Hi, we got a new addition to our household on Saturday, a 12 week old domestic short haired kitten , called Junior.
We got him from a local cat and dog home, he has had his 2 vaccinations and been wormed and deflead.
I was told they had been feeding him whiskas supermeat (they said they found kitten food to be too strong for kittens) and kitten biscuits, so I have been feeding him the above. He has been having loose stools, so rang the centre and the vet said if he was still happy, lively and eating and drinking (which he is) it was nothing to worry about. Also found out it was go-cat biscuits, not the whiskas ones I have been giving him.
I took him off the wet food thinking the biscuits on their own might stop the loose stools, but from reading on this site I am not sure if I have done the right thing.
Could someone please advise me, this is not my first cat, but my first kitten.
thanks in advance for any help.

Susan

The biscuits are likely one of the causes of the loose stool, so I wouldnt switch him to totally dry, as along with other things an all dry diet really isnt very good for cats, especially boys:

This will be helpful: Feeding cats for beginners (and more seasoned cat owners alike)

Its very important to switch kittens over gradually to new food, so the feeding of different biscuits might have been what triggered it (I assume he was being fed GoCat, they told you whiskas so thats what you fed?)

Kitten food isn't necessary as long as you are feeding a high quality, high meat content diet. I think its felt by most here that an all wet diet (or wet with some dry) is the best diet for all cats. The A-Z of wet food for cats will be helpful for picking a good quality wet food, really you want to be looking at 70% PLUS for meat content, and for those types of things you are best to look at zooplus.com as most arent available in petshops in the UK. our selection is pretty dire! Zooplus does offer free shipping over £19

As you seem to already know you need to 'wean' them onto the new diet gradually, whatever you choose

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Thanks for the advice
And yes, thought it was whiskas biscuits he was on as they just said whiskas supermeat and kitten biscuits, would have got go cat if I had known. Will read the links and try to aim to get him onto mainly a wet food diet.
Susan

I think the stress and excitement of a new home can also play a role in loosening the bowels of a sensitive kitten. Could you try him on some plain boiled chicken or white fish for a couple of days before gradually moving back onto regular food? Feed the broth that fish/chicken is boiled in too as this will help maintain hydration.

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Nellie Paddy Mitzy Milo Peggy Murphy

Millie and Monty, the White Devils!

Dry food isn't good for the poor we might - with the runs he will be dehydrated and the dry will indeed dehydrate him more - however, that's not what you want to do as dehydration can kill. Cats don't have a thirst drive as they have evolved to get 99% of their fluid intake from their food so they really struggle to take on the extra fluids that dry requires them to drink in order for it to be healthy. Quite a few can don't tolerate the grains in dry food either and that could be what is causing the runs. If he continues with the runs stick him on just plain boiled chicken for 2 or 3 days before slowly reintroducing the wet food back into his diet.

Good luck and pictures are the payment method on this forum for all advice!

Thanks everyone for the advice, will get some chicken tomorrow and try that then keep him on wet food. I am new to the forum and didnt have any pictures on computer, but think I have attached one now as payment Susan

Attached Images

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