My young kitten twitches, breathes fast, has a big belly. Is he sick?

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Kittens can breathe quite rapidly, even when they are sleeping, especially if they are dreaming. As long as his breathing rate is able to slow to a more normal rate, like 30-50 breaths per minute, and he is otherwise acting normally (eating/drinking well with a good energy level), he will likely be just fine! If he even seems distressed with his breathing, or he is coughing or sneezing a lot, he should be seen by a veterinarian. I hope this is helpful!

HI, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Rin! It's hard to say without seeing Rin do this. Babies do make more noise breath differently and have more active movements when asleep than adults. If the kitten is nursing and eliminating normally continue to monitor him. I would weight him daily, kittens should gain 10grams or 1/2 oz per day as a rule of the thumb if he stops gaining that indicated a problem. I hope this helps!

Coco is adorable and I'm sorry to hear that she has been having so many changes to her breathing. Heavy breathing with abdominal effort/movement is a sign for concern and can be related to congenital heart defects causing congestive heart failure, pneumonia, pain, infectious conditions, among others. Any breathing changes are an emergent cause for concern and should be addressed by a vet immediately to assure that Coco seems to be stable. I hope that all goes well!

Tachypnea can be normal after activity as long as it doesn't seem like Benji is having difficulty breathing after exercise. It seems a little unusual to be tachypneic during cuddling, but sometimes purring can change the respiratory rate. If it seems like Benji seems tired after exercise, if he breathes with his mouth open, or if he is tachypneic when he is sleeping I would recommend checking in with your vet.

Congratulations on your new kitten and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I'm glad to hear that he is doing well at home. The enlarged belly can be due to parasites (or worms), which are not uncommon in kittens. He should definitely be evaluated by a veterinarian within the next few days, and it would be very helpful to bring a sample of feces with you in a ziploc bag or disposable container (it shouldn't matter if there is litter in the feces). This will help the vet determine if your kitten has parasites, and if so, which ones they are and the best medication to use to treat them. Unfortunately, some parasites are actually transmitted by fleas, so those will definitely need to be treated as well. While the enlarged belly is likely due to intestinal parasites, it is important to make sure that your kitten does not have a viral or bacterial infection or has ingested a foreign body. These scenarios are unlikely as long as he is active and eating well. The vet will also have recommendations on how to treat the fleas, do a general exam, and make sure that everything else is normal! Good luck with your new kitty!

That could be caused by an accumulation of fluids in the abdominal cavity caused by FIP (feline infectious peritonitis). A check up and single radiograph (or sometimes only clinical examination) could confirm this clinical suspicion and give you treatment options. Unfortunately the prognosis for this disease is poor. Differential diagnosis could be represented by parasite infestation. 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.

She likely has a viral infection that is causing all the discharge. You can use a warm wet washcloth the help her stay clean, and a round of prescription antibiotics and eye ointment may be needed. Her large belly is probably due to intestinal parasites, though there are a few congenital causes that may be at play. I will warn you, that sometimes these kittens will lose an eye from the infection, and will likely have chronic infections over their lives.