Why is my young cat drooling, congested, not eating, breathing hard?

It sounds like your vet diagnosed her with an upper respiratory infection. Depending on the virus that causes this, the signs can appear in the eyes, nose or mouth. There is a virus called calicivirus that can cause sneezing and ulcers in the mouth. These can be quite painful and make the cat not want to eat. I typically recommend feeding a canned diet so she can lap it up rather than chew it. A/D is a good diet for this. It is made by Hill's and is available by prescription through a veterinarian. I also will sometimes prescribe pain medication to keep them comfortable and eating while they have ulcers in their mouths. I would recommend calling your veterinarian in the morning to discuss these things. We don't want her to go too long without eating.

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!

Shelby most likely has an upper respiratory infection or viral cold. This can cause nasal congestion and poor appetite. I recommended you take a warm cloth and clean her nose as the nasal discharge can clog up the nostrils causing the mouth breathing. Also if you warm up wet food, fish is best, it will make it more appetizing as the heat will enhance the aroma of the food. That should help to,stimulate her appetite. If Shelby isn't better soon please take her in for treatment. As she's tiny I don't want her to be sick long as she doesn't have much body reserves. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Shelby.

I would recommend having Miss Gray seen by a vet to be prescribed medication if she is miserable. It's not really fair to leave her untreated in that condition, and if she is miserable, I would say she is seriously ill enough to need medication. The problem with congestion is that cats can stop eating if they can't smell their food, and if a cat stops eating, they become prone to developing a fatty liver. A fatty liver is fatal without treatment, so it's best to avoid that. I would take Miss Gray into a vet immediately for an exam and medication. I can give you some things you can do at home that will work well in conjunction with medications from the vet. Please keep in mind they cannot be used as a substitution for seeing the vet. First, you can try starting her 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. Since she's congested, you can also try using a humidifier or bringing her 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.

This is a classic presentation of a cat with an upper respiratory disease. They also usually do have a fever early in the infection and will feel bad. For this reason, Yeti may avoid eating and drinking, because the congestion in the nose does not allow them to breathe properly. You can help the congestion by giving her a steam bath. There is a link below that has good information about how to do this and other helpful tips for this condition. http://www.wikihow.com/Help-Your-Cat-Breathe-Easier It's best if you can get Yeti to a vet within the next day or two. While these infections are often due to a virus, they can become complicated with bacterial infections, which will make things much worse. The vet would be able to prescribe the necessary treatment to make her feel better and keep the infection from getting worse. I hope this helps and Yeti feels better soon.

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 she has an upper respiratory infection causing the congestion. Since she is breathing heavy and is so young, it would be a good idea to have a vet examine her to determine if treatment is needed. She may need an antibiotic to help treat. The diarrhea could be caused by a parasite and your vet could test a stool sample to determine the cause. There isn't really much you can do at home besides supportive care with food, water, and keeping her warm. You could also put a humidifier in a room with her or place her in the bathroom while you shower so the steam can help clear her nasal passages.