New kitten advice

[Holidaystress11]

Hello! Have posted on the litter tray too but it's quiet this evening.

we have a new little kitten. 16 weeks tomorrow and we have had her for about 1 week. Everything has been fine but today I thought she looked a little too sleepy. She hasn't touched her food much the last few days and she doesn't seem to touch her water since she's been here.

The day after we brought her home we found fleas. I registered her at the vets and managed to get a same day appointment and they gave her her first injections and flea treatment via a tablet and booked in for 4 weeks time. Vet said he stomach was a little swollen but said it was quite common in kittens and he said otherwise she seems healthy. All good!

I mentioned to the breeder a couple of days ago that she's not eating much and not drinking. She said she forgot to tell me she gives her goats milk before bed. So I thought maybe her food routine is out. So I bought some and sure enough she lapped that up but still not eating. She hasn't touched her biscuits (kibble) breeder gave some and I bought the same. I asked for the brand of wet kitten food she's had and she just said use any.... so I bought whiskers junior. She was fine fir the first couple of days. But now gone off it. My nan suggested trying the adult food also whiskers and she wolfed that down but not sure if its good for her.

This evening she had some diarrhea but she did it on the kitchen floor. I'm thinking it's the goats milk!! So I have taken it away. After she had her accident she seemed much chirprier and ate the (adult) whiskers. Still no biscuits though!

Can any one advise please? I will try and speak to the vet tomorrow.

Sorry that was long but didn't want to drip feed

Has she been wormed? My cat had a bad stomach once as a kitten and a worming tablet sorted it.

@Giantpig yes when she went for her check after we got her the vet gave us some powdered wormer and said put half in her food in the evening for 3 days. That finished on Wednesday last week

She's eating this morning though. But had diarrhea straight after. But us eating again now. The receptionist said it could just be a stomach bug. But I'm getting her checked

Our cat didn't drink much water when she just had a bowl, but we've now got her a water fountain, which she loves and drinks much more from it. We have this one. https://www.petsathome.com/shop/en/pets/catit-pixi-cat-drinking-water-fountain-green-25-litre?size=2.5+litre?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=google_shopping&cm_mmc=Google--CPC--%20google_shopping-_-google_shopping&ita=1976&ito=google_shopping&istCompanyId=7255ccad-a1fc-4729-af31-478f79e5071c&istFeedId=385e6b9a-8b03-4076-a8bb-e4737df8549c&istItemId=pxaxqatqi&istBid=t&cq_src=google_ads&cq_cmp=13269405588&cq_term=&cq_plac=&cq_net=g&cq_plt=gp&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI4_yW9uLbgAMVzurtCh38mwJEEAQYBiABEgLwV_D_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Hope she gets on OK at the vet.

Poor baby girl.

My kitten was on Whiskas when she came to us but I’ve changed her to High Life kitten food now which you can get from Pets at Home but I add to my Ocado order.

Thank you. Will keep all in mind. Dh has just said he gave her some tidbits webbox treats the other day. Just one on 3 days. So 3 treats over 3 days....maybe that's the reason....

Glad you are getting her seen and hopefully it's nothing serious.

With regards to fluid, we always added a little extra water to wet food as neither of mine drank much water as kittens (my older cat gets reoccurring cystitis as well so we always top up his wet food, as well as giving him special food designed for cats prone to cystitis)

I'd also look for a "better" brand of food than supermarket (Whiskas / Felix). Although be prepared as the vet will probably recommend something quite expensive!! We always used this when they were little

https://www.petsathome.com/shop/en/pets/james-wellbeloved-grain-free-wet-kitten-food-chicken-in-jelly-12-x-85g?weight=1.02kg?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=google_shopping&cm_mmc=Google--CPC--%20google_shopping-_-google_shopping&ita=1976&ito=google_shopping&istCompanyId=7255ccad-a1fc-4729-af31-478f79e5071c&istFeedId=385e6b9a-8b03-4076-a8bb-e4737df8549c&istItemId=imrxmqmix&istBid=t&cq_src=google_ads&cq_cmp=8972193579&cq_term=&cq_plac=&cq_net=g&cq_plt=gp&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIofiz_uXbgAMVkfftCh0qZwcKEAQYFCABEgIKV_D_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Thank you!

