Kitten not eating and has watery yellow diarrhea

paigealyssa · Sep 28, 2015

Hello, I adopted a kitten this last thursday from a "breeder" that sold maine coons. Well I showed up to this woman's house, and it was disgusting and smelly filled with all different types of cats and she handed the kitten to me and we walked out. As I examined the kitten in the car he reeked of poop and had things matted in his hair. I got him home and he was extremely hungry and very very skinny. I fed him wet food which he downed acting like he hadn't eaten in days and then went to bed. The next few days I tried to feed him and he would lick the top of the food but not really eat much. He was always meowing like he was hungry but then would seem uninterested in much food and hardly any or no water. I was really worried so I saw a vet after he threw up regurgitated food. The vet said that the kitten seemed about 5 weeks old under 1 pound and very skinny and extremely dehydrated. He is very docile and always sleepy. The vet also told me that this was a tabby cat and not a maine coon that the lady said I was buying. The "breeder" also told me when I asked her for documentation of his first shots that she administered them herself so she had no proof. When I told her what was going on she refunded me 225 dollars for vet bills (I paid $350 for this cat thinking I was getting a pure bred maine coon) and she was immediately worried about the cat having panleukopenia. The vet told me that since the cat was so young that maybe the diarrhea was from his system not being able to digest the wet food so I needed to feed him formula (2 tablespoons every 4 to 5 hours during the day). I got home put the formula in the bowl and he took a few sips seemed happy but then walked away, didn't even eat close to 2 tablespoons. It only got worse from sunday where he wouldn't even really touch the food maybe just a sip or two. I got a syringe last night and started to administer the kmr to him 2 teaspoons in one sitting and he would drink for a little and then try to turn his head. I got around 4 teaspoons down last night which afterward he was in a food coma sleeping so heavy. I started again in the morning, I got around 9 teaspoons fed to him today and he has been sleeping non stop all day. He will meow sometimes but it seems like a very sad meow and all he does is sleep on my carpet or when I pick him up he'll nuzzle my ear and sometimes purr but he just seems so drowzy and drained. I stimulate him with a warm paper towel and he pees and pooped twice today but they were both watery yellow diarrhea. I am not sure if that means I am feeding him too much but considering how much I was told to feed him that seems like hardly the case. I've researched a lot and it says that he should be eating about 21 teaspoons a day (which is about 7 tablespoons) and theres no way I would be able to feed him that much with his lack of interest to the food. I need help, I was going to take him to urgent care but its 100 dollars and I don't have a current stool sample because all of his are already covered by cat litter. Anyone have any suggestions on what this might be or what I should do??? I am definitely taking him to the vet tomorrow I'm just freaking out and love this little guy and don't want anything to happen to him.

StefanZ · Sep 28, 2015

paigealyssa said:
Hello, I adopted a kitten this last thursday from a "breeder" that sold maine coons. Well I showed up to this woman's house, and it was disgusting and smelly filled with all different types of cats and she handed the kitten to me and we walked out. As I examined the kitten in the car he reeked of poop and had things matted in his hair. I got him home and he was extremely hungry and very very skinny. I fed him wet food which he downed acting like he hadn't eaten in days and then went to bed. The next few days I tried to feed him and he would lick the top of the food but not really eat much. He was always meowing like he was hungry but then would seem uninterested in much food and hardly any or no water. I was really worried so I saw a vet after he threw up regurgitated food. The vet said that the kitten seemed about 5 weeks old under 1 pound and very skinny and extremely dehydrated. He is very docile and always sleepy. The vet also told me that this was a tabby cat and not a maine coon that the lady said I was buying. The "breeder" also told me when I asked her for documentation of his first shots that she administered them herself so she had no proof. When I told her what was going on she refunded me 225 dollars for vet bills (I paid $350 for this cat thinking I was getting a pure bred maine coon) and she was immediately worried about the cat having panleukopenia. The vet told me that since the cat was so young that maybe the diarrhea was from his system not being able to digest the wet food so I needed to feed him formula (2 tablespoons every 4 to 5 hours during the day). I got home put the formula in the bowl and he took a few sips seemed happy but then walked away, didn't even eat close to 2 tablespoons. It only got worse from sunday where he wouldn't even really touch the food maybe just a sip or two. I got a syringe last night and started to administer the kmr to him 2 teaspoons in one sitting and he would drink for a little and then try to turn his head. I got around 4 teaspoons down last night which afterward he was in a food coma sleeping so heavy. I started again in the morning, I got around 9 teaspoons fed to him today and he has been sleeping non stop all day. He will meow sometimes but it seems like a very sad meow and all he does is sleep on my carpet or when I pick him up he'll nuzzle my ear and sometimes purr but he just seems so drowzy and drained. I stimulate him with a warm paper towel and he pees and pooped twice today but they were both watery yellow diarrhea. I am not sure if that means I am feeding him too much but considering how much I was told to feed him that seems like hardly the case. I've researched a lot and it says that he should be eating about 21 teaspoons a day (which is about 7 tablespoons) and theres no way I would be able to feed him that much with his lack of interest to the food. I need help, I was going to take him to urgent care but its 100 dollars and I don't have a current stool sample because all of his are already covered by cat litter. Anyone have any suggestions on what this might be or what I should do??? I am definitely taking him to the vet tomorrow I'm just freaking out and love this little guy and don't want anything to happen to him.

