need advice on new foster kitten

Hi everyone, I'm new here. 

I just started fostering a 3.5/4 week old stray kitten on Friday. He got tested and came up negative for all the bad stuff at the shelter, and they dewormed him before I took him home. 

He's eating well, mostly dry kitten food I'm adding warm water to so it's soft. He's had a little plain chicken baby food and a little liver flavored wet cat food to keep him interested. He's drinking a decent amount and going to the bathroom regularly. He's thrown up about a teaspoon twice, but he's eaten, drank, and pottied since then so I'm not worried. 

My question is about the poop. (Isn't it always here?) He's pooping normally, but it was soft when I brought him home. Now it is not quite, but almost, liquid. It's a light brown, almost yellow color. I've looked (more than I wish I have) and have seen no worms or anything so that's a good sign, but it still doesn't seem quite right to me. Could it be some intestinal parasite? I bought the baby food and the wet food, but the dry food I've been watering down is the same stuff they gave him at the shelter. 

Also, I know it's silly but I have this fear I'll somehow get some kind of gross thing from him. I try to keep a little distance, but he's a ball of cute and keeps wanting to rub noses with me and be really cuddly. Is it possible he could share his germs with me? Any help would be appreciated! 

1sweetfairytale,

Welcome to the Catsite

Thank you for fostering the stray kitten

I think the kitten still need to be fed with kitten formula milk. Milk like KMR. Is good. He needs all the protein from the milk to grow as he is only about 4 weeks old.

Soft poo could be due to the baby food and the wet food as its a change of diet, his tummy might be disagreeing with the food and poo color could show what they ate. Just observe for a little while and if he is still pooping soft poo or not. Hopefully his poo will form up after a day or two and hope it's not diarrhea. Otherwise it's better to have the vet checked on him. You know how uncomfortable to have a upset tummy right?

What a sweet kitty! [emoji]10084[/emoji]️ What's the name?

Good that poo is half solid. It could also be due to a change of environment. Just keep a close watch and make sure all systems are normal in a few days time. If not, the vet's visit is the next thing.

Do surf around the site and check out the interesting threads and should you have any questions to ask, just shoot. Over here there are many experienced cat daddys and mommies to help out with your questions. Just post them at the right place. And do post more of your sweet kitty photos.

His name is Tick Tock! I just found this site today but I'll def be sticking around. It's helpful and I love seeing all the sweet babies.

On another note, how active should kittens this age be? He gets short little spurts of energy where he'll run from point A to point B, or attack a toy, but they don't last very long. I can get him to play with a string or whatnot, but he sticks close to me. I figure he's still very much a baby so this should be normal, but I just wanted to make sure. He's eating enough and I know he can do this stuff because I've seen him jump off my leg or onto the top of his crate, just wasn't sure if he should be playing all the time.

Oh, hello Tick Tock!

How did he het this name?

At this age, they sleep a lot and also will play a lot. In the sense of energy, they are fully energized. Yes, they don't last long but after a short break, they are at it again :lol3:
Yes, he is like a baby now and he's still considered a kitten till his 1st birthday. He'll gain his strength and confidence as the days go by. He'll be very inquisitive and will start exploring the house. Please block up places you don't want him to go but do not restrict his inquisitiveness. Just let him explore and sniff around and own his space. Just keep an eye on him and supervise him. They are very active. So let them be.
Get him a ball to roll about and also some cardboard boxes so that he can play and hide in them. They are one of cats favorite toys.
Kittens eat a lot as they grow. Feed him at least 4 times a day. They need protiens from their kitten food to grow. Just let the, play as much as they want and sleep as much as they want but you must love him as much as you can. No shouting, screaming and spanking. Talk gently to him, you'll reap your rewards.
Remember to get him neutered when the time is right, usually around 5-6 months old.
Enjoy your new kitten and post more of his photos!

They named him at the shelter! 

I've had cats plenty before and lots of experience with the shelter, he's just only my second foster so I wasn't sure how active he should be. He's getting more playful in spurts (like 6am...sigh) but he stays really close to me or wants to play on me. I'm trying to put him a little further away and entice him to play. He likes any kind of ribbon being pulled around.

I wish I could keep him, but he's just my little foster baby. Once he's bigger he's going to a new home, whoever that turns out to be. I keep hinting to all my friends they should take him. 

And look, more photos!  



(he did get down when he got up here the first time, the second he started falling asleep up there so I took him down!) 

So sweet! [emoji]128149[/emoji]

So loveable! [emoji]10084[/emoji]️

I'll be careful with the ribbon tho.

What a cutie patootie! I adore tuxedo kitties!

He should be curious and have spurts of play, not rowdy yet, and also it's tough to be a single kitten when he is about to enter the period where he learns life skills on how to interact with other cats, forever.

Siblings will play in stages, wrestle, and learn when to back off, let up. Kittens who go through this stage alone tend to not interact as well later on with other cats, so if possible, maybe get him a pal the exact same age.

Due to age, his digestive system is still delicate and it's pretty early for him to be off of kmr, even if given in a dish, he really does still need the nutrients it gives.

His digestive system is likely having a bit of a struggle digesting the food.

Also, an fyi-adding water to dry food is not good due to it's extreme bacteria growth very fast. So if you do continue doing this, you need to pick it up after he does eat.

Otherwise just pick up a bag of babycat by royal canin, the mother and baby formula.

It's perfect for newly weaned kittens and is tasty good, loaded with good stuff, and teeny tiny bits easy to eat.

