weird kitten

[koli10]

Hi traci. Yeah, I feed my kitten P/d of hill's diet of the dry food. Both my cats get only on average about a quarter of a can daily of the c/d cans. I usually buy more c/d cans because my other cat loves them but the kitten not so much. Lately though, she's been eating them more, so now I run out of kitten cans and end up feeding her w c/d cans. My vet did a fecal and said that it was normal, so he suggested to change the diet, he said maybe the hypoallergenic.

[Traci]

The P/D is a prescription diet, designed for pregnant or lactating adult cats who need additional nutrients....and/or for kittens who need additional nutrients. Please note, it is a prescription diet and most prescription diets are NOT intended to be fed long term unless it is prescribed for a condition that necessitates long term feeding.

If she is otherwise healthy, at a healthy weight, gaining weight properly, etc, then she doesn't need to be on a prescription diet. You could probably feed her Iams kitten food, and she'd probably do well on it.

The C/D is also a prescription diet. What are you feeding it for? Does Joey have FLUTD or urinary tract issues, or a history of urinary crystals? If not, why are you feeding prescription C/D to him AND your kitten?

Since it is a prescription diet and one intended ONLY for FLUTD or urinary tract issues, it is NOT to be fed to a healthy, young, growing kitten! You can't just feed any prescription diet to any cat without it being INTENDED/PRESCRIBED to be fed by your vet! These diets contain special formulations of nutrients for the specific condition it is prescribed for. Feeding C/D to your kitten is detrimental in that it doesn't contain necessary nutrient formulation for growth and development in kittens.

Stop feeding her the C/D, and get her on a kitten food! (i.e., Iams kitten food). If Joey doesn't have FLUTD or urinary tract issues, or any other health condition, he doesn't need to be on it either. Does your vet know you're feeding this to both cats?

[koli10]

Hi Traci. I took her back to the vet as you suggested. But at time, the rash and the bump were gone, she's all healed already!!! My vet said that my cat looked healthy after her examination. As of my vet, yes I took her to the same vet. I used to see another vet before, who used to be so careful and do analysis for every single thing, but I couldn't afford him anymore. My new vet has been serving me for a bit over 3 years, almost 4, and he has solved my problems very efficiently, so I do trust his judgement. I do wonder sometimes if he takes a bit longer to do the testing, but he'll do further testing it if I ask him. He did prescribe c/d to joey because he saw crystals once in his urine, and said that he was going to have to eat that for life. As of for kanga, he told me to buy any kitten food formula. I went to an animal hospital near my house, they have all kinds of food, and I asked the lady to sell me something for a healthy kitten and she gave me the p/d!! I have always wonder about popular brands, ie iams. I don't know if they could be trusted. Is there any better kind of food for my kitty?? I notice that she still has a hard time pooping, maybe pain because she howls, and has had blood sometimes. She was already tested and examined and nothing was found to be wrong with her, but my vet advised to change to another food. I'll buy iams kitten formula today and try it since you're recommending it to me. Thank you so much for the feedback!!

[Traci]

You can't buy a prescription veterinary diet without a prescription from the vet. The other animal hospital who sold it to you, do you have an account with them/do they have medical records for your cats?

Theres nothing wrong with Iams. Feed her dry preferrably, but at least a small can or two (3 oz each can) a day as well, to help move bowel function. If the new Iams doesn't improve her bowel function within a few days, see the vet who is more committed to finding the problem, immediately. It is NOT normal for a young, healthy kitten to be having hard stools, and NOT normal for blood to be in them. This is a sign of either constipation, poor digestion, insufficient dietary nutrients, insufficient water intake/moisture, or any number of other problems. Don't let this persist. Give this only a few more days to see how she does on the Iams, and if no improvement, see the vet again at once.

[koli10]

Hi Traci!! Yeah. I got the new food during the wkend. Her stools have been ok ever since, but still watching her closely. I noticed that for some reson they prefer each other's food!!! so I have to schedule their meals, and watch and make sure each is eating his and her own food. Thank you for the suggestions. I'll keep an eye and see how this works.

