# Whats wrong with my new kitty?



## barnsbury (Feb 16, 2010)

Hi, I really hope you can help me.

I have a new 8 week old kitten, which I've had for a week now. When I chose him from the litters (there were 11 kittens from different litters 

being kept together) he was running around and very playful. But, after I got him home, the next day, he became very lethargic and had diarrhoea.

I got him de-fleaed and wormed (Stronghold) at the vet. She also prescribed septrin antibiotics for 5 days. The last dose I have to give him is tomorrow. But, he still wont hardly eat and always cries to be held. All he wants to do is sleep on my lap all day. He nevers wants to play. 

His diarrhoea has gone but he still seems very sad. I dont know what to do. He is not putting on any weight - he is still only 500 grams. The vet gave me some Hills presciption diet food for him but he eats tiny bits. I have tried lots of different foods and flavours but he is not interested.

He rarely grooms and has recently started wiping his bum on the floor after using the litter tray - I am guessing this is because he was distressed at the diarrhoea stains on his behind (I have since cleaned him up).

I was hoping after a week he would settle down but he has not. He is sleeping on my lap right now - where he has been all day.

I am extremely worried about him. Please help!

Many many thanks


----------



## PinkPaws (Jan 4, 2010)

Hi 

8 weeks is really early for a kitten to be away from it's mother, this explains the crying. Did you change his diet when you got him? This would explain the poops 

He is probably pining for his mum and it may take some time for him to adjust. Where does he sleep at night? Try giving him a teddy and a (warm) hot water bottle.


----------



## lady_r0gue (Jul 22, 2009)

What they said^^^
Also even if the food you give him is top quality and just what the breeder fed him - if he has too much at one sitting it will affect his poops. lessen the quantity fed at each meal and maybe feed 4-5 x a day. If you feel the need to "starve" him don't do it for more than 12 hours... then start him on small, manageable meals. No cows milk (ever), no extra nibbles - and see how he goes.
As he is so young perhaps you could try a good quality wet food such as hi-life or anything with more than 50% meat/fish (bear in mind that these are not usually complete foods so perhaps biccies at another meal) and mush it with some kitty milk. it'll encourage him to lap.
If he really won't eat do not leave it for a few days, cats can go downhill very quickly if they're not eating especially so young, a syringe may have to be used if he won;t even take the wet food mushed with milk.
As for the loneliness-
Perhaps you could find enough space in your heart & home to get another kitty?
We ummed and ahhed for about 5 minutes and decided on two - and are glad every day that we did. Best decision we made in years! They adore each other and never get bored or lonely... there only being one of them doesn't bear thinking about now.

Hope little man cheers up soon x


----------



## lady_r0gue (Jul 22, 2009)

Oh and I just reread your post. 
He may seem like he dosn't want to play - but lucky lucky boy - it seems that you are at home in the day for him to sleep on! It might seem slightly bizarre at first to a new cat mummy/daddy but cats do sleep one heck of a lot - 16 hours average for an adult cat! and most of that will be in the day - so tho it might seem like a lot it's quite normal! And your lap is the most inviting, friendly bed in the house which must seem awfully empty without his littermates.
Good idea about the warm hot water bottle  and if you give him a little time I'm sure that he'll feel a little more playful - probably at 4am when he notices your little toes poking out of the duvet or some such...


----------



## HoneyFern (Aug 27, 2009)

Sometimes if a cat scoot it's bum across the floor that means worms. I know you said he had be given stronghold but sometimes it can take a while for them to go and he may need another wormer. I'm surprised they used stronghold as most vets prefer to use panacur on young kittens.


----------



## barnsbury (Feb 16, 2010)

Thanks everyone for your helpful replies.

I forgot to say in my original post, the vet said he had a bad gut infection - which explained the REALLY bad smelling poo and wind. And his crying when passing poops in the litter tray.

But, he seems MUCH better today. Eating a bit more and a bit more playful. 

Now he only eats the prescription diet food - which is very low fat chicken in gravy and it has no nutritional value. He wont touch the normal kitten food. I will let him stay on it for a couple more days and then try and get him onto the kitten food.

He sleeps in the living room, but I do give him a hot water bottle - but he prefers to sleep on the cable box as its warm all the time, lol.

The 2nd vet gave him panacur - which I had to administer over 3 days along with the antibiotics - it really distressed him having it forced into his mouth with a syringe - and then there was the foaming at the mouth for an hour afterwards. It really was a nightmare, the poor little thing.

At least its over now. I have thought about a 2nd kitten but I dont think my finances could stretch. All these vets bills have really mounted up! But, I will keep an open mind.

Thanks again everyone.


