Do you feed dry food or wet food?

I fed my babies wet food until they were 3 months old (or at least I tried to, I don't remember).

 

It's Purena Kitten Chow. It's what we've always used.

 

Oh no, I don't know what to think. Please let us know what the vet says.

Here's CG83's thread describing the food and other things: Young kitten....

 

He could be drinking a lot because of his diarreah which is making him dehydrated.

Any way you can get to the vet sooner?

 

O.k. Last night I rushed to the grocery store and bought some soft food for him. I got different flavors and brands. I put out some Iams because it said it was made especially for kittens. He licked up the sauce and tried to eat the soft pieces, but didn't. I had a bad night worrying.


Then today he drank some water and occasionally would just sit in front of the dish looking at it. I was a wreck. Then, right before we left for the vet he started gobbling up the soft food! Went to town on it. My dad and I were just gaping, like "Why now all of a sudden?" I still don't know.

So we took him in for his check up. I explained about the throwing up, the runny bowels and the over drinking. I told her he's not been eating much and tries to nurse on things. She agreed it's a weening issue. She took him for a stool sample and wormed him again (she said she knew he had already been wormed but thought she'd do it again - I hope that's safe).

She told me to feed him vanilla yogurt. That this would tighten the bowels and to buy him kitten milk to make sure he's getting nutrients. She said he's too little for the hard food (I've never had such trouble weening a kitten! I've weened whole litters before).

He ate some more soft food when we got back and she got him to drink some kitten milk while there.

All that's worrying me now is that he has slept for hours and hours. I know, little ones need rest, but he hasn't played all day. I guess he's just trying to recover.

Anyway, if you guys have any more input or questions I'm not convinced we're out of the woods. I'll be glad if he's more playful tomorrow.

Could the worming make him so sleepy?

 

We had a really scary couple of days. But he woke me this morning at 1 a.m. to play. I was happy and annoyed all at once, which must mean I own I kitten! :lol:


He still has a lot of trouble eating. He often forgets he has to open his mouth and chew. Instead he tries to nurse the food.

He's also decided to be picky. He doesn't care for friskies or iams, but loves meow mix. Go figure.

The yogurt really did the trick and FAST. I won't give you the gruesome details, but let's just say all aspects of him seem healthier now. Yogurt... who knew? I love my vet. They haven't let us down yet.

 

That's fantastic!! I was getting really worried about The Professor. Wow, he really is so young. Poor thing, lucky he has you now, and you're doing so much to care for him. I'm glad that you have a good vet.

Keep up the great work, and thanks so much for the update.

 

We're taking it day by day. He's eating as I type this, but he's really just trying to nurse.


He sometimes has success with actually chewing his food, but every time he comes up to the plate it's like he's forgotten how and starts nursing. He's using the litter box reguarly and it looks much better (any one here ever get delighted over the contents of a litter box? )

 

Hi catgirl

How old is The Professor? I'm sure there is a thread somewhere which I must have missed. He sounds like just a teeny tiny dumpling.

I had kittens (actually I didn't but my girl Willow did ) and this sounds like one of her babies. They had a tough time with weaning and I was getting very worried when they still weren't on solids at 8 weeks but suddenly there was a big turn around and they ate everything in site.

After they had their first shots and were wormed one of them displayed symptoms exactly like you are describing and was being sick, had diarreah but was drinking lots and sleeping like it was going out of fashion and the vet put it down to a small intestine infection. She had an antibiotic shot and was back to normal in a couple of days. I think the thing with kittens, like babies is that shots, worming tables and so on can be very harsh on their little tummies and that combined with weaning can really take it out of them.

I'm glad to hear that he's on the mend and has someone so concerned about his welfare

ps checking litterboxes is just a way of life for cat owners I think - what's really sad is that with four cats now i can actually distinguish between whose poop is whose!!!

 

The vet where we adopted him says he is 6-8 weeks, but I'd put it closer to six.


Here are two pics of when we first brought him home.

 

Oh my goodness! What a BABY! He's adorable!! Doesn't look more than 5 or 6 weeks to me. Poor little fellow. From the photo it looks like his weight is O.K. though so as long as he keeps figuring it out he should be allright. Have you tried giving him just a little bit of human baby food? Meat only. It may help him transition a little easier.
Keep us posted.

 

Those pics are from when we brought him home after adopting him. He lost a LOT of weight last week, but he's putting it back on.

The real problem is that he doesn't like the yogurt our vet said to feed him. Our other cats LOVE yogurt, to the point that you can't really eat it around them without them driving you nuts. But this one (the one who needs it) has a great disdain for it. Ah well.

I'll certainly keep you all up to date as things progress.

 

He has now progressed to eating kitten chow. I think the worst is over.

 

Good news!