New kitten owner, and kitten is sick

Hello all! I am new to this forum, and also new to being a cat owner. My kittens name is Coal and he is about seven to eight weeks old. He and his sister, Ash, were found when they were about three weeks old. They were both dehydrated and in bad shape... nearing death! A few hours later their biological mom was found poisoned under a dumpster.

Coal has definitely adapted to accepted me and my boyfriend and his new mommy and daddy! We have done tons of research on how to care for a kitten... especially an orphaned kitty! According to our research, Coal was a normal boy! He is very playful, knows where his litter box is, and what it is for. He loves to climb things, and he has an appetite! Everything seems just fine!

Today, when I woke up, he was hungry as usual. I fed him, and he ate as usual. He was a bit playful for just a little while, then he climbed up onto my shoulder and went to sleep. I thought nothing of this... this is normal for my Coal.

He eventually got down, and disappeared for a bit. This, too, is normal for him. After about an hour, he came out of hiding and climbed into my lap and slept.... for hours. I put him in bed... and he slept... for hours. I did my daily routine while he slept.... for hours. My boyfriend came home from work and told Coal hello but didn't get the normal warm welcoming hello he normally gets.

I went to cook dinner, and Coal usually plays around in the kitchen while I cook... but not today. He accompanied me in the kitchen, but there was no playing. He just sat there. I figured maybe he was hungry, it was about that time. So I fed him, and Coal ate like normal. He used the litter box like normal. But then it was back to bed.

Basically, he has been eating and using the litter box like normal... but he hasn't been playing like normal today.... just sleeping. Sleeping, eating, bathroom. I did a little research to try and figure out how to tell if he is sick or what is wrong with him. I am sure Coal is definitely sick. It is not like him to sleep all day like he has. I read that you can feel his ears and if they are hot, he has a fever. I felt his ears, and they seem rather warm, but I have only had him a week and not sure if they are warmer than usual.

As a new mommy, I am a bit concerned. I read about this one lady who took exceptional care of her kitten, but it still fell ill and died quickly.

You see, I have recently found out that I can't have children of my own... that's why I decided to adopt pets. Coal came into my life at the perfect time. He needed a mommy, and I longed to be a mommy. He is more than just a kitten to me and my boyfriend... he is our furry son!

If anybody could give me some advice. Should I wait and see if he feels better tomorrow, or should I call an emergency pet hospital immediately? I just don't want to lose him. We have all bonded so quickly and he has become our world!

Please help!!!!!!!!

Hello and welcome to the Forums!


If you are sure he is not well, dont wait. Contact a vet.

The question is possibly, if you go to this emergency vet who tends to costs a lot just for passing the treshold (most people arent made of money),

or if you try to phone a vet first. Or find some decent good, but cheaper vet, who can admit you for exam already today.

I presume you dont have own vet yet, being his paying patient, whom you can phone and ask questions?
When this crisis is over, try to find your household vet.

Anyway, this way or another, you should contact a vet, better sooner than later.
If you can find a good vet to phone and ask - you may begin with that.

If the costly emergency vet is possible for you and your economy - so be it.
Emergency vets do have one big plus. They are usually well equipped clinics, with all testing facilities.
While the cheap vets are often free time practicioners, with very limited testing possibiliteies.


Healthy kittens do have much better chances, but sorrowfully not even healthy kittens are immune to all problems. The same is with humans.
And if unlucky, it can go quickly down.


Good luck!

As long as he is eating, peeing, and pooping, I wouldn't get in too big a panic. But if he quits eating, it is a medical emergency at that age.

And I'm right there with you. I have a little foster kitten that is really sick, and I'm very worried about it. A vet visit in the morning is in the cards.

Welcome to TCS . And congratz on Coal . If he is eating, drinking, and using box, that is a good sign. The sleeping is a bit concerning but sometimes kittens sleep more a day here and there. If Coal is still lethargic tomorrow, take to vet. Sometimes I call the vet the day of and set an appt. for the next day, just in case. You can always cancel it if Coal is better tonight. But remember, Sunday vets are closed and Monday is a holiday. So if in doubt, bring him in tomorrow. Hope Coal feels better

Thanks for the warm welcome and the responce!

Not long after I posted my concerns, Coal woke up, ate, peed and pooped and then was a bit more playful than he had been all day! I literally teared up with joy! He didn't play for long... but he played! He almost seemed okay again... but he's been sleeping ever since. He is still using the litter box and eating... but not much change has been made. I found a vet that will do payment plans, and 50% off of first visit for new patients! That's us! Sooo... my little Coal has an appointment tomorrow morning for 9:30!

I hope all goes well and my little guy will be fine!

Welcome to the wonderful world of kitties and to TCS! Bless you for loving this little guy. Kittens have growth spurts and are usually less active just before a growth spurt. As long as you don't see runny, weepy eyes with colored discharge, congested nose, sneezing and your kitty is eating normally, drinking normally, and using the box as normal, things are pretty much okay.

For a good checkup for Coal at the vet!!! Glad he has perked up a bit. Let us know how the appt. goes!!! And enjoy your little guy, he sounds very, very sweet

So how did the vet appointment go? Hope it went well and he's fine... as others have said if he's eating, drinking, peeing and pooing normally he's hopefully fine!

