My 4-month-old feral kitten has a fever and can't poop. What's up?

Because Suga is so young it's important that he eats every 2-3 hours - he should either be nursing from his mother or you should be bottle feeding him with a neonatal kitten formula, such as KMR. You can stimulate him to urinate and defecate (poop) using a warm wash cloth and gently cleaning around his anus - this is what the mother cat does when she licks her kittens. If he is not eating or defecating at all and you truly think he has a fever, he needs to be seen by your veterinarian right away. Kittens can become dehydrated, weak, and succumb to infections very quickly. Good luck and I hope Suga gets better soon!

Poor Lucy. It is always sad when our babies are sick and not feeling well. I have attached a handout below that discusses upper respiratory infections in kittens. https://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=613 These infections can be viral or bacterial. Sometimes an infection will start as a viral infection then develop a secondary bacterial infection. Cats normally are warmer than humans and have a normal body temperature of 100-102.5 degrees. If Lucy has a fever of over 103, I would recommend having her evaluated by a veterinarian if you have not already. If her infection is viral, she may just need some time and supportive care to make her feel better. I like taking kittens into a humid bathroom for 5-10 minutes (after you have showered) to help loosen their congestion. And make sure she keeps eating. Cats need to be able to smell their food, so you may need to feed her some smelly canned food to keep her eating. If Lucy develops yellow or green nasal discharge, is very lethargic or will not eat, I would recommend having her evaluated by your veterinarian. Good luck! I hope that was helpful and that Lucy feels better soon. Thanks for using PetCoach.

You can try warming the food or mixing in a teaspoon of baby food into it. This could stimulate her appetite. You can also take her temperature to check for fever. Use a rectal thermometer and sterile lube. Normal temp is between 37 C and 39 C (100 F- 102.5 F). Anything above that is considered a fever and should be addressed by your veterinarian.

Poor baby! I am worried that she is having diarrhea and an increased urgency to go or severe constipation. Since she is so uncomfortable and so tiny and young, I would strongly recommend to have her seen by your vet as soon as possible. Your vet will be able to determine the cause and get her started on the proper meds to help her feel better. They will also be able to give her fluids if needed. I hope this helps and she starts to feel better really soon!

That is not normal behavior from a young kitten. Yes it sounds like she has a fever and stomach upset. Since she’s so small and sick she should have veterinary treatment soon so she doesn’t get worse. Healthy kittens are very playful and don’t vomit or sleep that much. Please take her in for treatment. They will give medication to resolve the vomiting and reduce her fever if she has one. She may need fluids to prevent dehydration and she may need to be dewormed also. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for your kitten.

Common causes for diarrhea and flu-like symptoms in a kitten include intestinal parasites, bacterial or viral gastroenteritis (like feline panleukopenia), GI blockage, among others. You can get a pet dewormer and try to slowly syringe water or pedialyte with a little honey in it. Make sure he is swallowing so that the water doesn't go into his lungs. If he has a bacterial infection, he needs to see a vet for antibiotics. If he has panleukopenia, his prognosis is very poor even with veterinary care. Keep him warm and clean and try to get fluids into him.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I’m so sorry to hear about Nova. I agree that a high temp like that could be a bacterial infection but it can also be a protozoal infection, pain from a clot or back injury, or even cancer. It is unlikely to be kidney disease in my opinion but bloodwork is needed to be certain. I’d take her to an emergency clinic right away for a second opinion. Next steps would be bloodwork including an FIV/FeLV screen and xrays to make sure she didn’t break a bone or have some other obvious problem. Best wishes to you and Nova.