Come in immediately if
Any of these: call 2126 7440 now.
- Floppy, hard to wake, unable to suckle
- Cold to the touch (ears, paws, mouth)
- Trembling or seizures
- Repeated vomiting, watery or bloody diarrhoea
- Fast or open-mouth breathing
- No food for a day (under 4 weeks old, even a few hours is dangerous)
- Weight not rising for two days, or falling
First aid
- Warm first: wrap in a dry towel with a towel-covered hot-water bottle beside it, warming slowly over 1 to 2 hours; no hairdryers or hot baths.
- Low blood sugar: if conscious, rub a little sugar water or honey on the gums. If unconscious, gums only; never pour liquid into the mouth.
- Do not feed a cold kitten: a cold gut stops moving, so milk is vomited or inhaled.
- Sugar only buys time. Come in straight after.
Common causes
| Cause | Features |
|---|---|
| Panleukopenia (feline parvovirus) | Highly contagious; vomiting, severe or bloody diarrhoea, collapse; unvaccinated kittens most at risk |
| Intestinal parasites | Roundworm, hookworm, coccidia, Giardia; diarrhoea, pot belly, weight loss, anaemia |
| Cat flu | A blocked nose stops eating, leading to low sugar and dehydration |
| Feeding problems | Cow's milk diarrhoea, wrong formula strength, feeding on the back causing inhalation |
| Flea anaemia | Pale gums, weakness; adult cat or dog parasite products can poison kittens |
At the hospital
- Controlled warming in an incubator with temperature monitoring
- Blood sugar check and glucose by vein or bone-marrow line
- Fluids for dehydration and electrolytes
- Panleukopenia rapid test and stool tests
- Panleukopenia treated in our isolation ward with fluids, anti-nausea drugs and antibiotics
- Kitten-safe dewormers for parasites
Prevention
- Kitten milk replacer, never cow's milk; feed lying on the tummy
- Weigh daily at the same time; healthy kittens gain about 10 to 15 g a day
- Keep rescued kittens apart from resident cats for at least 2 weeks
- Vaccines usually start at 6 to 8 weeks, every 3 to 4 weeks until 16 weeks or older