ear Simba,
We just got a new kitten 4 days ago. The poor thing has had diarrhea since he arrived...he's been sick all over the floor. What could be wrong? - Pepto Kitty

Dear Pepto Kitty,
Your kitten is a new environment, he is both nervous and scared. He may have also eaten something that he should not have or that he is not used to and he may have worms or other intestinal problems. Quick Cure:

Feed him a few finely cut pieces of oven-baked, plain, dry & skinless chicken.

Place the kitten in his own room, pen, or training cage with food, water and small litter pan.

Check up on him periodically & drop in some toys for him to play with.

Do not let him have the run of the house 'till he improves.

If you notice any symptoms that are of concern, visit your vet.

Assuming no bacterial and/or viral ailments your kitten should be better within a day or two. Have him dewormed (if he is >6 weeks of age) and once he is better, be sure to feed him the food he ate prior to his coming home...and do not allow him to eat anything else. What you teach him now, he will grow up with. - Your Pal, Simba

Dear Simba,
Thank god I found your site... I brought home a Persian kitten 2 weeks ago, this is my 1st cat and I need all the help I can get! Here's my story:

Rusty is 12 weeks old, and had diarrhea 2. That day he got a jab, and was de-wormed. The vet wasn't really "there" for us, as he had another emergency patient next door. He did say the stools could be due to the change in his diet (I want to feed him Iams Kitten chow, so have been mixing bits of that with FancyFeast). I was told to give Rusty his medication (K Syrup/Diarrhea, Pred-/Anti-Inflam?, BSyrup/Antibiotic) 2 times daily, 1cc each time, for 10 days in addition to 1cc PP Syrup/Dewormer to be administered in a week's time.

When me and my hubby gave Rusty his medication, one of us had to hold him and the other try to get the syringe into his mouth. After which, Rusty was foaming at the mouth, is that because the medicine's yucky? He seemed dazed and weak after that. I was worried sick and called the vet and was told the medication should not make the animal groggy, Rusty was probably stressed from the ordeal. I wonder if that's really it.

It has been 2 days and he's not as playful, tires easily and sleeps more. His stomach looks rounded and feels firm. He has his appetite, and eats 4 times a day. His stool has turned to the normal brown color, formed but a tad soft/moist. He goes potty ~5 times in a day, usually after being fed - is this all right? I thought when you de-worm, your pet should vomit or pass out worms or something, but it hasn't happened to Rusty, what's going on?

It's just been 2 weeks since he joined my family but I've grown so attached to him that it's difficult to leave him for work every morning! Please tell me what to do! I'm thinking about getting 2nd opinion from another vet! Rusty's Mom

Dear Rusty's Mom,
It is natural to become attached to a loving wonderful creature like your Rusty! I would not be as harsh on your vet, given that he had an emergency he needed to attend to. Soft yellow poo usually mean that there is a bacterial imbalance in the intestines. That coupled with diarrhea usually means kitty has coccidia. The foaming is normal after medication (click here for more on foaming).

As for his lethargy, it is good his appetite is healthy, however, prolonged lethargy is a bad thing. Consider taking Rusty to the vet or seek a second opinion if it continues. Most cats will go potty twice per day, usually ½ hour after eating. They will urinate 2-3 times per day. Because of that, the schedule you have described appears OK. As for his not vomiting, that is a good thing. Remember also that Rusty may or may not have worms and if he did, they are at times very difficult to see in the stool. Also, vomiting can be, but is not always related to a cat having worms, and when it is, it is indicative of infection, not a result of treatment. I hope all this helps.

