Catnip problem

[kado]

Well its me again. I have a question about Catnip. I give it to all of my cats inside and out. The shopkeeper has got 2 new kittens about 5wks ago. I think they are about 12wks old now. As far as i can gather they have had runny poo's at least for the last day or so. She has spoke to the vets about them and she has another cat about 8yrs old. The vet said catnip can give kittens the runs. They are fed on whiskas adult and iams kitten dry. They seem all right in them selfs. She asked me if i had put any catnip down, I do only for my own cats mostly in the house. The vet said if they do not improve she has too bring them in tomorrow and they possibley could be kept in. She thinks her cat is bringing catnip in on his tail and passing it on to the kittens. Now i am to frightened to put it down incase i upset any cats. I have been upset about it all day. About 5 years ago i had 2 very young kittens die from flea anemia i had them for 9 days and 4weeks so i started to think it was that. Sorry its been a long one

jane

[dandysmom]

Kado, I have never heard of catnip causing runny poo in kittens; sure it must be something else causing it; and doubt very much of the cat could bring enough in on his tail anyway! Something else must be upsetting their system and it would be wise for them to be seen by the vet. And shouldn't they be on kitten food at their age instead of adult? Also, most kittens show no interest at all in catnip, and a small portion of adults are uninterested in it too.

[kado]

Thats what i thought guinness is the only one that doesnt like it that much. I didnt think that he could bring enough in on his tail either. I think they are on the adult food because they wouldnt eat the kitten and kept eating the older cats food. I made the same mistake with my cats in the begining and they ended up with runny poo's by changing food to quick. I havent given any catnip directley to them either i have only seen them through the upstairs window and they havent been out yet. She said that the vet said dont give them any toys with catnip in as well.

jane

[dandysmom]

Strange what the vet said; I hope someone with more experience with this will post. As to the adult food, actually I was just parroting the official line about no adult food for kittens--- in truth when I got Dandy he absolutely spurned his kitten food and gobbled the girls adult food....grew into a healthy happy adult. The girls were delighted to finish up the supply of kitten food I'd gotten for him; they loved it and never had any problems ....I pick fresh catnip for Leia during the growing season, but she never rolls in it or gets silly; she just quietly eats it...cats are funny, aren't they?

[kado]

I have just spoke to the kittens owner they still have poo's and they smell they have been running around. They have also beign tearing off wall paper in the kitchen i wonder if they could have eaten some?

jane

[dandysmom]

I suppose it's possible; goodness knows what the wallpaper was made of, or the paste that attached it...?? But at least they seem lively and active; hope the vet will get to the bottom of the problem (no pun intended!)

[kado]

I know what my cats do if left alone in the bathroom. We had too strip the paper as they had clawed most of it. Kay loves to pick up the toilet roll from where i hide it and sit with it on the toilet and rip it to shreads. I dont half go through a lot of toilet rolls.

jane

[charliebubs]

I've never heard of catnip causing runny poo

My cats are all exposed to catnip (fresh and dried) and I've never seen or noticed any problems associated with it.

It'll be interesting to see what the vet has to say.

[kado]

Update on kittens. Spoke to the kittens owner this this morning. She took the to the vets yesterday and he said it was proberley a change of food. Both kittens poo has nearly gone back to normal now and they have both being inoculated as well yesterday.

jane

[Mags]

That's good news Jane! I didn't think the catnip could possibly have caused the problem...