# Diarrhea in Newly Weaned Kitten



## RachandNito (Nov 21, 2008)

Many of you know, I have some new kittens. They were pretty young, somewhere around a month and half old. They'd only JUST start sampling dry food when the owner's parents decided they had to be out. I started them on KMR, then mixed plain chicken baby food with the KMR. After a day of that, I added some canned kitten food (fancy feast, which is cheap and I didn't want to risk wasting the more expensive food I'd bought just yet). So after a few days of KMR/babyfood/fancy feast paste, the kittens were eager whenever I came in carrying a small plate for them. I phased out the KMR, and they were soon eating just baby food + fancy feast. Then it was fancy feast, the last of the baby food, and Chicken Soup for Kitten Lover's Soul. 

Along the way, we had to tempt them to encourage them to try new things. We used some plain cooked chicken and Keanu loved it, and ate plenty. Chica, no interest in that. 

Ok, so day one, only Keanu pooped, and it was a decent consistency. Chica pooped the next morning, and it was soft but still a solid. Since then, poop has only gotten runnier. Chica's is not bad, it isn't liquid, but it's skinny and soft. Keanu's is pretty much liquid.

What should be done about this? Both are frisky and sprightly as ever. Neither have thrown up, they are putting on plenty of weight (daily! It's amazing!) Is this just their tummies reacting to the sudden weaning? At what point should I be worried? Is there anything I can add to Keanu's diet to ease his symptoms? They have a vet appointment late next week, I can't get in any earlier than that. Should I just go ahead and bring a stool sample if the problem persists?

Oh yea, I just remembered. A day or so ago, they went crazy during our lunch time, climbing all over our laps. They both got tastes of mashed potatoes (found them both lapping at my BF's plate when we'd left the room for just a second!) And Keanu also managed to sneak in and eat several kernels of canned corn that he swallowed whole! Im the hectic melee, Chica managed to sneak to Josh, a roommate, and steal a bite of his McDonald's burger! Is this affecting their tummies badly do you think?

EDIT: While I'm here, I might as well ask: Should I be concerned about gunky eyes? It's nothing extreme, usually just boogies in the corners built up after they sleep. Keanu had a slight eye infection that has vastly improved, where he had some green gunk that I always wiped away. At one point one of his eyes was weepy. Now Chica has it, and I'm doing the same treatment. Every morning they get a gentle eye wipe with a warm cloth. Neither of them have had their eyes glued shut or anything with gunk, but they do get a bit squinty at times, and there are times when you can see a bit of the inner eye lid. Suggestions? Again, they are seeing the vet late next week, so if this persists or gets worse, they'll have treatment.


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## doodlebug (May 13, 2006)

Yeah, I do think they're getting way too much variety for such young babies. I'd say pick one thing and stick with it. You could also be seeing a sensitivity to the fish in the Chicken Soup. Personally, I've always had diarrhea problems with kitten foods, I prefer to use all life stages foods. Diarrhea could also be due to worms or other parasites. 

To hold you over until you get to the vet, as I said, pick one food and stick with it. You can try some pumpkin, psyllium, Benefiber or Slippery Elm to help firm them up. Keep an eye on their hydration level by pulling up on the skin at the back of their neck, if it stays tented or slowly goes down they need fluids, you may need add water to the wet food or syringe some into them.

Gunky eyes....vets use terramycin to treat the hunky eyes, it's available over the counter. You could also use some l-lysine to boost their immune system.


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## RachandNito (Nov 21, 2008)

Thanks doodlebug! Their hydration is great- the skin feels good, bounces right back. They have water available at all times and drink a healthy amount. I have picked a quality brand of kitten food and got a whole bunch of one brand. No gluten or bi-products in there, and it's mostly chicken. I'll stick with that one food for now.

I remember reading that plain pumpkin helps, but NOT pumpkin pie filling, right? I'll keep an eye out for it when I'm at the store. How much should he be given?

As for worms... is there a way to tell whether they have them or not? Is there a cheap method for de-worming that would save me money, or should I just ask the vet to do it? Is it pricey?

The warm, gentle eye wipings seem to be helping a lot. Today Chica had some crusties but nothing more, and her eye doesn't seem puffy or irritated at all. Keanu also had some sleepy boogers, but again, nothing major, so I think that problems is going to clear itself up, thank goodness! I was reading that prolonged use of terramycin can make that cat end up with a worse infection or fungal infection so I don't want to use it unless it's truly needed.


