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Cats/4 week old kitten with orange stool

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Expert: - 2/21/2009


Question
What should we do? Is this an emergency?

Answer
Jeremy,

The first thought that comes to mind is that this kitten has somehow managed to get ahold of something that he shouldn't have, but as I mentioned before I'm not a vet and I can't diagnose illnesses. I can tell you that if this kitty was under my care he would see a vet immediately because he could be seriously ill. It's possible that he has a huge intestinal parasite burden that's causing him to bleed into his intestinal tract, he could have a foreign body in his belly, he may have some sort of congenital medical condition which must be treated if he is to survive. I wish that I could offer something more specific, but I really can't. I was also wondering, is this kitten still nursing from mom as he should be or has something happened to take his mom and siblings from him? It could potentially be that this baby is having a bad reaction to his food since he really should still be nursing off of mom and cared for by his mother until he's at minimum 10-12 weeks old. Yes, kittens can eat solid food prior to that age, but they generally nurse for the first 6-9 weeks of their lives which provides them with the appropriate antibodies to fight illness, however when it's possible I always recommend that kittens stay with their litter mates and mother until they are a minimum of 10-12 weeks old. The first 12 weeks of a kitten's life are amazing, they learn how to walk, play, defend themselves and understand limits, so essentially kittens learn in 12 weeks what your average human child takes years to learn. The development of kittens is quite rapid and the first 12 weeks of their lives is all about them learning how to be a cat, how to play appropriately with human caregivers and generally being socialized. Hopefully you are able to take this baby to the vet within the next 24 hours or so. I'm hoping and praying that this is a minor health issue that can be treated easily by your veterinarian and I'd very much like to see a progress report about your kitten and how things are going. If you need your previous answer, please find it below this line.

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Jeremy,

Obviously there's something wrong with this kitten. I'm not sure if it's due to improper feeding or something more serious. I recommend that this kitten see a vet promptly to rule out serious medical causes of his orange stool.

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Ali

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I am the proud guardian of 5 mixed breed cats ranging from 12 weeks to 13 years old and one purebred ragdoll. I have 20+ years experience working with mixed breed cats from a variety of different situations. I have fostered cats/kittens with special needs/behavioral issues. I have rescued/rehabilitated/re-homed a variety of stray/abused cats. I can offer advice on managing feral cat colonies, rehabilitating strays and finding them forever homes. I can help you to determine whether a cat is stray or feral, there IS a significant difference. Improperly introducing a new cat/kitten can result in aggression between newly introduced cats because cats are territorial by nature and they don't like sudden changes in their environment. To learn more about a peaceful way to introduce a new cat into a home with other cats please check out my previous answers on this subject. Proper nutrition for cats can be confusing, I recommend checking out catinfo.org which was created by a veterinarian (Dr. Lisa Pierson) who takes a common sense approach to explaining feline nutrition. Cat behavior and instincts are different from those of humans, I can help you understand your cat's needs so that you can meet them adequately and have a balanced, psychologically and physically sound kitty. Cats vary in personality, energy level and intelligence, different approaches may be required to achieve results in terms of training and interaction with your feline companion. An intelligent, high energy cat must be kept busy or they will make their own fun. I am NOT a licensed veterinarian and I can't offer medical advice. If your cat is ill/injured my advice is always the same: get prompt medical treatment provided by a veterinarian. If finances are an issue I will try to find resources in your area that can help with medical costs or make other choices to ensure the welfare of your cat.

Experience

I have fostered feral and stray cats, rehabilitated and homed cats that many people recommended euthanasia for. I am willing to make an effort to do the research and ask questions because I care enough to find solutions to behavioral problems rather than giving up. I have an interest in the use of alternative therapies to help provide the best possible care for all cats and I can say in all honesty that I've seen some incredible things happen for some incredible cats and their human caregivers when the right alternative therapeutic modality is used by a qualified veterinarian with expertise and experience in the field.

Education/Credentials
I've earned my diploma as a veterinary assistant with honors.

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