She's eating now. So that's a good sign

She's playing now and sniffing g about whereas the last 2 days she didn't want to do anything. I'm still taking her to the vets. As even if she's feeling better there might be a virus or something because sorry TMI the diarrhea stank to high heaven and I don't think that is normal

Dry food isn't always bad. My daughter's cat (1 yr old soon) has been advised by her vet to not give him wet food as he's always had diarrhoea. He's on a specific food for cats with gastric issues, they've narrowed it down to either IBS or IBD

She's also grooming now. She had stopped doing that too. So I'm hoping this means she's got out whatever the issue was. Managed to get a taxi booked too. Leaving at half 12. So hopefully its nothing serious.

Have a look at the packet - it should state on there what age they’re appropriate for. You really do need to be on top of info re feeding age-appropriate stuff.

Hope you both get on ok at the vets later.

Thanks @Furries on our way to the vets in a moment. She had her kitten food and ate that. Another bought of diarrhea about half an hour ago but significantly less and looks to be less watery and she did it in her box and covered it this time.

I see she's been defleaed, but has she been wormed? We're seeing a lot of cases of very poorly cats and kittens at the moment that have a full load of parasites on board.

Also, a bland diet of chicken and rice can help settle their tummies down. Same with white fish. There's also nutrabio that you can get from the vets without a prescription that helps settle an upset tum' down.

Yes wormer given a week ago started Monday finished Wednesday.

In the vets waiting room now

Good luck!

Vets are notoriously poorly informed about pet nutrition. You’re doing the right thing getting her checked out, but don’t rely on them for detailed nutritional advice - you’ll probably just be pointed towards whatever brand they get paid to promote in store (usually Royal Canin - which is a mid range cat food at top range price).

Cats have a stomach of steel, by design - it’s what allows them to eat raw rodents. Their weakness is hydration - they have no real thirst drive, originating from the desert, so need to get water from their food. And their natural diet barely contains any grain or carbs - unlike the majority of commercial cat foods.

If she doesn’t have a virus, then she is probably struggling to digest what you’re feeding her. It’s not the change in food - they literally have the opposite of sensitive stomachs - it’s the food itself. Most food sensitivities will be cereal related - so you need grain free (ideally potato free too). Sometimes cats can be sensitive to certain meats (chicken is one of the more common allergies) and fish, but it’s usually the grain…

I would be looking for a few different complete, grain free, wet foods to rotate - avoiding fish for now where possible. From Zooplus, take a look at the following brands: Feringa, Wild Freedom, Catz Finefood, Yarrah, Rosie’s Farm. Kitten food will offer a little extra protein, which is ideal - but more important is feeding her something that doesn’t make her ill. From the supermarket, Blink, AATU or Harringtons. Read the ingredients- if it contains grains or unspecified “meat products” then move on.

If it turns out she’s not sensitive to grains, then you can always reintroduce it - it’s a cheap filler ingredient in cat food. But there’s no need to pay royal canin prices for what is basically cornflakes.

Thank you @MyAnacondaMight we are just waiting to go home. He said she seems all OK. And thinks the goats milk and the fact we don't know what food she was on before so a new food just isn't working for her. He said no more goats milk which I have I have stopped anyway. He said if she's still having regular boights after 48 hours to come back in. But as she's playing and she's not dehydrated and teethe, ears eyes and nose all seem OK. So just watch and wait for now but he doesn't think something serious is happening.

Sods law we have come home. She's wolfed down her food darting around playing. And now having a nap. So just keeping an eye now

You sound a very caring owner and your kitten has landed on their paws. The updates from the vets is great. Keep an eye and go with your instincts if you’re worried and want to get them checked over by the vet again. Our cats (and dogs) all prefer royal canin dried food so we give them that. They supplement it themselves with the local rodents. I’m a fan of dried food for my cats personally.

It could be the shock of settling into a new home, it's a massive change and to be honest most kittens settle better in pairs.
But you've done everything you can and sounds like things are improving.

Thank you everyone. Just keeping an eye on her. She's having a good nap now. So I'm hoping that's it!

Glad to hear she’s ok and it’s nothing more serious.