You are here:

Cats/Runny stool and meowing

Advertisement

Expert: - 5/12/2009


Question
Hi, Kate. I have just acquired two 3-week old kittens from a friend. The mama cat disappeared a week ago and the friend needed to find homes for the kittens. I have had the kittens in my possession for about a day and a half. I am noticing tan runny stools and all they seem to do is cry (meow). As of right now, I have them on Meow Mix with water added to it to make it mushy. The vet said that this was ok to do. I do not know if it is because they had been given Kitten Chow by my friend or what. What can you tell me about this and the crying?

Answer
Nazarene,

Hi, I am not Kate, but I will try to answer your question.

They are crying because they are looking for a nipple to suckle. The tan somewhat runny stool is normal for that age as they have mostly been on milk.

Also, they will do better feeding them what they were getting before you got them.  So, I would give them the kitten chow.  In addition, kittens that age really need to be fed at least 4 times a day.  A good schedule is midnight, 7:00 AM, 1:00 PM, 7:00 PM.

At three weeks of age, these kittens are barely old enough to be weaned and you might consider a pet nurser with kitten milk replacer formula (available from most pet supermarkets) for another week in addition to the wetted dry food.

Best regards... Norm.  

Cats

All Answers

Answers by Expert:

Ask Experts

Volunteer

Norman Auspitz

Expertise

I can answer most non-veterinary questions about cats. My particular expertise is pedigree cats, breeding and showing. However, I am versed in feline behavior, cat breeds and their characteristics, general feline husbandry, and the like.

Experience

I judged for the Canadian Cat Association from 1975 until 1982. I am currently an approved allbreed judge for the Cat Fanciers'' Association (the world''s largets cat registry), and have been judging for them since 1991. I have been breeding pedigreed cats since 1971 and have been exhibiting pedigreed cats in shows since 1970. I obtained my first pedigreed cat in 1970 and have never looked back. In 1971, I obtained my first Abyssinian which has become my primary breed. In addition, I have bred Manx and Persians. Currently, besides the Abyssinians, I am also breeding Maine Coons.


Organizations
Cat Fanciers'' Association, inc. (CFA) and the Manx, Maine Coon, and Abyssinian breed councils. I am currently Abyssinian breed council secretary.

Publications
Cat Fancy Magazine, The Abyssinian Chapter in The Cat Fanciers'' Association Complete Cat Book, and Articles for various editions of The Cat Fanciers'' Association Yearbook

Education/Credentials
I received a B.S. from Drexel University in 1968, a M.Math from University of Waterloo, in 1970, a Ph.D. from University of Waterloo in 1975, and a MBA from McMaster University in 1980. I received my approved allbreed judging status in the Cat Fanciers'' Association in 1999.

Awards and Honors
We have produced a number of Cat Fanciers'' Association (CFA) National winning Abyssinian and Maine Coons. We have produced a number of Abyssinian and Maine Coon Distinguished Merit females (an award for a top producing cat), including the first Distinguished Merit Abyssinian in the red (sorrel) color. I am the CFA Abyssinian breed council secretary and belong and/or hold office in a number of cat clubs. I am also a member of the CFA Judges Association.

©2012 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company. All rights reserved.