Why is my kitten sleepy and not gaining weight after deworming?

Hi and thanks for posting on Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Lack of growth and failure to gain weight in a kitten can be due to a number of medical causes- viral or bacterial infections and parasitic infections could be potential causes among others. I would recommend having the kitten seen by a veterinarian for an exam and assessment. You may wish to bring a fresh fecal sample to the vet appointment in case your vet wants to test the kitten's stool. I hope this helps and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Lethargy and low energy level in such a young kitten is always a concern. This behaviour could be due to fever, pain, intestinal worms and more. Please de-worm your kittens if they have not been dewormed in the last few days. If it does not make any difference, please take him to your local vets for an appointment.

Some loss of appetite/lethargy can be normal after a deworming, especially if there was a heavy worm load that is now dying off. You can try to entice eating by offering some plain boiled chicken or wet food warmed up as cat's appetites are driven by smell. However, if it's been several days and Layla still isn't back to normal, isn't eating or drinking at all, or is very lethargic, it is best to let your vet know to make sure there isn't another underlying issue that needs to be addressed.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I would deworm him. Intestinal parasites are almost always present in young animals as they are passed from the milk. He could be getting more lean but this could also be an early warning sign that something is going on. I would collect a stool sample and have him seen for his first vet visit. The Vet can do an exam, test his stool, feline leukemia and FIV test him and consider giving his first vaccination. I wish you and Noah the very best!

Outdoor kittens will commonly have intestinal parasites. You can try an over the counter pet dewormer, but there are a few intestinal parasites that need to be diagnosed by a veterinarian so a prescription medication can be used (like coccidia and giardia). Also, make sure you are feeding enough and that other cats aren't eating the kitten's food. It is possible that there is other illness causing vomiting or diarrhea that you don't see since he is outdoors, including inflammatory bowel disease, bacterial or viral gastroenteritis (like panleukopenia), congenital disease, among others. I recommend that Felix see a vet for examination to determine if additional testing is needed.

Poor kitty. You are ok to give dewormer with just about any other medication, even same day, since it has very few medication interactions. I would start the antibiotic right away and see if this helps your little furry friend feel better and eat more! Thanks for visiting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach and take care.

These are certainly concerning behaviors for your young kitten. I would be suspicious of intestinal parasites causing the problem, especially if he/she has not yet been wormed. I would recommend taking your cat in to the vet to be checked out and make sure nothing too serious is going on. Hopefully it is something simple like parasites that can be treated easily. Best of luck!