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

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.

I am so sorry to hear that the kitten is so sick. Most URIs in kittens are viral, however it is common to treat with antibiotics to help prevent secondary bacterial infections. Pneumonia is certainly possible but typically they are coughing with pneumonia. I would also be suspicious of a nasopharyngeal polyp that typically could be adding to the congestion, but doesn’t usually cause lethargy. I am glad you are going back to the veterinarian. Perhaps they can prescribe a nebulizer to help her more than steam. Also you may want to discuss using saline drops to help loosen the congestion. Best of luck and I hope she improves soon. Thank you for using Pet Coach.

It sounds like the kitten may have an upper respiratory infection. Often in young cats these are associated with viruses. I would take him to a vet asap in case his lungs are involved. Often treatment involves anti-inflammatory drugs as there is no bacterial involvement. Your vet will be able to advise more in this following an examination.

Poor Senu! I agree, it sounds like he's sick. Upper respiratory infections are common in kittens, and often cause nasal congestion, eye irritation and drainage, and a fever. I would recommend taking Senu to the vet for an exam, since it sounds like he will likely need an antibiotic to treat the infection.

Aw poor Socks! It's pretty common to have a rescue kitten develop upper respiratory infections. I'm glad to hear he's acting normally otherwise. You can try to run a hot shower and steam up the bathroom while Socks is in the room. Sometimes this will help break up congestion. Make sure he continues to eat and drink normally. Warming some canned food up will often encourage a cat to eat more as they will eat more if they can smell the food. If Socks continues to be congested or at any point he stops eating, develops an eye issue, or becomes lethargic he should be examined by a veterinarian. It's best not to wait too long as kittens can develop pneumonia or labored breathing if the respiratory infection progresses. If necessary antibiotics can be prescribed or a supplement like lysine can be used. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Wishing Socks a speedy recovery!

I'd be a bit worried about Pringels. I can give you some things you can do for him at home. First, you can try starting him 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 he's congested, you can also try using a humidifier or bringing him 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. If his symptoms get worse or continue, have him seen by a vet.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is likely an upper respiratory infection. This is usually treated with antibiotics and eye drops. She needs to be evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. They would be able to check for this possibility and start therapy accordingly. Best of luck!