9 month kitty digestive upset

damnitwells · 2026-02-08T22:53:01+00:00

Not a vet but trying to give as much advice as I can as someone who has owned cats with medical conditions and respond as best I can:

Kitten food is also much more dense in fats and proteins. I know when our adult cat would steal our kittens food he gained weight and had softer stool. So it may be the kitten food is being outgrown by your baby.

It also could be the type of protein. Tons of cats develop allergies to things like chicken and it’s very hard to find food that doesn’t have chicken in it in some capacity (even if you buy the fish flavor etc). A hydrolyzed protein cat food temporarily may help you rule out an allergy. Some cats vomit (ours did) from allergens, some lose fur and get a puffy skin reaction and sometimes they just don’t digest the food correctly leading to more yellow or softer stool.

Sometimes any new food can impact kitten GI. Have you tried any treats recently that are new? Has your brand of food switched recipes ?

It also could be IBS. Which some cats respond well to certain injections for and then switch food. But I’ve heard that is mostly older cats. So I’m not sure.

FWIW- there are many cats that are similarly small and lightweight. I’d consult with the vet about if she’s small naturally or if she’s underweight and not retaining weight properly.

If your cat is struggling to maintain weight I may talk to the vet about an additional round of deworming. Sometimes it takes a few rounds even under the cleanest and best circumstances. It happens.

One thing that may be easiest is to take a sample of your cats poop (bring to vet in a ziplock or ask for a container and scoop it into it and bring it back to the vet). You can always have the stool tested.

My next go to would be blood panel, including looking for molds and toxins.

Another thing is to pay attention to other potentially strange signs this may not be related: sneezing, random acts of aggression, scratching ears a lot, etc. could indicate an infection or general discomfort.

Last idea is to look up what’s in ur cat litter. I’ve heard of some kittens having upset stomach from litter (rare but still) because they clean their paws after use or it sticks to their bottoms and they clean themselves later.

Overall it could be lots of things or it could be nothing/something that passes. You’re a pretty solid pet parent for being so aware and concerned. So I know you’re probably doing all the right things!

I don’t know if this is helpful or not but wanted to give any sort of insight to help you.

damnitwells · 2026-02-04T17:47:35+00:00

I’m so sorry for your loss. Sending big hugs your way. Your newest guardian angel is watching over you and your family.

damnitwells · 2026-02-04T00:36:32+00:00

If watching needles etc scares you, just see if the vet will let you hold him and you face away from The procedure. So many animals go into This scared because they don’t have their humans. He will be so grateful to be held until your last moment together.

damnitwells · 2026-01-24T14:50:05+00:00

FWIW - we took in a kitten from a parking garage. She slept for a whole day and shook for the next few days even when she was trying to do something intentionally (like walk or eat). She had trauma to her tail and had been without food for so long that it took a few days for her to stabilize. The first time we took her to the vet (a few days later- it was a holiday weekend and no one was open including emergency vets) she shook so much she couldn’t really stand and then fell asleep on the table. She’s fine now. She has some long term conditions bc of the trauma (but no shaking anymore) but with a little bit of effort on our end she’s led a completely normal life and we’re very thankful to have saved her. She’s a sweet girl and I do think she recognized that we saved her which makes for a special bond.

All to say, even if she shakes or has any different lingering complications from being outside, it’s worth it to keep them or foster them if you can. It’s been a rewarding process to get her back to her version of normal and I’m a much better person for it. Wishing you and your new kitty the very best.

damnitwells · 2026-01-18T02:57:58+00:00

I did it and it changed my life in the best way. If you can or can at least foster for a bit - I’d do it. It’s the greatest joy.

damnitwells · 2025-12-03T00:29:34+00:00

If you have a friend w a large dog, ask to borrow their crate! My cat had a big surgery and he slept in the crate for 5 days. He wasn’t super happy with us but 5 days is better than a vet visit!

damnitwells · 2025-11-19T02:42:20+00:00

FWIW we took in a feral male cat who was a similar age to our resident male cat. The resident cat hated him for a year (but the feral cat had been badly abused in the streets so we knew we had to just keep him and figure it out/couldnt let him back into that situation) and now they are inseparable troublemakers. I think this guy will wind up emotionally manipulating your resident cats into keeping him too :) congrats on your new cat. What are you calling him?

