Is my kitten’s stomach bloated?

[Nrosen]

I recently got a new 8 wk old kitten and immediately took him to the vet due to him having extreme diarrhea and vomiting. They just gave him a dewormer and his first dose of vaccines. He was still having issues the next day so I took him back to the same vet two days after where they prescribed metronidazole and albon.
The medication worked well the first day but now it’s been two days and his poop is a little runny. It still has form but it’s much softer than the first day. His belly also looks bloated and feels firmer than before. I’ve added a picture below to ask if it’s normal or if it’s highly concerning. I used up most of my savings on him as I didn’t have much saved up and I also don’t know when the next day I can take him to the vet will be as I get my schedule on a weekly basis. Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

 

[sivyaleah]

What a cutie!

I know the Albon can cause soft stools. My younger one was treated for coccidia with Albon. She was not symptomatic and had normal poops but of course, had to be medicated anyway and they definitely became a lot softer while on the medication. It was manageable but not the most pleasant to have to deal with.

Hard to tell but his stomach does not look overly bloated to my eyes. Having worms will cause some bloating so I would not find that too unusual if he was. I think once the medication kicks in that would start to go down. Just keep an eye on him to make sure he's eating/drinking properly.

 

[Nrosen]

What a cutie!

I know the Albon can cause soft stools. My younger one was treated for coccidia with Albon. She was not symptomatic and had normal poops but of course, had to be medicated anyway and they definitely became a lot softer while on the medication. It was manageable but not the most pleasant to have to deal with.

Hard to tell but his stomach does not look overly bloated to my eyes. Having worms will cause some bloating so I would not find that too unusual if he was. I think once the medication kicks in that would start to go down. Just keep an eye on him to make sure he's eating/drinking properly.

thank you! I forgot to add that he was given a fecal test and was found to have no worms. That’s one of the reasons I’m concerned as it’s for sure not worms. I’ll definitely keep a look out for his eating habits as it varies depending on the time, I want to take him to the vet again as soon as I have a day off.

 

[Nrosen]

I got a new kitten that according to the person I got him from is 8 wks old. When I first got him he had a hard time eating wet food and he kept suckling on me for food. He also has some health problems right now which I’m dealing with but it led to him having a decreased appetite. Now he has started eating more regular food but it seems like he tries suckling the wet food as well. His suckling on me continues persistently and is quite annoying, especially bc he does it at night when I’m trying to go to sleep or at 3 am. I’ve tried so my times to place a barrier but he’s very persistent and will suckle on any part of my neck or ears he can get. I’ve been losing a lot of sleep as a result and would appreciate any advice on how to get him to stop!

 

[maggie101]

It could be hIs teeth. He needs to see a vet

 

[Nrosen]

It could be hIs teeth. He needs to see a vet

He already has and I spoke with the vet about it but they didn’t seem concerned about it.

 

[Maria Bayote]

I am sorry you are going through that.

Try to rub your scent into another object and each time he suckles at you give it instead, until he gets used to it.
It may take time and a lot of patience and is maybe caused by several factors such as stress, or could be he was separated from his momma way too early.

He is a cutie. He is lucky to have you.

 

[Sarthur2]

Vaccines can also make kittens feel poorly for a few days. If he’s eating well and pooping, give it a few days. Lots of kittens have plump bellies until they grow and elongate. He’ll probably be fine soon.

 

[LTS3]

8 weeks is awfully young to be taken away from mom. You're "mom" now so the kitten is seeking comfort by suckling you.

Can you not allow the kitten into the bedroom at night? Set the bathroom up as the kitten's room to sleep in at night for now. Kitten-proof it so there's nothing left out for the kitten to eat, play with, etc. Plug up the sink and tub and put the toilet seat down. Make sure the kitten has the basics (food, water, litter box, a few toys). If there's no window, keep a nightlight on so the kitten isn't in complete darkness. If possible, place a large-ish box in the bathroom so the kitten has a dark place to sleep in. You might need ear plugs if the kitten meows for hours in the bathroom.

Start teaching your kitten good behavior and discourage bad ones. When the suckling starts to bother you, give a firm NO and redirect the kitten to a toy.

How To Set Healthy Boundaries For Your Cat – TheCatSite Articles

It's normal for such young kittens to just suck on canned food. They'll eventually learn how to eat the food. Kittens have huge appetites so feed both dry and canned until the kitten is about a year old, more canned than dry if possible.

 

[Nrosen]

8 weeks is awfully young to be taken away from mom. You're "mom" now so the kitten is seeking comfort by suckling you.

