Kitten Questions

[sicycat]

My neighbor that just got 2 kittens wants to know how much wet food she should be feeding the babies. I think they're about 3 - 4 months old. Right now I had her feeding them one of those small small cans a day.... 1/2 a can (some in each bowl - one bowl for each of them) in the morning and 1/2 in the evening. She works during the day so she cant feed them mid afternoon. Then she has dry food free feeding and fresh water. Also, they drink a lot of water, is that normal? And the brown tabby seems to have horrible gas... and *slightly* soft stool. She is taking them to the vet Wednesday I think for a check up but I just wanted to find out if anyone could tell me anything before that. I know the brown tabby has a little cold but I think its clearing up.

They are so entertaining .. Sometimes I wish I would have gotten kittens!

 

[dragonlady]

The food amount looked OK to me, as long as it is "kitten" food. With the weather so hot they should be drinking alot of water.

Is she feeding them the same food they were getting before she got them? This could cause a soft stool if she switched too fast.

Have they been wormed? I would take in a stool sample from each cat to be checked. Put them in seperate zip lock bags labled with their names. Try to get the samples the morning of the visit.

 

[momofmany]

A sudden change in diet will cause the soft stools and gas. I'm also convinced that too much wet (if they aren't used to it) will give them gas. You said she just got them - can she check with the previous owner and see what they ate before she got them? Their little systems aren't real hearty at that young and tender age.

I give mine (they are 4 months old next week) about 1 TBLS wet each at night as a treat then dry kitten chow free feeding style the rest of the day. Muddy drinks a lot of water, which I've checked out with the vet and he doesn't see any problems with him.

 

[sicycat]

Yes they have been de-wormed and I also told her how to check their stools, sleeping places and their butts for signs of worms.. no signs. They came from a no kill shelter. I think they grew up there. She might have switched food from what the shelter was feeding them.. not quite sure, but now she's feeding them Science Diet kitten food... wet and dry.

Thanks for the advice

 

[sicycat]

Hmm the brown tabby now has something wrong with his eye

Its watery and he keeps closing it more than the other one. I wonder if he got scratched.

She's probly going to take him to the vet tomorrow.