I've had a kitten for 6 days and think he is sick. Diarrhea, lethargic......Need opinions please!

[taxido]

I think there are two possibilities for the poop issue.  

Firstly, he cannot get to the litter box quick enough.  I would move it into the room where you have the sofa and see if he uses it.

Secondly, he does not like using the litter box in the room where it is, perhaps due to the smell etc. as you describe.  It reminds him of bad things - i.e. him being sick.  Does he ever spend any time in that room at all now?

 

[qatz]

My kitty had a lot of diarrhea when she was a kitten and plain boiled chicken with probiotics always stopped it.

It took a while and a lot of trials with different foods, but eventually a grain free canned diet solved all the

problems.  Perhaps you might try that if the plain chicken helps.
 

 

[auroraei]

I want to start feeding Phoenix exclusively this: http://www.purinaone.com/products/cat-food/beyond-chicken-and-whole-oat-meal-recipe. No wet food. I've read in multiple places that if a dry food is natural and has all the vitamins wet does, that it's not bad to cut out the wet. Also wet may be giving him the runs (we'll see).

I know he's a kitten and probably should be eating kitten chow, but he doesn't like it. I've read that kittens of 6 months are fine to start eating adult food. What do you guys think?

I know this is really debatable. I just want opinions. This food is supposedly really good.

 

[taxido]

Bearing in mind the food related diarrhoea issues that I have had with my cat, I have also read many different views and opinions on when to feed adult food, and also that kitten food can sometimes be too rich for a kitten.  Again, I would first do the boiled chicken and see how he gets on, before venturing further.  Also, remember that even though you would like your kitten to eat your chosen food, he may be allergic to it. But cross that bridge when you come to it.  Stabilise him first, and see what happens.  How is the poop issue?

 

[qatz]

I want to start feeding Phoenix exclusively this: http://www.purinaone.com/products/cat-food/beyond-chicken-and-whole-oat-meal-recipe. No wet food. I've read in multiple places that if a dry food is natural and has all the vitamins wet does, that it's not bad to cut out the wet. Also wet may be giving him the runs (we'll see).

I know he's a kitten and probably should be eating kitten chow, but he doesn't like it. I've read that kittens of 6 months are fine to start eating adult food. What do you guys think?

I know this is really debatable. I just want opinions. This food is supposedly really good.

"Natural" isn't a good descriptor of quality.  To go to an extreme, feathers and and hooves are all natural but not what I would call

a good diet.

Cats are obligate carnivores and do not need grains, so I would worry about the barley, oats, and soybeans added to the purina food

you linked to.  If you want to try a dry food I would go with something like Evo first:  http://www.evopet.com/products/1441.  But a huge problem

with dry food is that many cats just don't get enough liquid.  Their thirst drive is low and they simply don't drink enough water to get what they

need. 

But in any case, the first thing to do is to get your little guy stopped up!  Go with the boiled chicken and if the diarrhea doesn't stop then

something else is going on.

 

[flintmccullough]

All-kittens-have-worms,even-kittens-born-to-championship-show-parents,thats-just-how-it-is.

Kitties-should-be-wormed,twice-a-year,with-drontal,from-the-vet,it-comes-in-a-pill-or-liquid.They-can-first-be-wormed-at-from-memory,at-8-weeks.

Kittens-also-have-very-very-sensative-little-systems.Changing-their-food,upsets-their-little-systems,hence-the-diarea,and-sometimes-throw-up.When-they-have-diarea,they-should-be-taken-to-the-vet,and-an-x-ray-done.It-most-likely-shows,that-their-intestines-are-inflammed,it-shows-up-as-dark,on-the-x-ray.It-will-also-show,if-something-else-is-going-on-in-there.In-most-cases,they-are-put-on-Metronidazole,for-the-diarea,and,it-is-a-form-of-antibiotic.They-are-put-on-it-for-10-days,and-you-usually-see-an-improvement-in-3-days.

Kittens-with-diarea,can-go-downhill-quickly,as-it-dehydrates-them,same-as-with-people.Hence-thats-why-he-was-given-sub-q-fluids,fluids-under-the-skin.

You-should-never-never-use-over-the-counter-products,without-knowing-what-your-treating-for,as-it-can-make-the-situation-worse,and/or-delay-proper-treatment,or-unless-your-vet-tells-you-to.I-would-not-give-a-homemade-pedialite-treatment.

