My kittens are lethargic and wobbly but still eating. Should I worry?

These kittens may be suffering from fading kitten syndrome, or were born by a cat infected with FeLV. Since two kittens are already dead and the third kitten is showing signs, I suggest you take the remaining kittens to a veterinarian today, as this is an emergency. Sometimes supportive care can save them, however if they indeed suffer from one of these two diseases, there is a high mortality incidence. A veterinarian can examine and diagnose the problem and assess your kittens and hopefully treat them.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Keanu. I recommend that he sees a veterinarian today as he sounds very sick. Depending on his exam findings, he will likely need bloodwork and fecal testing to determine the cause of his symptoms. Infectious diseases are common in young kittens. Based on these results treatment can be started to help him feel better. I hope this information helps!

Difficulty walking could be a sign of neurologic disease, and infection would be a concern for a cat Fluff's age. Some parasites like toxoplasmosis can cause neurologic disease, as can viruses like the feline immunodeficiency virus. Difficulty walking could also be related to trauma but this might be more obvious on an exam. If the labs are not conclusive, a referral to a neurology specialist might be recommended as sometimes advanced diagnostics like an MRI and/or spinal tap are necessary for a diagnosis. If she continues to eat and drink normally and does not seem painful I'd wait for test results to come back and discuss the next step with your veterinarian.

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.

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.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Loss of appetite and lethargy can be observed with many conditions such as gastroenteritis, dietary indiscretion, kidney disease, pancreatitis, among many other possibilities. Unfortunately, there is no way to help them without knowing what is going on. I recommend that you have them evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. They would be able to check for these possibilities and others depending on the findings on exam. Treatment would be based on findings. Good luck and have a great day! Hoping for a speedy recovery!

Poor Little Bit! In a young cat an infectious disease would have to be high on the list. I would be suspicious that she could have the dry form of FIP, eventhough the bloodwork is not showing typical changes that usually occur with the disease. Unfortunately, FIP is difficult to diagnose but you could ask your vet about doing an xray and ultrasound of her abdomen to look for changes. Hope she feels better soon!