# my 14 week old kitten has runny poop



## elykoj (Feb 28, 2013)

i have 2 kittens about 15 and 16 weeks old. both were actually at vet yesterday for 2nd shots and rabies. stool was checked and no parasites. i brought them home about a month ago and switched them both to Wellness Core. the younger kitten has had applesauce looking poop since they have been on Wellness. i was cleaning box this morning and he jumped in and started pooping. not watery but for sure runny. could the high protein be too much for him? if so what brand should i switch to? gradually of course. he is very active and acts normal he eats and drinks and actually gained weight since his neuter a week ago.

should i call vet and possibly treat for Guardia, or try different food first??


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## 3gatos (Nov 28, 2012)

How much is he eating per day? If he is being free fed, I would try feeding meals 3 times a day. If my cats get into the kibble they always get runny stools.


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## cat face (Apr 4, 2013)

Kittens digestive systems are extremely sensitive. Doesn't take much to upset things. 
If I were you, I would call your vet, tell them just like you wrote here. The food may be too rich for him. 

Kittens eat a lot and need to. They run around loads and their little metabolisms are wizzing away and their bodies are busily growing.
What my vet did was put mine on a bland diet (chicken & rice) till things calmed down. 
But like I said, call YOUR vet and ask them


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## Stryker (Apr 2, 2007)

elykoj, is it wet or dry Core........and, which variety?


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## Heather102180 (Nov 19, 2003)

Probably not related but my cat had the same issue about a month ago and he was on Wellness. It happened right when I bought him a new bag - same brand and flavor. Vet said Wellness might have changed their formula. Needless to say, I switched my cat to food from the vet and he's done fine ever since.


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## Stryker (Apr 2, 2007)

Heather102180 said:


> Probably not related...
> ...Needless to say, I switched my cat to food from the vet and he's done fine ever since.


Again, not to hijack away from *elykoj's* problem, perhaps you would appreciate *some information about those 'prescription "foods"'*., Heather.


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## elykoj (Feb 28, 2013)

*answers*

i feed them 1/4 cup of dry Wellness Core kitten formula twice a day. they came from the breeder on Iams kitten dry, should i do a slow switch back to that and see if that corrects the problem? if it does then i can go get something more healthy instead of Wellness Core. i just dont want to go buy another expensive food and it not be the problem


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## cat face (Apr 4, 2013)

elykoj said:


> i feed them 1/4 cup of dry Wellness Core kitten formula twice a day. they came from the breeder on Iams kitten dry, should i do a slow switch back to that and see if that corrects the problem? if it does then i can go get something more healthy instead of Wellness Core. i just dont want to go buy another expensive food and it not be the problem


There are loads on this site that throw up a crucifix at Iams. I use it, always have over 30 years _but_ that's me and my cats.

If I were you, I would call your vet and ask them the best course of action from the point you are at now. They may suggest something very bland to "reset" everything and get your kitten back to well formed stools.


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## 3gatos (Nov 28, 2012)

elykoj said:


> i feed them 1/4 cup of dry Wellness Core kitten formula twice a day. they came from the breeder on Iams kitten dry, should i do a slow switch back to that and see if that corrects the problem? if it does then i can go get something more healthy instead of Wellness Core. i just dont want to go buy another expensive food and it not be the problem


You can try the Iams again, however, I would probably not do the CORE kitten, but just the original Wellness CORE. Haven't heard too many positive things about the new formulas. It's pretty much just a marketing ploy.


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## Stryker (Apr 2, 2007)

elykoj said:


> ...they came from the breeder on Iams kitten dry, should i do a slow switch back to that and see if that corrects the problem?...


[Just as a btw, before I knew better, I fed Iams Kitten and then Adult. When I moved to Orijen (grain-free) I did it very slowly with success. After a few years, I tried moving from Orijen to the Wellness Core - again, slowly, but there came a point when almost everyone's stools went runny. I gave up at that point and returned to Orijen. _*In retrospect, I believe that, had I continued the changeover, but, on an even slooooower schedule, it would have worked.*_]

I would not go back to the Iams product if I were in your position. But - I'd return to using a little of it....here's what I'm thinking:

The easiest, quick solution for you would probably be to go back into your changeover schedule....perhaps, over a couple of weeks, gradually get yourself up to about 20% Iams....all the time watching the stool output. The day you see suitably firm stool, level off. Stay with that ratio for a few weeks, then extremely slowly, start reducing the Iams again until it's 100% Core. How long will that take? Dunno...but, I know I wouldn't rush it at all. I also think you'll need to keep a record of amounts and results.

