9 Weeks Old Kitten In Pain - Can Not Longer Stand Up

[fosterella]

Last week I posted about the 3 kittens we are fostering asking about when was the right time to handle them to their forever home. Thanks to your advice, they are still with us and are waiting for mom to wean them.
I took them to the vet last week (8 weeks old) for their identification. They were perfectly healthy. Back home, something like 2 days later, I noticed less food was eaten then they were playing less. I first thought they had reached a stage where they needed less food but when they started to be less active, I started to be worried. Another 2 days and 2 of the 3 kittens are back to normal, playing and running all around the place. The third one still seems unwell but the following day he is back eating which is generally a good sign, the days after he is even the fisrt one to eat when I bring fresh food in.
But yesterday, we noticed something was not right with this kitten. He can no longer walk and expresses pain when trying to stand up. Poor thing. I will take him to the vet fisrt thing tomorrow when the clininc re-opens (today is Sunday and no clininc is my area is open).
I don't know if he fell and hurt himself or if he caught some bug last week. Thinking about it he has been bloated for 3 or 4 weeks but some kittens are bloated and that's what the vet told me last week.
We lost a foster kitten to FIP last year and this kitten's behavior reminds me of the little angel we had to put down. But the kitten who had FIP last year never showed any sign of pain.

Our little guy spends his day in the same place. His brother and sister visit him and even sleep with him. Mom checks on him as well, she cleans him. I think they even bring food and toys to him as every time I check on hims there is some food or toys I didn't place there -which I find utterly cute. He is happy to eat the food I bring to
him.
What do you think?

 

[MistyDawn]

Has he ever shown any side of wobbliness or twitchiness? Or does he just seem weak? I lost a pair of sisters to a genetic neurological disease that sounds kind of like this, but I need more details.

 

[StefanZ]

They didnt got vaccinated? Sometimes some react extra strongly to a vaccine.
It could also be he got a strong calici virus "limping calici"
Littermates got just a mild reaction he got stronger than most.
Im guessing though. Good you take him to the vet.

Sweet his family are taking care.

You can try with keeping warmt perhaps by an IR heating lamp. Massage him too esp his limbs.

 

[fosterella]

Has he ever shown any side of wobbliness or twitchiness? Or does he just seem weak? I lost a pair of sisters to a genetic neurological disease that sounds kind of like this, but I need more details.

Thank you very much for your reply. Of the 3 he is the quieter. He is less agile and has difficulty to climb down. This past week, I wouldn't say he was limping but he did not feel as strong on his legs.

They didnt got vaccinated? Sometimes some react extra strongly to a vaccine.
It could also be he got a strong calici virus "limping calici"
Littermates got just a mild reaction he got stronger than most.
Im guessing though. Good you take him to the vet.

Sweet his family are taking care.

You can try with keeping warmt perhaps by an IR heating lamp. Massage him too esp his limbs.

Thank you very much for your input. They did not get vaccinated this time or I would have automatically thought it was a reaction to a vaccine.

We have a a camera in the cats'room. We set it up when Mom was expecting so we could keep an eye on her when we were not home.
I played yesterday's footage to try to understand.
Until 10:am, the kitten plays and walks as he usually does. Then they go for a long 3 hours nap -unfortunately in their cat tree which is just the corner were the camera does not catch them.
When kitten reappears he is in pain.

I then listened to the sound of what happened during those 3 hours hoping to get some hint. At some point, I can hear a sound, then i can see Mom walking on the floor. Then another sound, not a big crash or anything and I hear a cat in pain. He complains for under a minute then the room is silent again. (we were away at that time)
I suspect he fell and hurt himself -well this is what I hope at least, then it's only temporary and hopefully nothing fatal.
I'll know more tomorrow after I've taken him to the vet. Poor little guy.

 

[golondrina]

It does sound as if the little one had a bad fall. Hopefully nothing so troublesome that cannot be "mended" Best luck vith the vet tomorrow. Please keep us updated.

 

[jen]

8 weeks is when vaccines start and since they were at the vet I assume they started their series of vaccines. This may be a vaccine reaction?

 

[jen]

Gaaah sorry I posted without reading apparently, I don't usually do that oops.

 

[Sarthur2]

fosterella

Good detective work on your part to listen to what happened.