You are asking all the right questions and Rusty seems to be in good shape with such caring parents. Keep me posted. Simba

Follow-up
I can't thank you enough for your help, really appreciate it! Rusty is getting back to his usual self much to my relief...another trip to the vet is inevitable, as he still has to get his vaccinations. I'll be taking Rusty to another vet (highly recommended by a friend), with the journal (history of eating and potting habits, reactions to situations, etc) I've been keeping since he came into the family! Thought you'd like to see what Rusty boy looks like. =) Cheers, Rusty's (less stressed) Mom --- Wonderful! Simba

Dear Simba,
I have a 14-week old kitten with diarrhea. I had her checked for worms and infections. The vet said she had a bowel infection and gave an antibiotic. It turns out that the preservatives in commercial cat food are causing her loose stool. My vet told me to boil some ground beef and feed her that or a few days to see if the diarrhea clears up. I did and the diarrhea went away. He said I should try different foods until I find one she can eat. I've tried several other foods and nothing has worked. I worry that the ground beef does not provide the essential nutrients she needs. Do you have any suggestions? Laura

Dear Laura,
I agree with you. Ground beef alone will not meet all of kitty’s nutritional needs. There are a couple of things you could try. One is mixing small amounts of cat food with the ground beef so as to build up resistance to whatever is causing her loose stools. You can also try Wysong Feline Biotic which assists cats’ digestive systems when on commercial diets. Missing Link Supplements provides good nutrients, as does second step, both of which are available at PetsMart. Lastly, don't give up on all cat foods. Avo Cat makes a no-preservative, no-color, no-sugar, no-additive cat food that may work for your little gal. Let me know how things go. Simba

Dear Simba,
We have a cat, Charlotte, that recently gave birth to four kittens. Since then, she has had constant diarrhea...is there a reason for this??

Hi,
Diarrhea is usually caused by bacterial infections, intestinal parasites, food intolerance to obstructions and a lot of things. Roundworms and loose stools usually go hand in hand with pregnancy. Either have your cat dewormed ASAP and stop her nursing the kittens or wait until the kittens are weaned to have her dewormed. Follow the steps I gave Pepto Kitty to stop the loose stool. Take her to a vet if the problem persists or if the stool takes on a bad consistency (see the stool color guide below). Check out Little Kittens for young kitten caring tips. All the best, Simba

My 11-week old kitten has bad diarrhea and a sore looking bottom. She was taken to the vet 5 days ago and given antibiotics. I was told to feed her on scrambled egg and white fish. The treatment finished and there is no change. Can you help?

Dear Friend,
I'll try. Sorry to hear about your little gal and her tummy troubles. Just remember that kittens get diarrhea rather frequently (they have very sensitive tummies) and any change in their diet/environment and/or infections may trigger an episode. While I have never heard of scrambled eggs and white fish as a treatment, I do not know what your vet knows. Be patient, check out the letters below for poop colors & loose stools, monitor and document her progress and talk to your vet. Let me know how you do. Your Pal, Simba

Dear Simba,
We have a new kitten ~ 5 weeks old with constant diarrhea - she eats only dry (softened) kitten chow and drinks water only - we took her to the vet who found only round worms in the stool. He wormed her, but she still has the problem. Any ideas?? - Runny

Dear Runny,
Hopefully your kitten is undergoing continuing treatment for the roundworm. Be sure that you follow your vet's directions. As for her continuing loose stool, check out the tips in my letter to Pepto Kitty to help the little gal's tummy out. - Your Pal, Simba

Dear Simba
My 12-week old cat is sneezing an awful. She also had a really bad case of diarrhea. She has been like this for a day. I don't want to take her to the vet if it is nothing serious. I would appreciate it if you could give me some advice! - Thanks, Tammy

Dear Tammy,
Because your kitten is experiencing both sneezing a diarrhea. Things to ask yourself and make a note of are:

what color is her stool?

has she been wormed?

has there been any change in the kitten's food?

has the kitten been anywhere new lately?

has the kitten gotten into any cabinets it should not have gotten into?

More than likely your kitten is suffering from a combination of upset stomach and a case of the Cat Flu. Check out my Kitty Colds link and my letter to Pepto Kitty for information on these conditions. You may also want to consider Kitten Proofing your house. - Your Pal, Simba