Purrs In Our Hearts - Cat Forum UK
Cat Health & Behaviour => Health & Behaviour General => Topic started by: rollins on September 22, 2007, 09:37:47 AM
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Hi forum'ers
As some of you know, myself and Karen have taken in two lovely little babies, Smudge and Smokey.
Its nearly the end of week one, and we have a wee problem with Smokey and her toileting. Smudge had taken to using the litter tray really well, and both are on solids, but Smokey is having a few wee teeing issues.
First of all, she has a wee touch of diarrhoea, and is also not using her litter tray. I've been cleaning it up using a branded cat toilet cleaner, to remove any smells etc, and have also closely checked what she is eating and drinking. Her usual diet is the same as her brothers - whiskas kitten pouches (2 a day over 4 meals), water always out and some dried kitten food (James Wellbeing duck & Rice). The only change was that last night I gave them both some finely chopped Chicken breast, which was very lightly cooked and left to cool till warm. This is the second time that they have had that treat, and for safety's sake I'll be removing it from the menu.
At the moment they are both living in the main room, and will continue to do so until a wee bit older. There is one large corner litter tray with hood, and I'm using Catsan litter. Do you think its an issue with them sharing a litter tray perhaps? thankfully they are both still eating, playing and putting on weight.
We have the vets in an hour or so for worming, and I'll be asking these question there, but just wanted to see if there are any hints and tips forum'ers could give. Thanks a lot!
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an extra litter tray is always a good idea as a first start. But as the kittens are so small, I am wondering if the lip of the litter tray might be a bit high for the kittie. Also, if the door is on, plus a big step up, this might deter it. Keep an eye on the upset tummy though as they can dehydrate really rapidly if they are a bit loose. Are you using kitten food? If so, according to some forum members this can be a bit rich for some young tummies so you might like to try a little adult formula just to get it over the hump. If you use the same brand and flavour that should not be too radical a change in diet to make things worse.
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Hi blackcat
When we got the kittens, we removed the door on the litter tray as it did seem a bit much for them to cope with. Also, Smokey happily uses the litter tray for a pee, so access isn't a problem they both quite happily jump into the tray.
We do have ample supplies of both kitten and adult food, however its whiskas kitten food and felix adult food. Rosie loved the felix food when she was with us, and we bought it in bulk, so when she passed away, we ended up with about 30 tins of felix.
I'm hoping that the dry food combined with a large bowl of fresh water will help encourage her to drink more water - however the wet food would have been the source of much of her water intake, so I'll be watching her very carefully. She has taken a wee drink of water already today after her breakfast, which is encouraging, and is playing with her toys and scratching me, so she is not lethargic - her eyes are bright and she seems active - Vets in an hour tho.
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- Vets in an hour tho.
Always wise. Kittens can go down-hill fast. I think I might ease back on the dry food while she's a bit runny. Maybe she is not using the tray for solids as she is caught short?? Or does she make a conscious decision to do this??
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Well this is strange thing. I came downstairs this morning, and went through the usual routine of feeding, replacing water, checking litter tray, and I'm sure that she went into the litter tray, had a wee scratch about, then went into the corner of the room and pooped away.
I'm not sure if its a case of caught short, because the the house we have is a four plex, and the living room is not big at all. We are talking a room 18 ft by 10ft, and she was about 4 feet away from the litter tray as well.
We have moved the litter tray into the adjacent corner to give them a wee bit of privacy, and showed them both where it was by placing them there a few times - the vet appointment is for worming =, but I'll be speaking tot he nurse about the problems above, and see what she recommends.
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soundslike a conscious decision then. Good idea to give more privacy for the litter tray. I keep mine in the bathroom for that reason - well, that and the floor is easier to sweep :rofl: but if they have not yet been wormed, that could be the source of the runny poo.
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Well, back from the vets
First of all, the nurse asked if smokey had any major diet changes, and thinks that it might have been the chicken that upset her stomach. Since she is the smaller of the kittens, it might have been a factor. She is however happy that both are in fine condition, eyes are bright and noses are moist.
