Questions about my very young Kitten

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Catowner211

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Hello!
I was wondering why my kitten was making very quiet clicking sounds. It doesn’t do it all the time, but sometimes i hear soft clicks. While its awake it just breathes like a human would sound without much effort.
I google this scenario but it makes me paranoid something is wrong. Should i make an appointment with the Vet to see if anything is wrong? He was recently checked and nothing was found. I am worried he may die on me if i do not act fast.
He does sleep comfortably but sometimes it wakes up and licks its lips and goes back to sleep. If anyone can help, I’d appreciate it :)
 
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Catowner211

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I’ve only heard it while he sleeps and then it goes away and i do not hear it while he is awake. He does it for maybe 5 minutes of clicking while sleeping then it stops for a while and later on it may pick up for a short time.
The kitten doesn’t seem like it’s gasping for air while it sleeps, it’s just those clicking noises it makes. I’ve seen videos of how a sick cat sounds like, he does not: cough, sneeze or anything. Just when he sleeps he sometimes makes the clicking sound while asleep
 

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As long as he is eating fine and doesnt have any breathing problems, im sure he will be fine. if he stops eating/drinking and is restless id get him checked out, but other than that just sounds like something that he does while he sleeps, id keep a eye on him for a week or so and as long as you dont see anything that seems life threatening he should be fine.
 

Kieka

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Sounds like baby kitty snores. Some cats snore just like humans; my Moms cat you can track which of his cave beds he's napping in by following the snores from a room away. You can always take your kitten to the vet and get it looked over for your own peace of mind. Or mention it at his next kitten exam or vaccine appointment.
 

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If you continue to hear clicking sounds when he is breathing and awake, do get him vet checked immediately. Clicking sounds are the early sign of pneumonia, which can be fatal in small kittens if not treated with antibiotics. The pneumonia is usually the result of fluid in the lungs from bottle or syringe feeding. I know your kitten is only about 4 weeks old and you are hand raising him, so to be safe you may want to get him checked in case he has aspirated milk into his lungs.
 
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Catowner211

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Thank You all for the replies :)
I did leave the vet a message about it, it doesnt hurt to bring it up asap. I want it to live a healthy life and if its preventable, i will pay or anything to make it possible.
Additionally, i do hear him breath normally when he’s just awake and cuddled. But as soon as his body is starting to fall asleep, i hear the clicks. It sounds like when he gets bottle fed and he is swallowing but without the bottle feeding. When he’s playing he breathes heavily, but then normalizes after a minute or so.
ive asked my siblings who have also bottle fed him, they have not squeezed the bottle in any way to feed him. They too are worried about the noise :(
He does make chirping sounds, which is new but i heard online it’s actually a good thing. Its just the clicking when he sleeps that is bothersome.
 

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If it's just when he's going to sleep, he may be suckling (on nothing). Kittens sometimes do that to self-soothe. Kind of like a human child sucking their thumb. Next time you hear it, try to look at his mouth and see if it looks like he's suckling.
 
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Catowner211

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Update!

So i did take him to the vet and they prescribed “amoxicillin” because he saw him breathing with trouble. The Antibiotics should help him, or so i hope. The Vet called it Labored breathing. I’m worried that i got it to him too late and my paranoia kicks in thinking its too late.

I already have him his first 0.1mL dose which i have to do for 7 days once a day. Has amoxicillin helped fight infections in the chest and have they been cured from it completely? I hope it helps him, he doesnt seem to be in discomfort, he just breathes with slight difficulty. He doesnt have any other symptoms, just the breathing part.
Thank You for the helpful answers, i really appreciate all the effort and time <3
 

Sarthur2

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Yes, the amoxicillin is in the penicillin family and is a first-rate antibiotic for combatting lung issues. You should hear him breathing easier after the third day on it because it takes that long for it to fully get into his system and begin to work. If after 3-4 days you still hear labored breathing, contact the vet as he may need a steroid injection to further assist clearing his lungs, or he may need a dose 2 times per day. Let’s hope this solves it though.

In the meantime, I am relieved that you’ve had him seen and he is getting treatment, as I get concerned over small kittens with a clicking sound. It is never good and many vets will not treat tiny kittens so you have an excellent vet.

Be VERY careful feeding him now, only on his tummy and not too fast. Allow time for him to swallow and breathe when drinking his milk, and never force him to drink more than he wants. Not suggesting you haven’t been careful; just be extra careful now. He’ll soon transition to soft foods and there will be less worries.

You did right getting him to the vet! Please keep us posted as I am following your case carefully.
 

Sarthur2

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I wanted to add that when I re-read your posts, I see that you are letting your siblings feed the baby. Although that is very sweet and well-intentioned, perhaps you should do all the feeding yourself for the time being as a precaution. Just a note of caution - no judgment! 😊

C Catowner211
 
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Catowner211

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Sarthur2 Sarthur2 I will be incharge of feeding the kitten. My mother has raised kittens in the past and has some experience. I dont want him to get sick :(

As we speak, he is currently prancing around the floor making these squeaking noises. They sound like meows, but more like a squeaky Noise. I guess i can describe it as a mouse squeak kinda. He only does it sometimes but i can still hear it. It may be his excitement or the labored breathing he currently has. My mother suggested that “as long as he’s eating and being all cuddly. He isn’t in any serious pain. He’s getting treatment and will show results after time, just have to be patient”

I do notice that when he is playing or running around, he does breath loudly. But i assume it is because he is using extraneous energy. He doesn’t like sitting still and i think thats a good thing because he doesn’t show signs of weakness.
 

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Kittens do have tiny meows, but “squeaking” can be a sign of stridor - which is a sign of labored breathing due to infection / obstruction in the lungs. I am going to err on the side of caution and suggest that as he runs around you are hearing stridor, which is the sound of labored breathing due to obstruction.

He is clearly not in distress if he is able to run around, but he clearly has an issue, so I advise less running and more rest until you hear no more sounds. Your kitten is ill. A kitten without lung issues just runs and plays without these sounds. I think you’ve caught his issue just in time. He should recover but please take it seriously. He needs to get better.
 
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Catowner211

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Sarthur2 Sarthur2 I Hope i did catch it in time. I Cannot imagine my days without him :(

He is currently asleep. 🐾

I’ll make sure he stays well rested. It is just difficult to feed him when he is like super eager to be fed. Iget worried his eagerness will get him sick. I feed him around the clock as the vet has suggested.
But I Think you are right. His squeaky sound is difficulty breathing, i’ll continue to monitor it.

He also did seem pretty woozy an hour after taking the antibiotics, he seemed tired after the long day we had. I really hope i start seeing results, my poor baby :(
 

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Take it one day at a time and feed him slowly. With his meds, he should get better. Let’s hope for the best! 😊
 
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Catowner211

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Can i get a tip on how to feed him slowly? He always seems to be excited to be fed and takes his food with much eagerness.

I Hope so. You’ve been wonderful with advice! I really really really appreciate. I dont wanna tear up. I will Update daily as i see his progress. I have Faith.
 
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Catowner211

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Sarthur2 Sarthur2 Hi! Little Onyx did end up recovering! I forgot to post because he’s a handful now and kitten proofing a house is very difficult as he finds new things to “explore”.

I’ve been teaching him how to use the littlebox, he starts to dig around it and pees but doesnt poo on his own yet, and ive been weaning him off the KMR. He ate his first Wet food portion yesterday with KMR mixed with it. I still bottle feed him so he doesnt feel the transition so suddenly, but i am introducing him to everything, just slowly. Thank you for worrying 💕
 
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