Two Easy Ways to Start Earning Rewards!
Become a member today!
Members-only pricing and offers, personalized care notifications, Vital Care points back on every purchase and more!
Already a member? Sign in
Become a credit card member today!
Earn 2X Pals Rewards points at Petco
when you use Petco Pay!
APPLY NOW
Learn More About Petco Pay Benefits

Why is my young kitten not eating, drinking, and has discharge?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Domestic Mediumhair | Female | unspayed | 1 month and 29 days old | 3 lbs

I don't know what is wrong with my kitten. All within the day, she is not eating, but she was this morning, she is not drinking water, and she has secretion from her mouth and nose that smells like of sweet but also gross at the same time. I have seen this happen before, I do not have the money for a veterinarian, and I don't want my kitten to die. Can someone help, please? I am monitoring her, but I am worried that she will die like other kittens I have witnessed this happen to before.

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Penelope Graben, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on June 30th, 2018

I'm so sorry to hear what you're going through with Biscuit.

At her very young age with nasal secretions, there are a few things I am worried about.
If her mother was unvaccinated, I worry about her giving the kittens infectious diseases that can present with respiratory problems, ie nasal secretions.

Sometimes, the babies swallow the milk down their airways which can lead to aspiration pneumonia, or a serious lung infection.

The most common and frustrating cause of kittens becoming weak in general is "fading kitten syndrome". Unfortunately, animals have litters because in each litter, some of the young will not make it. This is usually attributed to a genetic predisposition, such as a heart or kidney defect. These kittens generally pass before they reach 8 weeks of age.

I would recommend that she see a vet, but if not possible, I would continue to make sure she is being kept in a warm, soft area to keep comfortable. You can wipe her nasal secretions with a warm water washcloth to keep her clean. Please encourage her to eat and drink as much as possible.

I hope this is helpful.

1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Smart Picks for Smart Questions

Related Questions

My kitten has cold, won't eat, trouble breathing, and won't walk.

Young kittens such as Bubba can get bad colds and other serious infections. Upper respiratory infections are common and they usually have eye and nose discharge and can cause a fever so they don't want to eat. Kittens are also are more fragile than older animals so I recommend you get her to a veterinarian for treatment soon. In the mean time keep her warm and see if she will lick some water or tuna juice from your finger to help keep her from getting dehydrated. Usually with rest they will improve in a week or two. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Bubba.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

My baby kitten is sick, congested, won't eat. What can I do?

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!

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

What to do if my 2-week-old kitten has a stuffy nose and won't eat?

Your kitten is very young and therefore any viral or bacterial disease can quickly kill it. Not being able to breathe properly and not eating is an emergency and you need to take her to a Pet ER right away. She will need antibiotics to clear up the bacterial infection that is clogging her airways. You can also support the action of the antibiotics with exposing your kitten to a humidifier/ saline water steam to liquefy the discharge/congestion.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Why is my 11-week-old kitten so tired, not moving, and has a dry nose?

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Bertie. I recommend that he sees his veterinarian today if his symptoms persist. Being so young, he can dehydrated easily if he does not eat and drink properly. He may be experiencing an upper respiratory tract infection. See if he has any eye or nose discharge as well as any sneezing. Gastrointestinal infections can cause him to not feel well and are usually accompanied by vomiting and diarrhea. Finally, if he sustained an injury he could have the symptoms you reported as well. His veterinarian will be able to differentiate between these causes. I hope this information helps!

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Food & Nutrition

My kitten has bloody eye/nose discharge and won't eat. What to do?

Poor Chance. It sounds like you are doing an amazing job with him. The blood from the nose and eyes could be from severe irritation of the mucous membranes or due to a viral infection. Since he is alert and interactive I would keep doing what you are doing. I would be syringe feeding him some food every 3-4 hours. You can also hold him in a small bathroom with the hot shower going so he can breathe in the steam. This will help to loosen up the mucus and also help to moisturize his mucous membranes. There is no need to get him wet or near the water. Just hold him since steam rises. Also, if you have a humidifier, you can run that at night while he sleeps. No need to put any medicine in it - just water. If the bleeding continues, I would have your vet recheck him to ensure he doesn’t need any additional meds or his current meds changes. I hope this helps and he continues to improve.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Why is my kitten not eating, sleeping, and has a smelly discharge?

Hi, and thanks for your question. These signs could be compatible with an inflammation infection of the gastrointestinal system and surrounding organs (like pancreas and liver). A clinical examination at your local veterinarian is immediately essential to confirm these clinical suspicions and treat appropriately. Antibiotics and possibly further investigations (like abdominal imaging as ultrasound or radiographs) may be needed. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further. If this answer was helpful please let us know, this will be used to improve our service!

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Health & Wellness

My kitten is weak, not eating, white nose/tongue, crying. Help!

I am very sorry to hear about your kitten. From your description it sounds like it could be very anemic (low red blood cells) and it may actually be agonal/dying if it is crying out every few minutes while otherwise being weak. This kitten needs veterinary care and will not survive at home. I would recommend relinquishing the kitten to a veterinarian or rescue/shelter/humane society if you cannot care for it as there is nothing at home you will be able to do if this kitten is as ill as you describe. You can also consult this website for ideas on affording veterinary care: https://www.humanesociety.org/resources/having-trouble-affording-veterinary-care . In the meantime keep the kitten warm and you can try rubbing karo syrup or honey on his gums in case his blood sugar is very low.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Have A Vet Question?

Book an appointment with the pros – our expert vets are here to help.

Share