What should I feed my sick kitten with congestion and dehydration?

Aw poor Socks! It's pretty common to have a rescue kitten develop upper respiratory infections. I'm glad to hear he's acting normally otherwise. You can try to run a hot shower and steam up the bathroom while Socks is in the room. Sometimes this will help break up congestion. Make sure he continues to eat and drink normally. Warming some canned food up will often encourage a cat to eat more as they will eat more if they can smell the food. If Socks continues to be congested or at any point he stops eating, develops an eye issue, or becomes lethargic he should be examined by a veterinarian. It's best not to wait too long as kittens can develop pneumonia or labored breathing if the respiratory infection progresses. If necessary antibiotics can be prescribed or a supplement like lysine can be used. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Wishing Socks a speedy recovery!

Saline nose drops can actually be helpful along with humidified air to clear the nose. This kitten probably has an upper respiratory infection and may need antibiotics for the eye and nasal discharge. The kitten might also be dehydrated and could have other problems like intestinal parasites. Since young kittens can become hypoglycemic very quickly when they are not eating I would recommend seeing a veterinarian as soon as possible to help get this kitten on track. They can give you an estimated age and discuss how to properly bottle feed and can also treat dehydration and upper respiratory infections. Good luck!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Kitty. Encourage her to drink as much water as possible. You can syringe her small amounts (0.25cc) at a time. You can also turn the shower to hot and allow the steam to build up in the bathroom. Then place her in the room to breathe the humid air. This will help lessen any congestion she may be experiencing. If she is not recovering well, then she will need to see her veterinarian for fluid therapy. Good luck!

Hello, thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. A kitten this young & dehydrated needs to be seen by a veterinarian as soon as possible. She may need supplemental fluids, either give intravenously or under the skin. Then, we need to know why Acil has become dehydrated. Is she sick with an infection, was there any trauma, or does she have a large intestinal parasite burden? If she is eating, you can give her any food that has a high moisture content ( ie canned ), but if she is already dehydrated, it is difficult to remedy this just depending on what she eats on her own. I hope she is well soon. Take care.

You can use a humidifier or have Ariel in the bathroom when you take a hot shower. That will help clear her up a little. Also using a warm wet cloth to wipe the discharge from her nose may improve the nasal air flow. I like to add some tuna juice to the food for increased odor if she isn't eating normally as cats often don't eat well when conjested. Be patient she will improve daily. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you get answers to your veterinary questions.

Its ok to syringe feed her as long as she isn't fighting you on it. If she's very resistant to this, do not continue to do it, as it could put her at risk for aspiration pneumonia (if she sucks food down into her trachea instead of swallowing it down her esophagus). You can use some saline nasal drops (available at any pharmacy) as this may help clear and break up some of the nasal congestion, just be certain that it is completely drug free and xylitol free--SALINE ONLY! You can also use a cool mist humidifier to help ease her congestion. As for the food, you are doing everything right. Keep warming up a little fresh food each time, you can try tuna juice on it as well, or roast (unseasoned) chicken. Chicken baby food is also sometimes a good choice for cats. Good luck with her! Thanks for asking Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

I am so sorry to hear that the kitten is so sick. Most URIs in kittens are viral, however it is common to treat with antibiotics to help prevent secondary bacterial infections. Pneumonia is certainly possible but typically they are coughing with pneumonia. I would also be suspicious of a nasopharyngeal polyp that typically could be adding to the congestion, but doesn’t usually cause lethargy. I am glad you are going back to the veterinarian. Perhaps they can prescribe a nebulizer to help her more than steam. Also you may want to discuss using saline drops to help loosen the congestion. Best of luck and I hope she improves soon. Thank you for using Pet Coach.