Bloated kitten?

[catlady76paws]

Ok, so yesterday I picked up a kitten. I wasn't sure if I should, but she was so thin and tiny. The owner said she was around 19 weeks.

Once home, it turned out she has horrible diarrhoea. It's mush. I put her in a quarantine cage on a heating pad, because she's so thin, she'll need her energy to grow instead of keeping herself warm, with a small litter box and started her on kitten food. She was farting and squirting in the evening while pooping and I thought it might be an idea to put her on kitten food with sensitive as to help calm down her intestinal system.

She seems to have a bloated belly, but the thought of her being pregnant crossed my mind. What do you guys think? Is it bloat? If it is how can I help the bloat pass?

I've had lambs with bloat but never a cat

This is her, she's called 'small fry' for the moment.

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• catlady76paws
• Nov 25, 2016

Notice the bloat.

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• catlady76paws
• Nov 25, 2016

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• catlady76paws
• Nov 25, 2016

I have big hands but just to show how small she is. She's about half the size of Domino, who's from April this year so roughly the same age

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• catlady76paws
• Nov 25, 2016

 

[Primula]

Can't you take her to a vet?

 

[catlady76paws]

I have a lot of knowledge and experience when dealing with sick and weak animals but sometimes I need an extra pair of eyes.

Plus it's high rates at the vets in the weekend so I was hoping someone would recognize it. When it is really necessary I will take her, but for now I was hoping you guys might now something.

Seeing as I haven't seen a pregnant cat in 10 years I really don't know with the belly.

 

[catlady76paws]

She's still pooping stinky mush, but her appetite is a lot better. I'm going to give her some Colosan to see if it relieves her and we're calling the vet on Monday to see if she needs to be seen.

 

[Norachan]

That sounds like worms to me. Pretty much every cat or kitten that has spent time outside picks up worms. They give them a bloated stomach, terrible watery poop and leave them really skinny too.

You can worm her yourself but you need to get a decent wormer. A lot of the over-the-counter ones cause severe allergic reactions. You should Google anything before you buy it to see how safe it is. There are always some cases of allergic reaction even with the really reputable brands, but if a product has loads of complaints about it, don't use it.

She will need to see a vet anyway, but it would be a good idea to worm her now if you can.

 

[lunasasukeaeris]

Worms is most likely the issue. But if it isn't worms, and I hope and pray this isn't it... but it could also be FIP. My kitten had that and was bone thin, huge belly, diarrhea.. Ask to do a belly tap at the vet just to be sure. Which will test her belly for fluid. I'm sure that's not it - but just to be sure!

<3 

 

[catlady76paws]

I'll be sure to keep it in mind. I was told she had been de-wormed.
I didn't give her the Colosan, it's not for cats. I did give her something for infectious diarhoea. Before I gave it I cleaned her litterbox and it had one puddle with what seemed to form into a turd.
Keep your ideas coming. More info for me to pass to the vet on Monday

 

[mingsmongols]

You can give her simethicone (infants gas relief with no alcohol or saccharin) for the gas and to help with the bloating but thats a short term fix when you add diarhea to the mix. Any drug store will have it. Its probably parasites, and just treating for worms may not be enough. When you call the vet ask them what time do they ship out their fecal samples for testing and get an appointment and hour before. That way if their inhouse fecal comes up negitive you have time for them to ship it out for a pcr and further testing. if she's dehydrated from the diarhea then you might want to think about getting them to give you a bag of lactate ringers and syringes for sub-q injections until you can figure out what the problem is. What is she eating and has her diet changed? Also when shes pooping do you see mucus of blood along with the diarhea?

 

[catlady76paws]

Her diet definitely changed when she came here. I started her off on kittenfood but then I thought it might be an idea to feed her sensitive as well for the upset intestinals. So now she's on kitten kibble with sensitive, 4 times a day. She hardly ate when I got her but she seems to be getting her appetite back. The 'bloat' seems to be worse after eating and she usually also goes to the litter after eating.
I noticed a bit of slimey with the poo today and I clean the litter also about 4 times a day, including her cage. She dribbles and sometimes I have to clean her bum.
She's not dehydrated, just thin.

