12 week old kitten.. Trouble with food

[MissKitty722]

I recently adopted a 12 week old kitten on Monday. When I picked him up, I didn't think to ask what his diet was before leaving. My mistake I know. Anyway i gave him blue buffalo kitten food (wet) and he did great. Until Wednesday. He stopped eating, started vomiting and having awful diarrhea.

After not eating for 12 hours I took him to the ER (my vet was booked) and they told us it was most likely the new food and gave him SubQ fluids and some Metronidozole for his GI tract twice a day. They also said that he was to eat a bland diet. Chicken and rice.

However, he refused to eat it and would only eat bits of tuna. I even tried putting tuna water on the bland food, heating it up, hand feeding, nothing worked.

I was finally able to get a hold of his foster and went and bought his original food. Fancy Feast Kitten wet food. By Friday (yesterday) he woke up very hungry and we again tried the bland food and had no luck.

So, at that point I decided to give him a bit of his original food and he gobbled it up and ate well all day. He was full of energy all day and his poop was firming up.

This morning however, we are back at square one. Vomiting, diarrhea, and not wanting to eat. All the while I have been giving him his meds.

I know changing his diet twice in one week is likely the cause but I felt desperate to get something in his stomach.

I don't know what to do at this point. Do I bring him back to the ER or wait it out? Could there be something else going on? He's vaxed and de wormed.

Please help.

 

[Sarthur2]

Now that he’s back on his original food, his system should settle down, but it may take a couple of days.

When he’s ready to eat again, feed him smaller portions more frequently initially. If he’s still having issues after the weekend, see your vet. And a little probiotic powder mixed into his food may help his tummy.

Give him time. The new food and new environment were just too much too soon. He may miss his litter mates as well right now.

 

[MissKitty722]

Now that he’s back on his original food, his system should settle down, but it may take a couple of days.

When he’s ready to eat again, feed him smaller portions more frequently initially. If he’s still having issues after the weekend, see your vet. And a little probiotic powder mixed into his food may help his tummy.

Give him time. The new food and new environment were just too much too soon. He may miss his litter mates as well right now.

Thank you, he's been asleep most of the morning. Should I be waking him or let him rest?

 

[Sarthur2]

I would let him rest.

 

[MissKitty722]

I would let him rest.

Hi again,

My Kitten started to eat and act normal by early evening yesterday and was being his normal self. So I gave him his nightly dose of meds and this morning he is again not eating, and having runny poop.

After reading the side effects,(exactly what he's having) I'm suspecting it might be the meds at this point because he was doing great last night before meds. Drinking, eating, playing and his poop was getting firm.

Would it be wise to skip his dose this evening and see what's going on?

 

[Sarthur2]

I would just stop the meds and see how he does. Sounds like they are messing up his sustem and he probably does not need them.

 

[MissKitty722]

I would just stop the meds and see how he does. Sounds like they are messing up his sustem and he probably does not need them.

He's only had a few nibbles of tuna today, after his morning dose and his been asleep all day. He'll wake up when we disturb him but goes right back to sleep. Hopefully the meds are the cause.

I can always bring him to the ER again tomorrow since it's a holiday and my vet is closed but I'm praying it doesn't come to that.

 

[Sarthur2]

He should be okay again once he sleeps it off, but don’t give it again. Metronidazole is strong and effective, but often does not agree with small kittens.

 

[MissKitty722]

He should be okay again once he sleeps it off, but don’t give it again. Metronidazole is strong and effective, but often does not agree with small kittens.

Thank you so much for your replies. Im worried sick.

I lost my 5yr old cat in April suddenly. But I didn't have any of these issues with him as a kitten so I'm feeling lost and helpless.

 

[Sarthur2]

Hang in there! Your new kitten should be just fine soon!

 

[MissKitty722]

Here I am again,

My kitten doesn't seem any better today except that his poop seems to be getting firmer. I could only get him to eat a bit of tuna today. And he threw up a bit about 2 hours after. He had a bit to eat last night before bed and his been drinking water both last night and today. Other than that, no eating or interest in playing yet. His last dose of meds was 9am yesterday.

I'm calling the vet in the morning to see if they can fit me in but I have a feeling they won't be able to get me in until Weds. I'm so worried. How long until the side effects wear off? I'm scared it's something me serious..

 

[MissKitty722]

*more

 

[Sarthur2]

Buy a few jars of Gerber chicken or turkey meat baby food and see if he will eat that. It smells good, is easy to lap, and easy to digest. Fish is not the best food for an upset system.

