Sick or "upset stomach"?

I don't want to say my kitten is sick, though I know something is seriously amiss. Within the last three days, I've found mushy(not quite, watery but still somewhat solid) kitty poop under the computer desk(you dont wanna know how I found that...). I didnt think anything of it and just threw it in the box and cleaned the spot. Then I found another. And while I was in the bathroom, my tabby(decided to name her Kali) was in the shower going poo! Twice, one was a greyish color with mucus, and the second was more of a "normal" color. but really watery. So, she's not going poop in her box, but going pee in there just fine. This has been happening for about 3 days.
I feed them both Purina Kitten Chow and sometimes but alittle 9-Lives wet food ontop, usually in the morning. She's not showing any real signs of being sick(depression, loss of apptite) and she's still roughbhousing with her sister.
Should I take her to a vet, or just wait on it and see how she does for a few more days? Any advice would help.

 

my guess would be a parasite. One of my current fosters just started having gray loose stools and really really really (can't stress this enough) STINKY.
I contacted the rescue directer and she thinks (and I will spell this wrong) giardria....I'll find the correct spelling or maye someone else can spell it. And I have Dixie and the other foster (they share a litterbox) on Pancur for this.
I have noticed with the onset of this runny stool business that they won't pee in the same box as pooh....can't imagine they want to get near it either - smells wretched.
I'd get a stool sample to the vet for a fecal exam to rule out a parasite first. And on the dry food....you can get better. Read the ingredient list - it's all filler/corn, etc. It could also be an allergy to the corn in that dry food.

 

Alright, then I'll start cleaning the box out a few times a day while she has this. But I do know what parasite you're talking about.
Would it be the food? She's been on the same food ever since she started eating dry food, same with the wet food.
The wonderful gifts are still in the shower...So do I just scoop it up into a container and just go there, or make an appointment? I've never had to do this.

Thanks for the advice!

Oh yeah, whats a good dry food? I'm almost out of the Kitten Chow and if it's not the best food, I would have no problem spending more money for a better food.

 

your vet should let you just bring in some poop. They don't need the cat to do that (save you an office visit charge). Only takes a couple of minutes to check for any parasites.
There are many good foods out there. Chicken Soup is a good one (my cats love it...unfortunately I have to drive 45 minutes one way to get it).
What you can do...cut out the list of ingredients on your existing bag of dry food and take it w/you to the store - compare the list of the bag you have w/lists on other kinds of cats food. That way you will have something to compare with.

 

here's some good info
http://cats.about.com/cs/catfood/a/reading_labels.htm

 

Giardia is a parasite that causes "traveler's diarrhea" or "Montezuma's revenge" in humans. It is a water bug and can be found in dirt too. I understand it's very contagious in cats. I agree, I would take some poo to the vet's at least.

I bet lynnhaz can give some info on ALL kitty bugs! :wink: Maybe she'll chime in.

 

I feel for you on the diarrhea in the tub. Just be thankful they are smart enough to have not chosen the carpet! My kitty had chronic runs in the tub for around 9 months when i first got her. I had to treat her for so many things. Coccidia, tape worms, round worms, URI, giardia. It drove me crazy taking her in for fecal exams cuz apparently the tapes, coccidia and giardia were being very elusive under the microscope. In the end I had her on Metronidazole for 2 weeks and that finally killed whatever bug she had which to this day i don't even know what the last reason for her diarrhea was, but thankfully she's had solid healthy stools ever since then. Make sure you try to bring in the freshest possible stool sample to the vet and don't let it dry up. I also agree about trying a better food. Here's a list to get you familiar with some good names:

1. Chicken Soup for the Cat Lover's Soul-found at Pet Supplies Plus
2. Wellness
3. Innova-sometimes found at Pet Supplies Plus
4. Evolve-sometimes found at Pet Supplies Plus
5. Blue Buffalo Spa Select-found at PetSmart
6. Authority-found at PetSmart
7. Solid Gold-sometimes found at Petco and Pet Supplies Plus
8. Dick Van Patten's Natural Balance-sometimes found at Petco and PSP
9. Wysong
!0. Life's Abundance
11. California Natural-sometimes found at Pet Supplies Plus
12. Eagle Pack-found at Pet Supplies Plus
13. Newman's Own
14. Spot's Stew

