orphan kitty with diarrhea

Question
Hi,
I have been raising a male kitty that was orphaned at 1 week old. He is now almost 8 weeks old. I started feeding him dry and canned food a week or so ago, and he now  has adjusted great to it, although still wants some milk occasionally. My problem is that he has had runny, brown colored, diarrhea from day one! It is now to the point that I have to monitor his litter box use, and when he has a bowel movement, grab him quick and wash his entire lower body. This happens once to twice a day and each time is a real MESS! Other than this he is seems to be fine, playing, running and acting adorable. Do you have any idea what could be causing this or what I can do about it? I am on SSI disability so I really do not have the funds to get him to a vet. I am praying you might have some advice for me....
Thank you,
Vicki

Answer
Hi, Vicki.  Thanks for volunteering your time and dedication to raise this little one.

Unfortunately, there isn't anything you can do here except get him to a vet.  If the diarrhea has been going on this long, there's got to be some medical cause behind it that is obviously not going to resolve on its own.

There are a few things extremely common in kittens.  With diarrhea this constant and severe, the first thing we thing of is a parasitic protozoan infection.  Coccidiosis (caused by coccidia) and giardiasis (caused by giardia) are the two most common.  These are extremely severe infections, known to kill humans, let alone tiny kittens.  If not treated, they take the lives of too many kittens.  The kitten doesn't get enough nutrients from the food he eats, his growth is stunted, his immune system is altered, he is usually dehydrated, and his health can go downhill very quickly.  It's a good sign he has made it to 8 weeks old.  You have obviously been taking good care of him!  But it is still something that needs to be treated.  I have seen it debilitate fully grown cats.

Coccidiosis and giardiasis are treatable with prescription antibiotics.  Antibiotics don't kill the germs.  They prevent them from reproducing adequately.  Once the number of germs is limited, it's up to the kitten's immune system to keep the growth under control.  It can take several weeks of treatment, and a few different antibiotics, to see an improvement.

Another thing that we think of are parasitic worms which live in the stomach and intestines.  There are three main ones in kittens - roundworms, hookworms, and tapeworms.  Roundworms are the most common.  Kittens are said to be "born" with them.  That's not quite accurate.  But the worms are passed to the kitten through breast milk within the first few days of life.  Nearly every kitten gets them.  Roundworms are also the ones which most commonly cause diarrhea.   However, diarrhea associated with worms is usually not so constant.  Some bowel movements are normal, some are loose, and it generally isn't as severe as you mention.  Vomiting and gas are also common with roundworms.  There are over-the-counter medications for cats and kittens to treat for roundworms.  The active ingredient is piperazine.  This does not kill hookworms or tapeworms.  

Tapeworms don't necessarily cause the kitten any harm.  Aside from a voracious appetite, most cats don't suffer any ill effects.  So I wouldn't necessarily suspect your kitten has tapeworms.  There is also an over-the-counter treatments for tapeworms - Tape Worm Tabs.

Hookworms do cause diarrhea.  And these are the most dangerous of all intestinal worms.  Rather than feeding on your kitten's food, they actually feed on his blood.  Hookworm infestations often cause anemia, which you probably know can be deadly.  Young kittens often need life-saving blood transfusions if the infestation is severe.  Hookworms cannot be treated over-the-counter.  They require a prescription from the vet.

You may want to apply for some veterinary assistance here:
http://www.fveap.org/sys-tmpl/door/

Also, if you call local shelters and vets and explain your situation, they may be willing to set up payment plans with you or offer you discounted services and medications.

Good luck to you both!