Feeling like a bad cat mom - cats have coccidia

[StitchesGr8Fan]

A month ago DFH and I adopted a second kitten to keep our 11 month old kitten company. Turns out the new guy had coccidia. We gave them both Albon for 2 weeks, and I bleached everything I could. 7 days off the medication and the tummy troubles are back, in both of then now. Vet gave stronger doses of Albon for another 2 weeks and I spent 2 hours last night bleaching litter pans. They are eating drinking and playing, just having tummy troubles. But I feel so guilty for having gotten the new kitten which made the older one sick, and for not doing enough to get rid of the parasite the first time. I don't know what more I can do. I'm scooping the litter 3 times or more a day. I'm feeling like the worst cat mom ever.

 

[Tinker Bell Fan]

I'm so sorry about your kittens and what you are going through. I've never had to deal with coccidia but I've heard about it.

My thoughts & prayers are with you and the kittens and hopefully everything will be ok.

 

[Soldier's*Sweeties]

A month ago DFH and I adopted a second kitten to keep our 11 month old kitten company. Turns out the new guy had coccidia. We gave them both Albon for 2 weeks, and I bleached everything I could. 7 days off the medication and the tummy troubles are back, in both of then now. Vet gave stronger doses of Albon for another 2 weeks and I spent 2 hours last night bleaching litter pans. They are eating drinking and playing, just having tummy troubles. But I feel so guilty for having gotten the new kitten which made the older one sick, and for not doing enough to get rid of the parasite the first time. I don't know what more I can do. I'm scooping the litter 3 times or more a day. I'm feeling like the worst cat mom ever.

Things can happen to any animal! Don't feel bad...

 

[dakcp2001]

Did the vet retest for coccidia? My cats as on the medicine longer than 2 weeks, about a month I think.Same issue, found a sad little kitten all starved and gross, took him home and cleaned him up and he gave my big cat coccidia. For us, we realized we had cleaned the whole box, but forgot to clean the SCOOP. lol. Clean your scoop. Or just throw it all away and buy new.

 

[StitchesGr8Fan]

Did the vet retest for coccidia? My cats as on the medicine longer than 2 weeks, about a month I think.Same issue, found a sad little kitten all starved and gross, took him home and cleaned him up and he gave my big cat coccidia. For us, we realized we had cleaned the whole box, but forgot to clean the SCOOP. lol. Clean your scoop. Or just throw it all away and buy new.

I bleached EVERYTHING, pans, scoops, toys. Good reminder too. This time I also bleached the litter lockers, the floor, and the walls.

 

[torinsmom]

I know how you feel. I got two kittens two years ago, and thought since they had been vaccinated, I assumed everything would be fine. A week or so after I got them, one of my older cats got really sick, wouldn't eat or drink and was drooling really bad. Turned out he had calicivirus. He almost died and had to have antibiotics, fluids and pain meds. Then the other older cat got it on her nose and had open sores. Luckily, she recovered more easily. Evidently, they can carry the virus on their fur and the little ones carried it in and infected the older ones. One of the kittens had it too, but I didn't discover that until she had teeth troubles, and by then, it had erroded the bone that holds the teeth in and she lost all her teeth except the front 8 All my cats are fine now BTW.

All this is to show you that even the best pet parents can have these things happen. You are obviously a caring person, who has done everything she can to help her babies through this. It sounds like you are really watching to see the signs and following up with your vet.

One question---did the vet suggest changing their food while they are having tummy troubles? Just wondering if that might give them some relief. I had to give my first cat chicken and beef baby food for a bit when she was a kitten. She just couldn't digest regular cat food.

Good luck and please don't feel bad!

 

[StitchesGr8Fan]

Thinking about it, the first time I cleaned the scoop, but not the holder on the litter locker. I bet that's the answer!

 

[StitchesGr8Fan]

Called the vet this morning as the diarrhea is worse. They are still eating and drinking and playing but I'm so scared I'm shaking. I have now separated them so I can see who is doing what. Please say prayers that my babies get better. Hurry up and call vet!

 

[StitchesGr8Fan]

Vet called back. He is switching them to metronidazole. I made the mistake of looking it up online and now I'm afraid of the side effects. But I will pick the prescription up this afternoon and give it to them because I want my babies to get better.

 

[torinsmom]

Vet called back. He is switching them to metronidazole. I made the mistake of looking it up online and now I'm afraid of the side effects. But I will pick the prescription up this afternoon and give it to them because I want my babies to get better.

