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Cat Forum / Health and Behavior / January 2004Whiskers breaking off
The whiskers of my girlfriend's 6 month old kitten have been breaking off since before he was adopted from a shelter. He's also kind've bony for his age (only 6 lbs). Everyone remarks that they can feel his ribs and spine more than with other kittens, including more than a slinky 5 month old Siamese male who is his companion kitten. He seems to eat normally; Eukaneuba and a couple other "high quality" processed kitten foods. How do we correct his problems? Is it nutritional? Was wondering whether we should get some fish oil to put on his food. > The whiskers of my girlfriend's 6 month old kitten have been breaking off > since before he was adopted from a shelter. He's also kind've bony for his [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > How do we correct his problems? Is it nutritional? Was wondering whether we > should get some fish oil to put on his food. BTW, the kitten is not a Cornish Rex (broken whiskers a trait of that breed). He's a grayish "tiger" kitty with spots, stripes, tail rings, bracelets, M on forehead, black toes, etc. >The whiskers of my girlfriend's 6 month old kitten have been breaking off >since before he was adopted from a shelter. He's also kind've bony for his >age (only 6 lbs). Kittens sometimes play rough and break their whiskers. Other kittens sometimes nibble on cagemates whiskers. Some kittens are just skinny while some are fat, just like humans. Siamese are generally very slim so if he's slimmer than a 5 month old siamese, that's pretty slim. Of course he could have worms. Did he ever get an initial vet visit, testing and vaccines? Maybe he has fleas and worms? Make sure he's still eating his wet kitten food along with dry. If he continues to be skinny, I'd take him to the vet. > >The whiskers of my girlfriend's 6 month old kitten have been breaking off > >since before he was adopted from a shelter. He's also kind've bony for his [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > worms? Make sure he's still eating his wet kitten food along with dry. If he > continues to be skinny, I'd take him to the vet. Yeah, he got an initial visit to the vet and two more visits since that one, and he's been adopted for only 3 weeks now. No worms, no fleas, but he did initially have ear mites. The kittens sure do play rough though. It would be a coincidence if both the Siamese and whatever cagemate the little fella was with in the shelter's cage both nibbled on his whiskers. We haven't spotted the Siamese doing that to him yet. He doesn't get much wet kitten food, partly because we don't want to spoil him and partly because there are only 2 brands of wet kitten food locally available. circa Tue, 20 Jan 2004 05:08:38 GMT, in rec.pets.cats.health+behav, Knack (zok9NOSPAM@hotmail.com) said, > Yeah, he got an initial visit to the vet and two more visits since that one, > and he's been adopted for only 3 weeks now. No worms, no fleas, but he did [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > partly because we don't want to spoil him and partly because there are only > 2 brands of wet kitten food locally available. Good to hear he's had the vet visit. I would not limit his food intake, *particularly* wet food, as wet food is better for him, and his weight indicates that he really needs more calories. Laura  SignatureI am Dyslexia of Borg, Your a.s will be laminated. > circa Tue, 20 Jan 2004 05:08:38 GMT, in rec.pets.cats.health+behav, > Knack (zok9NOSPAM@hotmail.com) said, [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > intake, *particularly* wet food, as wet food is better for him, and > his weight indicates that he really needs more calories. I've read that for processed foods, dry food is better for kittens than wet food. And that could explain why there are several times as many dry kitten foods available as there are wet kitten foods. Just came across some info about Cystine at http://anrvitamins.com/glossary/cystine.html Human hair and skin are made up 10-14% Cystine. I imagine that the same is true for cats. Wondering whether such a supplement could help the little fella. circa Wed, 21 Jan 2004 00:06:59 GMT, in rec.pets.cats.health+behav, Knack (zok9NOSPAM@hotmail.com) said, > > > 2 brands of wet kitten food locally available. > > > [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > true for cats. Wondering whether such a supplement could help the little > fella. Well, regardless, I'd definitely not limit his food intake until he gets a little