Expert: Jana Connell RVT, CVT - 3/30/2011

Question
QUESTION: Hello, we are currently raising four orphaned kittens who are just under 3 weeks old. They lost their mom when they were just 4 days old. They have all been doing really well, have great appetites, been going to the bathroom regularly(with our help stimulating), and are growing quickly. We just started to introduce Royal Canin babycat wet food because the formula(KMR) just doesn't seem to be holding them at all and their teeth are coming in. They are being bottle fed approx 6 times a day, and we offer the wet food every few feedings as well. Today we noticed one of the kittens has grey feces, still on the firm side, just white-ish grey. She hasn't been quite acting herself today either, not interested in food and not running around nearly as much as normal. Her urine is also a deep yellow colour, has been since we got her, although she seems well hydrated and urinates every couple hours when we stimulate. This evening however, after she was done urinating, a very small amount of a yellow jelly came out of the vagina.  She slept for a few hours, and seems a bit more alert now. Any ideas about the feces or urine? Thanks sooo much!

ANSWER: I wouldn't be concerned about a little gray in the feces. Once they start eating solids all kinds of colors will come out. If this is something that lasts however, it could be that the kitten in question is not tolerating the new food well.

Jellylike stool can also result from a food intolerance. You might want to try some Science Diet canned and dry kitten growth. I have never seen a kitten have discolored stools from it and they all seem to tolerate it well. It is made consistently from batch to batch (fixed-formulation) compared to Royal Canin which is an open-formulation. As a result, the food is not made up of the same ingredients batch after batch and that can result in digestive problems.

A tummy ache will certainly put her off her food for a day. In that case make sure she is getting her formula as she will need to be sustained and off the wet food for 24 hours.

Hope they do well!

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thanks so much, the information about the feces colour definately puts us at ease. Any ideas about the urine situation? She is now passing much nicer movements, but soft white chunks are still passing with her urine. The urine itself is normal, a very light yellow, and she is producing the same amount as the other kittens. She is also still eating very well, but seems a little lazier than usual. Thanks again!

Answer
You should take her in and have a urinalysis done if she keeps passing white stuff, which could be pus. I would be concerned about a urinary infection at that point.

Hard to say, but at this tender age, you don't want to leave it untreated if it might be one.