All of that said, I'd also recommend you begin an introduction to wet foods.



> If he is being free fed, I would try feeding meals 3 times a day.


The generally recommended regimen for kittens is that they have free access to food 24/7/365 during their first year.



> Haven't heard too many positive things about the new formulas. It's pretty much just a marketing ploy.


There are some minor differences among all formulas. *There is a major difference in two: no fish* (Indoor, Turkey-Duck). There's a significant caloric difference in two - about 100 kcal/cup *fewer* (Indoor, Turkey-Duck)...and, those same two have a little less protein content. I'm using the Turkey-Duck - for its purpose, I'm happy with it.


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## cinderflower (Apr 22, 2012)

elykoj said:


> i have 2 kittens about 15 and 16 weeks old. both were actually at vet yesterday for 2nd shots and rabies. stool was checked and no parasites. i brought them home about a month ago and switched them both to Wellness Core. the younger kitten has had applesauce looking poop since they have been on Wellness. i was cleaning box this morning and he jumped in and started pooping. not watery but for sure runny. could the high protein be too much for him? if so what brand should i switch to? gradually of course. he is very active and acts normal he eats and drinks and actually gained weight since his neuter a week ago.
> 
> should i call vet and possibly treat for Guardia, or try different food first??


I was just at the vet Friday too, and brought up my three year-old's sporadic diarrhea, which is probably less than yours have. any cat can have a bad reaction to food that everyone else thinks is great, so it could definitely be the food. it could also be a lot of things though.

my vet said I could do several things--try more probiotics for him (I just bought some vitamin chews that have a lot of digestive enzymes in them so i'll see if those make any difference before I buy more things) OR go to a hypo-allergenic food (and i'm going to guess either Hill's or Royal Canin, because that's what is displayed in the waiting room lol).

I think he knows I won't switch to that food in particular, but it's kind of weird because all three cats eat the same thing, (all canned, grain-free and a variety of brands) and something that didn't give him the runs one day will another, so I don't really understand it. the only food that gave all three cats diarrhea was lotus so I just quit feeding it to them and I won't buy any more. I wanted to like it because it's free of a lot of additives and preservatives, but I'm not the one eating it.

whatever food you change them to, you have to do slowly. if it were me, i'd stop feeding the wellness and just switch to something else. you might want to also consider some probiotics. i'd save extra tests for after I had modified their diet all I could and nothing worked.


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## 3gatos (Nov 28, 2012)

Stryker said:


> [Just as a btw, before I knew better, I fed Iams Kitten and then Adult. When I moved to Orijen (grain-free) I did it very slowly with success. After a few years, I tried moving from Orijen to the Wellness Core - again, slowly, but there came a point when almost everyone's stools went runny. I gave up at that point and returned to Orijen. _*In retrospect, I believe that, had I continued the changeover, but, on an even slooooower schedule, it would have worked.*_]
> 
> I would not go back to the Iams product if I were in your position. But - I'd return to using a little of it....here's what I'm thinking:
> 
> ...


true. However at 3-4 months you can feed meals. My kitten was getting meals by 12 weeks of age. As much as he could eat in 15 minutes then the remaining food was taken up. 4 meals a day then 3 aftee his neuter at 5 months, dropped down to 2 at 9 months. It can be done and (imho) a good way to prevent obesity


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## elykoj (Feb 28, 2013)

*Soooooo???*

I am just about out of my Wellness Core food, what should I switch them to? I have the Iams kitten food that the breeder had them on, but I really don't want to use Iams brand. I need to go buy food today, what would you guys suggest?? do I really need to get the gimmick food of sensitive stomach?? I need suggestions


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## 3gatos (Nov 28, 2012)

Stryker, I think you confuse my postings and are twisting them to serve your own purpose. i wasn't suggesting that's what to do, (and a 9 month neutered cat is hardly in need of kitten food) just saying what I did. My adult cats were getting into the feed so kitten had to be fed differently. That being said, my kitten developed just fine.


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## elykoj (Feb 28, 2013)

*problem solved...*

I switched the food all at once to Natural Balance LID green pea/chicken and within 3 days the diarrhea is completely gone. both like the food, and are pooping with formed stools. I guess the Wellness Core kitten was just too much protein for them.. but I will stick to the Natural Balance since it grain free and a lot cheaper..:wolfie


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