I-suspect-being-that-the-kitten-has-never-been-wormed,he-has-worms.I-also-am-pretty-sure-the-diarea-is-related-to-what-you-are-feeding-him,the-walmart-stuff,and-worse,the-purina-stuff,which,wiskas-is-a-purina-product.

Purina-products-are-full-of-grains,glutens-and-by-products.Grains-cause-tummy-upset,kitties-cannot-digest-grains,grains-are-for-horses,not-kittes.Glutens-also-cause-tummy-upset,just-as-with-people.By-products-are-the-left-over-anything-from-the-animal,including-euthinized-cats/dogs-and-their-collors,restaurant-waste,road-kill,dead-animals,diseased-animals,etc.

If-he-were-my-kitten,I-would-take-him-to-the-vet,and-ask-for-an-x-ray.Then-I-would-put-him-on-a-grain-free,gluten-free-by-product-free-food.You-want-to-avoid,corn,maize,wheat,corn-flour,wheat-flour,any-flour,corn-gluten,wheat-gluten,any-gluten.All-these-things-are-in-any-of-the-feeds-in-the-grocery-store.

Here-is-a-good-site-to-read.

http://catinfo.org/

 

[carolina]

All-kittens-have-worms,even-kittens-born-to-championship-show-parents,thats-just-how-it-is.

Kitties-should-be-wormed,twice-a-year,with-drontal,from-the-vet,it-comes-in-a-pill-or-liquid.They-can-first-be-wormed-at-from-memory,at-8-weeks.

Kittens-also-have-very-very-sensative-little-systems.Changing-their-food,upsets-their-little-systems,hence-the-diarea,and-sometimes-throw-up.When-they-have-diarea,they-should-be-taken-to-the-vet,and-an-x-ray-done.It-most-likely-shows,that-their-intestines-are-inflammed,it-shows-up-as-dark,on-the-x-ray.It-will-also-show,if-something-else-is-going-on-in-there.In-most-cases,they-are-put-on-Metronidazole,for-the-diarea,and,it-is-a-form-of-antibiotic.They-are-put-on-it-for-10-days,and-you-usually-see-an-improvement-in-3-days.

Kittens-with-diarea,can-go-downhill-quickly,as-it-dehydrates-them,same-as-with-people.Hence-thats-why-he-was-given-sub-q-fluids,fluids-under-the-skin.

You-should-never-never-use-over-the-counter-products,without-knowing-what-your-treating-for,as-it-can-make-the-situation-worse,and/or-delay-proper-treatment,or-unless-your-vet-tells-you-to.I-would-not-give-a-homemade-pedialite-treatment.

I-suspect-being-that-the-kitten-has-never-been-wormed,he-has-worms.I-also-am-pretty-sure-the-diarea-is-related-to-what-you-are-feeding-him,the-walmart-stuff,and-worse,the-purina-stuff,which,wiskas-is-a-purina-product.

Purina-products-are-full-of-grains,glutens-and-by-products.Grains-cause-tummy-upset,kitties-cannot-digest-grains,grains-are-for-horses,not-kittes.Glutens-also-cause-tummy-upset,just-as-with-people.By-products-are-the-left-over-anything-from-the-animal,including-euthinized-cats/dogs-and-their-collors,restaurant-waste,road-kill,dead-animals,diseased-animals,etc.

If-he-were-my-kitten,I-would-take-him-to-the-vet,and-ask-for-an-x-ray.Then-I-would-put-him-on-a-grain-free,gluten-free-by-product-free-food.You-want-to-avoid,corn,maize,wheat,corn-flour,wheat-flour,any-flour,corn-gluten,wheat-gluten,any-gluten.All-these-things-are-in-any-of-the-feeds-in-the-grocery-store.

Here-is-a-good-site-to-read. :high5: :rub:

http://catinfo.org/

Flint, the kitten HAS been dewormed, and HAS had Albon, that works much like Metronidazole. It is all in the thread.