It may take another day and a decent meal before he feels better and has more energy if his symptoms are from the metronidazole. Waiting until Wednesday to see the vet should be okay.

He may need an anti-nausea med to settle his stomach and get him back on track. It’s possible he’s had a virus, but I’m hoping he’ll eat some Gerber baby food, keep it down, and get his energy back by tomorrow.

Are you holding him and cuddling him? He sounds very sensitive and like he may be having adjustment issues too.

M MissKitty722

 

[MissKitty722]

Hi

He had a good serving of tuna before you replied and drank a good amount of water. He played with me a little bit which is more than he's done in the last 48hrs. My husband ran out to get him some gerber chicken and turkey as soon as I told him. So, we'll try that in a few hours.

Yes, we are cuddling him and holding him and he snuggles with us all night too.

Hopefully this works and I can call his vet in the morning. His name is Gordon btw!

Thank you so much again!

 

[Sarthur2]

It sounds like Gordon is improving already! I hope he likes the Gerber and is even better tomorrow. Poor little guy has been through a lot since you got him.

 

[MissKitty722]

Hi there,

I just got back from the vet with Gordon. He was tested for cat parvo which was negative. He also had blood work to check his white/red blood cells all normal. No fever either. But he isn't thriving and looks awful.

I brought in a stool sample and they will check for parasites and call me tomorrow with results. He was De-wormed with revolution witch isn't the best for de-worming.

I was sent home with Omeprazle and an apatite stimulant. He also got some critical care food. He also got subq fluids

We administered everything and he quickly threw up.

I'm so afraid he's going to die at this point, we're doing everything and nothing is working.

If its not worms the vet said its either a bacterial infection or a virus and will need supportive care to get him through.

This is awful.

 

[Sarthur2]

This is not good news. How was he today BEFORE the vet visit? Did he eat any of the Gerber food last night and keep it down?

M MissKitty722

 

[MissKitty722]

He wasn't eating and did not touch the Gerber. Im devastated

 

[Sarthur2]

Oh dear, I’m so sorry! Why did the vet not give an anti-nausea med?

Anyway, since his tests are coming back as normal, and since he is already 3 months old and is not displaying fever, my feeling is that this may be a failure to thrive situation, and it may be that he simply needs a buddy. Are there any litter mates of his left? If so, can you adopt one? If not, can you adopt another kitten his age right away?

Believe it or not, this can really make a difference. I’m having a hard time believing that his problem is physical and not emotional, yet the vet is naturally looking for a scientific / medical problem. If you get a buddy, your kitten may get better. If he dies, you have a buddy kitten to still love.

I firmly believe in adopting kittens in pairs, and the only way to ascertain if your kitten is suffering emotionally (yet it is manifesting physically) is to adopt another. They tend to bond quickly as kittens.

I may be wrong, but I cannot think of anything other than dry FIP that could be wrong with your kitten and he is not showing those symptoms. No fever usually means no bacterial infection. It seems he has been treated for everything else.

I’m strongly suggesting that you get another kitten, lay off the vet visits, and see what happens.

In the meantime, continue offering the Gerber food and keep us posted.

M MissKitty722

 

[MissKitty722]

Hi there,

Unfortunately, my housing complex does not allow more than one cat. I am a wheelchair user and live in a disabled/senior complex.

This morning I got a call from the vet saying that Gordon's stool is negative for parasites. However they would like to de-worm him with a proper de-wormer. She said that revolution only prevents but doesn't treat worms etc. Thoughts?

Gordon ate a good serving of Critical Care food this morning and has kept it down. He also had a few nibbles last night and also kept that down. It's been a few hours and he hasn't wanted to eat again.

His stool is still runny but at least he hasn't vomited since 8:15 last night.

The vet said if he starts to vomit again he will have to be re-checked and more diagnostics need to take place. U/S, Xrays and possible hospitalization.

I've already spent over $500 in a week trying to get to the bottom of all of this. I really can not afford all of that. Plus, last night I was told that Xrays and ultrasounds would probably not tell us much. So, I don't see the point in even considering it unless he was at risk for having ingested something.

My last option if he stops eating after the apatite stimulator is done, is to surrender him back to the rescue I got him from. It would break my heart but I just don't have the money to go back and forth to the vet while they play detective. I can't get 2nd kitten so if that is the issue maybe someone else can give him what he needs.