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## Mitts & Tess (Sep 4, 2004)

KMR can give kittens diarreha. Depending on how much you give them. If that is the cause you could try goats milk.

If they are getting green gunk in their eyes I would start them on terramyacin twice a day in their eyes. Im sure they will pass it back and forth to each other. I would get them on it right away to prevent any serious eye problems.


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## RachandNito (Nov 21, 2008)

I only used one of the small cans of KMR in total, and it was mainly to introduce the new food in increments, because it encouraged Chica to eat.( She is very hesitant to try anything new at first, and only will try something if she sees Keanu eating it first. )

I have been diligently tending to them, they are still clumsy in the litter box so they have to be wiped after they use it. They either get pee or poop on their legs and the litter sticks to it. I even use non clumping! I don't want them to eat it if it's stuck to their toe, so I wash them, probably just like their mom cause they always just lay there and take it. I also still use a warm cloth on their eyes in the morning or after long naps. Haven't noticed any green gunk in either kitten's eyes for the last few times I wiped. Both only had it once, a little dab of it in the inner corner that I wiped away. They do get crusties in the inner corners, occasionally a tiny bit in the outer corners, but I definitely think their eyes look a lot better. As long as they don't get worse, I think I'll let the vet decide what's best to do for their eyes. I just don't want to risk doing anything without a diagnosis from the vet first, cause I've heard some scary stuff about terramyacin

I've got some pumpkin, how much should I use for little Keanu? He had one slightly solid poop this morning (in Nito's litter box, the naughty boy!) but then diarrhea again tonight :? But they still fly around the house at mach speed, and have a never ending urge to beat the crud out of each other! :wink: Also, they seem to get bigger ever day... as do their appetites.


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## RachandNito (Nov 21, 2008)

Keanu made a solid poop this morning! It wasn't firm, but it wasn't runny either, and had a definite shape. I never thought I'd be this excited about poop, but yay! I didn't have to wash him up afterwards!

Then, on the way home from my parent's house in the car, both of them decided they had to poop at the same time, on the bumpiest part of the journey. They are already clumsy, I don't know what they were thinking. They got so gross and dirty, and stunk up the whole car! Two freshly breaded kittens coming right up!

Thanks a lot brats! :lol:


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## faerymagic (Jul 25, 2006)

ewww lol


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## Jeanie (Jun 18, 2003)

Breaded kittens! :lol:


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## RachandNito (Nov 21, 2008)

Hehe, I learned the term "breaded kittens" here on catforum, and I've been using it since it so perfectly describes what happens to them! 

I used it in front of the boys that live next door and they laughed so hard! Quote "Breaded kittens? That's absurd! But it totally makes sense!" hehe :lol:


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## RachandNito (Nov 21, 2008)

Oh, but on a serious note- is there anything safe to use to wipe off their paws an butts? Would baby wipes be safe to use? I'm currently using damp paper towels but all it takes is one little clawed kick to rip those, and it sometimes leaves little chunks of paper on his fur.


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## faerymagic (Jul 25, 2006)

Are you using regular paper towels or Bounty?  :lol:


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## RachandNito (Nov 21, 2008)

Generic


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## faerymagic (Jul 25, 2006)

:lol: Do you have tissues? Personally, I'd just use warm soft wash rags and toss them in the laundry


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## doodlebug (May 13, 2006)

Before I figured out that Holly is allergic to fish, we had a lot of poopy butt episodes. You can use unscented baby wipes, but I found that they really didn't work well. More often than not I would just dunk her back end in a sink with a few inches of warm water.


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## RachandNito (Nov 21, 2008)

Haha poor Keanu gets what we call a "butt-rinse" most days. No one wants me to use their rags, so I usually just use a paper towel to pull out the poo, and then soak up the extra water. Being wet makes Keanu do some of the licking himself, and now Nito wants to lick them down there too... Gross! 

I am pretty sure I spotted a tape worm segment in Keanu's poop today, which wasn't fully solid but at least had a shape. They're going to the vet next week so I figure everyone he will have to be dewormed.

Should I get Chica and Nito dewormed as well? It's only Keanu with the stinky funky poop. Chica's poops are fully solid and aren't even half as smelly as Keanu's (and they eat the exact same diet)

On a silly note... Keanu just got done getting a "butt-cut" because he has these long strands of hair around the base of his tail and his butt that kept getting poop stuck in them. Rather than trying to tug poop out and making him cry every day, I figured it would be easier just to trim him up.


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