weight on him. :-) As for why I generally think canned food is better than dry: http://cats.about.com/cs/kittencare/a/kitten_food.htm http://cats.about.com/cs/catfood/a/canned_food.htm http://cats.about.com/cs/catfood/a/tipsforchoosing.htm Good luck with the little guy! Laura SignatureI am Dyslexia of Borg, Your a.s will be laminated. circa Wed, 21 Jan 2004 00:06:59 GMT, in rec.pets.cats.health+behav, Knack (zok9NOSPAM@hotmail.com) said, > I've read that for processed foods, dry food is better for kittens than wet > food. And that could explain why there are several times as many dry kitten > foods available as there are wet kitten foods. > > Just came across some info about Cystine at > http://anrvitamins.com/glossary/cystine.html Another link, which specifically discusses supplements: http://www.supervet.co.uk/cat/kittenfeed.html Laura SignatureI am Dyslexia of Borg, Your a.s will be laminated. circa Mon, 19 Jan 2004 23:29:54 GMT, in rec.pets.cats.health+behav, Knack (zok9NOSPAM@hotmail.com) said, > The whiskers of my girlfriend's 6 month old kitten have been breaking off > since before he was adopted from a shelter. He's also kind've bony for his [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > How do we correct his problems? Is it nutritional? Was wondering whether we > should get some fish oil to put on his food. Has the cat had a thorough veterinary checkup? Laura SignatureI am Dyslexia of Borg, Your a.s will be laminated. > circa Mon, 19 Jan 2004 23:29:54 GMT, in rec.pets.cats.health+behav, > Knack (zok9NOSPAM@hotmail.com) said, [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > > > Has the cat had a thorough veterinary checkup? Pretty thorough, yes. Three times to the vet already during the three weeks since he was adopted. He also has incurably squinty eyes despite the medicated ointment he's given twice each day. And he shakes his head for no apparent reason; even after we killed and cleaned away his ear mites (he was examined again for that). Poor little fella. He seems happy and playful though. circa Tue, 20 Jan 2004 05:13:44 GMT, in rec.pets.cats.health+behav, Knack (zok9NOSPAM@hotmail.com) said, > Pretty thorough, yes. Three times to the vet already during the three weeks > since he was adopted. He also has incurably squinty eyes despite the > medicated ointment he's given twice each day. And he shakes his head for no > apparent reason; even after we killed and cleaned away his ear mites (he was > examined again for that). Poor little fella. He seems happy and playful > though. Well, he could have leftover goopiness from the mites in his ears, I suppose, or even wax and whatever treatment goop was used. :-) I'd say if he's getting a clean bill of health, just feed him lots. :-) Laura SignatureI am Dyslexia of Borg, Your a.s will be laminated. circa Tue, 20 Jan 2004 06:44:53 GMT, in rec.pets.cats.health+behav, Laura R. (usefirstinitialandlastname@technologist.com) said, > > Pretty thorough, yes. Three times to the vet already during the three weeks > > since he was adopted. He also has incurably squinty eyes despite the [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > suppose, or even wax and whatever treatment goop was used. :-) I'd > say if he's getting a clean bill of health, just feed him lots. :-) Also, I'm assuming that the vet has ruled out neurological issues? Laura SignatureI am Dyslexia of Borg, Your a.s will be laminated. > circa Tue, 20 Jan 2004 06:44:53 GMT, in rec.pets.cats.health+behav, > Laura R. (usefirstinitialandlastname@technologist.com) said, [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > > > Also, I'm assuming that the vet has ruled out neurological issues? No mention of that from the vet... yet. Next time we'll ask specifically about that. We rescued a Siamese kitten with similar problems (thin, light-sensitive eyes, frail in general). He was tested (FIV/FeLv), checked/treated for parasites inside and out, and finally fostered by our favorite vet staffer to give him the attention he needed to thrive. He has since been adopted and seems to be doing well (his owner is a client of our vets). In your place, I would consider consulting a new vet. If you would like to consult with "Nemo's" foster mom, I could get you in touch. Get back to me at the following address: sharon@campuscats.org Knack <zok9NOSPAM@hotmail.com> wrote in rec.pets.cats.health+behav: > The whiskers of my girlfriend's 6 month old kitten have been > breaking off since before he was adopted from a shelter. Just needs a good conditioner. ;) |
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