What to feed a kit with diahrrea

I know this has probably been addressed, but... My 'other mother' rescues cats and got a little pure white girl two weeks ago who had been chucked out of a car. She's been to the vet and tested neg for flv, and doesn't seem to have the distemper symptoms or smell, and would probably be a goner by now if it was that. She's got major bad diahrrea - yellowish, foul smell that runs out of her like water at times. She's got tape and roundworm, along with coccidia, and has been treated with strongid, cestex <sp> and revolution. Sometimes she curls up fetal because that seems to make her feel better. She's on antibiotics and anti-diahrreal pills to treat the coccidia (the worst case the vet had seen in 60 years of practise) and is eating boiled chicken and rice. Any other ideas for something that might firm up her stool? She's got sunburnt ears (pieces are falling off, poor thing) and is obviously underweight from all these parasites, but is drinking a lot of water. She goes from bouts of lethargy to moments of play. I haven't actually seen this kit yet, but she sounds like she's having an awful time of it. Any ideas would be great.
Tks!

 

Hi. I'm sorry your cat/kitten is having so many health related issues. How old is the kitten/cat? Because this kitty has various health issues and is on medication, I would suggest you give your vet a call and let them know that kitty has pretty bad diarrhea. The fact that the diarrhea is coming out in a yellowish color suggests possible rapid transit. Meaning the food is just going through the body too quickly. I would bring a stool sample to the vet and go from there. My sister got a new kitten in April and although she didn't have any health issues she did have loose stools. I suggested to her that she switch cat foods (Wellness hard and soft food). After this switch her stools firmed up nicely. I'm not suggesting this is the only good food. This is what I feed my two kittens. This may not help your kitty, as there seems to be a lot of health issues going on, but it's worth a try, as well as good vet care. I sure hope your kitty gets better soon.

 

Yes. Please call your vet and ask for advice. Usually, a bread diet works on humans and should work on cats as well. Lynnhaz fed her Max potato and meat diet, rice and meat diet. I know rice will bulk up the stool. Max had coccidia and it's very difficult to treat. You can PM her for advice. Poor kitty. I hope she gets stronger and better soon! :m10:

 

I'd ask for Albon (I believe that's the spelling) for the coccadia - it's what my vet has always prescribed for it (and Siamese Rescue uses it also) and it works fine.

I'd get another fecal examined first to see if the parasites are gone.

Another thing could be the fat in kitten food - kitten food has a pretty high fat content and some kittens can't digest it (my Zeus couldn't). I found Friskies canned kitten food worked really well and with Zeus I tried them all...from the most expensive to the least and Friskies cured his "dire-rear" problems.

 

Thanks for all of your responses. I think the little darling is probably only 4 or 5 months - it's hard to tell as she's pretty tiny. I should add that she has been to the vet twice now, which was where the coccidia and worms were found and treated (or treatment begun), about a week and a half ago and again this past Saturday. Gail says it seems to start out semi-solid but then goes back to very, very loose again. She's trying the boiled rice and chicken which we thought would bind her up a bit, but it doesn't seem to be helping much. I had a tube of supplement as well when I had my SPCA foster kits and sent that over (I can't remember the name, only that it's in a tube and smells and looks like molasses.. Veta-Pet perhaps?) which we're trying her on as well, just a tiny bit at a time. At least that's got high nutrients so hopefully her little tissues are soaking up some of the nutrition before it comes back out again.
She's trying her on a small serving of Friskies wet but the little one is quite picky about what she eats, so at this point anything that gets into her belly is good.
I'll let Gail know some of your ideas and will keep you posted to see if it's helping. Thanks again.

 

Good news! I spoke to Gail today...the little girl is doing 100% better - the antibiotics seem to have kicked in and the coccidia is going away..the cestex & strongid have gotten rid of the wormies, and she's finally starting to eat some good stuff that isn't coming right out the other end. The vet thinks that the Shelter giving her her vaccination when she wasn't well probably wasn't such a good idea (I guess they just try to get them done and don't always err on the side of caution and can't really be faulted for that cause they always try their best) but she's just doing so much better. Gail says the little one lays on the bed with her between the two pillows on her back with her little kitty feet in the air, and wants her belly rubbed. She also got some BNP ointment (I thought it was only for eye infections but I guess not!) for her sunburnt ears, and she says they're not as black and 'crispy' as they were. I'm so pleased! This little one is #802 of rescued, neutered and adopted out kitties in 5 years. Yay!!

 

That's great news. I'm glad she's doing well.

 

She sounds so adorable! Thanks for the update. It's always great to know that they are doing better. :m27:

 

hi karen. just read this post. sooo glad the kittty is doing better. i was going to say...when max had all his diarrhea...for months....i had to make sure his little butt was cleaned, and his paws, after he used the litter box. they can very easily reinfect themselves...then youll never get rid of the parasite...or bacteria. :shock: but it sound like its under control at this point. what a relief!