 

[flintmccullough]

Albon.

http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=26+1303&aid=1481

 

[carolina]

Albon.

http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=26+1303&aid=1481

Flint, for those of us who have a kitty with IBD.... No introduction to Albon is necessary. I know this drug quite well. It is another antibiotic and yes, like Metro it does have anti-inflamatory properties on the gut. It is used quite a bit for IBD when Metro doesn't work

 

[auroraei]

Don't know what to do anymore. He's driving me crazy. Not only does he still have the runs, but he's constantly acting spooked like he saw a ghost and keeps running from room to room. If I walk near him he gets spooked and runs the other way. He keeps pooping on my couches and floors if his litterbox isn't in pristine condition. He doesn't poop outside the litter box during the day but when I wake up I have to search the house to see where he pooped because at night he always does it outside the box when I'm asleep. He keeps tearing up paper towels. Today I left him alone for a couple hours to have a Valentine's day dinner and come home to find him at the top of the stairs with a bag of raw chicken I forgot I was thawing earlier. He jumped on the counter and took it upstairs. I don't know what to do anymore. When he first got here, he was so sweet and nice, now he's just crazy. This isn't how I pictured having a cat.

 

[qatz]

Much of what you mention is normal cat and kitten behavior.   The running around all crazy is extremely common

and kittens will often wildly run away, which if you were another kitten would be an invitation to play a game of chase.

Kittens are also notorious for chewing paper towels and toilet paper.  As for the counters, well, sometimes you

can keep them off of them, but really you need to thoroughly kitten/cat-proof your house.  If there's something

they can get into and/or eat, they will find it.  You need to put it all away.

The pooping is definitely still a problem - what have you been feeding him?   But it sounds like if his

box is pristine he will use it?  Then you might just have to keep the box pristine, and perhaps he

would like a second box.  Some cats like to pee in one and poop in another.

 

[carolina]

Quite a few people here have told you to put him on boiled chicken for a few days to see if this is diet related. Has this been done yet?
IMHO when the plan is not working, you have to change the plan.
I would also ask the vet for specific tests for giardia and T. Foetus. These will not show in the regular fecal. Samples are better if collected AT the vet.

You CAN solve this

And yes, he is a kitten, he has a TON of energy.

 

[auroraei]

Much of what you mention is normal cat and kitten behavior.   The running around all crazy is extremely common

and kittens will often wildly run away, which if you were another kitten would be an invitation to play a game of chase.

Kittens are also notorious for chewing paper towels and toilet paper.  As for the counters, well, sometimes you

can keep them off of them, but really you need to thoroughly kitten/cat-proof your house.  If there's something

they can get into and/or eat, they will find it.  You need to put it all away.

The pooping is definitely still a problem - what have you been feeding him?   But it sounds like if his

box is pristine he will use it?  Then you might just have to keep the box pristine, and perhaps he

would like a second box.  Some cats like to pee in one and poop in another.

Well it's good to know it's normal, lol. I didn't know if it was, because he seriously looks spooked......eyes like this O_O and runs around the house darting from room to room. If I try to get near him, he darts the other way.

As of now I've been free feeding him Purina One Beyond dry food (Chicken variety - has no corn or byproducts), and Whiskas pouches which seem to be the only food he'll finish entirely.

I do keep his box in good condition. I scoop it every time he poops, but when I'm asleep I can't do it, so when I wake up I find the box covered in poop, then poop outside of the litterbox. I guess I'll have to keep a 2nd litterbox around, unless he decides to dirty that one too during the night and do the same thing he's doing now.

 

[auroraei]

Quite a few people here have told you to put him on boiled chicken for a few days to see if this is diet related. Has this been done yet?
IMHO when the plan is not working, you have to change the plan.
I would also ask the vet for specific tests for giardia and T. Foetus. These will not show in the regular fecal. Samples are better if collected AT the vet.

You CAN solve this

And yes, he is a kitten, he has a TON of energy.

What's the difference between boiled and baked? I haven't tried this yet but I guess I'll have to. Also if the boiled chicken DOES work, and stops the runs, well what does that mean? I can never feed him cat food again?

 

[ldg]

Quite a few people here have told you to put him on boiled chicken for a few days to see if this is diet related. Has this been done yet?
IMHO when the plan is not working, you have to change the plan.
I would also ask the vet for specific tests for giardia and T. Foetus. These will not show in the regular fecal. Samples are better if collected AT the vet.

You CAN solve this

And yes, he is a kitten, he has a TON of energy.

I would also recommend adding at LEAST one more box. You may not like the idea of having a number of litter boxes, but it's a lot better than cleaning up poop, isn't it? The rule of thumb is that you should have at a minimum, the same number of litterboxes as cats plus one more. So for one cat, a minimum of two.