I have learned to never look up side effects for drugs, whether for humans or pets. They are always the worst case scenario. I'd ask what to look out for when I picked up the medicine.

 

[StitchesGr8Fan]

Thanks for the reality check Torinsmom. I needed it. I've got this all built up in my head

 

[torinsmom]

Thanks for the reality check Torinsmom. I needed it. I've got this all built up in my head

It's totally normal though. Like I said, as the vet what to watch for and if there is anything else you can do to support them. I would make sure they have plenty of water, since they are having diarrhea, just to make sure they don't get dehydrated. It sounds like they are otherwise acting normal, which is great! Don't feel bad; these things happen and it sounds like you have been really great at getting the kitties what they need to get them better.

 

[mackeysmom]

I have learned to never look up side effects for drugs, whether for humans or pets. They are always the worst case scenario. I'd ask what to look out for when I picked up the medicine.

I second that.

Very early into nearly 6 months of dealing with Sunny Doodle's intestinal issues, I learned not to go online to check out side effects. You can drive yourself crazy with the what-ifs.

My fingers are crossed that the new medicine will do the trick for you.

- Laura

 

[StitchesGr8Fan]

I second that.

Very early into nearly 6 months of dealing with Sunny Doodle's intestinal issues, I learned not to go online to check out side effects. You can drive yourself crazy with the what-ifs.

My fingers are crossed that the new medicine will do the trick for you.

- Laura

Thanks Laura. Just found out they are getting pills, not a liquid so that should be fun. Anything to make them better!

 

[torinsmom]

Thanks Laura. Just found out they are getting pills, not a liquid so that should be fun. Anything to make them better!

Ask for a pill gun. It's kind of like a syringe, and you shoot the pill further back in their throat. I also found giving the cat some wet food after the pill reduced the chance of the cat bringing the pill back up. I had to give one of my cats pills for hyperthyroid disease for years before she died.

 

[mackeysmom]

Thanks Laura. Just found out they are getting pills, not a liquid so that should be fun. Anything to make them better!

Ask the vet if the pills are bitter. If they aren't bitter, you might have luck with Pill Pockets (made the people who make Greenies). They are basically soft treats that are hollow in the middle to accomodate the pill. Sunny Doodle will eat it just like a treat.

My Mackey (RIP) was on Prozac for a while and it was a very bitter pill - I had such awful trouble giving it to him. I wound up getting it compounded into a transdermal gel which I just swiped into his ear each day. (They recommend the ear since the cat can't reach it to lick it off).

- Laura

 

[StitchesGr8Fan]

First dose of medicine was given 3 hours ago. So far, so good. They actually act like they are feeling better, but I know that isn't possible already. Keeping my fingers crossed.

 

[Maridw]

Prayers that your little ones get better.

I know how you feel about your babies being sick. I currently have two that are at the vets too. One (Gracie) had kittens 4 weeks ago and ended up with an acute case of mastitis. They did a hysterectomy yesterday. Her and her brother are hopefully coming home tomorrow. George had put quite a bit of weight on and then he was having accidents (peeing) just randomly. Come to find out his urethra is too small and was possibly passing stones when he peed.

After he was fixed, his sister (Gracie - they were litter mates) would not have anything to do with him. They had been very close until then. We felt like he was thinking food was his only friend.

We will see what the vet has to say tomorrow about him. We have been hand feeding the 8 babies for the last week. This was an unplanned pregnancy and where most cats has 3-5 kittens, ours had 8. Once they are old enough we will be finding them homes.

 

[horseshowmom]

Thanks Laura. Just found out they are getting pills, not a liquid so that should be fun. Anything to make them better!

Another option that has worked well for me is that squirt cheese in a can. I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it. My son-in-law recommended it.

My daughter's 13 year old cat has a brain tumor and needs medication daily. We started with pills. He couldn't wait to eat them whenever I squirted the cheese all over them. It worked like a charm (eventually had to switch to liquid though because it controls the seizures better, and he HATES the liquid ).

Regarding the coccidia, I recently fostered a litter of pups that had it. While it did make one of them pretty sick (his physical condition was already extremely compromised due to mange and other issues), he recuperated fairly quickly.

I hope your babies are better soon!

 

[StitchesGr8Fan]

Update on the kitties: the pills worked like magic. Within 3 hours of the first dose their tummies calmed down. No scary litter boxes in 3 days. I've been scooping the litter like crazy, and will be doing a deep clean (bleaching everything) right before their last doses. Had to get one of those pill guns to make it easier to give it to them.

Thanks to everyone for the kind words and ideas. Definitely helped ease my anxiety.