Everything aside she is just so adorable. Where I got her she seemed to look past me, like she wasn't all there. She's looking at you now and purring like mad if you pet her. We just have to have a kleenex ready when we cuddle her. Kitten diapers hihi.

 

[mingsmongols]

She sounds very sweet. The change of diet could of exacerbated the issue. It's done now tho and it sounds like you have her on a better diet so stick with it. Protozoa infections can cause mucus in the stool. They really do a number on the intestines and colon.

 

[catlady76paws]

She's becoming adventurous. Escaped her cage when I cleaned it this morning and during the second clean-up we found what looks like more solid stool. The bloat also seemed less and her spine is less protruding.

Can a kitten go through such a change in a matter of days?

Still phoning the vet tomorrow but it looks hopeful.

 

[mingsmongols]

They can indeed, especially if the bloat was caused by changes in diet or the stress of moving. Hopefully that's all it was. Getting a fecal done though is still a good idea and having the vet check for kittens. The bloat and diarrhea doesn't rule that out but it's unlikely.

 

[catlady76paws]

We're calling the vet regardless. She still has soft stool and she also keeps leaking.

I hope it's not kittens..that would be so sad....

 

[mingsmongols]

It really would, but I think you could handle it.

 

[Norachan]

She's becoming adventurous. Escaped her cage when I cleaned it this morning and during the second clean-up we found what looks like more solid stool. The bloat also seemed less and her spine is less protruding.

Can a kitten go through such a change in a matter of days?

Still phoning the vet tomorrow but it looks hopeful.

It sounds like it could be a combination of a much improved diet after not getting enough to eat for a while and parasites. A bad infestation can take a couple of doses of wormer to clear up completely.

It sounds as if she is one the mend though. I hope everything goes well at the vets. 

Please keep us updated. 

 

[catlady76paws]

Definitely parasites.... Got back from the vet. She has fleas, earmites and a major set back. They thought she was around 9 weeks. The belly is from all te gasses and malnourishment.
She got Stronghold at the vet and I have to give her Panacur every day.
She weighs 1600 grams and she must have gained weight because when I got her I could hold the carrier with one pinky and I didn't even feel her.

Sadly the vet also said I had to be careful when 'collecting' cats. That is why I am so reluctant to tell any one I house this many cats. I look after them and I pay the bill so what gives them the right... Sorry for the rant by the way

 

[mingsmongols]

Way to young for kittens then. Panacurs a great drug. It will take care of almost all parasites if taken long enough.

 

[catlady76paws]

I think it's funny they estimate her at 9 weeks when the woman I got her from said she was 19 weeks. I can't understand that someone wouldn't notice that poor state she was in. And also saying she was de-flead and de-wormed. And how can you not notice the smell from the poo.

Hopefully she'll have less diarrhoea soon and grow some more. I'm keeping her on sensitive with kitten kibble. I'll post some new pictures this weekend. See if there's any difference with the first couple.

 

[Norachan]

Poor little thing! It sounds as if you rescued her from a terrible environment. Almost all of my cats were feral that I rescued from the streets. Parasites can make them really weak, but the good thing is they are fairly easy to treat and the cats start to improve quickly.

And at least it's not kittens!

Vibes for a full recovery.

 

[catlady76paws]

The poop was mostly in the litterbox second time cleanin the cage. She still looks very potbellied but it coud be from all the food in one place and it needs to fill out the rest of the body. Had her second dose of Panacur and I gave her the medicine for the diarrhoea.
When can I give her a bit of free time from her cage? The fleas are probably all over as we speak (I have to treat my entire household). I'm mostly worried about the earmites.