Expert: Jessica - 10/13/2009

Question
QUESTION: Hi Jessica,
We had a stray kitten adopt us about 2 weeks ago.  She is nothing but skin and bones and very tiny.  She obviously had eaten in a very long time. I felt bad for her and fed her and of course she stuck around.  We continue to feed her and take care of her.  I took her to the vet last week to make sure she was healthy as my young children love to play with her. I was shocked to find out that she is about 4 1/2 months old and weighing only 1.3 pounds.  I had her wormed but I have not seen any worms in her stools.  She is a very lovey kitty and loves to snuggle but I'm afraid there's something wrong.  What can I do to help her gain weight or why doesn't she gain weight? I've tried giving her kitten canned food but it just seems to give her diahrea, which bring me to my next question - her rectum sticks out especially after a bowel movement, is that normal?  Thank you for your time and any advice you might have.

ANSWER: Hi Monica.  Thanks for stepping in to help this little one!

Did the vet test her for the Feline Leukemia and Feline AIDS viruses?  These are two of the reasons why kittens have stunted growth and lack of muscle mass.  If no test would run, this would be really wise.  Neither virus is contagious to people, but they are contagious to other cats, and they weaken the immune system against other germs.  So infected kitties should be kept indoors and away from other cats.  This is especially true with Feline Leukemia, which is spread through friendly contact.  Feline AIDS is spread through bite wounds, and I have been able to keep my AIDS+ cats with others, since my household is friendly.

There is another disease called Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP), which is even more grave than these two.  It is a concern with kittens who cannot put on weight despite addressing diarrhea and dietary deficiencies, but there are other signs, too.  Most kittens will later develop a fever, fluid in the abdomen or neurological symptoms, as well as anemia and organ failure in the final stages.  Unfortunately, there is no good test for this disease.

However, malnutrition takes a toll, and it can take a while to come back from it.  Try adding in extra protein to her diet to encourage the building of muscle.  Boiled chicken breast is a great food to supplement her diet with to aid in this.  She can have a couple ounces daily.

As for her rectum, it isn’t exactly normal for it to stick out, but it is often seen when a kitten has been straining to move her bowels, as is the case when she has diarrhea.  It’s important to note that a little bit of a swollen anus is different from a good deal of rectal tissue that has passed through the anus.  If you are noticing more than say 1/4” of the anal lining exposed, and it doesn’t retract shortly after a bowel movement, you may be dealing with something much more serious, called a rectal prolapse.  Keep the exposed rectal tissue moist with a cloth, and seek emergency vet care.  Air and the constriction of the anus can kill the rectal tissue and lead to the need for major surgery, or kill the kitten.  

Most rectal prolapses occur as the result of straining, and since you are seeing anal tissue, it may be a bit of a warning.  In kittens, this tends to be caused by diarrhea brought on by parasites.  Since she has been dewormed, if you notice that any soft stool continues or she has blood in her stool, you should bring a fecal sample in to the vet.  She could have protozoan parasites such as coccidia or giardia.  These will require antibiotics to get under control.

Best wishes! I hope she grows big and strong soon!

Jessica




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

QUESTION: Thanks for getting back with me so quickly.  One more question, should I be feeding her food for kittens?  Also we are vegetarians, would eggs be okay to give her for additional protein?
We'll keep praying for her.
Thanks again
Monica

Answer
Yes, kitten food should be fed until she's a year old, or longer if she has not yet gotten to a healthy weight.  Some grain-free foods, which I prefer, are suitable for all life stages, and they will say this on the package.

Eggs are generally fine for cats and will provide some extra protein, especially the yolks.  I have found cats aren't as crazy about eggs as they are about chicken, though.  You can feed the eggs raw or cooked, but if you feed them raw, be sure to remove any uneaten portion within 20 minutes.  If you don't want to cook chicken but could stand to feed her some meat baby food, stage one chicken, turkey or beef baby food is also a good source of protein that is well-received by most cats.  Stage one foods contain the meat and broth only - no gravy, veggies or pasta.

Good luck!