I'll be keeping an eye on both kittens to make sure they get a good amount of food daily, and that there are no changes in personality and general health. Since there has been no vomiting, and both cats are drinking water and eating, she thinkss it should pass.
I've also been given a full treatment on panacur suspension for worming - its an oral injection but that will start as soon as smokey has sorted out her soft poops.
Both are running around the house playing away - so its just a case of monitoring them both.
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great news. It's nice to see them scampering around. Smidgen is a little damp at present as he tried to help me do the dishes. Oh nice. He has just settled on the back of the sofa against the back of my neck. Now he is not the only one who is a little damp.. :doh:
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Very Nice ;D
Smudge is sleeping on their blanket on the couch, I'm sitting on the floor with my back on the couch listening to Pink Floyd, and Smokey is sleeping right on my back, using me as a headrest.
Life is good.
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the wall, or dark side of the moon??
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The wall at the moment, and then Dave Gilmour's new live album - I'm trying to teach the kittens good musical taste :evillaugh:
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glad to hear it!! Should be more of it :evillaugh:
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Sometimes with small kittens it can be overeating that makes them loose. Petunia is 8 weeks now and if she eats much over a pouch a day she gets loose poos. She manages more felix than whiskas tho, its definately seems to be richer.
How old are they? Some extra trays until they have the hang of things wouldnt hurt. Petunia had 2 in her cage until her aim improved ;D
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What type of litter are you using?
I was using wood based cat litter for my kitten and changed to the softer type almost like sand which he much preferred. We were having several accidents prior to this.
:luck:
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It is very important that any stray poop is put into the litter tray and kittens gently placed in there with it .
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Hi everyone
When we got home from the vet on Saturday, I set up 2 litter trays for both cats, and that immediately had a positive effect - Smokey was more than happy with this and has had no more accidents.
We are using catsan litter - its the white sand/granule absorbing stuff thats supposed to absorb smells as well. As for eating, they are having roughly 1.5 pouches each, spaced out about half a pouch per serving 3 times a day - usually 4-5 hours between meals, and her poops have greatly improved - although I'll be keeping a good eye on the both of them, and once I'm sure that they are both ok on the poop front, starting them on their worming course. The vet nurse told me to wait until both cats are passing "proper" poops, as the panacure may affect their tummies. Its an oral suspension, so I'll have to use a wee syringe to dose them.
So far however, its been a world of change, and both kittens are still eating and drinking water as well as being very active. They have just this minute woken up from a good hour long sleep, and are running around the room.
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Hi Rollins, I'm a bit late in the post but is the James Wellbeing duck & Rice biscuits a suppliment or is it a complete food ??
its just I remember having the same problem with my german shepherd puppy, and it turned out I was feeding him
puppy food and mixing in dry biscuits also, when I took him to the vet about his runnyness the vet asked what was I
feeding him on?? I told her, and she asked me to check whether the dry biscuits were supplement or complete food !!
It turned out I was giving him Complete puppy meat + Complete dry biscuits which was far too rich a diet for him.. :doh:
I changed him from giving both in one meal to just one, and that had him solid again in no time :evillaugh:
just a thought ;)
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Hi Stuart - as soon as Smokey developed the runs, the dry food was off the menu - I was originally putting out dry food for her so she had something to nibble on while I was at work, but I think that your right in that her diet was too rich with the choice of both wet and dry food through the day.
I'll by cycling home in my dinner break to feed them both if need be, but Karen is home till 2pm, so that should work out fine.
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I have only just seen this and was gonna suggest the extra tray but now its working thats fine ;D
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I thought you would like another piccie of Smokey - I'm a bit of a camera buff, so went for something a bit more arty.
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Thats gorgeous ;D
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too cute for words - and the photography is pretty good too :wow:
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Smokey is beautiful :Luv: