5 month old kitten recently has had diarrhea

Question
About two days ago, my female 5 month old kitten began having Diarrhea, then when I woke up this morning I saw that she had been sick. I also noticed that she has been drinking more than usual, so I put that down to regaining the fluid in her body that she lost through Diarrhea. She isn't lethargic and is still running around the house as usual. She couldn't have caught anything from other cats as she is an indoor cat so I was just wondering what might be the cause of the Diarrhea and sick? I'm definitely taking her to the vets tomorrow. But I was just curious to know if this is normal in kittens at this age or if this shouldn't be occuring. Thanks, Charlotte.

Answer
Charlotte,

By the time you get this, you've likely taken your kitten to the vet and have your answer.  My guess is that she ate something that didn't agree with her, or had a little gastritis (inflammation of the stomach).  The gastritis is something the kitten (and you) will just have to ride out; however, like you've correctly stated, the diarrhea combined with the vomiting can cause rapid dehydration in a kitten.  Therefore, keeping a close eye on her until she starts feeling better is important, because dehydration can and will sneak up on a kitten so quick, you won't know what happened, and in a kitten, it can be life threatening.  The other possibility it could be is that she's developed an allergy or sensitivity to a food you're feeding her--or I should say, a protein.  

Some cats, kittens included, develop allergies or sensitivities to certain protein sources.  The most common is chicken, followed by beef.  These allergies occur because we feed them too frequently, and just like humans, when we're constantly exposed to something, we can sometimes develop an allergy to it.  Many vets don't think to consider this, because the majority of vets don't have adequate nutrition education.  The only way to know for sure if this is not an allergy is to stop feeding the protein source you're currently feeding.  If you're feeding chicken, stop the chicken and change to another diet, but whatever you do, don't feed anything that contains chicken in it.  That means you have to check and read EVERY label, because most everything has chicken in it.  But by stopping the protein completely, that is the only way to see if your kitten feels better.  Even though your kitten is only 5 mos old, it doesn't mean she can't have developed an allergy.  While less common, it's still possible.  

That said, it's less likely she has developed a food allergy/sensitivity than a gastritis or just eating something that didn't agree with her.  The fact that she's still active and playing is good and bodes well for her.  Just be sure to keep her hydrated.  You can do this by allowing her to drink some Pedialyte (unflavored), which can be found in the baby aisle in your grocery store or drug store.  It is given to human babies when they're dehydrated, and is safe to give to cats and kittens.  

Again, by now, you've probably got your answer, so hopefully this response finds your kitten better and doing well.  

Savannah