----------



## Guest (Feb 17, 2010)

Is the food from your vets Hills i/d pouches? Whilst not ideal my Kitties have been on it from a week after I had them at 10 and 13 weeks as the have suspected tri foetus, and they are now around 7 months old, they are on the lean side but pretty healthy and bouncy, but I do give them scrambled egg as well as extra protien.

I have used the panacur wormer and I squirt it over the food if small quantity but now as they need larger amount I squirt it into a little kitten milk but not too much as again it upsets their tums, but a lot less traumatic than trying to syringe it down their throats.


----------



## lady_r0gue (Jul 22, 2009)

Bless him x glad to hear he seems happier! I bet he's relieved that the worming and antibiotics course is over  mine never seem to mine the Panacur much- I dose them when they're half way through their food though so they go back to it straight away and forget about it.
Hope his eating improves - actually I have got to say I hate everything about Whiskas but I did rate their kitty milk - I don't like buying from them at all so the kits only got about 3 bottles when we first got them - but it is very creamy and they do rather like it - might tempt him into trying new foods  Don't feel confined to buying kitten food either - quality wet cat food is as good as most commercial kitten food and you can just mash it up a bit if the lumps are quite big. 
Have lots of fun with him  any chance of any photos?


----------



## *kate* (Feb 18, 2010)

We had a similar thing with our two shiny new kittens when we got them. Again got them at the same age as you, 8 weeks and although they had each other they still struggled to be away from Mum. Other tip as well as teddy in bed is to put a travel clock underneath it. The ticking replicates the mothers heart beat and will help the little tyke to settle. 

With regards to the food ours had bad upset tummies, and same gut infection, and when we looked into what was in the food we were giving them, felix as good as it looks kitten, realised it was just full of junk despite it being very expensive. We looked into it and ended up on pets at home purely kittified own brand kitten food that has 50% chicken which meant that they were full up for longer and got more nutrition from it. Now they are 7 months, healthy and very active still! You maybe could try when he's a little older some food we discovered at Sainsbury's, called encore. It's little tins of chicken/fish with 75% meat and the rest being rice or water. They love it and seemed a little easier to digest. We found the kitten milk no matter what type we tried was far too rich for them when we first got them so maybe consider waiting a little while until you introduce kitten milk.

Good Luck and i'm sure he'll settle even more over the next few days.


----------



## barnsbury (Feb 16, 2010)

Hi everyone, thanks for your helpful posts.

Greyhare - Yes it was Hills i/d chicken diet. It actually smells quite nice! Lol

I have stopped him eating the whiskas wet kitten food - as I am very wary of him getting hooked on it. And I recall a vet telling me many years ago that all wet food is "junk food" and should be avoided at all costs!

He is now eating Science Plan dry kitten food (tuna flavour) - I do need to soak it in water though, he seems happy enough eating it.

He is also a lot more perky now. Still prefers to sleep than play but he is WAY better than before.

I read a post somewhere on the net recently about somebody who's cat was very clingy to the point it being unhealthy. I think my kitten is the same. 
He follows me everywhere and desperately tries to get onto my lap all the time.

If I am washing the dishes he will scream and then dig his claws into my trousers and climb up me and hang off my waist before falling. If he falls asleep on the sofa and sees me walk past, he will wake up and start whaling until I let him sleep on me. He waits outside the bathroom for me. He won't let me eat my dinner in peace either - he has to eat it too!

It is very sweet and I know he is still very young but is this normal behaviour?

He has the loudest purr, I have never laughed so much as I have lately.

I have uploaded a few photos to flickr (link below) - I love the one where he is climbing up my arm to get to one of his favourite seats....my shoulder!

Kitty - a set on Flickr

Best wishes


----------



## MerlinsMum (Aug 2, 2009)

Awwww.... he is gorgeous!
Some kittens and cats are naturally just more clingy than others. I wanted to keep a kitten from Cuba's litter who was like this - a real Velcro kitty. But although I had & loved cats in the past that were like this, I found it a bit too much especially as she was demanding more time from me than my dog, whose nose was also rather out of joint. 

I made the decision to rehome her to my next-door neighbours and their two girls, where the family adores her clinginess and think she's the best cat they've ever had.... their other cat is much more independent and always out on business!

I guess you live in Barnsbury? Which vets do you use, the ones in Essex Road? I lived in that area for a loooong time, my vets were the ones with branches in Cross Street & Dalston Lane - very good cat vets with links to the Feline Advisory Bureau.

Also, from the treatment they've given you, it seems like they suspect Giardia (a kind of amoebic dysentery). It's not hard to clear up if you have the right treatment, and fairly common; it should help clear up the runs & gas (which smells really awful, I know from experience!). The 'scooting' on the floor might simply be because the kitten has a sore or irritated bottom with all the diarrhoea.