Can you not allow the kitten into the bedroom at night? Set the bathroom up as the kitten's room to sleep in at night for now. Kitten-proof it so there's nothing left out for the kitten to eat, play with, etc. Plug up the sink and tub and put the toilet seat down. Make sure the kitten has the basics (food, water, litter box, a few toys). If there's no window, keep a nightlight on so the kitten isn't in complete darkness. If possible, place a large-ish box in the bathroom so the kitten has a dark place to sleep in. You might need ear plugs if the kitten meows for hours in the bathroom.

Start teaching your kitten good behavior and discourage bad ones. When the suckling starts to bother you, give a firm NO and redirect the kitten to a toy.

How To Set Healthy Boundaries For Your Cat – TheCatSite Articles

It's normal for such young kittens to just suck on canned food. They'll eventually learn how to eat the food. Kittens have huge appetites so feed both dry and canned until the kitten is about a year old, more canned than dry if possible.

Thank you so much! The bedroom is where I keep his litter box and the bathroom is way too small for it so unfortunately I can’t place him there. I’ll be sure to keep a toy nearby now though. It’s good to know that his eating habits are normal as well, I’ve only gotten cats that are older than him so I wasn’t sure how kittens his age are supposed to act. Thanks again!

 

[Nrosen]

I am sorry you are going through that.

Try to rub your scent into another object and each time he suckles at you give it instead, until he gets used to it.
It may take time and a lot of patience and is maybe caused by several factors such as stress, or could be he was separated from his momma way too early.

He is a cutie. He is lucky to have you.

I do feel like he was probably separated too early as well. Thank you so much! I’ll be sure to try that out.

 

[Nrosen]

Vaccines can also make kittens feel poorly for a few days. If he’s eating well and pooping, give it a few days. Lots of kittens have plump bellies until they grow and elongate. He’ll probably be fine soon.

Thank you! I just want to make sure he’s okay considering the state I got him in.

 

[Nrosen]

My 11 wk old kitten Noir had some health issues when I first got him at 8 wks old. I took him to the vet and they gave him an antibiotic and a stool hardener/treatment for coccidia. His diarrhea improved and he no longer vomited but every since the treatment period ended (10 days) he started having diarrhea again.

I gave him rice and Wholehearted Chicken and Pumpkin All Ages food. He ate some of it and I bought Nutrí Vet Anti-Diarrhea liquid, L-Lysine Supplement Powder, and FERA Probiotics for Dogs and Cats. It’ll arrive in 2 days and I’m hoping those will help in the meantime as I have a vet visit scheduled for the 16th for his booster shots. Until then I would appreciate any advice on what I can do to help him or what could possibly be causing this. Thank you!

 

[Nrosen]

I forgot to add he was tested for parasites using a stool sample and it came up negative. He also received a dewormer and will probably get one along his boosters.

 

[Sarthur2]

What antibiotic was he given? What foods are you feeding? He may need a round of metronidazole to deal with intestinal bacterial infection, unless it is a food issue.

 

[Nrosen]

They gave him metronidazole and albon. I currently feed him Wholehearted Chicken recipe and Chicken and Pumpkin recipe. Both are for all ages so not kitten specific. I feed him 3 times a day though now I’m thinking of doing 4 times a day. I bought a small bag of Purina Pro Plan Chicken and Rice recipe dry food to try out though it’s not here yet. I tried giving him dry food but he ignored it so I’m trying again with that one when it arrives. Sorry for the info dump!

 

[Sarthur2]

Wet the dry food with a little water to soften it, and do feed smaller portions 4-6 times a day at his age. Does he get wet food? Kittens usually do well on Fancy Feast Chicken Pate at his age. They really need wet food.

 

[Nrosen]

He only eats wet food, that’s the recipes I mentioned. The dry food I’m getting is to see if he’ll eat in and maybe do better on that, he is not yet being fed dry food.

 

[Nrosen]

Wet the dry food with a little water to soften it, and do feed smaller portions 4-6 times a day at his age. Does he get wet food? Kittens usually do well on Fancy Feast Chicken Pate at his age. They really need wet food.

I will try to feed him 4 times a day though I’m not sure how to portion it out exactly. The food I feed him comes in 2.8 oz pouches, would 4 of those a day be okay or would it be better to split it in half. Thanks for all the help btw!

 

[Sarthur2]

I’m thinking that maybe you should try a different wet food since he is not doing well on what you’ve been giving. Try the Fancy Feast. Also leave kitten dry food down. He may go for that. And definitely try to feed 6 times a day at his age. That will reduce as he ages, but for now he needs it.

It would seem the problem here is finding a food he likes and that will not cause diarrhea. He may have a sensitive stomach.