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The litter tray

Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

Original poster

What's wrong with my kittens?

21 replies

adugas · 23/12/2019 04:37

I have 2 kittens that are about 6 months old. I have worked them both for hookworms, roundworms, and tapeworms using medications from Walmart. They are both very healthy looking, not fat or skinny and have pretty coats. But it is becoming disturbing to see how they are always ravenously hungry, to the point of being frantic. They run into my house and go straight for my trashcan, pantry, sink, etc. This morning I hit my limit when I witnessed both of them eating what appeared to be a freshly killed rabbit. They fed on this rabbit for approximately 30 minutes. I feed them Science Diet kitten formula, 2-3 times per day, so they shouldn't be this hungry. They were taken by me to be pets for my daughter, but I'm worried that maybe they aren't safe for her to be around. Help please!!

OP posts:
msmith501 · 23/12/2019 04:59

I'm guessing you're in the US given your reference to Walmart. In the UK, the drugs sold over the counter are not pharmaceutically strong enough to do much other than treat minor ailments. As an example, there are plenty of online veterinary websites where treatments are divided into those where no prescription is required... and those where one is i.e. for the treatments that actually make a difference. I'm guessing that your Walmart-purchased drugs may not be potent enough to do the job. On top of that, fresh roadkill is likely to be full of worms and it probably only adding to the problem. I'd pop them to the veterinary surgeon for a decent checkover and some proper medicine.

Original poster
adugas · 23/12/2019 06:14

Thank you. I had actually questioned how effective, or ineffective, these dewormers might be since they weren't from a veterinarian. Should have known better. But I check their litter box daily to make sure I don't see worms or evidence of worms. I never have seen anything, so I assumed the medicine had done it's job.

OP posts:
Fluffycloudland77 · 23/12/2019 06:43

UK vets sometimes do a scheme where you pay monthly and get discounted parasite meds, money off vet visits etc.

They sound great little cats though.

BillywilliamV · 23/12/2019 06:48

Our kitten is permanently ravenous, definitely not worms, just growing I guess! Get them checked by a vet by all means but I think they'll grow out of it.

KatherineJaneway · 23/12/2019 06:50

I'd get them checked out by a vet. As a pp said, in the UK the over the counter flea and worming treatments simply don't work.

EnormousDormouse · 23/12/2019 06:58

Where did the kittens come from? Were they rescue cats?
I have several 'bin cats' that spent their first few weeks on the streets before I took them in and they still go into a frenzy if I come in with bags of food (or they manage to get to a bag of rubbish). This is even though they have free access to cat food all day!!!

Definitely get a vet check up though.

sashh · 23/12/2019 07:35

Another vote for the vet, I get a general check up annually when my cat gets her boosters.

6 months is still not grown so they will be needing quite a lot of food,

Original poster
adugas · 23/12/2019 07:36

They were given to me by a friend. Her cat had kittens, knew I was wanting a couple kittens for my daughter. Had them since they were about 6 weeks old.

OP posts:
eurochick · 23/12/2019 08:10

6 monthsish seems to be peak growing time. The guides on the kitten food here have food amounts peaking around then. Our 7 month olds are on double rations some days as they are so hungry. Are you feeding them enough?

LuckyKitty13 · 23/12/2019 08:12

Just checking, are they neutered/sterilized? I know it's not what you are asking, but dont want tou to end up in the same position as your friend with accidental litters of kittens! Especially if they are going outside and killing rabbits!

SimonJT · 23/12/2019 08:14

Kittens are like human babies, they need to be fed on demand until they stop asking.

At one point mine was eating around 600g of raw a day!

FamilyOfAliens · 23/12/2019 08:15

Six weeks is far too young for them to have been removed from their mother.

Your friend was being really irresponsible giving them to you before they’d been properly weaned and socialised by the mother cat.

SaskiaRembrandt · 23/12/2019 08:58

They run into my house and go straight for my trashcan, pantry, sink, etc

Do they live in the house or outdoors?

Fluffycloudland77 · 23/12/2019 09:31

When my departed boy was a kitten I used to dread going into the kitchen because I knew wherever he was, no matter how engrossed in playing or asleep he’d be in there like a shot with his “bowl empty” miaow, which being a Bengal was so loud.

He was on 400g a day wet food plus dh would save him some dinner. When he was fully grown he had 400-500g a day, depending if he’d managed to convince dh I hadn’t given him his last pouch of the day.

Youngatheart00 · 23/12/2019 09:34

We have 2 8 month old kittens and they are permanently hungry too! I think it’s just growth phase / adolescent equivalent. But as your kittens have been feasting on roadkill it’s certainly worth a vet trip after Christmas to ensure they’re properly free of worms / parasites or any other nasties.

They sound brilliant and lively though....any chance of a pic?!

ShadowsInTheDarkness · 23/12/2019 09:47

Would just like to add that all my cats hunt, and if they're eating what they've killed that's just their nature and nothing to be horrified about. We have had rabbits, moles, birds, rodents here from when they were first let out at 8 months old. Nothing to worry about and perfectly normal if a bit gross. I also remember ignoring the guidelines on the cat food and feeding to demand when they were young. If they're growing they need food to fuel it.

YetAnotherSpartacus · 23/12/2019 09:54

Darling Asbo :(. I bet DH didn’t take much convincing ....

Wolfiefan · 23/12/2019 09:56

Please tell me they’re neutered and have been vaccinated.
Vets. ASAP. Regular treatment with what vets give you for worms and fleas too.
Poor cats.

TaxFool · 23/12/2019 09:57

As far as I'm aware kittens should be free to eat as much as they want, so I'd be inclined to keep feeding if they're hungry.

Have they not seen a vet at any point yet? If they're going outside they need to have all their vaccinations and be sterilised as a matter of urgency. Vet can also check for parasites and general health.

Agree, 6 weeks is too young to voluntarily remove kittens from mum. It can cause both health and behaviour issues.

TreestumpsAndTrampolines · 23/12/2019 09:58

We've got a couple of indoor kittens (ragdolls) and they eat double what the internet suggests is the right amount of food - so perhaps they're just hungry?

Ours are 5 months, and they have 1/2-3/4 tin of cat food in the morning (so 2-300g between them), then another 50-75g each in the evening - they're between 2.6kg and 3kg heavy already, and putting on weight at quite a rate (The boy is going to be big we think!)

Fluffycloudland77 · 23/12/2019 10:16

No he didn’t, it used to make me smile when I saw the pouch wrapper in the bin the next morning @YetAnotherSpartacus

Dh told me off one night “you forgot to feed him & he’s starving”.

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