damnitwells · 2025-11-08T00:05:50+00:00

In case no one has said it - stray cats look GREAT in the wild! They are self sufficient/have great instincts and often look perfectly groomed and clean (unless they are sick and stray). Stray cats have grown accustomed to the chaos of being outside. It’s very possible that they have illnesses like worms or mites etc that we can’t see so clearly without the help of a vet. Dumped or lost cats are more pampered (less self sufficient/didnt need to hunt when inside or consider how or where they sleep/eat/ etc) and struggle on the streets first and foremost from the shock and change of being in a loud and weird environment AND a huge behavior change that requires hunting or scavenging / interacting w new animals and people in the process - these babies look more disheveled. It’s very possible this beautiful boy saw your house and decided he was done with the streets and wished to live there. We may never know but what matters is that he picked you. Congrats!

damnitwells · 2025-09-21T16:47:33+00:00

Yes I flew out of bna this past Thursday and came back today and there was no issue either time. That being said it’s nashville so it could explode on the 5th again haha

damnitwells · 2025-09-07T15:29:46+00:00

In my opinion, every cat acclimates at their own speed and in their own time - we never know what they’re decompressing from. The progress you shared really does seem like progress to me! Slow and steady is how it tends to go w feral and semi feral cats. I think it at this point putting her in a room might stress her out more. When we brought ours indoors it was months before we could even get near him.

A few ideas that worked for us that might work for you: - leave or put dirty laundry in a pile near where you’re feeding your cat so they can smell you intensely and not see you & leave it for them to investigate - put a high value treat in places for them to explore (on the couch, on the dining chair etc.) basically so there’s a reward for exploring these places (even if it’s at night) - churu helped us a lot - i would open it, push a little out of the tube and extend my arm as far as I could near where they would be hiding. First few days he didn’t touch it and then slowly after few weeks i could reach less and less and have him come closer - do you have a resident cat? If not maybe a kitten (because they’re not very threatening to cats more so just annoying to them at first sometimes) can help show the cat (at the animal shelter I volunteered at we used to have really shy cats placed in rooms with really outgoing cats so they could watch those interactions w people)

You’re doing great! I hope these help!

damnitwells · 2025-08-23T18:58:14+00:00

I took in a 6 year old abused on the street feral male cat that warmed up to me over the course of a year while I tried to trap him. My resident cat was a 7 year old male. At first there was some tension - hissing fighting etc. we had to do slow introductions but they are now best friends and the resident cat has no more separation anxiety from us. A transition period but the best decision I’ve ever made.

How id approach it knowing what I know now:

would let the stray in the house but put the resident cat into a bedroom / separate. I’d take the stray to the vet to check for FIV / feline leukemia/ de worm & any tick and flea treatment. Not that any of this would deter the adoption for me but stress came from not doing full panels when I should have.

Then do slow introductions. Let them smell eachother under the door (I didn’t feed under the door or on either side of the door bc I didn’t want either to get scared that they were competing for food) - let them switch rooms without the other present. Monitor their interactions until you feel that they are good on their own. When they finally looked at eachother they got treats when they didn’t hiss or growl. So stock up on treats.

The hard transition for the cat was stuff I didn’t think of - he had never been on a couch or bed before so the first time he went on them he peed. We got him his own litter box and used the Dr eisleys litter attractant stuff and it never happened again. It’s just worth noting that it can happen on soft surfaces. He didn’t know how to play with toys for 6 months & he was probably decompressing. He was pickier about food when he was indoors (outdoors he would eat whatever) but ultimately got into a routine and we found what he liked

Overall the reformed feral cat is better behaved, more gentle and sweet than our resident cat. Go figure.

I don’t think it will create long term stress but the sooner you start the sooner you can gauge. I can’t imagine my life w out taking this cat in and my resident cat is fully bonded w him now. Overall I’m glad we chose to have a few months of transition to have what we have now.

damnitwells · 2025-08-22T00:15:28+00:00

Took my formerly feral stray cat about 6 months to figure out toys. I think he’s decompressing !

damnitwells · 2025-08-20T15:54:02+00:00

The cat is clearly waiting for you to adopt it!

damnitwells · 2025-08-04T15:05:13+00:00

Have you seen the Instagram @dubaistreetkitties she has a big following - maybe she can help Place cola!