Sorry it has taken me so long to let y'all know how the appointment went. It was a very busy weekend at work. (I'm a bartender in New Orleans... Fourth of July weekend... need I say more?)

Anyways...
The vet said he probably had a virus. He was running a very high fever of 105! She said the high fever explains the loss of appetite, thirst, and energy. She gave him a shot of antibiotics, and a shot of fluids. She also checked him for worms, and found nothing. She decided that there were probably worms in there somewhere, and decided to treat him for that. Even if there aren't it doesn't hurt to deworm him, just in case... she said.

I had work that night, and my boyfriend stayed home with Coal. The vet gave us a syringe to force any food or liquids down if necessary. She said if we didn't get that fever broken within 24 hours, we needed to bring him to the hospital. Before work, my boyfriend and I had to force some water in the poor baby. He didn't like that too much.

My boyfriend decided to go pick up some cans of tuna in water. He took the water from these cans and mixed it with Coals food and water... and it worked! We didn't have to force feed him anymore! By the time I got home, Coal had about half of his energy back. He was purring again, and playing a bit more. I checked his temperature, and it was gone! Bye bye fever!!!

Due to Coal playing in the my hair the next morning, I woke up! And when I did, Coal's toys were ALL OVER the house!!! His food dish was underneath the kitchen table, (which is half way across the room by the way), and the toilet paper had been completely unraveled! It looked like my little monster had LOTS of fun!

We have decided that even though he seems to have gained his health back, we will continue the antibiotic as prescribed. We don't want any icky things creeping their way back!

When I pick Coal up now, he feels a bit heavier. He is definitely a growing boy! He is feeling well enough to even go on little hunting adventures! A couple of flies got into the house, and one of the caught little Coal's attention. He chased it while I got ready for work Monday. I thought to myself, he'll never catch it! I continued getting ready for work. I looked over to check on him, and he was playing with a fly!!! He had it in his two front paws and the floor! I watched him struggle to keep ahold of it... and then he reached down with his head and ATE the fly!!! His daddy was so proud! Of course I freaked a little wondering how healthy and safe it was for my recovering kitty to eat a bug! I figured any grossness the bug is carrying will hopefully be killed by the antibiotics Coal is getting twice a day. He seems to be doing just fine, so...

Thanks for the acceptance to TCS and all the good vibes for Coal to recover! I really appreciate it! I think I'm gonna like it here!!!

YAY!!!!! . You will like it here, too! We all love eachother's cats . I had to laugh , picturing your house the next morning after he had his "night on the town" in the house. My Presley, also, likes to lick my hair to get me up in the morning, and it works everytime. I don't need any more split ends . Definitely....... keep up with the antibiotic!! This is VERY important. Just because he is feeling better does not mean all of the little bacteria invaders are gone. So glad he is doing better - PHEW

Y'all! I need some help again. I'm not a bad kitty owner, I just don't quite know what I'm doing yet. I was raised with dogs my whole life, so I can raise a puppy in my sleep. Coal is my first kitty.

Here's my dilemma. Coal is always soooo hungry! With all of the puppies I ever had, my mom always told me... keep the food dish with food in it. Of course you don't do this their whole life, but just while they are still growing. I was told you can't do this with cats. Cats are more like fish and will eat themselves sick. I feed Coal as much as his brand of food calls for. I break it up into three meals a day... breakfast, lunch and dinner. This just doesn't seem to be enough for him. He will go to his food dish and look for food and meow and meow and meow! My boyfriend was cooking dinner tonight, and the whole time he was cooking, little Coal was just meowing for Daddy to feed him!

When dinner was ready, I made sure to feed Coal. Once Coal had scarfed down all of his food, he jumped up into my lap to try and get some alsoof my food. When we were finished eating, Coal was not happy! He went to his food dish, sat in front of it facing us and meowed a sad pathetic little meow!

I don't want to overfeed him, but I don't want to starve the poor thing either. I can see and feel that he has definitely grown and gained weight since we first got him.... but no matter how much I feed him... it just isn't enough.


Also, Coal likes to nurse on the collar of my shirt. I asked about this before and I was told that this means he thinks I'm his mama (which I am ) and that he is comfortable. If he wasn't comfortable, he wouldn't try to nurse.... especially for bed. I was told to think of it like giving a baby a bottle for bedtime. My friend suggested that I just embrace it and look at it as a bonding experience between mother and son.... so I did... for a while.

Now, he does it all hours of the night. He will wake up and terrorize the house in play-mode, then try to come and nurse on me. I will be awakened by a furry little beast trying to suckle on the collar of my shirt! I was okay with it the first time... but the fifth time in one night was just too much! I got him off, and put my head down to where he couldn't get to my shirt. Now, he will swat at me (no claws thank goodness) or nibble my nose or something to startle me and get me to move to get away from him... and being asleep when he does it... eyes closed, I don't expect it coming, and I do indeed move... and he sneaks his little way back to the collar of my shirt. He's a crafty little thing, and that makes me proud... but I need my sleep, too! I feel so bad moving him and making him stop because he is purring the whole time he's doing it.... which means he's happy. That's all I really want is for him to be happy and love me, I don't want him to end up despising me... but I need sleep! Any suggestions y'all?