You can just bring this food list with you into a store and ask if they sell any of these foods and go from there or just ask for any holistic brands they may have. Alot of Pet Stores like to push Nutro as their top food, but i personally don't care for it and don't find the quality to be comparable to the foods listed. Sometimes a Pet Supplies Plus store will special order a food for you if they don't carry what you want. Just ask the manager. The foods on the list that dont have a store suggestion next to them are usually found in little family owned shops in my experience so you would have to go to the food's website and use their store locator to find the closest seller in your area. Good luck! Oh and i forgot to mention....back when my Vianne had been using the tub and sink for a toilet it was geniously suggested to me to try filling the sink and tub with about an inch or two of water at night to keep her from going in there. Worked wonders! Just be careful that kitty doesn't use an alternative other than the box if you try that :shock: Hope your kitty feels better soon! :y_the_best:

 

I looked at it closer and I saw some red spots...I'm guessing that's blood so I took some samples from both cats and I'm going down to the vet tomorrow morning to have them checked out. Both have watery stool, just one is about 85% water with blood. I have a baaaad feeling it's a parasite...
Oh, and by the way Mary, you spelled Giardia right, just with one too many r's :y_the_best:

I'll be sure to have them check for all parasites. Will this do anything with their vaccines? They haven't gotten many, just the first one(Fipvp or something? Help me out=\). Thanks guys and I'll keep you posted!

 

Good luck with the vet visit!

 

Oh wow, faeridust--I didn't realize you'd been through all that too! Makes me very thankful...except for all that spraying Copper does.

On the food side, I just switched my cats to Natural Balance and Sabrina's coat has gotten much better and she is suddenly so frisky! I'm just guessing it's the food, but she's a different cat!

 

I just got back from the vet, and everything went well. They didn't find anything on a fecal float, but they where pretty sure it was a parasite: Giardia and Coccidia, and possibly a worm. So, after 136 bucks and a 3 hour wait at a 24-hour vet, I got something to help with the diarrhea with an anti inflammitory, and a deworming med. But she pass the exam(which I wanted anyway since her mom was caught in a trap) with flying colors! And they hooked me up with extra for the other kitten.

Thanks so much for all the food advice. I'm going to go ahead and change their diet to something more nutiricous once we get low enough on this other food.

Heres the latest picture of her...Cant see too much of her, but its more recent.
"Always wear your helmet"
<a href="http://www.freeimagehosting.info" target="_blank"><img alt="Image Hosted by Free Image Hosting" src="http://www.freeimagehosting.info/uploads/d9dea8477a.jpg" /></a>

 

I'm glad to hear things went well

"always wear your helmet" That's hysterical :lol:

 

Glad things were solvable. What a precious pic! :mrgreen:

 

Oh yes, i know all too well about how annoying mystery diarrhea is! LOL The vet was even at a loss and thought maybe she just had a sensitive tummy. But Vianne only ever gets the best food, so i didn't figure that was it and finally after i had gotten so sick of getting no answers i told the tech, listen you tell the vet in charge today that i'm not leaving without some metronidazole cuz this has GOT to stop! That was the only thing that had sort of helped her before, but i thought maybe i didnt give it to her long enough, so i finally had her on it two weeks to make extra sure, and even tho i think the pills themselves were giving her the runs, once the treatment was done, she was diarrhea free and has been ever since! whew! what a pain tho.
I had started her on a raw diet a few months back which she enjoyed, but unfortunately due to my situation with my divorce and having to move i had to quit that becuz i don't have the means to do it anymore right now(long story, i don't have a kitchen). But i did find that she absolutely LOVES the Blue Spa Select canned food. She will eat a whole 3oz can every morning which is amazing for her cuz she's never been interested in canned food before and i've tried like 9 out of those brands i listed. She's doing great tho, she has the silkiest shiny bunny fur :mrgreen:

 

Oh yeah, Vianne's coat is gorgeous! (What I could see ouside of that bling-bling shirt LOL) So whatever she's eating is working great! :y_the_best:

 

giradia is contracted thru water

see the link posted. As a breeder of Manx's I went thru a serious bout of this a couple of years ago. If one contracts the parasite and uses a shared litter box the others will contract it in time. Treatment for all cats will need to be obtained. Litter box needs to be cleaned and also bleach cleaned.
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dpd/parasites ... ardia.htm#