I will write again later.

For now, 1. With this watery diarrhea, you shall give him )forcefeed if necessary, some sort of pedialyte. Bought or home-made. If bought, best is some sort of unflavored, clear pedialyte for children. There are several home recipes - with glucose sugar and minerale salts as main ingredients. tummy down, head up, slowly in the corner of the mouth. If he swallows actively it can go rather quick, if he swallows slowly, it will take its time)

350 bucks for a purebred is cheap - its then at most a so called pet quality...

paigealyssa · Sep 28, 2015

okay thank you I will try that. Yeah that is what the doctor said because she has a Maine Coon too. He is not actually a pure breed the doctor said he is a tabby cat. I mentioned it in the post as background for the kind of woman I got it from and the inconsistencies she told me before purchase. When I contacted her about the cats sickness she said shed only had the cat in her care for 4 days and didn't know anything about him which made me very worried. but thank you I will let you know if that works at all.

stormy bledsoe · Sep 28, 2015

For the other cats' safety, I would also report that woman to the police, PETA, the ASPCA, and whoever else you can think of.

paigealyssa · Sep 28, 2015

Yes I am in the process of contacting the humane society in her area and see what I can do to stop this from happening again. I just have been so worried about my kitten and her health I have been focusing all my attention on that . If you have any other suggestions on how to report her that would be helpful.

StefanZ · Sep 28, 2015

Aha so you got kmr instead, which is good, it was my next suggestion, as something easy to digest Exactly what brand it is?

Make sure the food and water soultions you give are warm, at least room tempered, but may be best to have them body tempered.

Another alternative is goat milk. Raw - fresh or frozen is the best, but bottled /cartooned /powdered, full fat - no diet versions, are OK too.

If you get this glucose sugar - may also be glucose syrup, white caro syrup, or even honey - you can use it to perk in some extra energy by smearing a lttle on his lips and gum - glucose goes directly into blood already in the mouth, it doesnt need to be digested.

Keep him warm, and cozy. it always helps. Give him a fur animal as company. Fleece is nice, it feels almost alike fur. You can have a heating pad under that fleece..

Carrying at your chest is nice and effective care too, as an alternative.

Exactly how old is he? Serious breeders sells kittens at 12 weeks typically, but BYBs sell them often much younger.

paigealyssa said:
I just have been so worried about my kitten and her health I have been focusing all my attention on that . If you have any other suggestions on how to report her that would be helpful.

paigealyssa · Sep 28, 2015

the vet said he was around 5 weeks under a pound (she told me he was close to 8). I rubbed honey on his mouth earlier tonight but he had no interest and went back to sleep. I just made the pedialyte formula and gave him 1.5 mL of that and he pooped again, it was extremely watery and yellow. he is on my shoulder now purring and sleeping but his purr has another sound in it almost like a wine I can't really explain it. He just seems extremely tired and makes sad meowing and wining noises every once in a while. The kmr is what the vet gave me and its the PetAg brand.

