Help... opinons on food, etc

[catnapper]

As some of you may know, we've been fighting runny poops here for well over a month. First we determined it was coccidia. We all did Albon and still had the runs, so a second dose came around. STILL smelly, yellow, runny poop. Fecals done yesterday said they were clear of all bugs, worms, parasites, etc. UGH! I feel like I'm living in a poop saga! LOL... what else to call it?

The vet called me back this morning and the dr. feels it might be a food sensitivity. If thats the case, then why do my big guys also have the runs? If its a food sensitivity... what the heck am I going to feed them? As it is, they are brats when it comes to eating! They nibble on the adult's food, and refuse the dry kitten food. The only thing they devour is wet food. I cut back on that considerably to see if the wet was making them have diarrhea, and it didn't make any difference. Still, I have to cut back on the wet because A) its expensive, and B) Harry has gotten mucho fatto since feasting daily on it for two months.

COULD it be the Meow Mix I mixed in with their food? The rescue gave it to me to help offset the amount of food I've been feeding the fosters. I mixed it in about a month and half ago to stretch the food I had, and to keep the 20 pound bag from going stale (Minette would have been the only one eating it... it would take her a loooong time to polish off a 20 pound bag! ) I'd die to see if it was the Meow Mix... maybe my guys DO have sensitive tummies and the Meow Mix isn't good enough for them. But right now its mixed in about 20% Meow Mix, 80% Nutro, so would a 20% mixture make for bad diarrhea?

Did you all follow that? Anyone have any ideas? I'm sooo tired of runny poop. Its litterally EATING my cat litter. I've never gone through so much cat litter in my life.

[catmandu]

I CANT SEE,WHERE THAT LITTLE BIT,OF MEOW MIX,IS REALLY GOING,TO MAKE YOUR KITTENS ILL.
I HAVE FED MEOW MIX,IN THE PAST,AND I HAVENEVER HAD BAD EFFECTS.
MAYBE,YOU COULD TRY ROYAL CANIN KITTEN,IN CANADA,THEY ARE IN SPECIALLY MARKED BAGS,A POUND FOR TWO DOLLARS,A VERY GOOD DEAL.
GOOD LUCK,WITH YOUR BABIES.

[furrykidsmother]

I don't have much advice, but I don't think the little percentage of Meow Mix would cause the problem. I know Purina One makes a special food for sensitive stomachs, but I don't know if it is good for kittens.

[catlover4ever]

Kim, I PM'ed you as well, but when we got G&G added to the household everyone had runny poops for a while.

It was like everyone of them was affected, so I changed everyone over for a while to purina kitten chow as well as changed everyone's wet food to Nurto, Iams, and a couple other kitten varities.

But I swear by beef, chicken, turkey and ham baby food mixed with some Pecticillin. I get this at my local farm supply store. It is supposed to be gentler on their stomachs and you don't run the risk of the kittens becoming antibiotic resistant with having antibiotics so often.

[rosethecopycat]

Coccidia can be resistant and need more than one dose (course)
We always start the course with a double dose, then 9 days of regular dose. Do as per your vet's advise.

As for food sensitivity, I think finding a food without corn is the next test.

Most of the food troubles/ vomiting/ stool problems have to do with the ingrediant corn.

Best of luck.

[janelle]

Go to www.thepetprofessor.com and see if you can get an answer there. I just found out about the site myself.

[NoahsMommy]

At least two of my cats have sensitive tummies, so I feed them Royal Canin Special. I would suggest trying a food made for sensitive tummies.

[catnapper]

Thanks everyone! I'm sitting here with a big old DUH! I remember years ago when Allen was a little dude (was Allen ever really little? ) he had some major poop problems... we took him to the vet and she determined that he has a very sensitive tummy, and suggested the Nutro, which is what he's been eating for the past 4 years without issue. Guess which food we gave him when he was younger? Meow Mix.

Yup.... so maybe even that 20% of Meow Mix is enough to throw him and the others into a tailspin. I am going to sift through the food and remove all the Meow Mix (what a fun taks thats gonna be!) And then kill myself afterwards... all that money spent on vet care!

[caseysmom]

I never deviated much with my rb kitty gigi but my dog casey has major runny poop issues with even the few bites of puppy food that she steals from bubba. Any deviation and she gets that.