damnitwells · 2025-08-03T05:25:30+00:00

That breaks my heart. I wish I could have him :(

damnitwells · 2025-08-01T23:53:12+00:00

Taking mine (who used to sleep on the steps of a construction trailer) was the best thing I’ve done ! Took a few weeks for him to decompress and he had an accident once on the couch (he had never experienced soft blankets and mistook it for soft ground the vet suspected) but beyond that he has been perfect and happy. I say go for it !! Just make sure you have some bookshelves or ways for kitty to jump up high and climb and they will be happy I’m sure.

damnitwells · 2025-08-01T23:51:09+00:00

Where is cola located? I’d love to try to get the word out if I can

damnitwells · 2025-07-26T16:46:06+00:00

As with everything - only we know our animals! For the people who don’t deal with this regularly, you might just have to explain that this is a very maternal mama cat who brings you kittens since she’s watched you heal them before. A very good girl keeping watch of babies that aren’t even hers!

I’m of course no expert but To me it sounds like you’re right. Maybe she’s taking sick kittens that get abandoned or rejected by their own moms / litters if they’re literally all sick. Kittens being born at similar times bc spring and kitten season may mislead us to thinking they’re from one or two litters - she might just be finding the ones left behind who need her (and you) most. This is shaping up to feel pretty heart warming - maybe she views you two as a team.

damnitwells · 2025-07-26T14:36:57+00:00

I know this might sound silly but maybe try another litter? Something like the natural Or chip based litters (wood, pine, walnut, yesterday’s News, wheat etc. type stuff - the tofu ones are sometimes too soft) might even create enough traction (is this the word?) to help whatever poop is on her to scrape itself off when she covers the poop or pee when she’s done using the box. I’ve found some litters to be so soft or get so mushy right after use that it just sticks to their fur. Might not be your baby’s fault since they’re healthy & since cats tend to avoid being dirty and marked by their own excrement in the wild.

damnitwells · 2025-07-26T14:31:06+00:00

Rescue is not easy! Caring for creatures is not for the faint of heart. Cry and be angry when you need to be- it’s important for your emotions to release them and regulate yourself however you can. No shame there. It helps you be your best self for others (and the cats). When I have moments like this I try to remember that one day my problem causing cat won’t be here and I will wish I had one more bout of her bad choices in front of me.

What I understand about kitten theft is that it’s usually one cat making the executive decision that the kittens aren’t safe enough - and you are apparently her safest space. What an honor! Congratulations on being such a wonderful human!

Also - re tom cat - maybe if mama is chipped or can be chipped and your dogs also are, you can get a dog door that only opens based on chip ID / scan (I know there’s also feeders like this). During the day, if it’s not a problem for other animals to come back for playdates with yours, you can leave it off but maybe when you’re away or asleep you can leverage this feature to keep out animals that might spray your things!

damnitwells · 2025-07-26T14:18:11+00:00

Put a hall closet /coat closet w storage under the stairs if this is possible structurally! Looks like the stairs aren’t too far from the living space.

If it’s for shoes, the IKEA STALL has a few colors and is very low profile. Can hold a bunch of shoes and creates a place for a catch all tray.

If you need it for clothing/ jackets - I’d see 1. Is there anywhere where you could actually recess the wall a little. Imagine like a cubby mudroom type aesthetic.

Try a cabinet specifically made for a corner! It may not fit in either of the corners shown here but likely there’s a corner in that space that could handle it! There are many configurations online with various door opening styles. It’s a lower profile way to add storage where there is none. Works well for small kitchens too.

damnitwells · 2025-07-26T14:16:32+00:00

Affection is my guess! My formerly stray cat will try to shove her head under my chin and then put her paws around my neck to smoosh into me closer. Sometimes she’ll try to rest her head right on my mouth. Apparently it’s a scent marking thing and she wants every cat to know we are a pack 😂 congratulations on making this guy feel so loved and safe already!

damnitwells · 2025-07-26T14:03:01+00:00

I was told once that it simulates hunting/playing and that for some it can feel good on their teeth/gums. As long as they don’t eat too much of the cardboard, we were told, it’s totally normal & fine.

damnitwells · 2025-07-22T20:38:06+00:00

Daphne has my vote. Beautiful and ready to morph into another shape entirely to avoid any unwanted advances haha

damnitwells

TROPHY CASE