...and this is also why many people adopt a "friend" for their kitten, or just adopt in pairs. I know he ran into your house, but... just pointing out that two kittens use up a lot of their energy on each other. :lol3:

 

[carolina]

What's the difference between boiled and baked? I haven't tried this yet but I guess I'll have to. Also if the boiled chicken DOES work, and stops the runs, well what does that mean? I can never feed him cat food again?

Boiled and baked chicken is the same - just make sure there is NO bones, flesh ONLY, no seasoning whatsoever. No skin either, since he has diarrhea.
He can be a week or two on chicken only with no problems.

If that solves the problem, then this is diet related - you will have to make changes.... There are some options.
One is to put him on a limmited ingrediets diet and see what happens - usually that works well, and probably where I would start if you can not feed raw.

Then from there you can see if he can stand a GRAIN FREE diet.

Another option is go to a raw diet, commercial or homemade.

But if it is diet related, medicine is not what is going to do it - a change of diet is what is going to solve the issue.

 

[peaches08]

Don't know what to do anymore. He's driving me crazy. Not only does he still have the runs, but he's constantly acting spooked like he saw a ghost and keeps running from room to room. If I walk near him he gets spooked and runs the other way. He keeps pooping on my couches and floors if his litterbox isn't in pristine condition. He doesn't poop outside the litter box during the day but when I wake up I have to search the house to see where he pooped because at night he always does it outside the box when I'm asleep. He keeps tearing up paper towels. Today I left him alone for a couple hours to have a Valentine's day dinner and come home to find him at the top of the stairs with a bag of raw chicken I forgot I was thawing earlier. He jumped on the counter and took it upstairs. I don't know what to do anymore. When he first got here, he was so sweet and nice, now he's just crazy. This isn't how I pictured having a cat.

I'm not gonna lie...I literally LOL'd at this! Not that you're frustrated or the poop issue, but the acting like a silly kitten issue. I got these three cats a week after putting my wonderful grey cat to sleep, so do I know the adjustment! They are banned from my bathrooms forever because they don't know how to act around toilet paper, they are bad with paper towels too, they are banned from my bedroom because of taking my makeup brushes and putting them in the litter boxes, I've had to put fasteners on the cabinets to keep them from dragging stuff out if there, I have to keep my purse in my bedroom or one takes off with my stuff in it...tgey don't know that they are driving me nuts, they are just playing. I can soooo see him looking at you after getting the chicken, "look what I found for us! I got us food!"

Enough of that though, cats are fastidiously clean animals and don't usually avoid the litter box unless something is wrong. I would try the chicken for a while. Can't hurt! I feed raw cheaper than I can feed cheap canned anyway.

 

[auroraei]

I'm not gonna lie...I literally LOL'd at this! Not that you're frustrated or the poop issue, but the acting like a silly kitten issue. I got these three cats a week after putting my wonderful grey cat to sleep, so do I know the adjustment! They are banned from my bathrooms forever because they don't know how to act around toilet paper, they are bad with paper towels too, they are banned from my bedroom because of taking my makeup brushes and putting them in the litter boxes, I've had to put fasteners on the cabinets to keep them from dragging stuff out if there, I have to keep my purse in my bedroom or one takes off with my stuff in it...tgey don't know that they are driving me nuts, they are just playing. I can soooo see him looking at you after getting the chicken, "look what I found for us! I got us food!"

Enough of that though, cats are fastidiously clean animals and don't usually avoid the litter box unless something is wrong. I would try the chicken for a while. Can't hurt! I feed raw cheaper than I can feed cheap canned anyway.

I've never had a kitten before or a cat of my own so this is all new to me! I've always had cats at my parents house, but they were older and lazy. In fact my cat I had since I was 2 passed away this October :\ She was 21 years old! Anyways it's good to know this is normal stuff, I was thinking "Oh god why did I adopt a feral cat? No wonder he's trying to eat raw chicken and is running all over the house" LOL. I hope getting him fixed makes him less wired......

 

[peaches08]

I've always had cats but these guys I swear are more silly. I forgot to mention the three broken lamps...one was a floor lamp. So yeah, I feel your pain!

 

[carolina]

LOL. I hope getting him fixed makes him less wired......

Growing will... Time works wonders on a kitten.... Playing the heck out of them too