Need help with 3-4 week old kitten

I'm very new and in a desperate situation with a 3-4 week old kitten.

You've got a new thread now--can you post with more details about your situation?

What do you need help with? Please say what is going on and we're happy to help!

Thank you! A friend of my daughters found a tiny kitten in their back yard and decided to leave it there all day in case the mom came back for it. Mama never returned so she took the kitten to the SPCA where my daughter is a summer student. Of course she asked if we could foster the kitten and I of course said yes. The kitten, upon arrival, did not have both eyes opened. One was partially opened. We fed the kitten via bottle with milk from the vet. She fed fine. We figured she was about 7 to 10 days old. We put her on a hearing pad and she seemed like she was going to be ok. Here is the problem. She has had very bad diarrhea ever since we got her. To the point that poop is just falling out of her as she walks. She is now about 3 weeks old. It's very runny and brownish ish and mixed with blood. She poops constantly. About 10 times a day. ( sorry for the poop details). There's no consistency to her poop. It's very liquid like. The blood is concerning. I took her to the vet a few days ago and he said to start her on solid food. I tried but I really think she is too young for that yet. He never tested her for anything. He gave her a worm injection. I bring her back home feeling more needed to be done. A lot of money spent with no real answers or solutions. I am constantly going behind her cleaning up the poop droppings. What's going on do you think? What can we do? Her bum seems to be swollen and very very sore. Other than the poop issues she is doing great. She is active and a little sweetheart. Any suggestions as to what this problem might be? Thank you.

Does the SPCA you are fostering through have a vet there or one they contract with? Usually when you foster for a place like that, they want you to go to their vet, and they provide care. Make sure you have to pay for vet care yourself because a lot of times it's provided free to the foster.

I hope kitty starts feeling better!

Yes I went to their vet. I just feel like she is getting worse and I don't know what to do or to help her. I'm not even sure if the vet can do anything at this point because she is so young.

Ok so first things first, "solid food" may be too much for her little belly and only exasperate the problem. Try taking a quality dry kitten food, and either grinding it to a powder, or mixing it with KMR and let it soften you cal also use water for some of the feedings, and milk for the others. Either way, when the powder has soaked up all the liquid it can (remember it's powder, and it will soak up a TON of liquid), or just the soaked food has soaked up all the liquid it can, put it in a blender and get it good and mixed up. Then dilute it 1 part "solid food" to 3 parts KMR, after 3 days increase the ratio to 50/50, and 3 days later, 75/25. Leave her on this for at least 8 or 9 days, she should get solid poops after a few days. Secondly, as long as she has the poops, the small amount is blood is pretty normal, she may have irritated a blood vessel, or popped one  since her little bum is so sore. You can use a hemorrhoid pad gently on her bum after each "pooping session" it will cool the skin, and help things heal. And finally, after she's on the 75/25 for at least a week, you can start with the dry kitten food soaked in water, I personally like to still add a little scoop of KMR to the mix and let it soak up into the kitten food. 

I've been a SPCA foster parent for about 5 or 6 years, and I've had to do this with I don't know how many kittens. It works. 

I hope your foster gets better, and I hope that this helps!! 

Blessed Be! 

I'm so thankful for your reply. It's 5 am here and I'm up with her. I will try what you posted. I will let you know how it goes. I was starting to think the worst and that maybe she was really sick or maybe that's why the mama left her etc. I'm happy to hear you have experienced this before. It's not just a wee bit of blood it's getting more and more. I'm trying what you suggested right away. Thank you so much.

Did the vet test your kitten for Coccidiosis? It is very common in kittens and causes severe diarrhea that often has blood and/or mucus in it. 

You mention your kitten has more and more blood in her stool. Please call your vet asap and let them know that. She may need antibiotics or another medication to clear that up along with the diet changes Renee mentioned above.

No, she was not tested or treated for anything at the vet. What exactly is c?

She really needs to be tested for coccidia and giardia. These are parasites that can make a kitten very ill, but which are easily treatable.

When a kitten has diarrhea like yours does, it is usually from parasites or a bacterial infection. Changing her diet will not cure it. She needs medicine from the vet.

I suggest you see the vet asap, and bring a poop sample. Discuss these parasites and bacterial infections. They can also give an anti-diarrhea medicine.

The blood is from irritation, because she has had this for so long. You can rub olive oil on her bottom with a cotton ball to help with the soreness.

She needs to be seen immediately. Let us know what the vet says.

I went down to the vet this morning to see if he would give her an antibiotic to clear up any infection she might have. He said he doesn't feel she needs to be given anything. He said it should improve once she is on solid food. She is under the care of SPCA so I have to bring her to their chosen vet. I'm fostering but basically they decide on her care. She is now on the formula that a lady posted here. If she does not improve in several days I don't know what we will do.

I don't understand why he did not give her something for the pooping. I assumed she was too young to be given any medicine. I'm a first time foster for a kitten this young so I just assumed the vet would know what to do. I honestly feel she has something that will needs medication.

I feel she has a problem too. Your only other option is to take her to a private vet. She is not too young for medicine if she needs it.

What brand formula have you been using?

Also, if only one eye was partially open when you got her, she is probably a week younger than you think she is.

N nikkicocoa

We fostered too, and were not happy with vet care so we adopted, which is an option.  Another option, if you don't intend to keep the kitten long term is to just turn her back into the SPCA and once she is in their custody, they will take her condition more seriously.    I think Renee's response is pretty good though... sounds like she has dealt with this before so hopefully what she has recommended helps!

Kitten milk formula from the vet. It's called natural c. Balanced milk replacer.

I have 2 adult house cats along with 2 strays I feed and provide shelter for. My intention was just to foster. But I'm not sure if I could give her up now especially after all this. I'll be divorced for sure if I keep her . I just called the vet again and have the receptionist the names of those 2 diseases and asked if she can be reseen. If she can't then I will secretly take her to a vet in St. John's. I have to do whatever I can to get this corrected.

I am so thankful for all of your replies and advise. I really did not know what to do.

The kitten milk you've been giving is fine. Some, like Hartz, seem to cause problems.

She needs to see a private vet.

Most young kittens on formula do not have this issue. We've seen many kittens improve quickly with proper medication.

Can you post a picture of her please?

Does she have baby teeth yet?

If the kitten does have one of these parasites, she is contagious.  You need to find out so you know if you need to sanitized everything.