Hi everyone, my sister in law has 2 kittens approx 16 weeks I think. Anyway one of them,Edna, is having constant runny poos, they are both fed on purina and only Edna is the one with the problem. My sister in law is at her wits end as she is having a baby any day now and really doesn't need this, but she doesn't want to give the cat up either as she is absolutely adorable The vet has seen the cat and advised Purina food to be fed. I believe she is going to take her back to the vet on friday in the hope something can be done. Healthwise the cat seems fine in every other way, so if anyone has any advice I would be very grateful.

Two things spring to mind. Firstly, it could be the food that is not agreeing with her. Some kittens are particularly sensitive to food ingredients. Secondly, ask the vet to do a stool sample to check for any nasties.

That was my advice to her too,I just wanted to see if anyone else thought the same as me. Thanks for replying

try switching them onto dry food during the day with wet food in the evening?

Iams do a sensitive kitten food which might be better for her

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Thankyou, your advice is much appreciated and I will pass this on to my sister in law

The Purina you are talking about is dry though, isn't it Ally Kats? A lot of vets tend to advice people to feed dry food to cats with runny tums, largely because dry food firms up stool by zapping it of any moisture. The unwanted effect, however, is that a cat with diarrhoea needs to up its moisture content, not have it reduced by dry food. So you could potentially be created another problem while solving the runny poop one.

I suspect that it is the food or some bacterial infection that is causing this protracted run of a runny tum. Changing the kitten to a sensitive food might initially solve the problem (unless of course the kitten is sensitive to an ingredient in the sensitive food too) but your sil will not know what the kitten is reacting too and will not know what to avoid in the future. The sensitive food foods are also typically full of grains and cost more than normal food. I presonally would avoid them.

By all means change the food but change to a high quality one. I would also feed some wet food.

Has your sil tried to feed the kitten with the runny tum some plain boiled chicken? Has she tried some pro-kolin paste to help firm up the stool and rebalance the gut?

Hope that helps

When my kitty had ruuny poos I was advised to starve him for 12 hours then try boiled chicken/fish in small amounts. I also gave him 1/4 tsp probiotic natural yoghurt as the vet advised and it worked in a couple of days. I wouldn't advise starving without vets advice but boiled chicken/rice might be worth a try as hobbs says. Ask the vet about yoghurt and see what he says. My kitty loved it! Why does the vet recommend purina? Does he sell it I give mine royal canin babycat dry food and sensitivity control pouches now. I tried go cat kitten but this gave him loose stool again. Kitten tums are very sensitive. Good luck to your sis with kitty and baby!

Ditto Maxyboo I'd starve the little thing for 12hrs - if it was an adult I'd do it for 24hrs, but babies I'd halve the time! Then I'd feed the kitten boiled chicken/fish with a bit of rice covered in the juice and a teaspoon of live youghurt. Keep the little sprog on this for a couple of days and then gradually start adding her food back in.
Has the kitten been wormed yet?

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Thankyou everyone,yes the kittie has been wormed,I don't know if the vet sells that particular food and I have suggested myself that she changes to wet food or boiled chicken. I will pass on your thoughts and good wishes as I will have to leave this in her hands for now as I am going on holiday on Saturday(and it looks like I will miss babys arrival) I am sure she will try the suggestions and also take her to the vet for tests, so once again thanks for all your advice it's great that you are all so helpful