I agree that it sounds like the kitten experienced a fall and suffered an injury. Hopefully it is a minor soft tissue injury that will heal quickly.

However, I do recommend a vet check along with a cortisone shot. The vet will check for fractures and the cortisone will help to alleviate inflammation.

Please update us as soon as possible!

 

[fosterella]

Hi Everyone,
Thanks very much for your replies and support.
jen , no worries, it happens to everyone

We are back from the vet and he thinks the kitten fell on his back and bruised it. Nothing seems broken, legs, hips, etc... all seems right, only his back hurts.
I was given anti inflamatory to administrate for 5 days. Vet thinks he should be back to normal within 48hrs and if after 5 days nothing has improved then, I should take him back for x-rays.

I nearly had to take the entire family to the vet as they were all getting back in the box as I was taking another one out. It was hilarious. Mama was worried. Here is a picture of her welcoming him when we got back home

 

[Kflowers]

Wonderful news, such a loving, lovely family and you and yours are the prefect humans to complete the family.

 

[Sarthur2]

Good to hear the vet thinks kitten will be fine!

That picture of mama loving on her baby is just precious!

 

[fosterella]

The little guy is so sweet. He calls me so I can take him to the litter box as he can't move by himself. Both time he did it he actually peed in the box!!!
And just now he is longing to play with his brother and sister and watches

them play.

 

[Sarthur2]

So even with the anti-inflammatory he is still not able to walk or stand?

 

[StefanZ]

This seems to be a very nice empathical naturally intelligent family.

 

[fosterella]

So even with the anti-inflammatory he is still not able to walk or stand?

That's correct. This morning he was in different place than where I left him last night. But still not standing or walking. When he tries, he is in pain.
Vet said improvement should occur within 48hrs. So I guess I should wait until tomorrow really.
They are 10 weeks old today!

 

[Sarthur2]

Oh, poor baby! The vet needs to take x-rays. This is very worrisome as kittens usually bounce back quickly.

Will you be taking him to see the vet tomorrow?

What anti-inflammatory medicine were you given for the kitten? Cortisone or something else?

 

[fosterella]

I came back home to an awful scene tonight.
I could hear very loud sounds coming from the cats room as if an intruder was attacking them. I rushed in and the little kitten was acting very agressively hissing and growling and screaming so loudly at his mother as if he had become mad. I got gloves and caught him to put him in the transportation cage.
I stayed a good 2 hours with them and he has been calm since.
He has diarrhea on him which I haven't cleaned yet as I did not want to manipulate him after such an episode.
He had managed to climb on a bag and I think he was stuck on his back in pain unable to move. I will check the footage tomorrow of the camera we have in this room, to try to understand how long he was stuck there. I will also call the vet.

Sarthur2 His anti inflammatory are not cortisone, they are something else. I can't tell you right now what it is as it's already 2:30am here. I need to get some sleep and I have a 6 kilos cat purring on my chest, she won't let me get up !

 

[Sarthur2]

The kitten was likely frantic with fear, pain, and his inability to move.

I’ll be interested to learn what happened.

Do clean the poop from his body so that he doesn’t suffer diarrhea burns.

I’m sure this was terribly stressful for you to come home to. It’s good you were able to sit with them and ensure everyone was calm.

I hope you’ll have a restful night. Please update us again when you can.

 

[fosterella]

The kitten was likely frantic with fear, pain, and his inability to move.

That's how it was.

Everyone had a good night of sleep. I found the kitten this morning just where I left him and his siter was sleeping next to him.
I called the vet and he thinks the kitten hurt himself again and should rest as much as possible. He thinks diarrhea is consecutive to anti-inflammatory which is Meloxicam btw.
There's nothing else to do but wait.
I hope he is right.

 

[fosterella]

I think what really hurts is when the kitten tries to pee or poop.
This morning I was petting him and all of a sudden he started to express pain with no reason as he hadn't moved, the next thing I feel are drops on my hands. I put him in the litter box but still holding him. It was a huge relief for him. He did a super large pee. He must have holding it for a long time.
Now, is there a way to help him for #2? A mild natural laxative so he doesn't have to strain?
The position of bending his back is painful and necessary to expulse his poop. It would explain the state he was in last night with diarrhea on him. The amount of diarrhea IMO was too small for him to be fully relieved. That's why I'd like to find a way to help him. It can't be good to keep those in.