HELP me help my kitten PLEASE!

[kgar2131]

I got a kitten from the pound exactly a week ago. His name is Kiwi and he looks siamese and has the bluest eyes!

He was six weeks old when i got him and is now seven. He seemed nervous which I thought was normal, was very quiet, not playful, slept a lot, didn't really eat, for the first couple of days. Then he started to warm up to my family and I, and was eating normally and would sleep more comfortably and he used his litter box. He still wasn't playful and seemed super tired though and I know cats are supposed to be very playful.

I took him to the vet because I noticed that he was shaking his head and scratching at his ears so I assumed it was earmites and I was hoping if I got that problem fixed he would start acting more like a normal kitten.

it was earmites and the vet gave me some drops to put in his ears for ten days twice a day.

I've used the drops and am continuing to use them till the ten days it up and it seems to have gotten rid of his ear mites but that didn't help the problem of him being very tired and not playful.

He was skinny already when I took him to the vet and I asked if this was normal or if maybe he was sick and she said that it was normal for shelter kittens and that with a good diet and good home now he should get better and she said he didn't have worms so that wasn't a problem.

It's been about seven days since I took him to the vet and he just seems to have gotten worse.

He's lost a lot of weight rapidly, you can see his bones (butt bones, ribs, spine). He's always sleeping and I try to get him up and take him to his food and water about every hour or two so he can eat. He seems to eat normally and drinks plenty I just don't know what to do for him. I'm scared that he will die of not enough nutrition or nourishment.

I called the shelter that I got him from to ask if any of the other kittens from the litter that he came from have seemed this way also and if so maybe there was something that they would recommend me doing but the lady at the shelter said that they only had one kitten left and they had noticed a problem similar to mine and took him to the vet to check for worms and he didn't have any and that the vet just gave him food and water and kept him overnight.

Right now I am feeding him a mixture of wet and dry food. The dry food is just a great value brand I think and the wet is fancy feast.

What food should I feed him? or should I get him a kitten formula replacement?
I'm scared that he won't make it and I feel like such a bad cat owner! I've had cats before and they were all in great health!

 

[stephenq]

Hi

I don't want to sound alarmist but your kitten is in danger of dying.  He needs another vet visit and a serious exam.  You don't mention how much he is eating but regardless he is in big trouble.  He probably needs IV fluids, syringe feeding and a workup to see what is going on.  He tested Neg for FIV and FeLV yes?

If he is as skinny and listless as you describe, this is now close to if not an emergency.  Kittens have very little resources to survive when things start to go badly.  He needs an emergency vet visit.

 

[angelinacat]

I am thinking your vet needs to draw some blood and do a work-up.  That can be pricey, but I am wondering if you kitten caught a virus or could have FIV, or whatever it's called.

Your boy shouldn't be losing weight like this.

Good wishes to you both,

 

[kgar2131]

the vet didn't test him for any of those and didn't say anything about them when I visited her last.

he eats about a fourth of a cup to a little less about three times a day. so he eats about three meals a day. and always drinks water when he eats.

i think I will take him to the vet again but it's so expensive!

 

[di and bob]

Is there any way you can find out which vet the shelter took that other kitten to to see what they found out. If they know there is another one affected they may look further. At the very least call your vet and see if they suggest anything over the phone. As long as he's eating an drinking there is hope, but you've got to find out why he's losing weight. It may be as simple as a kitty cold, but he should be getting better. Good luck and keep us posted.

 

[maui cheetah]

Kittens sleep all the time.  They have to sleep for that is when they grow.  A kitten will reach 90% of adult size in 9 months.  That's a lot of growing and that means a lot of sleep.  They will be playful when they are ready and some cats just don't play.  Get some AD wet food from your vet.  It is expensive but it will give him the nutrition he needs and they like it.  Remember that when you change food the feces will change.  The time to worry is if your kitten hasn't eaten for 4 days there is something seriously wrong.  What it sounds like to me is that you are just an overprotective mom which we all tend to be.  I've raised ferals from 2 weeks of age and some will not eat what they don't like so you need to find something they do like and stick with it.  Just stick with the AD wet for awhile until he starts to fatten up, then you can introduce some dry.  Purina kitten chow is a good choice for the first 6 months.  Don't wake your kitten to eat.  He will eat when he is hungry otherwise you will get him into a habit that you don't want because you'll worry about him when you're not there to wake him.  Just have fresh AD available to him until you are satisfied he is eating.  Don't keep taking him to the vet as this stresses them out.  He will play when he's ready, but some cats just aren't playful such as my cat Maya.  She never liked toys or playing.  All cats are different so let your little baby's purrrsonality come through.  Listen to him.  He will let you know what he needs.  Good luck!

