Gastrointestinal Problems in Kittens

Symptoms

• Kittens in gastrointestinal distress will vomit, have loose stools and may suffer from a decreased appetite, according to the Middlesex County Animal Hospital website. These conditions can quickly lead to dehydration and low blood sugar levels, conditions that are life-threatening in kittens. Constipation and a loss of appetite can occur after your kitten ingests a foreign body that leads to a blockage in the intestines. Blood in your kitten's stool or vomit may indicate a parasitic infection, viral infection or chronic inflammatory condition. For kittens transitioning from their mother's milk to solid foods, a small amount of diarrhea may occur, but continued, acute loose stools indicate a medical issue.

Gastrointestinal Parasites

• Your kitten may suffer from a gastrointestinal parasite, which can compromise its health and lead to viral or bacterial infections. Roundworms, one of the most common parasites in kittens, live in the young cat's intestines and can multiply into numbers great enough to cause an intestinal blockage, according to the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine website. Kittens who ingest fleas may become infected with tapeworms, which look like small grains of rice in the kitten's feces and rectum. Less common in the United States, both whipworms and stomach worms can infect kittens. Protozoan parasites infect your kitten's intestines, and include giardia, isospora and toxoplasma. Kittens get these parasites from eating these organisms in their egg stage, also called cysts, from the feces of other animals. Isospora in older cats is not dangerous but can cause significant illness in kittens. To help prevent these parasites, keep your kitten and its living area as clean and sanitary as possible to avoid contact with both protozoan and worm-like parasites.

Medical Conditions

• Your kitten can inherit certain medical conditions that affect its stomach and intestines by causing chronic inflammation. Some parasites or other diseases can also cause these conditions to manifest in kittens. Colitis, a chronic inflammation of the lining of the colon, has a variety of causes including whipworms, dietary changes, tumors, polyps, food allergies or other diseases, according to the experts at Hill's Pet Nutrition. Kittens develop gastroenteritis, the inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract, from eating toxic plants, spoiled food or other foreign objects. Parasites, stress and food allergies can also contribute to this disease. Pancreatitis, the inflammation of the pancreas, may come from an infection, trauma or high-fat foods.

Considerations

• A kitten with extremely loose or bloody stools may suffer from gastrointestinal disease or parasites and requires prompt veterinary attention. Constipation may indicate an intestinal blockage. Add 1 drop of vegetable oil to your kitten's formula or wet food once per day to resolve the constipation. If it does not improve after about 48 hours, seek medical assistance. For kittens with suspected gastrointestinal issues, your veterinarian will run a series of tests to diagnose the cause. These tests include a complete blood count, urinalysis, multiple fecal tests, biochemical profile, abdominal radiographs and run a test for both feline leukemia and feline immunodeficiency virus, according to Bari Spielman, DVM of the petplace.com website. The doctor may administer fluids to your kitten and give it medication to calm its digestive tract, coat the intestinal lining and stop vomiting or diarrhea. After stabilizing your kitten's condition, your veterinarian will decide on a treatment plan based on the cause of your kitten's illness.