[koli10]

Hello!! My young girl Kanga is still having skin problems. I've taken her to three vets but no vet has been concerned about it. They say she looks healthy. She has had this on and off. She looks fine for weeks, and suddenly develop bumps on her skin. The first time this happened was in her neck. They started from her chin down to one of the front legs, and were linearly arranged. They seemed like little greyish bumps, that were rough and dry. They also bled slightly. She seemed to be itchy. The vet said that it might have been that she had fleas. She was treated for fleas (although she had fleas before, she didn't have fleas when the vet saw her for the bumps). Eventually those bumps cleared and then she got the rash in her tommy, but this time it was red, and she seemed not to have any discomfort. Eventually this cleared as well, and now, in the past 4 days, she has developed a bump that looks similar to the first ones. This time is a single one, on her forehead close to her ear (pretty much at the base of the ear). Its not grey, but dry and flaky. Finally, today in the morning, I noticed that her bottom lip is kinda bumpy too. It seems she's about to kiss someone!!!! Any suggestions??? Can this be something serious?? I've also noticed that she pees many times a day - although she's been like this ever since I got her (she pees a bit every time). I hope she'll be ok!!!!!

[Traci]

Whichever is the most qualified of the two vets, make an appointment for Kanga, and ask them specifically to rule out eosinophilic granuloma complex. Some of the causes to this condition ARE flea bite allergic dermatitis, mites (earmites, food mites, housemites or otherwise), or reaction to a certain ingredient(s) in the diet. Other causes are other allergic reactions or immunological. BOTH vets should have discussed this with you in detail over the course of the last few vet visits, and determined by now to rule this out.

There are two ways to rule this out. The first is to introduce a hypoallergenic diet with a novel protein kitty has never been exposed to. If no lesions or bumps or other reaction occur within about two months' period of feeding the diet, chances are, there was a sensitivity or allergic reaction to the food. A process of elimination in the environment also can be done, such as eliminate potential allergens (mites, fleas, chemicals/cleaners etc to which she might have been exposed). For example, both vets should have checked her thoroughly at least twice in a month's time frame to check for fleas or evidence of flea dirt, etc. If you regularly use Advantage or Frontline for cats, this shouldn't be a problem with re-occurance of the lesions, but there is always the potential of failure of the product if there is a heavy infestation of fleas. If you feed treats, or allow her to eat Joey's food, and if she has an allergy, then it's going to reoccur because that's all it takes, just one bite of an offending ingredient. So, cease all treats and feed only one diet in this process of elimination. Your vets should be instructing you and following up on the response!

The other way to do this is one of two things. Prescribe a low-dose, short course of prednisolone and see if she responds favorably, that is, reduction of or cessation of newly forming bumps, lesions. But, in a young kitten, prednisolone MUST be prescribed very carefully and in the lowest dose possible, monitored carefully.

The second way is via biopsy of a lesion, usually a lesion that is ulcerated, like in the mouth or on the lip. This procedure should be used only in last resort, after a process of elimination is attempted, or after a dietary trial is attempted.

Food allergies can actually give the appearance of an eosinophilic granuloma, so for this reason it is IMPERATIVE that your vets work toward process of elimination, in order to diagnose this appropriately. It still could be a food allergy to certain ingredients, but it could also be eosinophilic granuloma, so it's the vet's job to differentiate and nip this in the bud!

You and Kanga have had enough, make an appointment for her with the most qualified of the two vets, ask them to rule out food allergies vs flea allergies vs eosinophilic granuloma and don't let the vet hem-haw the situation. You're armed with information now, so demand the vet to diagnose appropriately.

[mamabear]

I agree with Traci. AND if this Vet CANT figure it out he should refer you to a more experienced vet asap!!!! Tell him that you want this fixed and if he can't help then he should be more caring and give you someone who can.
Hugs to you and kitty!! You have done a good job with protecting her and trying to figure out what this all about. Please don't feel that you have lost the battle or that you don't have information as your weapon!!! Traci and the rest of them are always here with full ammo to help!!!

[koli10]

Thank you Traci and mamabear for your replies. I will make an appointment with my vet. Although, do you think I should do it ASAP (cuz she has no bumps anymore at this point!) or should I wait until she gets more bumps??? Otherwise she looks healthy!!

[Traci]

Make the appointment NOW.