Kitten Colic

nan

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Does anyone know if kittens can get colic?
I vaguely remember reading somewhere that they do.
As I have very limited time on the computer any help with info or a link or two would be very helpful.
I have a 9 day old kitten who has crying fits. I mean he screams for up to 45 minutes and there is no comforting him. I can tell he is in pain and the only thing that helps is to hold him in my hand and rub his back vigorously. He has had 2 of these instances in the past couple of days.
He seems fine otherwise. He is nursing, he has good color, and is well hydrated. He is also growing and his eyes are starting to open like his siblings. I also thought he might have gas or a tummy ache for some other reason. He isn't being rejected by his mom or siblings either. In fact his mom gets all upset when he acts like that and looks to us for help.
Thanks.
Love and Life,
Nan
 

sandie

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Classic colic in infants is usually caused by an accumulation of gas in the stomach which causes the abdomen to swell. Gas trapped further along is "trapped wind" and causes similar pain. The abdomen becomes hard and bloated and the kitten shows signs of distress which may agitate the mother. Colic may be caused by overfeeding, bacterial infection, incorrect milk mixture, feeding too fast.
If the mother becomes stressed, remove the kitten to treat it. Abdominal pain will be eased by releasing the gas build-up. Gently stroke the abdomen with a warm damp cloth until the gas is released from one or other end of the kitten. If it is prone to colic it may need medication from a vet
If all kittens in a litter are colicky, there is a problem with the mother's milk. Some mothers produce too strong milk. Antibiotics given to the mother can cause colic in the kittens. In these cases, hand-rearing is necessary.
 
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