5 week old kitten strange poop

slothlily · Sep 26, 2016

Hi! One week ago I took in a small kitten that I found outside my apartment. I think she was either dropped off or something happened to the mom (I live near a busy street). She's a great little kitten, very cuddly and playful. My one concern is her poop. I had her on KMR 2nd step formula for the first 5 days and the whole time she had bad diarrhea. I figured it was just her tummy getting used to the new food, until 2 nights ago when I noticed a bit of blood in her poop. I decided I should start incorporating some solids into her diet so I began giving her small amounts of kitten wet food mixed with a bit of water. She ate it right up! Then earlier today I checked her litter box and there was a big solid poop. And just now she took another one. My concern is that the poops are very dark brown, almost black. At this point I'm not quite sure what to do. I was planning on taking her to the vet next week but is this cause to go sooner?

cat nap · Sep 26, 2016

slothlily said:
Hi! One week ago I took in a small kitten that I found outside my apartment. I think she was either dropped off or something happened to the mom (I live near a busy street). She's a great little kitten, very cuddly and playful. My one concern is her poop. I had her on KMR 2nd step formula for the first 5 days and the whole time she had bad diarrhea. I figured it was just her tummy getting used to the new food, until 2 nights ago when I noticed a bit of blood in her poop. I decided I should start incorporating some solids into her diet so I began giving her small amounts of kitten wet food mixed with a bit of water. She ate it right up! Then earlier today I checked her litter box and there was a big solid poop. And just now she took another one. My concern is that the poops are very dark brown, almost black. At this point I'm not quite sure what to do. I was planning on taking her to the vet next week but is this cause to go sooner?

@slothlily....If the kitten poops are truly black, ....this usually indicates bleeding higher up in the G.I. tract.

She might have worms from her mom, or some other reason for the black stool.

Light brown, to tan brown is good....black is not. http://kittenrescue.org/index.php/cat-care/kitten-care-handbook/

I would take her to the VET immediately,...since she is so young, and only a vet would be able to determine what the healthy poop should look like.

Can you take a sample of her poop with you, and also the food you are feeding....this way the vet will be able to diagnose quicker.

It might be irritation from the food, but young kittens are very vulnerable, and dehydrate very quickly.

Please take her to the Vet, or ER vet for immediate care.

Bless your heart for taking her in.

StefanZ · Sep 27, 2016

I agree with the above.

Better safe than sorry. Esp if that poop is black for real.

Otherwise, many of us found the second stage of KMR isnt really that good. Better to continue with the first stage. Or try goats milk if you wish a change...

Goats milk is always OK as supplement.

@slothlily

di and bob · Sep 27, 2016

Since you are planning to take her to the vet anyway, just make the appt. now for as soon as possible. Very dark brown is OK, black is not. Dark brown may indicate a change in food, which she definitely had, black means blood in the intestine. Bleeding would make her anemic and lethargic, tired. A bit of blood in her poop could be from the diarrhea or from straining, bright red is at the end of the tract and indicates this. I would bet she has worms and needs to be dewormed as soon as she is healthy enough. As long as she is playing, eating and drinking good, I wouldn't be overly concerned, but to be safe just move up the time you are going in, You might bring in a stool sample for them to look at. Keep us updated!