I'm looking for some advice on a bit of a problem.
I have a female kitten who is 3 months and 13 days old.
When she goes to her litter tray to do a poo, her stools are a bit soft. Because she's short-haired, it doesn't get stuck in her fur, but it stays stuck right on her bottom...
She doesn't seem to clean herself straight away after leaving the tray, either. Then again, with such a mess stuck to her behind, I'm not surprised.
Could it be her dry food?
The brand is a grain-free one (0% grain).
I'm thinking I might need to switch her over to something else.
Thanks in advance for your help!
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Hi there, it could be many things. When you change their dry food, you need to do a slow transition; a sudden change can lead to diarrhoea. It could be worms, but as she’s been wormed, that makes it less likely. It could also be parasites, which are common in kittens—they're different from worms but very easy to treat (you mentioned she has gas, which is what makes me think of that). It could be something else entirely, so I’d suggest a quick check-up with the vet. :)
wshh
Hi,
That’s a really interesting post, it's been so helpful! When I bought her from the pet shop, I asked for some good value dry food; unfortunately, I didn't have a clue what I was looking for back then, but I've been spending a lot of time on forums and reading plenty of articles about it over the last few days.
I'm going to switch her dry food today; I'm going back to the one the breeder used to give her, which is high in protein and low in carbs.
I'll have a look at your video this afternoon after work 😁.
Thank you so much for your help! It's really helping me understand what's going wrong :).
I'll keep you posted!
Wind is usually linked to digestive issues. However, some types of dry food can make their poo quite smelly without it being anything serious.
My cat gets Purizon dry food among other things; I can tell you, when it comes out the other end, you certainly know about it! The smell lingers for a good 10 minutes even after I've cleared the litter tray ^^
Regarding your choice of kibble, it’s great that you’re going for grain-free, but there are other factors to consider: the ingredients (especially the protein source), as well as the protein and carbohydrate levels.
I’m mentioning this because the food you’re giving is low in protein and very high in carbs. In terms of nutritional value, it’s about the same 'quality' as basic supermarket brands, except you're paying a lot more for it.
I’d recommend this documentary if you have an hour or so to spare:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dl8M1w0GSQ0
It’s really helpful for understanding dry food a bit better :)
Hi there,
Smelly stools and wind are usually down to their diet. Some types of kibble can be really stinky when they 'come out the other end'...
For now, you could try giving them some chicken breast (cooked with no fat at all) and a bit of brown rice. It’s very easy to digest and really helps to soothe the gut – it worked a treat for one of my kittens.
Any time you introduce a new food, it should be done slowly; start with small amounts and then increase them gradually.
When you're switching dry food, you really need to transition over about 2 to 4 weeks.
If it’s just soft stools rather than actual diarrhoea, it’s not too much to worry about. I don't think it's necessary to go back to the old food—or perhaps just mix a bit back in. By the time you’ve actually bought the old brand again, your cat will likely have settled into the new one a bit more, so switching back completely might not be the best idea.
Check with your vet to see if you can give him some montmorillonite clay (the cat equivalent of Smecta). But definitely talk to the vet first as he’s still just a baby!
If it really continues long-term despite following your vet's advice, then you could consider a very slow change of diet.
Don't forget about wet food either, as it’s a really important source of hydration!
Hi there,
It could be a number of things.
When you change their dry food, you need to do a gradual transition; a sudden switch can cause diarrhoea.
It could be worms, but since she's already been wormed, that's less likely.
It could also be parasites, which are common in kittens. They're different from worms but very easy to treat (the fact that she’s gassy makes me think it might be that).
It could be something else entirely, so I’d honestly recommend a quick check-up at the vet. :)