He can also eat canned fancy feast kitten, or solely eat that too.

He's growing into himself and finding more energy for sure! 

He's been running around, playing, climbing, typical kitten stuff. He's so cute. He still has to come o-ver and cuddle and help me though. I'm loving that he's figuring all this stuff out. Since he's been clean and such, I've let my older cat meet him. My cat doesn't care much, just a few sniffs. Little foster baby, however, wants to see him so bad. 

He's eating mostly wet food. I'm giving him friskies and at first he was picky (I offered him 3-4 different types that he turned his nose up at all of them) until I found the only one he likes. And as far as the dry food, I only offer it for a short time, I'm going off directions from our Volunteer & Foster Coordinator who really knows her stuff so I kind of defer to her  but I will take what you said into consideration and ask her about it when I see her next. 

One other question...He's finally pooping normally (firm poops, no liquid, normal color) but he's eating a LOT and pooping a LOT. His little belly feels full, yet he still seems to want to snack and snack and snack. He's pooped a bunch so I know he's getting enough to eat...Of course it could be from all the energy he's expending, but my fear is some kind of worm in his belly. (poops been clean but don't tapeworms hang out there...not sure?) 

Kittens do seem to consume a good amt of food for their little selves for sure

I know he was dewormed, but unless he was dewormed twice, the second is two weeks from the first, then he will grow new mature worms. The second is needed because the first doesn't help with newly hatching worm eggs.

Tapeworm is seen by random short squirmy rice looking things on butt or on poop, but can only be seen for a few minutes in poop right after he goes, otherwise they dry up and look like sesame seeds after several minutes.

These are not worms but segments filled with eggs that shed off the end of the tapeworm meant to spread the wealth so to speak and keep the world well populated with them!

This is why litter boxes are a transmission for tapeworm.

Tapeworm need a specific dewormer med to get rid of it. Not sure which wormer he was given,.

catwoman707 said:

 
Kittens do seem to consume a good amt of food for their little selves for sure

I know he was dewormed, but unless he was dewormed twice, the second is two weeks from the first, then he will grow new mature worms. The second is needed because the first doesn't help with newly hatching worm eggs.

Tapeworm is seen by random short squirmy rice looking things on butt or on poop, but can only be seen for a few minutes in poop right after he goes, otherwise they dry up and look like sesame seeds after several minutes.

These are not worms but segments filled with eggs that shed off the end of the tapeworm meant to spread the wealth so to speak and keep the world well populated with them!

This is why litter boxes are a transmission for tapeworm.

Tapeworm need a specific dewormer med to get rid of it. Not sure which wormer he was given,.

Click to expand...

Ah, bad thing to read while eating. Haha! 

He got dewormed last Friday and I'm taking him in again this Friday to be weighed and dewormed. 

I did all my research online to see what it could likely be and to know what to look out for. As gross as it is, I've looked at his poop right after he goes and I haven't seen anything at all yet (could be missing it, but I don't think so). Nothing on his rear end either, and he will indignantly tell you I've checked a few times. 

I've been cleaning his box in the morning and night. Totally replacing all the litter. I'm using those little tin pie pans so I think I'll put a totally new one in for him tonight. 

I can always text the foster coordinator in the morning and ask if I should bring him in for that one. 

I wasn't thinking about his age to mention, he's too young to have a tapeworm yet, if he had fleas then he will need tapeworm med around 9 weeks old or so, when it's developed.

Tapeworm med is pretty potent stuff too so no point in giving it yet, at least 8 weeks old and on is fine to give him the med.

It's called praziquantel. (droncit/drontal)

Aww! So stinkin adorable!!

Yes, don't worry about tapeworms yet

Tick Tock is so cute and adorable [emoji]10084[/emoji]️ Looks like he's talking to me [emoji]128540[/emoji]
More photos please!

Ugh. I *think* there were 2 little worms in his litterbox yesterday and today. Not totally sure, but if that's what they were they were dead so that's good. 

He got wormed last Friday and I bring him in again tomorrow to get dewormed so that should help. 

I'm fostering a little kitten, about 5ish weeks old. Today marks 2 weeks since I've had him. 

On Tues/wed I started to notice just a flea or 2, which I quickly picked off and drowned. Then I started thinking of all the flea horror stories I've heard and noticed my 2 older cats scratching, just a little.  

I texted our volunteer & foster coordinator, who said he had had a treatment 2 days before I took him home. I did the dawn dish soap bath, then vacuumed my entire apartment, changed his bedding, cloroxed and cleaned his crate, ad washed all my bedding (I don't allow him on my bed but he sneaks on there anyway). 

The adult cats were scratching a bit more and I found maybe 5 fleas max on one of the cats (other cat has been clean) but I decided to be proactive, so I treated them with flea treatment that says it kills all stages of fleas. 

I plan to vacuum again and wash all my most recent clothes, plus even vacuum the couch and cat posts. I'll probably do another bath for the kitten tomorrow since he's still scratcing a little. (I make sure to keep him super warm and comb him with a nit comb after) 

I've just heard so many flea horror stories that I don't want this to turn into one. I've literally found less than 10 fleas, and half have been dead, but I know how fast they can start populating. Just wanted to check in here and see if anyone has any other tips to make sure I'm on top of this. 

You are doing everything that is recommended!

Which flea treatment did you use on your adult cats?

Getting rid of the fleas on them is key to becoming flea-free.

Advantage II on the neck works well.