It’s been a challenging two weeks for our family as we’ve navigated the health issues of our two beloved kittens — from tapeworms to Giardia.
If you’ve read my previous post, you’ll know we recently adopted two kittens: Tula and Kivi. They’re both sweet and adorable.
Tula, in a poetic way, embodies his name. In Filipino, Tula means “poem.” Although that’s not the reason he was named that, his facial expressions are melancholic and metamorphic in every sense.
Kivi, on the other hand, is very active. He loves to play and has a big appetite.
When the kittens started spraying, we had them neutered. We thought we had solved one major problem, but two days after their surgery, they both developed diarrhea. The kittens, quite considerately, began sleeping next to their litter boxes so they could quickly relieve themselves. I rushed them to the veterinary ER after Tula had 14 bouts of loose stool, two episodes of vomiting, and a noticeable loss of appetite. He barely touched his food. Things became even more alarming when Kivi started exhibiting the same symptoms.
At the veterinary emergency room, Tula had an accident — and that’s when we discovered they had tapeworms. The vet explained that this could be the root cause of their gastrointestinal symptoms. Both kittens received IV fluids and anti-nausea medication. We were told to monitor them closely for the next 24 hours due to the risk of small bowel obstruction, a potential post-neutering complication. If the vomiting persisted, we were to return to the ER immediately.
Thankfully, the vomiting stopped. However, the diarrhea was relentless and physically draining for the kittens — and emotionally exhausting for us, especially my children, who have been caring for them.
According to Small Door Veterinary:
Tapeworms are internal parasites that are flat and ribbon-like inside the intestines. Segments of these worms often resemble grains of rice or sesame seeds and may be visible in your cat’s stool or near the anus. Cats typically contract tapeworms by ingesting fleas carrying the parasite — often while grooming or by consuming infested prey like rodents or birds.
Our kittens were strays before we adopted them. Although they had received a topical treatment to protect against fleas, ticks, and worms before we brought them home in February, it’s possible they were reinfected during the neutering process or from environmental exposure.
It was a blessing in disguise that I had recently replaced our carpet with laminate flooring — a much easier surface to sanitize. We cleaned everything: furniture, towers, beds, toys, and any linen the kittens had contact with. We used flea and tick spray, and washed all blankets, couch covers, and pillowcases.
Since the kittens couldn’t tolerate their regular food, we switched them to a bland diet of rice porridge and boiled chicken, alternating with boiled fish. They were fed four small meals daily. The vet also recommended adding a teaspoon of unflavored Metamucil to help with their stools. Fortunately, this new diet eased their diarrhea.
However, during a follow-up checkup, both kittens had another episode of loose stool — right there in the clinic. It turned out to be a good thing, because the vet was able to test the fresh stool and diagnose Giardia.
They were prescribed antibiotics, gabapentin, and a probiotic powder. To our surprise, both also had ear infections, which required additional medication.
According to Small Door Veterinary:
Giardia is a single-celled parasite that causes an intestinal infection known as Giardiasis. It’s more common in kittens and immunocompromised cats and spreads easily in shelters and densely populated spaces.
Symptoms include:
- Chronic, foul-smelling diarrhea (sometimes with mucus)
- Vomiting
- Gradual weight loss
- Lethargy or decreased activity
Some cats remain asymptomatic carriers for years, unknowingly spreading the parasite.
Administering medication was a struggle. The kittens fought hard — squirming, scratching, and biting. Who can blame them? Most medications taste awful, even to humans.
To help them take their meds:
- We mixed Metamucil and FortiFlora (the probiotic) into their food.
- We used pill maskers to help them swallow the gabapentin capsules.
- The two antibiotics came in liquid form and had to be given with a syringe — a two-person job until my kids became skilled at it, administering the doses slowly and giving the kittens breaks in between.
I’ll share more about their ear infections in my next post — this one’s already quite long!
It’s always a great idea to have your pets regularly checked by a veterinarian. I’d like to thank the veterinarians and their staff who took such good care of Tula and Kivi.
The Good News
The kittens are doing much better now. Their diarrhea has resolved, and the ear infections have cleared up. They no longer need to wear their soft daisy neck pillows.
Now, the only issue we’re facing is… their cat fights.
Thank you for reading!
If you’ve experienced similar issues with your pets, I’d love to hear from you. Drop a comment below or share this post with someone dealing with the same feline woes.
Clicking through the links on my website may earn me a small affiliate commission. This helps inspire me to write and create more content, allowing me to continue offering it for free. Thank you in advance for your support!