StefanZ · Sep 28, 2015

paigealyssa said:
the vet said he was around 5 weeks under a pound (she told me he was close to 8). I rubbed honey on his mouth earlier tonight but he had no interest and went back to sleep. I just made the pedialyte formula and gave him 1.5 mL of that and he pooped again, it was extremely watery and yellow. he is on my shoulder now purring and sleeping but his purr has another sound in it almost like a wine I can't really explain it. He just seems extremely tired and makes sad meowing and wining noises every once in a while. The kmr is what the vet gave me and its the PetAg brand.

OK, PetAg is good, esp the powder version. The liquid is less reliable...

Proceed with the pedialyte, give him comfort and pray... If he makes it, you will have a dear friend for life.

paigealyssa · Sep 28, 2015

okay I have the liquid but will switch out for the powder tomorrow. How much pedialyte should I be feeding him and how often? Thank you for your help

StefanZ · Sep 28, 2015

paigealyssa said:
okay I have the liquid but will switch out for the powder tomorrow. How much pedialyte should I be feeding him and how often? Thank you for your help

If he eats the kmr, not as much as if he doestn take at all...

To tell the truth, I dont have exact tables, I usually play it by ear, and most caretakers too. I mean, if you give too much pedialyte, he wont eat as much, and he needs both... He is prob somewhat undernourished as it is.

So try to give him pedialyte inbetween the feedings.

He seems to not have the strengh to eat the whole portion, so its another good reason to give him more often, but smaller portions. Pedialyte sometimes, and kmr sometimes.

Dehydration is always a major danger, and also the lose of electrolytes... Homemade basic pedialyte is the major weapon agains the Mankiller, the cholera. Alone (togheter with good home care) bringing down the death ration from 80 down to perhaps 5-10 procents... No fancy medicines, but care and pedialyte...

So pedialyte gives fluids, electrolytes, and is also somewhat nourishing by itself tx to the high contain of glucose.

Exact what brand do you have? or if you use a home-made, which receipt?

paigealyssa · Sep 28, 2015

* 1 cup water (boiled then cooled)

* 2 tsp sugar

* 1/8 tsp salt

* 1/8 tsp baking soda

I am just afraid of overfeeding him because he seems to not really want to be fed anything.

paigealyssa · Sep 28, 2015

However I did put all the ingredients for the pedialyte in before the water was fully cooled

StefanZ · Sep 29, 2015

paigealyssa said:
* 1 cup water (boiled then cooled)

* 2 tsp sugar

* 1/8 tsp salt

* 1/8 tsp baking soda

I am just afraid of overfeeding him because he seems to not really want to be fed anything.

have a glucose sugar source )mentioned earleir=, instead of common sugar. Even honey, if you dont have anything better.

Its better, even if common table sugar is in some receipts.

The ingredients best put in before heating, as the heating stirs the solution, and also, kills some possible bacteria...

He can hardly be overfed, but is prob too weak and lethargic to eat enough. Sick children are too such...The recommended amount for food is 8ml /oz or 30g a day. If he is 300 g, 10 oz, 10x8 ml kmr or equivalent...

Anyways, if he isnt hungry and eats too little, give him pedialyte as a fill up.

paigealyssa · Sep 29, 2015

Now he has blood in his yellow diarrhea. I am not sure if its because the diarrhea is hurting him and making him raw or if its actually apart of the poop. I am really worried

StefanZ · Sep 29, 2015

paigealyssa said:
Now he has blood in his yellow diarrhea. I am not sure if its because the diarrhea is hurting him and making him raw or if its actually apart of the poop. I am really worried

Yes, Im worried too. Lets hope others answers too, during the time Im paging @StephenQ

and @catwoman707 who are often on the Health forum too....

I see you have already been at the vet and got the advices the vet had here... You can surely phone him again, you are his paying patient.

paigealyssa said:
Now he has blood in his yellow diarrhea. I am not sure if its because the diarrhea is hurting him and making him raw or if its actually apart of the poop. I am really worried

stephenq · Sep 29, 2015

paigealyssa said:
Now he has blood in his yellow diarrhea. I am not sure if its because the diarrhea is hurting him and making him raw or if its actually apart of the poop. I am really worried

Hi

Your kitten probably needs to be admitted overnight to your vet for intensive care. In addition to all the good advice about feeding, electrolytes etc, he still is at significant risk of dying. He may need sub Q fluids administered (under the skin), his stool needs to be immediately tested for parasites and worms (a major cause of bloody diarrhea), and he may even need to be treated for common parasites even in advance of a test result. He also should be kept warm as this will help his system and help him digest food. You can put a water bottle with very warm water in a sock and keep that near him, or buy a hot water bottle, or get a heating pad, just be careful not to over heat him.

