Had a kitten handed to me help please

[Millys Mum]

If the gut isnt absorbing then imo extra fat in any form isnt going to do anything as its all moving out too quickly to start with, slow the gut and then feed up, oral or SC fluids if needed. If there was a reaction to milk it could cause faster dehydration as more diarrhoea being produced.
Its good to be different tho so we wont worry 

Glad her poop is improving angeleyes, welcome to the world of litter tray enthusiasts 

[angeleyes]

I went to the vets yesterday and got some kitten milk, its the Royal Canin one though.I only gave it to her once yesterday when she was really trying to get milk from me and wouldn't leave me alone and she drank it all straight away, I am going to give her some more in a min as she is doing it again. She did eat more solid food yesterday after she had milk though. Poo is also solid and almost normal colour this morning.

[Pinkbear (Julie)]

I wasn't suggesting replacing a solid diet with milk, MM, but add some to it. The biggest danger for a kitten that small is going to be dehydration and milk is an easy way to replace fluids as they are much keener on milk than water, plus milk gets some added nutrients in to help build her up.  Anyway, if she were with me that's what I'd be doing. Not every meal perhaps but certainly at least once a day she'd have some milk added to her food for the next week or so.

Just reread one of the previous posts and Panacur was mentioned.... think that explains the fresh attack of the diarrhoea. 

[Millys Mum]

PAH sell lactol gold kitten milk and this is the same type of product as cimicat (i prefer lactol to cimicat for handrearing  ) so that would be fine. Saying that i wouldnt give milk replacement to a cat with chronic diarrhoea as an onslaught of richness isnt imo going to help 

Hopefully shes eating well this evening

[angeleyes]

I am confused, overnight she has done one totally normal one, fully shaped and dark colour but has also done 2 sort of runny funny colour ones as well, I don't understand She also won't eat her food this morning, she keeps trying to get milk from me and every time she does I place her in front of the food bowl and she eats, this has worked well but not this morning, I have put her in front of the food bowl several times and she won't eat just keeps coming back to me. My vet is open this morning so I am going to call at 9 and see if i can get her some milk.

[Janeyk]

Glad that her tum seems to be settling, just had a look at photos - she's gorgeous !

[angeleyes]

Pics are here http://www.purrsinourhearts.co.uk/index.php/topic,31540.0.html

[Pinkbear (Julie)]

I think most milks sold over the counter in pet shops are likely to be complimentary and not replacement. You should find a vet open tomorrow.  Wish I was near you as I could give you some of mine. 

Good news about the stools thickening. 

[angeleyes]

I couldn't get any cimicat today, all vets appear to be closed, they had kitten milk in PAH though for ages 4 weeks to 18 months so could I try that?

She has done 2 normal shaped poos today, not runny at all but still kind of orangey in colour, hopefully on the right road now

[Michelle (furbabystar)]

Awww hope little one gets better soon.
Personally I wouldnt bother with testing if her runs clear up

[Gail Bengal Slave]

When Zebedee was a kitten, he had a dreadful loose tum - just keep your eye on her to make sure she doent get de-hydrated.

PICCIES please 

[Pinkbear (Julie)]

Cimicat you get from the vet. Most PAH stores do have an inhouse vet but any vet will do.  She will survive without milk as many kittens do, but it's not an ideal start to life and especially not ideal if she's been poorly and not what happens when kittens are raised properly by mum. I've known kittens still grab the odd meal from mum at 7 or even 8 weeks. 

If you do get the Cimicat, there's no need to syringe feed it unless she stops eating off her own bat. Just make up a batch and mix it with her food to make a kind of thick soup. She'll love it as they all do. My last batch of rescue kittens came to be at 5 weeks. They were just about capable of eating solids but still needed the milk. I have fond memories of them all going paddling in Cimicat stew. 

[angeleyes]

Poor you, and poor kitten! 

I would definitely keep her seperate from your other cat until the poo settles down at least. You need to be 100% sure this is dietry.  It's pointless testing her for anything right now as her blood will still be carrying antibodies from mum. But that doesn't mean nasties like FIP can't be lurking.  If her tum settles down on this treatment regime then you should be home and dry. 

Keep a careful eye until she is over the worst though as kittens deteriorate very quickly. Ideally at the minimum the vet would have given you a syringe to top up her fluids if the problem got worse suddenly. But Pro Kaolin is great stuff and I've used it myself lots of times with poorly kittens... I do worry though as six weeks she's too small for it to have an immediate impact if it all kicks off big time. 

Is there any way you can get hold of some Cimicat? She could benefit with some milk mixed with her food as she would normall still be recieving milk from mum at this age. 

Thank you, do you know where i might get Cimicat from? PAH?

I already have syringes and stuff (I am nursing 3 poorly buns at the mo) I did syringe her water on the Tueday night as she wasn't drinking any herself from the bowl and she took it really nicely so I will do again if she stops drinking

I really hope she will be ok, she is lovely 

[Pinkbear (Julie)]

Poor you, and poor kitten! 

I would definitely keep her seperate from your other cat until the poo settles down at least. You need to be 100% sure this is dietry.  It's pointless testing her for anything right now as her blood will still be carrying antibodies from mum. But that doesn't mean nasties like FIP can't be lurking.  If her tum settles down on this treatment regime then you should be home and dry. 

