I recently adopted a approximately 5 week old kitten from the nearby animal control. They told us he was 5 weeks. (I know too young to be from mom) If we didn’t adopt him, I think they would have put him to sleep. We took him to the vet the day after we got him because I was so worried about him. He has had mostly loose, normal colored stools since we got him. A few have been mushy textured, and a few have been hard and tube-like. He also vomited once (the doc said I fed him too much and he was probably stressed) oops. The animal control wasn’t feeding him kitten food. So I started him on some soft kitten food. He likes the dry Kitten food we got him better. He eats and drinks very enthusiastically. He definitely has an appetite. Also isn’t dehydrated or anemic. Plays very well, he is very vocal and seems all around like a happy and healthy kitten. Explores and pounces and loves to play with my ferrets, (I keep a close eye on them, my ferrets would never harm him, just being cautious.) The diarrhea keeps bothering me. I’m guessing it is because of the transitions of food, especially since he was probably still drinking moms milk when he was found. The stool also smells and he has bad kitty toots. The vet did a fecal exam and found no parasites, as of yet. But still gave him a dewormer. He uses the litter box very well, and has had only 2 small accidents. Because of the loose stools he has poo on his bottom that I have to clean up. He isn’t straining at all. Frankenstein weighs about a pound, I can feel his ribs and bones, I’m worried he isn’t eating enough even though he gets fed a lot during the day (small meals) and gets fed when he cries. I feel like a new mom, I’ve never had a cat before, especially one this young. I don’t know what to expect and I don’t want him to get sick or pass away. This is causing great worry, and anxiety for me.
What should I be feeding him, milk replacement?
what are things I should expect?
Any warning signs that I should watch out for? Illnesses, anything they can catch? Symptoms?
What is normal activity for a kitten this young?
Other quirks I don’t understand:
Wakes me up in the middle of the night to play. First he starts purring very loudly and then he will gently bite my nose, and fingers. I don’t understand this behavior. Should I not allow the biting, I don’t want it to become a habit.
Thank you in advance,
Ariann and Frankenstein