Vomiting and diarrhea.

Dr. Marie replied:

I don't like it when a young animal has vomiting and diarrhea. Kittens don't have a lot of reserves to fight dehydration and they can get sick very quickly.

There are a number of things that can cause these symptoms, but often we don't know why kittens have vomiting and diarrhea. Generally, I tell people that if a kitten has these symptoms and they are not improving within 24 hours then they should see the vet.

The most important thing to keep an eye on is her appetite. If she doesn't want to eat then this is a sign that she is really unwell.

If she hasn't had any dewormer, this may be a good thing to ask the vet about.

The other main concern when a young kitten is vomiting is if she has eaten something that is causing a partial obstruction. If this happens it is very serious! If she continues to vomit then the vet may want to take an xray to see if there is evidence of an obstruction.

Viruses are possible as well...however if she's vaccinated then these are less likely.

There are some things that can just cause a 1-2 day bout of diarrhea and vomiting so if she seems like she is improving then this could be it.

Unfortunately there is not much home care that you can do to help. I don't recommend changing the diet because cats are not like dogs where you can just feed them chicken and rice. I would stick to the food she has been used to. (Incidentally, kitten chow and fancy feast are not really great quality cat foods. They're not likely causing the intestinal issues but once she is cleared up I might consider a change to something like Iams, Science Diet or Royal Canin).

I wish I could give you more advice, but either this is something that will get better today or, if not, needs veterinary attention.

I hope she is ok!

Dr. Marie.

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