New Environment Stress or Vet Care?

[misseliss]

Hi All,

I need your help and opinions!
Day 4 of having the kitten, she's 3 mos old and we have been slowly introducing her to the dog (no close interactions.)

She has finally gotten the hang of using the litter again, but is throwing up the little amount of food she is eating each day and having diarrhea today.

She still has energy to play and is not that lethargic (outside of her not having the nutrition of keeping food down.) But she is drinking and retaining water.

Sound like typical kitten acclimation stress or think it's worth a vet visit for something more serious?

I've over reacted with a new and young pet before the first few days they were taken home with me which ended in a 3am emergency vet visit, 2 nights observation and $1500.00 later, just typical stress.

Thoughts and advice are appreciated!

 

[MollysMom]

Vomiting and diarrhea together warrants a vet visit. I would take her in in the next 24 hours. Did she go for an initial vet check after you brought her home?

 

[Toa and Ross]

As @MollysMom says diarrhea and vomiting together warrant a vet visit cause of the danger of (de)hydration. It can be caused by stress but even if it's caused by stress I would ask a vet to check. Or you could make a phone call to the vet and ask for some advice? Do you know how to check for (de)hydration?
Hope your little girl will be feeling better soon!

 

[misseliss]

@Toa and Ross @MollysMom thank you for the replies!

I do not know how to check for dehydration.

She had just had her last vet visit and was spayed the day before we took her home from the breeders house.

I tried calling the breeder yesterday but they were not available.

I will call the vet today, but with the way she has been acting I think it's just stress from being taken to a new home and just a lot going on in the past 4 days. She just seems to do better when we confine her to a smaller space, such as the bathroom (first place we took her to when we came home with her) and she sleeps, eats and uses the litter box in here well.

When the vomiting and diarrhea happened yesterday, I believe it was caused by the stress of a visitor here. It was the first time she had vomitted and had diarrhea together.

We are going on a trip in the next week or so. Would you advise her staying home and one of our friends caring for her or staying at the vets with a change of environment?

 

[Toa and Ross]

@Toa and Ross @MollysMom thank you for the replies!

I do not know how to check for dehydration.

She had just had her last vet visit and was spayed the day before we took her home from the breeders house.

I tried calling the breeder yesterday but they were not available.

I will call the vet today, but with the way she has been acting I think it's just stress from being taken to a new home and just a lot going on in the past 4 days. She just seems to do better when we confine her to a smaller space, such as the bathroom (first place we took her to when we came home with her) and she sleeps, eats and uses the litter box in here well.

When the vomiting and diarrhea happened yesterday, I believe it was caused by the stress of a visitor here. It was the first time she had vomitted and had diarrhea together.

We are going on a trip in the next week or so. Would you advise her staying home and one of our friends caring for her or staying at the vets with a change of environment?

Glad to hear the vomiting and diarrhea together was only one day. I'll try to explain how you can test for dehydration in my not so perfect English. Take some skin (by the neck) between your fingers and pull it up, more or less like a tent. Let the skin loose. When there's no dehydration the skin will go down in normal position fast. If the cat is dehydrated the skin stays up like a tent and goes down very slow. Hope my explanation makes any sense.

If your kitten is sensitve for stress I would ask somebody to come over to your house when you're on the trip. And if it's possible I would ask this person to come by a few times before you go so your little girl knows this person.

Enjoy your trip!

 

[Hairless Blessing]

I agree with @Toa and Ross I would have someone stay at your
house with her. Make sure they come as much as they can to
spend time with her, before you leave.
It would be even more stressful for her to stay anywhere else.

 

[Yoda mom]

@misseliss , she is a adorable! Great advice already given
Just wanted to share this video skin turgor test for hydration-
You can have your vet show you how to on her during a vet visit so you know what it feels On tour own kitty

Please keep us posted-

 

[Chilly Willy]

All great advice and everything I would do. Congrats on the new babe. Just getting fixed and bringing her home the day after is a lot for a little kitten's body, but it sounds like you are doing great and being extra attentive!

I would also have the person I plan to provide care for her in my absence spend time with her before you left, and make sure to teach them the method to check for dehydration that you learned from Toa and Ross .

I love this site, especially because we have so many attentive regular posters that have lots of great advice! We are all definitely in the right spot! Healing and peaceful vibes are being sent your way from the east coast and Chilly Willy!

 

[misseliss]

Hi All! Thank you so much for your advice. It has not gone unnoticed, I've just been focusing on Madam Winifred and haven't been able to respond. I did the dehydration test and she passed! I did not think she would have a problem with this as she has been drinking plenty of water, it's just the food she has been finicky with.

We went out and picked up some Nutrical and some nutrition powder. She seems to like the powder over her food and eats well now! I spent the entire day with her yesterday at home, without distractions and our dog.

I would say she is about 80% comfortable with the house, her surroundings and with eating and using the litter box.

I can't express how much it means to me to have this forum. Without it, I would have panicked. Appreciate all the advice. We're going to have our (cat owning and loving) friend come over a few times this week and weekend to bond with the kitten before we head out on our trip. She will be watching Madan Winifred in our home so to ease any stress it may cause to bring her out of it.

I hope to have more pictures of Wini up here soon! Thanks again.

 

[Yoda mom]

@misseliss ,Thank you for the update! Also I would triple check kitty proof e v e r y t h i n g and leave specific instructions , wishes , payment arrangements with your vet just in case, and leave some towels with your scent rubbed on for the while you away.. Also , think about removing collars or clothes and leaving microchip info ?
Kitties get into of everything

Looking forward to pics and updates!

 

[Toa and Ross]

@misseliss : happy to hear Madam Winifred is feelimg so much better! Thanks for the update.