Kitten with loose stool... no other symptoms. Concerns??

I have two kittens, 11 weeks old tomorrow. Mom was feral, I've had them both since just under 5 weeks old. They have been in fine health. Monday I noticed a bit of loose stool in the litter box. A few small movements. Not liquidy, as it will clump with the litter, but no form to it at all. No outrageous odor (other than the fact it's loose cat poo). I believe it's my girl kitty that has it. Both kittens have not changed a single thing with their behavior. Eating, drinking, playing, sleeping. No lethargy, no increased sleepiness, no signs of any pain or discomfort, no eliminating outside the litter box. My question... how long should I just observe the loose stool before bundling them off to the vet? I've not verified with my own eyes that it is the female with the loose stool, so I imagine they would both have to go. I'd rather not stress them out. The female, especially. We went to the clinic for first shots a week ago and my girl was not happy. I know stress can cause bowel issues, but she was fine once I got her home, and for a few days later. Ditto vaccines. Was fine right after... now this? Can cat treats cause this? I think she had like 6 pieces of cat treats over the weekend.

If they've never had those treats before, and the diarrhoea started after feeding them, it's possible that they're the cause of the problem. Given that mom was feral, it's also possible they have worms or other parasites such as giardia or coccidia (possibly more likely than worms).

The vet saw them very recently. If the diarrhoea doesn't resolve after 24 hrs with no treats, I'd call the vet and get advice. You could even call today if you wanted to play it safe, but my inclination would be to see if the treats were the culprit first.

Whatever it is, I hope it clears up soon

Thanks! Going just off of cause & effect, I was thinking it was the treats. I dewormed them both when I got them and hadn't noticed any other "wormy" issues. Hopefully there are no parasitic issues, either. I'm thankful there are no other symptoms, and also very grateful that it's only loose stool right now and not full-blown diarrhea. They are both eating, drinking, and peeing as much as before (I've become entirely too interested in the contents of the litterbox)... so hopefully dehydration will not be an issue. I have my fingers crossed that when I get home from work and play a quick game of "what's in the litterbox?," I'll find some improvement in consistency.

It's funny what can make a person happy when you have pets.

:lol3: I've done my fair share of obsessing over litterbox contents...still doing sometimes It's amazing how happy a formed poop can make you

If you're concerned about hydration you can always mix a little extra water into their wet food. If it is a straightfoward tummy upset a teaspoon of plain pumpkin puree mixed into their food can help firm things up again.

That's not the first time I've heard that about the pumpkin. I wonder if I can get that around here in July. They are on dry food only... I will scruff them when I get home & make sure they're plenty hydrated. If they need a little extra water, I know they LOVE when I added water to the dry food to mush it up when we first got them. I can always go back to that. May try the pumpkin. Is a teaspoon a regular dose regardless of weight? I'll have to separate them to feed... hhmmm... thanks for the ideas!

A teaspoon is what I've always used (and what I've seem recommended), but I used it for an older (though malnourished and very skinny) cat. Maybe try half a teaspoon to start with, and see how they go.

In terms of water this article has great tips for boosting fluid intake - especially important for kibble only cats and kittens http://www.thecatsite.com/a/tips-to-increase-your-cat-s-water-intake

Thanks for the article. I added some water to their food this a.m. (like I did when they were under 5 weeks old). Very happy kitties. Kind of like my dog. Funny how much just adding water changes the smell/taste and they get all excited. Still some loose poo in the litterbox this a.m., but still no watery diarrhea... so that's good. Last night there was more formed poo, so I got my hopes up it was getting better. We'll see what poo today holds. lol. Ah, the conversations I've had as a pet owner and a parent. It's all about the poo, 'bout that poo, 'bout that poo. HA!

I'm going to try the pumpkin route tonight or tomorrow if there is no marked improvement.

:cross: that they get back to normal soon. Glad that it's looking hopeful

Cinabean said:

 
Thanks for the article. I added some water to their food this a.m. (like I did when they were under 5 weeks old). Very happy kitties. Kind of like my dog. Funny how much just adding water changes the smell/taste and they get all excited. Still some loose poo in the litterbox this a.m., but still no watery diarrhea... so that's good. Last night there was more formed poo, so I got my hopes up it was getting better. We'll see what poo today holds. lol. Ah, the conversations I've had as a pet owner and a parent. It's all about the poo, 'bout that poo, 'bout that poo. HA!

I'm going to try the pumpkin route tonight or tomorrow if there is no marked improvement.

Click to expand...

I can definitely relate to being happy over formed poo! When we adopted our cat, we were not told she was allergic to fish....took a few weeks to get that sorted, and she still has a sensitive stomach lol.

Good luck with the kitties. Hopefully things form up for you, and them!

We shall see what tonight's litterbox holds in store for me when I get home from work. lol. I am sending hubby to the store on his way home to pick up some pumpkin... will give that a shot if there are still issues.