 

[kgar2131]

yes they take all the kittens to the same vet and recommended that i take my kittent here also so that is where I took him to deal with the ear mites.

I am thinking of taking him to another vet for a second opinion

 

[angelinacat]

Stephenq was posting at the time I was.

I concur with his opinion:  you need to get your kitten to the vet now!  If for some reason, you aren't comfortable with your vet's assessment, please go to another, and don't delay.

My two boys, both 6 months old--I adopted them at 3 months, each eat about a tablespoon full of wet food 3 or 4 times a day as they ask for it.  There is also kitten chow on hand for them to munch on.  They both are at about five pounds now.  They were just over 3 pounds each when I first got them.

 

[kgar2131]

Ok I just went to a "Feed Seed and More" store and got kitten milk replacement so I am going to feed him that for a while and see how he does. Hopefully he will gain weight. I will also call my vet to see if there is anything they can tell me over the phone and if they think I should take him in.

 

[cprcheetah]

Please take your kitten to the vet NOW.  It sounds very sickly.  For future reference, dry food is not healthy for cats, they are desert animals and need moisture in their diets.  Canned food is MUCH healthier for them.  catinfo.org is a great source of information about proper feline nutrition.

 

[stephenq]

Now that we know that he is both eating well and losing weight we can't blame appetite, so its almost certainly a medical condition. Kittens that are drastically loosing weight (spine visible like you said) despite eating are probably very sick.  The kitten needs more than supportive nutritional care.  he needs a vet.

 

[vball91]

Hopefully, you've been able to at least call a vet by now. I do agree with other posters that this situation is really quite concerning. Kittens do not have the reserves of adults and can go downhill very quickly. I agree that he needs another vet visit very soon, if not immediately.

 

[maui cheetah]

Hello again I am Maui Cheetah and would like to apologize for being so casual about my statement.  Certainly I didn't give the attention to the post that I should have before I replied.  And certainly the kitten should be check out thoroughly.  

 

[jcat]

Have you talked to the vet and gotten him in? This isn't a situation where you should wait and see. Kittens can go downhill very, very quickly, and the weight loss is alarming, as is the lethargy.

 

[murr7maggiom]

What happened with the kitten? Did it die?

 

[kgar2131]

Hello all! The kitten is still alive and he is doing MUCH better. He's gained some weight back and seems to be feeling and looking happier. He was up and walking, even playing, yesterday and today!

I called the vet and they said to take him off of the earmite medicine immediately because that could be having an affect on him. I did just that and he started getting better within a few hours of rest and some eating.

I had noticed that the day I gave him his earmite medicine he started getting very tired and the next day he was losing weight but the day after I took him off of it he was doing much better. The vet said that if he didn't get better within the next day or so that I should definitely bring him in. Thank you all so much for your help i was so worried about him seeing as he was just a baby and i had JUST got him!

I will update on his condition if things get better/worse.

 

[jcat]

Thanks for the update! It's a relief to hear that he's doing so much better.

 

[maui cheetah]

Awesome!  SO GLAD!!!

 

[kgar2131]

Hello all! I know it's been a while but I wanted to give a complete update on my kitten! I've had him for two months now and he is so healthy and even a but chubby! he's very playful like a normal kitten should be. After he was getting better (from the replacement formula and us feeding him by mouth) he got worse than he had ever been. Me and my mother were getting up about three times throughout the night to feed him and take him to the bathroom. But it did not seem to be doing any good. So I took him to the bet and got him some medicine and special wet food for him and it helped IMMENSLEY. I'm so glad that I took him because the medicine was making him better within just a couple days! Thank you all for your concern and suggestions and urging me to take him to the vet!

 

[stephenq]

Yay very happy for you!!