My kitten is circling and making noise. What could be wrong?

If you are worried about her balance and the head tilt I would recommend making an appointment with your veterinarian. They will be able to take a full medical history and perform a thorough physical examination. They will be able to determine if your kitten has a neurological condition which could account for what you are seeing or if there is a possible ear infection or if what you are seeing is completely normal. In some instances they suggest further diagnostic tests such as X-rays or blood tests to investigate underlying causes. They will also be able to dispense any medications needed if there is an ear infection or any kind or if there is another treatable condition. Best of luck!

Poor kitty! From your description, it does sound like she may have a respiratory infection, but it's concerning to me that she walks in circles and can't walk straight for long. This can be a sign of vestibular disease, and it can be caused by an ear infection, ear polyps, infection of the brain, or toxicity among other causes. Due to this, I feel it's best that your kitty sees the vet right away to diagnose what is causing these neurological symptoms so she can be treated. While there, the vet can diagnose if she does have a respiratory infection, and prescribe medications for her. There are a few things that you can do at home that will work in conjunction with medications from the vet for a respiratory infection. First, you can try starting her on an L-lysine supplement - this is an amino acid that has been shown to help the immune system fight off respiratory infections more effectively. Enisyl and Viralys are both good brands, and can be purchased over the counter without a prescription - just follow the dosing instructions on the label based on your cat's weight. If she's congested, you can also try using a humidifier or bringing her into the bathroom with the door closed while you take a hot shower - the steam and humidity help to break up congestion and temporarily relieve symptoms associated with respiratory infections.

In any cat this can be a sign of a neurological problem, vestibular disease or an inner ear infection. No one knows what causes vestibular disease but it does often get better with time and treatment. Inner ear infections are also treatable with medication. At your cats age I would be worry about a brain disease such as a tumor or vascular disease to cause these symptoms. She does need to see a vet as soon as possible to see what the problem is and your potential prognosis. They can start medicine to help calm her and minimize the symtpoms

Unfortunately, without a diagnosis it's impossible to say what you need to do to help him - there are many things that can cause a drunken, uncoordinated gait in a kitten this age, and all of these different problems would require different treatments. If the kitten has been to the vet, I would recommend asking him/her what they think is causing the abnormal gait. The kitten may have a birth defect called cerebellar hypoplasia, which is a benign condition that does not require any treatment, or could have a serious neurologic problem such as toxoplasmosis, meningitis, or even a toxicity of some kind (antifreeze, etc.) - these issues are much more serious, and would require prescription medication or even hospitalization to treat appropriately.

It's definitely not normal. I would recommend that you have the kitten checked out by a vet. There could be something congenital (such as a brain issue) or an infection causing these weird episodes. A complete physical and neurologic exam may shed some light as to the cause, or the vet may recommend bloodwork to get an answer.

Unfortunately, if Lila is having trouble walking or seems in pain, she needs to be seen by a vet. Issues such as neurologic or muscular problems, cerebellar issues, illnesses, disease, nutritional issues, etc are all potential causes which is why a veterinary exam is so important in finding the cause and providing treatment. Keeping Lila calm, quiet, and eating, and limit activity may help until you can afford care. I am also including a link to a website that may help give you some ideas/options to make vet care more affordable: https://www.humanesociety.org/resources/having-trouble-affording-veterinary-care

Sorry to hear about Missy's current condition. The symptoms you are describing can be caused by things such as transient hypoglycemia, an infectious or inflammatory process, a neurologic condition, inner ear infections, or a cardiac condition resulting in weakness. If this kind of symptom persists for more than a day, or stops then repeats itself again, I would strongly recommend a physical exam with a veterinarian to rule out some of these conditions. DIagnostic testing will likely be required to do this. Hope this helps!