But bottom line, if you can afford it, he needs more vet care. As to the animal hoarder that you bought the kitten from, i would report her your town or county Animal Control Officer and your local humane society. A good ACO will go to her home and investigate. Your local police or town office, mayor's office, etc will help you contact the ACO and HS.

handsome kitty · Sep 29, 2015

Sometimes the liquid KMR causes diarrhea. If you can find the powder, switch and you can mix the pedialyte with it instead of water or 1/2 water, 1/2 pedialyte.

paigealyssa · Sep 29, 2015

just an update: I just got back from the vet where they have admitted him until 6 tonight. At the vet on the table he pooped out a tape worm about a foot or so longer and she found traces of other parasites as well. He has lost an ounce since the last vet visit where he was already very underweight. To be specific she is giving him an antibiotic injection, sq fluid therapy, bill for the nurse ward, kitten bottle feeding 4 times today, droncit 50mg/ml, fecal to lab (because the last sample was not enough), ward care, albon 1 oz, flagyl 50mg/ml 1oz, kmr 8oz, pet nursery 2oz. This has taken a lot out of me, I have been up constantly with him and I am so devastated that this kitten might not make it. Thank you guys for the help, I will update at 6 with how he is doing.

stephenq · Sep 29, 2015

paigealyssa said:
just an update: I just got back from the vet where they have admitted him until 6 tonight. At the vet on the table he pooped out a tape worm about a foot or so longer and she found traces of other parasites as well. He has lost an ounce since the last vet visit where he was already very underweight. To be specific she is giving him an antibiotic injection, sq fluid therapy, bill for the nurse ward, kitten bottle feeding 4 times today, droncit 50mg/ml, fecal to lab (because the last sample was not enough), ward care, albon 1 oz, flagyl 50mg/ml 1oz, kmr 8oz, pet nursery 2oz. This has taken a lot out of me, I have been up constantly with him and I am so devastated that this kitten might not make it. Thank you guys for the help, I will update at 6 with how he is doing.

WOW ok he's getting everything! I'd say he has a good chance. I still urge you to report the "cat mill" to your local animal control officer. I guarantee you that kittens are routinely dying in her house.

Agree with @catwoman707 below, he needs a (correcting typo) panleuk snap test and a Fiv/feLV snap test if he hasn't had one at the vet. Yes, sneaky of me that i can comment on a post that comes after mine :-)

catwoman707 · Sep 29, 2015

I am very concerned for this kitten. And you, very disturbing....

Several things here, one is, normal/average weight of a 4 week old kitten is 1 lb. which confirms this baby is very underweight.

On top of thinking he def. has some parasitic intruder going on, the tapeworm means he was infested with fleas, probably until recently since kittens wont chew on their itchy skin until about 4 weeks old, yet had to have ingested a flea to have tapeworm, and it takes time for the worm to grow that long..........

But the biggest issue here right now is if he does in fact have panleukopenia. Kitten is far too small and weak for any chance of surviving through this ugly devastating virus.

Was he given a snap parvo test? The yellow diarrhea and vomit are signs of panleuk.

All you can do is give constant supportive care, which means fluids, warmth, and some sort of nutrients/calories. KMR is fine for this, but he must get enough too.

I'm sure he is safe for now but once home, it needs to be determined the appropriate amt to give him.

8 mls of kmr per ounce of weight, per day.

So for instance a weight of 10 ounces means 80 mls of kmr daily.

As for the breeder, if that's what she can be called, is more like a backyard breeder, you should have papers on your kitten too.

Absolutely needs to be reported and investigated, as well as recovery of your fee and vet costs.

What a disaster, I'm so sorry.

If he does not have panleuk I think also you have a decent chance of pulling him through this.

When you said she said she was concerned he might have panleuk, who did, the vet or "breeder"?

Kitten not eating and has watery yellow diarrhea

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