Vet Blog: Information and Advice from Dr. Eric Barchas, DVM
08/24/08
 I have a real simple question. I have a kitty
that is around 8 weeks old now. It has started to
eat food and drink water. The problem is that
the mother cat still wants to nurse this kitty and
its sibling. I was wondering, is it possible
that this will make the kitten vomit? Drinking
water and momma’s milk?
Carol
Cleveland, OH
It shouldn’t be a problem.
As any parent who has breast fed knows, weaning is a gradual process. In all mammals a normal transitional period occurs. During this period the infant nurses and consumes other forms of food and water. Over time, a complete transition away from nursing occurs.
I am troubled by your reference to vomiting. Are the kittens vomiting regularly? If so, you should have a vet check them out. (Actually, by eight weeks of age, a vet already should have checked them out! They need vaccines and deworming medications.)
However, if your kittens are not vomiting, then it sounds like they are going through a normal weaning process.
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08/22/08
 Doctor, a friend has a female with four kittens.
Most of the kittens have swollen watery eyes. Is
this a serious illness? I am planning to adopt one
of the kittens. I don’t want to get a sick
kitten.
Vicki
Duncan, Oklahoma
Eye infections are very common in kittens. Usually they are not serious.
Because their immune systems are immature, kittens are highly susceptible to a number of viruses and bacteria that can cause swollen, weepy eyes. The most common offenders, herpes and Chlamydia, sound like venereal diseases. They aren’t. They are ubiquitous infectious agents, and almost every cat on earth contracts one or both of these germs at some point. Most are exposed as kittens.
The weepy eyes may take several weeks to clear up. A veterinarian should assess the kittens to make sure that nothing more serious is going on.
In rare cases, severe eye infections in kittens can lead to permanent damage and long-term eye and sinus issues. However, this is not common at all.
Therefore, the chances are very good that the kitten you are about to adopt does not have a major problem.
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08/08/08
 My husband and I have been raising an infant
kitten since he was 10 days old. He’s almost eight
weeks old now and still refuses to eat anything
but formula from a bottle. We’ve tried several
types of food, several flavors, even went as far
as plain old tuna fish and he turns his nose up at
everything. Any suggestions on how to get him off
the bottle? Thanks!
Diane
Port Charlotte, FL
The most effective way to wean a kitten off of formula is to do it, as the word wean implies, gradually.
The first step is to eliminate the bottle from the equation. Offer him formula from a bowl or saucer. Warm formula may be more enticing. Some bottle-fed kittens are happiest if they are held by a person during feeding, so experiment with that. As well, it may be effective to start feeding your kitten with a bottle, and then remove the bottle and immediately offer formula in a saucer.
Once your kitten is regularly drinking from the saucer, add increasing amounts of high-quality kitten food to the formula at each meal. Over time you should be able to eliminate the formula completely.
Most kittens are weaned by six to eight weeks of age. However, each kitten is an individual. A kitten that is not fully weaned at 10 weeks is not abnormal. Be patient and keep trying the tricks above. Eventually he’ll come around.
One final note: don’t try to wean your kitten forcibly by withholding the bottle altogether. If he refuses to drink from a saucer, let him have the bottle (but continue to employ the tactics listed above). A few extra weeks of formula shouldn’t hurt him.
See related Vet Blog entries:
07/19/08
Different people have told me not to let my cats
drink milk as they can’t digest it. All my life
my cats have had milk to drink. Should I continue
to give them small quantities of milk? They never
get much at a time, just a small amount. Thanks.
Sandy
Prineville, OR
 When I was a young child, one of my daily habits was giving the leftover milk from my breakfast cereal to my cat, Patches. He enjoyed the routine and lapped up the milk with relish. He never suffered any adverse consequences from the milk he consumed.
Several years later, I decided to repeat the ritual with a different cat, Mandy. Mandy seemed to enjoy the milk as much as Patches. However, an hour later she wasn’t so happy. She was in the litter box producing explosive diarrhea. I felt very sorry for Mandy (and also a bit sorry for my father, who had to clean the litter box).
It turns out that some cats, like some humans, are lactose intolerant. Others are not. If your cat can tolerate a bit of milk every now and then without suffering adverse effects, go ahead and use it as a treat. But if the milk makes her sick, then you should avoid it.
I am going to invoke the tuna caveat here: remember that cats cannot survive on an exclusive diet of milk. Some cats have medical concerns that necessarily will exclude milk from their diet. But for healthy cats with no medical issues, small amounts of milk now and then shouldn’t cause much harm–as long as they are lactose tolerant.
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07/10/08
 My question is simple. We have a very loving cat.
I was wondering though, how can I tell if the cat
is pregnant or not. The kitty was at one time an
outdoor cat and to me it looks as though she is
going to have kittens. Her nipples seem to have
enlarged some. I am not sure though.
Carolyn
Cleveland, OH
If an unspayed cat goes outside while she is in heat, she will come home pregnant. Guaranteed.
The gestation period for cats is approximately 63 days. Therefore, if your cat is intact and she has been outdoors within the last two months, I’ll bet she’s pregnant.
Pregnancy status can be assessed in pets through blood hormone assays during the early stages. During the later stages of pregnancy, X-rays of the abdomen are the simplest way to confirm the presence of fetuses. X-rays also make it possible to determine how many fetuses are developing in the womb.
Based on your description, it sounds like your cat may be close to term. I recommend that you have a vet examine her and take X-rays in order to know how many kittens will be needing homes. It is your responsibility to find those homes.
As well, talk to your vet about having your cat spayed after the kittens are born. Otherwise, you can expect to repeat this process twice each year.
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06/21/08
Hi,
We have a new Boston Terrier pup (9 weeks) who
tested positive for coccidia but has no symptoms
yet. Our vet has prescribed a 7 day course of
Albon. However, some other people have told me
that she needs a 28 day treatment regimen. Do you
think that this is necessary or should I just do
the 7 day treatment and follow up with the vet
next month (we see her for vaccines then)?
Also- could my cat catch this from my puppy?
Thanks!
Beth
Stoneham, MA
Coccidia are microscopic parasites that are incredibly common in puppies and kittens. Some animals can tolerate Coccidia infestations without showing any symptoms. Others develop diarrhea. In severely afflicted young pets, profuse diarrhea can lead to dehydration, failure to grow and severe illness.
Sadly, there is no perfect treatment for Coccidia. Albon is used to arrest the reproduction of the organisms within the intestinal tract. However, in the long run it is up to the pet’s immune system to tackle and eliminate the parasites.
Because every pet’s immune system is unique, some pets need to take Albon longer than others. I have known some puppies and kittens who had to take it for a month or more before they were cured. I have known others who cleared the parasite on their own, without any medication whatsoever.
Since your puppy isn’t showing symptoms, I think it is reasonable to start with a less aggressive treatment plan. It sounds like her immune system is already fighting the Coccidia. I’d recommend that you complete the seven day course of Albon. Have her stool tested after the medicine runs out. If parasites are still present, your vet can prescribe more medicine.
If your cat is an adult, it is extremely unlikely that the parasites will spread to her. Adult animals with fully-developed immune systems almost never contract Coccidia.
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I have a real simple question. I have a kitty
You have questions. 