4 week old kitten with diarrhea

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  • #859139
    Stephanie Bean
    Participant

    Hi guys! Hope you can help!!!

    I have a rescued 3 week / 6 day old kitten (will be 4 weeks tomorrow). I have been bottle feeding from day 2.

    Back story – our outside mamma cat had kittens on a Sunday evening. I found them shortly after she had them, in a box of vases. 3 had fallen down beside the vases and she couldn’t get to them. 2 of those were slightly cool to touch. I warmed all 4 kittens up under an animal heat lamp and gentle massaging. Put all 4 kittens in a new empty box with towels and mamma.

    The next morning, there were only 3 kittens in the box. She had carried one away back to the box where she birthed. Kitty was very, very cold and stiff. I warmed him, massaged him, blew in face, etc, until he started moving some finally on his own. My fiancé swore he was a gonner, but I saved him :). Started that day feeding premixed liquid kitten formula out of an eye dropper. Was able to transition to bottle during week 2. He has done tremendously well!!!!

    At week 3 (last week end) he got constipated, was 5 days. I had switched over to the powder formula, and I think the switch is maybe what constipated him. I gave him just 2-3 drops of mineral oil and he finally had a bowel movement, and it was very hard for him to pass when he finally went. Had normal bowel movements this past week.

    So now to this weekend. Last night, he started in with diarrhea. By today, it has changed to very watery, greenish in color, small cottage cheese clumps at times (maybe unprocessed formula), straining very hard toward the end of the bowel movement and blood at end of bowel movement. No vets are open. Today I have been mixing the powder formula as directed, adding the same amount of premix, and then using about 40cc formula and 15cc pedialyte.

    I am going to the store as soon as I get off work and get some baby powdered rice, plain yogurt, goats milk, and some Kaolin Pectin to help with the diarrhea. Our plan is to take him to the vet on Monday.

    So…….

    How much yogurt do I use? I found a recipe for homemade formula 10 oz goats milk, 1 egg yolk, 1 cup plain yogurt, 1 tsp light kayro syrup. Should I use this in place of the actual kitten formula?
    Or should I mix yogurt and baby powdered rice to the kitten formula?

    I’m at a total loss. I’m a nurse for humans, not animals… lol

    #859141
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    Well, Stephanie you’re doing a fabulous job as a kitty nurse.

    Mix the recipe, sans Karo, put in Pedi-lyte. Make it soft and drinkable then put in his bottle. Yes, use this instead of the kitten formula. Karo should be rubbed on his gums to bring his blood sugar up. It’s more quickly absorbed if it’s on his lips. The other ingredients will balance out his blood sugar. You know that with one so young, he must stay hydrated.

    Many formulae give kits diarrhea or constipation except for Goats’ milk.

    Paws crossed that he pulls through.

    PG

    #859144
    Stephanie Bean
    Participant

    PG thank you so much for your response!

    So I have made the formula minis the karo syrup. I put 40 cc of the formula in the bottle with 15cc of pedi-lyte. I will start him on this and see how he does.

    So for the karo syrup, should I put some on his gums with every feeding? Or is this just a one or two time thing that I should do to be sure his blood sugar is up?

    Also, I’ve read people using baby rice powder cereal mixed with the formula….have you or anyone else used this? Is it recommended?

    Thanks!!

    #859145
    Stephanie Bean
    Participant

    Oh I also picked up some anti-diarrhea for dogs and cats from our tsc store. It is kaolin and pectin. Anyone use this?

    #859146
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    Karo syrup is a quick picker upper and is use as needed. You don’t want to overwhelm his system but if, at any time, he is lethargic give him some syrup.

    The dosing of the anti-diarrhea medicine is 1 cc per pound and I suspect he’s too lightweight for it. The medicine won’t hurt him so if you think you can give him enough medicine to help him then go ahead and do so.

    Many people use baby rice cereal for bulk so you can start that now. At his 6th week, change his gruel to formula/wet food. By his 7th week he should be eating solid food. This a general guide, however, he may have another plan. FYI, Meowmies wean their kits at 8-12 weeks. That can be a long time for people.

    #859147
    Stephanie Bean
    Participant

    Ok so for his first feeding with the formula I made, he ate like a champ! I was worried he wouldn’t eat it as he can be finicky sometimes. But he did so good!

    I did give him some of the kaolin pectin medication. I did 1/2 cc in a syringe. He did well taking this. I will give him some with tomorrow mornings feeding as well.

    So now it is a waiting game I guess. I sure hope this diarrhea lets up soon!

    Oh, and his little bum is so raw from the diarrhea, I used just a dab of vasoline to help him feel a little better.

    My plan is to get is BM back to normal before I add any wet food to the mix. I don’t want to compound problems and make anything worse.

    #859152
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    Slurp Slurp 🙂

    Awww, you feel good to see them take to their food, esp. the finicky ones.

    If you have Neosporin, a dab of it is better because it’s not as goopy and sticky.

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