Keep a careful eye until she is over the worst though as kittens deteriorate very quickly. Ideally at the minimum the vet would have given you a syringe to top up her fluids if the problem got worse suddenly. But Pro Kaolin is great stuff and I've used it myself lots of times with poorly kittens... I do worry though as six weeks she's too small for it to have an immediate impact if it all kicks off big time. 

Is there any way you can get hold of some Cimicat? She could benefit with some milk mixed with her food as she would normall still be recieving milk from mum at this age. 

[angeleyes]

Please keep her away from Fi, is Fi vaccinated?
Its quite possible they have fed her anything and everything which would cause diarrhoea but it could also be an infection.
The vets can give you a sensitivity diet if it persists and iv always found it helps to feed much smaller meals more frequently, helps the tummy process better 

Yes Fi is of course vaccinated. In your opinion should they be kept in completely different rooms then?

I have been to the vets, they think she is more like 6 weeks old. She did a poo in the carrier on the way to the vets so i got to show them exactly what i meant! This one wasn't so bad thank goodness! Anyway they are not worried, they think it could be change of diet/environment/poor diet that has caused it but I have panacur to give her and Pro Kolin just in case. She is otherwise healthy.
I asked about blood tests and they said they wouldn't do it right now, they said they can test for the FELV and rec that is done when she is spayed.
I got some of the Royal Canin kitten food while I was there and started mixing it in with the whiskas rubbish, straight away she ate the Royal first so it must be a nicer food!
Will post some pics in a min, she is currently sitting on my shoulder like a parrot while i type :lol:

[Millys Mum]

Please keep her away from Fi, is Fi vaccinated?
Its quite possible they have fed her anything and everything which would cause diarrhoea but it could also be an infection.
The vets can give you a sensitivity diet if it persists and iv always found it helps to feed much smaller meals more frequently, helps the tummy process better 

[Daisymac]

Sounds like a change in diet prob caused the poo problem,  but as you have the vets today I wouldnt worry too much,   but make sure you mention it because runny poo's in a kitten is not good over a prolonged period of time as they dehydrate so quickly.     She may have just eaten too quickly and it was not digested properly.

Good luck at the vets,  I am sure all will be OK,   if I was you I would get the vet to do bloods etc to check for any nasties as you dont really know the background of the kitten and you have other cats to consider 

[Skully]

Cool! Sounds like this little one has landed on her feet by finding her way to your home.

Kittens learn by example usually with litter training. Small kittens go to the toilet when their mother licks them. It stimulates them to go, so try putting her into the litter tray and stroke her with a damp flannel. Once she has gone a few times in the litter tray she should keep coming back because of the smell, so don't be over zealous with the cleaning out. Leave  enough of a smell behind for her to find it again.

[angeleyes]

Little kittens like to be with others when they eat. I believe it is a bit of a throw back to wild cats. Tiny kitten wild cats when being weened are encouraged to only eat when an adult cat is around because food can attract predators, so the wee kittens need protection whilst eating. This maybe why this kitten won't eat unless you are there. Also being so small I would imagine she is missing her mother and litter mates and being on her own is quite stressful.

If you lived closer to me I would offer to have her all day as I am home. Do you have a friend or relative that is home all day that would like a fluffy friend to keep them company?

My OH works from home normally only had to go out all day yesterday as well and couldn't rearrange at short notice, but she will be with someone most of the time now unless he pops out.
Any ideas on the toiletting?

[Skully]

Little kittens like to be with others when they eat. I believe it is a bit of a throw back to wild cats. Tiny kitten wild cats when being weened are encouraged to only eat when an adult cat is around because food can attract predators, so the wee kittens need protection whilst eating. This maybe why this kitten won't eat unless you are there. Also being so small I would imagine she is missing her mother and litter mates and being on her own is quite stressful.

If you lived closer to me I would offer to have her all day as I am home. Do you have a friend or relative that is home all day that would like a fluffy friend to keep them company?

[CC & The Pussycat Guys & Dolls]

Best off a vets check to actually establish how old the kitten really is- sounds as though she is seeing you as her mummy and your showing her how to eat 

I got my Ollie from people wanting rid, he turned out to be 4 weeks old and wasn't even weened 

[Dawn F]

could just be change of diet but kittens can dehydrate really quickly - there are lots of kitten experts here so hopefully they will offer better advice

[angeleyes]

Came home Tuesday night and my OH had been handed a kitten by someone he knows, apparantly 8 weeks old, they took it from someone who wanted rid and as we had a cat thought we would look after it (which we will). This kitty is tiny, when we got Fi she was much much bigger than this little one, i would say she is more like 6 weeks, she is very happy and playful and interested in everything and  wants to sleep on you a lot.

She won't eat unless I am with her though, I have to put her in front of her bowl and she will then eat if i sit with her, when we were both out at work yesterday she didn't eat at all but as soon as i came in i put her in front of the food and she ate like a pig while I was there.

When i got up this morning she had done a horrible orange runny poo, I have a vets appointment later but in the meantime can anyone tell me if this is normal for a young kitten or what could this mean?