6 weeks old. They're healthy, eat well, play, etc. On Thursday last week they had their first FVRCP (3 in 1) vaccine as well as a test for FIV/FeLV (negative) at a low cost clinic. Everyone was doing well until Monday morning when i came into their room there were several small piles of vomit ( a little food, mostly bile and foam). I wasn't sure which kitten was vomiting but everyone was acting normal. Last night same episode occurred except i caught two different kittens doing the vomiting. 

They're acting normal except for a decreased appetite (which they all have). Much of their food has been uneaten for the last 24 hours. They're all playing and eating a small amount but much less than normal. There has been some diarrhea from at least one kitten. 

I know that ideally they should see a vet but It's not really in the budget to take all 4 of them right now unless things get much worse. They're supposed to get spayed & neutered on Friday but I will cancel that if things aren't better. 

My question is: Is it possible this is a reaction from their vaccines? No other changes in the last few weeks. Same food (high quality wet), no real exposure to other animals; they've seen my other cats (that are healthy) in passing but they spend the majority of their time in an enclosed room. 

They don't appear to be dehydrated at all. Should i give them some KRM? Pedialyte? Chicken baby food? something else that might help?
 

red top rescue

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Dec 27, 2012
Messages
4,466
Purraise
1,486
Location
Acworth GA, USA
 It is possible they are having a reaction to their vaccine, but it's also possible you got a bad can of food.  This happens even with quality food from time to time.  There is a medicine (liquid) you can get from your vet if this vomiting persists.  You can try giving them boiled chicken and rice mashed together as that is very bland. It is an antibiotic that kills most food-borne bacteria and concentrates in the gut rather than in the bloodstream, and one or two doses usually stops this problem in its tracks if it is food poisoning. (I have used it but unfortunately do not remember its name.)   Remember even if you use the same brand and flavor of food all the time, each can and each bag of dry represents a "new" food.  I can't tell you how often people have run into problems (which later became recalls) because they said "Oh it can't be the food, I've always fed her this and it's been just fine." 

Also, it never hurts to check on your usual food from time to time by Googling "complaints about _________" and see if anyone else has had problems recently, and in the meantime go to something you can control, like boiled chicken (make sure you cook it thoroughly!)
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #3

missmimz

TCS Member
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Jan 11, 2015
Messages
2,301
Purraise
365
Thanks. I did buy a few new cans of food so perhaps it is the food. I actually have some home-made cooked turkey (with the proper supplements) that i made for my cats that they didn't really like so I'm going to feed to them as well as some home-made pedialyte. I'll keep an eye on them and if it gets worse I will take one or more to the vet. 
 
Top