Cat Chat Feline Forum

We adopted two kittens 5 weeks ago. They settled in beautifully and although our older cat isn't a fan of the boy kitten, she plays chase with the girl sometimes. Now, I have to stress that while the older cat isn't taking to them so well (she'll eat near them, be in the same room with them but she's changed towards me completely. Once affectionate and very much 'my cat', she'll hardly let me stroke her. ), the kittens are both happy as larry.

However, since the moment we got them home, the girl kitten has had a runny bottom. Almost every single stool has been at least very soft. We've had both kittens checked out, and we did stool samples for her. Everything completely clear, which is great. But she still has loose stools. Now the boy kitten has begun having the same problem!! His are a pale brown and almost entirely liquid (not to mention noisy!!).

We've got them on plain cooked chicken and white fish, morning and night, then sensitive stomach biscuits at lunch time.

They're both still putting on weight, they're incredibly (sometimes annoyingly, lol) active. I've had cats all my life and I know when a cat is really ill. They both seem completely fine.

But the vet couldn't give me any ideas at all on why their poo is so runny! Any ideas at all??

I don't have a whole lot of experience with kittens, but the few I have had here all seem to have gone through a phase of runny poos! I believe kitten food can be quite rich, but if you're feeding plain fish and chicken then that can't be it. It might just be the change in diet that has upset their systems?

If you've had them checked out and nothing seems to be wrong, I'm afraid i'm stuck too. How old are they?

They'll be four months old on 5th June.

I think we may have turned a corner. My husband went out yesterday and bought sensitive stomach biscuits, and I ordered some Gourmet cat food (because it's far higher quality than most cat foods I've seen). We've been giving them chicken or fish in the morning, sensitive biscuits at lunch time and Gourmet at night. So far...solid poos all round!! Wohoo!

Can honestly I've never been so distracted by poo before.

Now I just need to work on our older cat! She'll be four in July and she's just not settling with the kittens as well as I'd like. She used to be my shadow, demanding attention and laying on my desk, all over my stuff, in an effort to get it. These days she'll barely let me stroke her. I'm crushed to think I've upset her that much by bringing the kittens in. The husband thinks it's a time issue but it's been 5 weeks. Worried I'll never get her back the way she used to be.

Hope your little ones are feeling better soon and the pooh obsession can wane

I'm sure your older girl will settle down eventually, especially is she's already peaceable with them. I think it can take quite a while before cats fully adjust to newcomers - at least 6 weeks and even then they're not truly settled. Our latest boy has been with us for 10 weeks now, and things are getting better each week. Your girl will not be as relaxed at the moment because there are still alien cats in her territory, but all being well she will eventually forget that they are alien and her more relaxed, happy personality should return.

Fusses to your lovely girl and your little mischiefs!