I'm so confused about which foods are best for kittens with loose stools

[xenabean]

My kitten that had diarrhea for awhile when I got him, has been switched around to a few different foods. while he eats anything I put in front of him, I am not sure which food would be the best for him and his sensitive tummy.  He doesn't throw up or anything he just has soft stools. and he's also been tested for parasites/worms and that was all negative as well.

My vet suggested Science Diet dry food. He told me dry vs. wet isn't really an issue and he has no problem with me feeding him dry food over wet food since he is drinking plenty of water as well.  But before that I tried Wellness Core wet food that was grain free and some people say grain free is the way to go and then some people say their cats couldn't handle the grain free. I just don't want to constantly be switching his food around and spending money on different foods.

So does anyone with experience in this issue have an suggestions on a good food or diet to give my little guy? He's only 9 1/2 weeks old

 

[mservant]

I think the most important thing at this stage is that your kitten gets kitten food to eat because he needs the calories and high levels of calcium for bone growth - adult cat food does not contain the right balance for him at his young age.

If he will currently eat anything you offer you are lucky and can try a few different brands / flavours over medium periods to see if his digestive system seems to be settled or upset by them. If you can find a brand that has as few ingredients as possible this might help to isolate what, if anything, in the food upset his system.  Best phasing the change over to minimise upsets due to sudden changes in food unless he has a really upset system from one of them. 

 

[xenabean]

 
I think the most important thing at this stage is that your kitten gets kitten food to eat because he needs the calories and high levels of calcium for bone growth - adult cat food does not contain the right balance for him at his young age.

If he will currently eat anything you offer you are lucky and can try a few different brands / flavours over medium periods to see if his digestive system seems to be settled or upset by them. If you can find a brand that has as few ingredients as possible this might help to isolate what, if anything, in the food upset his system.  Best phasing the change over to minimise upsets due to sudden changes in food unless he has a really upset system from one of them. 

I agree! The women I got him from was feeding him IAMS dry CAT FOOD and he was only 6 weeks old so I switched him to Kitten Chow -- at that point his stools were very normal until about 4 days after and that's when I took him to the vet and got him tested for parasites and everything.  After that came back negative I tried a few different foods until I finally settled on Science Diet Kitten. Which, like I said, he eats but I am not sure if its helping as when I switched him to that food, he was also on Flagyl for his diarrhea which helped somewhat. Hes been eating Science Diet for almost 2 weeks and his last dose of Flagyl was almost a week ago now.

I am just so confused as to WHY his poop isn't normal. It's driving me crazy cause he's healthy and playful and growing otherwise. My vet suggested a probiotic which I am going to pick up after work today for him too.

 

[mservant]

The pro biotic is worth a go, to try and get his gut back to health. You could call your vet and ask if they think a pre biotic might help too if they want to see if it is because his digestive sytem hasn't settled down.  The pre biotic introduces what the body needs to build up numbers of healthy bacteria and the pro biotic feeds these bacteria so they are stronger: as a result hopefully the digestive system works more effectively and is healthy.  If they didn't help along with a more settled and age suitable diet your vet might want to test for other kinds of parasite, but helping this little kitten system to settle down sounds like a postive idea.

 

[xenabean]

 
The pro biotic is worth a go, to try and get his gut back to health. You could call your vet and ask if they think a pre biotic might help too if they want to see if it is because his digestive sytem hasn't settled down.  The pre biotic introduces what the body needs to build up numbers of healthy bacteria and the pro biotic feeds these bacteria so they are stronger: as a result hopefully the digestive system works more effectively and is healthy.  If they didn't help along with a more settled and age suitable diet your vet might want to test for other kinds of parasite, but helping this little kitten system to settle down sounds like a postive idea.

I guess I'll see how the probiotics work first and then go from there. The good thing is that his stools have improved since the Flagyl and he's not going as frequently but not still not 100% and I always have to clean his bum.

 

[mservant]

It sounds like things are heading in the right direction so fingers crossed the probiotics get your little guy's system nicely settled.  He'll no doubt be as pleased as you when  he is left to clean his own rear like a grown up kitty, and also finds his litter a safer place to dig and trample.