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

[qatz]

I am firmly convinced that kittens only have two active brain cells in their fuzzy heads.  The

first is used to detect locations where they can cause the most damage/get into the most

trouble.  The second is used to propel themselves towards that location as fast as their

little legs will take them.

So yeah, with the exception of the diarrhea, your kitten is perfectly normal

  But please

do do the boiled chicken trial.  If he doesn't want to eat it, get some probiotics like

FortiFlora and sprinkle it over his food.  Most cats find it irresistible. 

 

[auroraei]

So yeah, with the exception of the diarrhea, your kitten is perfectly normal

  But please

do do the boiled chicken trial.  If he doesn't want to eat it, get some probiotics like

FortiFlora and sprinkle it over his food.  Most cats find it irresistible. 

I will try the chicken diet for sure. Also, where can I get FortiFlora? Is it something I can only get online?

 

[carolina]

I will try the chicken diet for sure. Also, where can I get FortiFlora? Is it something I can only get online?

Yes, you can get it on amazon..... however IMHO it is best to not use it if you can avoid.
The first ingredient is Animal Digest.
Fortiflora is awesome as an enticement, not as a probiotic. For a kitty like yours, who is going through an issue like this, I would keep the diet as clean as possible - I would not mix anything in it. A probiotic is great - but a real/pure probiotic.......

If he doesn't eat the chicken, fortiflora might help, but be aware it might defeat the purpose and might not be good for his diarrhea - some cats with intestinal issues have worst diarrhea because of all that is in it.

 

[taxido]

Start feeding boiled chicken as soon as possible.  Do not feed him anything else.  This is very important, because if this is a food related issue, you will never sort out if you start mixing his food.  Feed him ONLY the boiled chicken. If all goes well and the diarrhoea stops, at least you know it is a food related issue, so that is the first step forward to sorting him out.  The sooner you start to feed him boiled chicken, the better, both for him and for you.  I think he is pooping everywhere because he cannot get to a litter tray quick enough.  More litter trays are in order.  Remember, this is just a phase that needs to be sorted out and once it is, all will be well.  Additionally, as someone has suggested, I would get him tested for [color= rgb(24, 24, 24)]giardia and T. Foetus[/color]

As everyone says, the behaviour he exhibits is quite normal for a kitten.

 

[peaches08]

Since bone can cause constipation, would raw be an option?

 

[qatz]

If he doesn't eat the chicken, fortiflora might help, but be aware it might defeat the purpose and might not be good for his diarrhea - some cats with intestinal issues have worst diarrhea because of all that is in it.

I've had to use the plain chicken diet quite a few times with my cat and she never would eat it without the forti-flora.

It also has helped with minor diarrhea issues in the past.

 

[carolina]

each cat is an individual. The op can easily see if the kitty will eat the boiled chicken prior to buying fortiflora, since he already has chicken at home. All he has to do is boil the chicken and offer to the kitty. Since the first ingredient on fortiflora is animal digest, it does defeats the purpose if the kitten has problems with other proteins.
There have been cats here on tcs who have had violent diarrhea with fortiflora, where instead of making it better, it made worst. All I am saying, is try first without it.

 

[auroraei]

Okay after Phoenix pooping all over my couch and floor while I was asleep last night, I'm ready to try this chicken thing.

Okay so how much chicken do I feed him? For how many days? I read that chicken doesn't have all the nutrients a cat needs so I hope it's not long.......Also, do I take away his dry food?

 

[peaches08]

I feed roughly 1/4 cup of raw ground/chunked, so maybe the same or slightly less? Again I feed raw so I don't know about cooked. Hopefully others will chime in soon.

Mainly I wanted to mention to not feed the bone if you are going to cook it. Cooked bone splinters and can really hurt him.

Good luck! I know how frustrating this can be!

 

[auroraei]

I feed roughly 1/4 cup of raw ground/chunked, so maybe the same or slightly less? Again I feed raw so I don't know about cooked. Hopefully others will chime in soon.

Mainly I wanted to mention to not feed the bone if you are going to cook it. Cooked bone splinters and can really hurt him.

Good luck! I know how frustrating this can be!

I was planning on boneless chicken breast. Is this okay? Also, you say 1/4 cup, how many times a day is that? 

And how long do I put my cat on this diet?

Also I read something about feeding the cat rice. Anyone know about this?

 

[peaches08]

I feed 1/4 cup twice a day. Boneless breast is fine, just more expensive.

Cats lack the enzymes necessary to digest the rice, so I wouldn't add it.

Hopefully someone else can recommend how long to do this diet.

 

[carolina]

Unbalanced you can feed him up to 2 weeks. Since he is a kitten, feed him a good 3 oz per meal, three times a day, or split that in more feedings. Cut the dry food completely. Chicken breast is ok, no need for rice especially if his problem is grains.

 

[auroraei]

Unbalanced you can feed him up to 2 weeks. Since he is a kitten, feed him a good 3 oz per meal, three times a day, or split that in more feedings. Cut the dry food completely. Chicken breast is ok, no need for rice especially if his problem is grains.

Will it really take 2 weeks to see if the chicken makes him stop having diareah? 

 

[peaches08]

Will it really take 2 weeks to see if the chicken makes him stop having diareah? 

I think she meant that you can feed an unbalanced diet for 2 weeks. My cat's diarrhea cleared up within 24 hours of putting them on raw with premix and giving them the thigh bones to munch on.

 

[carolina]

I think she meant that you can feed an unbalanced diet for 2 weeks. My cat's diarrhea cleared up within 24 hours of putting them on raw with premix and giving them the thigh bones to munch on.

Same here - my cat was good in a day.

I meant what she said - you can feed an unbalanced diet (muscle meat only) for up to 2 weeks without an issue.

 

[auroraei]

 

[gussamor]

We called my sick cat's brother "Sir Poopie Bottom". We de-wormed and used Vet's metronidizole & pumpkin & probiotics & etc and we still had poop everywhere. I was washing blankets & towels at 3am - major leakage. We changed the food - started w/ California Natural Chicken & Brown Rice rice. Then we introduced a teench of Gerbers2 baby food (very natural). And later, Evo chicken & Turkey. His poop still isn't "firm cigars" but he's no longer "adorning" everything

 

[auroraei]

Chicken diet starts tomorrow. I'll keep you guys updated!

 

[carolina]

Good luck! As it was mentioned here before, do NOT feed him anything else - feed him cooked chicken ONLY. No treats, no canned, no nothing. Not a dust of anything else.
See what happens with that.... Hopefully it will work!

 

[auroraei]

Good luck! As it was mentioned here before, do NOT feed him anything else - feed him cooked chicken ONLY. No treats, no canned, no nothing. Not a dust of anything else.
See what happens with that.... Hopefully it will work!

Will do!

Hope this works......his diareah smells like death, and his breath smells like poop. It's really really gross.