My kitten is lethargic, not eating, and has diarrhea. Is this normal?

It sounds like he is getting sick. Without additional clinical signs it is hard to say exactly what is causing his lethargy and decreased appetite but he could be starting with a respiratory virus or a gastrointestinal virus. He could also have parasites that need to be treated. If it continues than he should be examined by a vet to determine the cause. Your vet can run lab work to help diagnose and then determine the best way to treat. If he is unvaccinated, please discuss a vaccine plan with your vet once he has recovered from this illness.

Lethargy can be concerning and indicate a medical problem, but it's encouraging to know that he is eating and eliminating well. Sudden lethargy is not too concerning in a kitten unless you are noticing other signs of illness, heavy breathing, or pale gums. Kittens can normally appear very lethargic at certain times of the day. It would also depend on how long this has been going on. If it's less than two hours, then I wouldn't worry. If it's longer than four hours then I would be more concerned. If it's been all day, then this would be a strong indicator that something is wrong. I would have to examine butterscotch to tell if this is an emergency. I would definitely recommend an emergency visit he is breathing heavily, or has pale gums. Otherwise, he's likely OK to wait the night and go to the vet in the morning if he's still lethargic. If you have further questions or need further clarification, then you may consider having an online consult with one of our vets on Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. This way, you can send unlimited pictures and have a text conversation with a vet. I hope that helps and all is well with Butterscotch.

Hi. I wouldn't worry about that nail. As far as diarrhea and lethargy, I would get her checked for parasites. Give your veterinarian a call for an appointment and bring a fresh poop sample to be checked. Make sure they keep eating and drinking

Poor Snow! If he has no energy and can't even stand up, this is a very serious problem - he needs to see an emergency vet immediately. This would not be caused by withholding food for 10 hours; severe lethargy or weakness like this is generally a sign of a serious illness such as feline panleukopenia. Your vet can do some diagnostic testing to help determine what's wrong and get him started on appropriate treatment. I would recommend taking him to see the vet right now, as this may be a life-threatening problem.

Given her age there are several things that cross my mind, but a common issue in these young kittens is parasites. Sometimes their parasite burden can be so high that they cannot maintain adequate glucose levels, and also can become uninterested in food and sometimes will begin vomiting. I would recommend deworming her. Also, it would be important to rule out signs of infection and/or sepsis. I think she needs to be seen by a veterinarian right away. Such a young and small animal can deteriorate quickly even with easy to resolve issues like gastrointestinal parasites.

Please take Dorito to the vet immediately. If Dorito is lethargic and not eating he should be seen right away to check his blood sugar levels, assess for dehydration, and start treatment. He may be dealing with parasites, toxin ingestion, infectious viral diseases, blockage in the intestines caused by ingestion of a foreign body, food sensitivity/allergy, decreased pancreatic function, or a mass/growth in the gastrointestinal tract. A young kitten that is not eating is at risk for dehydration and low blood sugar, which can quickly become deadly, so I recommend you have him checked by a vet.

Acute vomiting and diarrhea, especially with poor appetite and lethargy, are certainly cause for concern. This could be caused by an infection, something stuck in Max's intestines, or a metabolic problem. At the veterinarian, they will examine him and probably take x-rays and run some lab work to look for the underlying cause of Max's issues. I wouldn't wait very long to go to the vet since Max is so young and small and so can become dehydrated quickly. See if you can get in for an exam today.