----------



## Cazzer (Feb 1, 2010)

aw he is gorgeous. I love gingers. Glad to hear he is doing better.


----------



## ambercat (May 4, 2009)

barnsbury said:


> I have stopped him eating the whiskas wet kitten food - as I am very wary of him getting hooked on it. And I recall a vet telling me many years ago that all wet food is "junk food" and should be avoided at all costs!


I'm afraid thats just not true that all wet food is junk food - there is just as much 'junk' dry food (in fact most of it - full of grains/cereals - things that cats don't need in their diet) If you shop around there are plenty of wet food brands that are high meat content and don't have all the rubbish in them that some brands do. Dry food isnt the best diet for a cat, they evolved to eat a high moisture diet (think birds, mice, rabbits, etc - lots of moisture in them!  ). and dry is dehydrating - but, soaking dry food in water isnt ideal either, unfortunately it increases the risk of bacteria multiplying. A high meat content wet food would help more with diarrhea/tummy upsets.


----------



## sophoscar (Apr 25, 2008)

Sounds abit like Charlie...he climbs on my leg and meows for me. Trys to jump up but i pick him up. If i go out a room he will meow for ages until he gets bored or someone comes back in. If i sit down he will jump on me. If i go out sometimes he will try and follow.

Mine is on whiska's as i dont want to change his diet at a young age but my vet said as long as he happy at the moment change it when he is older and his stomach is bigger.


----------



## MerlinsMum (Aug 2, 2009)

ambercat said:


> soaking dry food in water isnt ideal either, unfortunately it increases the risk of bacteria multiplying.


Not bacteria but mycotoxins... and only then in some cases - that research was done in a different country and diffeernt climate.

Healthy cats can deal with it. Don't believe everything you read. Many many people have been soaking dry food in the UK for decades with NO ill effects.... myself included. Other countries have other pathogens in the general atmosphere. Just ask any of the other long-time UK cat breeders on here.


----------



## charleecat (Nov 26, 2009)

I can't help you with any ideas as they are all good but I just want to say what a beautiful little kitten you have! He's adorable. 

I hope he settles down soon and finds a little more independence.


----------



## barnsbury (Feb 16, 2010)

MerlinsMum - Thanks for the useful info. Yep, I live in Barnsbury! Small world, lol. Been around this area for 10 years now. Yes, the vets are on Essex Rd. They are good but expensive..

He probably did have some kind of dysentry - When I went to pick him up, the guy selling the kittens had 15 of them sharing ONE litter tray.

A disgrace.



MerlinsMum said:


> Awwww.... he is gorgeous!
> Some kittens and cats are naturally just more clingy than others. I wanted to keep a kitten from Cuba's litter who was like this - a real Velcro kitty. But although I had & loved cats in the past that were like this, I found it a bit too much especially as she was demanding more time from me than my dog, whose nose was also rather out of joint.
> 
> I made the decision to rehome her to my next-door neighbours and their two girls, where the family adores her clinginess and think she's the best cat they've ever had.... their other cat is much more independent and always out on business!
> ...


----------



## MerlinsMum (Aug 2, 2009)

barnsbury said:


> MerlinsMum - Thanks for the useful info. Yep, I live in Barnsbury! Small world, lol. Been around this area for 10 years now. Yes, the vets are on Essex Rd. They are good but expensive..


Yes they are.... I did use the Essex Road ones a few times but always went back to Abbey.... a few minor differences of opinion.

If you want a second opinion try Abbey. I knew the founder vet of the practice, Tony Todd, and Martin Lawson was a partner as well, when I first started breeding cats... a friend of mine was a vet nurse for them too. Of course I don't know if they have changed but they were an extremely good cat practice when I lived there, as I think I mentioned Martin Lawson worked closely with the Feline Advisory Bureau.


----------



## colliemerles (Nov 2, 2007)

he is a very cute little fella, he looks sooo tiny.


----------



## lilbird (Oct 5, 2009)

He's lovely - but looking at him I'm of the opinion that he's not as old as you were told. This may account for him being so clingy and for the fact that he had such a nasty upset tum.
Hope he is soon 100% OK.


----------



## sullivan (Aug 29, 2008)

GORG LITTLE KITTY SO PLEASED HES ON THE ROAD TO RECOVERY. wITH RESPECTS TO VETS BILLS YES AS YOU SAY THEY MOUNT UP SO QUICKLY MAY BE WORTH LOOKING AT PET INSURANCE IF YOU HAVENT ALREADY. JUST A THOUGHT. HOPE I DONT SOUND RUDE. XXX


----------

