My foster kitten has diarrhea, bent paws, and cries. Is he in pain?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. There is definitely a possibility of congenital defect. He could be the runt of the litter, he could have dwarfism, or he could just have an abnormal skeleton. The runt of the litter or a "depressed", poor doing kitten often has an underlying reason for being that way. Is there a liver shunt? Heart defect? Brain abnormality? If you want to know for sure, you'd need to see a vet who may be able to tell some based on the physical exam but who may also recommend bloodwork and/or x-rays. Pain assessment is difficult to begin with in cats but I certainly could not tell you if he were in pain without an exam. My gut says he is likely not painful because he is eating and resting comfortably - but again, no way to know for sure without an exam. Long story short, get a vet involved soon to help weigh in on what might be going on. For now, keep doing what you're doing: feed him plenty, love on him lots, treat him gently, and keep watching. Best of luck to you and the kitten!

Yes, a spinal deformity can result in fecal incontinence. It is unlikely that this will improve and there Is no specific treatment for it. He may have other deformity problems also and they may be causing him pain. Unless you can clean Allister every time he poops to prevent sores, and can eliminate his discomfort I don’t think it’s in his best interest to live like that. Our job is to be the animal’s advocate. My assessment is that if he is uncomfortable and unable to maintain his mobility and cleanliness then euthanasia is a humane decision. I’m sure you hate to lose him but it’s not a good life that he’s living. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you get answers to your veterinary questions.

Since he's so young the leg may heal fine on its own. As long as he's eating let him rest and give him a day or two to get better. If he stops eating or the shaking and tremors worsen please take him in for an exam. There is no safe. human pain medication for cats or kittens. Hopefully he'll improve. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Mystery.

I am sorry to hear Boronito has a hurt paw. There may be many causes for this including a puncture wound to the paw, some foreign material stuck between his paws, or a fracture to the limb. If he is shaking, he is probably in a lot of pain and discomfort from the injury. He will need an x-ray of the limb and an exam of the paw to determine what the cause may be. He may also need to be on pain medications or other medications as needed as well. Unfortunately, there is nothing that can be done from home except for trying to immobilizing the limb. There are no safe pain medications to give cats over the counter. I have included an article below about ways to make veterinary visits less expensive. The best thing for him is to see a veterinarian at this point. http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/resources/tips/trouble_affording_veterinary_care.html

Poor kitten! Trouble with defecation and walking usually means there is a problem with the anatomy of the hind end (birth defect), a neurologic problem, or an injury to the nerves and muscles of that area. There are no over-the-counter pain medications that are safe to give a kitten. It is difficult to give advise for comforting him without knowing the cause of the problem. Allow him to be in the position that is most comfortable for him until you can take him to the vet. I hope he feels better soon!

I would still recommend taking your kitten into the veterinarian to have an x-ray performed. She may have fractured the leg and just have a small hairline fracture without bone displacement. She would still need a splint or cast placed to help the bone heal. She may also benefit from some pain medication as well. As for the blood in her stool, I would recommend having a fecal examination performed by your veterinarian. It is very common for young kittens like this to have intestinal parasites that need to be treated with specific dewormers. There are other causes of blood in the stool as well such as dietary indiscretion, foreign bodies, viruses, or stress. Your kitten will likely need antibiotics and a dewormer to help the diarrhea clear up. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.

It does look like the abnormal claw is causing irritation to the pad. I would recommend having Ally examined by a vet to see if the claw should be removed to treat chronic pain or if it simply needs to be trimmed. The vet can also discuss her cold symptoms to determine if it needs treatment or just time.