About the eating. Kittens, who do plays a lot and are growing, needs lotsa food, and often does eats surprising much.
Like in the example: "first he did ate his portion, after it he did ate his big kind daddys portion, and afterwards he meowed for more!"

As I see it, with most kittens you really dont need to set real limits.

Not necessarily with grown ups either, it is much a question of being comfortable for the human, not what is suitable for the cat.


Abot the other.
Yes, playing and or loving kittens is a classical story and a dilemma for many. It will be better when they are adults. They learn also more to sleep in the nights.

A radical remedy is to get another playful cat. Most cats do appreciate company, so in practice it is easier to have two cats, who are pals, then just one cat. The costs are higher, but not doubled.

You talk the whole time about the collar of the shirt. So use shirts without a collar. Sleep you can do entirely without.
If nothing else, it will breake up his behavior, and make it easier to come with changes...
Perhaps he can suck on something else?

Good luck!

If Coal is gaining weight and healthy then you are doing just fine. You will need to increase his food slightly each week as he gets bigger. You could try four small meals per day if you have time. At dinner time, give him one of those kitty treat ball toys (Petsmart and Petco sell them) and fill it with his kibble. He can knock that around on the floor and the kibble will fall out. But he will have to work at it so this will keep him busy.

The suckling is very common in some kittens. My Presley wanted to suckle on my neck ALL the time. It was annoying but I did let him at times because it made him feel secure. When I didn't want him to do it, and I could tell when he wanted too, I would redirect his attention onto something else. I never made him feel bad about it, I just tried to distract him from it. At nighttime, this is more difficult. I too would hide under my covers or gently push him away. Over time he started giving it up, on his own. He is now eleven months old and never does that anymore. He is my biggest snuggler too. So you are really lucky to have a kitty like Coal. He is a real lover and will be a very cuddly cat. The suckling is usually from being taken away from mom too soon or hand-raised. Some cats suck fleece and wool, and this is something different that usually lasts their whole life. My Pipsqueak is a fleece suckler and is five years old and still does this. Coal is like Presley. Just allow him this sense of security, it will pass as he gets older. Even if you had another kitten along with him, he would still do this suckling. He loves you and you are his safety and comfort.

I've had cats my entire life and have always free fed them. Kitten or cat. I leave a full bowl of kibble and water beside.
I've heard the exact opposite of dogs. Never let them graze...
Different strokes...
As for the suckling.. I relish my sleep to much to be awakened constantly. I would be making him his own little bedroom...
Mind you, if you can afford it..a playmate is a great idea!

Just a little update on this situation. We decided against going back to formula. The bottle suggests weening them at six weeks, and that's exactly what we did. We decided to continue forward and not go backwards.


Thus, we decided to get him a decent dry food and give him just a little in between meals. It's like a snack. We figured that you give growing human children snacks between meals because they are so active and burn off so much, this could be the same for kittens. He is a growing boy, and wet food probably digests easily due to it's high content of water. Please, please, please correct me if I'm wrong. I've mentioned this before, but I am new to being a cat owner... I research and research and I ask and I ask... that's kinda why I'm here... to learn!!!

As for the suckling, he still does it. It isn't as bad anymore... but he still does it. Of all of the researching I've done, the general consensus seems to be that it's a huge compliment having your kitten suckle and/or kneed you. This means you have passed the test of being looked up to like their mother. Although it does bother my sleeping sometimes, that has cut back a bit. When he does do it to the point of keeping me awake, I just lay him on my pillow above my head, and he's usually fine with this. All in due time, I suppose... all in due time.

Interesting tidbits I've found. If your cat nibbles (bites) or licks your nose... (and/or lips in Coals case) this is a sign of affection and trust.

A funny tidbit that I'm almost too embarrassed to share but figured... ahh, what the hey! My boyfriend and I would play the "Gimme that belly!" game with Coal. Turns out, rubbing, petting or playing with the belly of a male cat will sexually stimulate him. He will then bite your hand... not because he doesn't like it, but because he does like it, and this is what he would do to a feline in nature. My boyfriend and I have been sexually arousing our cat...and getting bitten! Needless to say, we don't play that game anymore.

Hand-playing is common with kittens. Don't let it go too far; those teeth and claws get very sharp very quickly!

Speaking of claws, you will probably want to trim Coal's front claws on a regular basis. If you have any question how to do it, just ask here. I trim all the cats' claws at the shelter, and I've gotten pretty good at it.

Originally Posted by mrblanche

Hand-playing is common with kittens. Don't let it go too far; those teeth and claws get very sharp very quickly!

Speaking of claws, you will probably want to trim Coal's front claws on a regular basis. If you have any question how to do it, just ask here. I trim all the cats' claws at the shelter, and I've gotten pretty good at it.

Click to expand...

That's very sweet of you, and I greatly appreciate that. I have a friend who has worked for many vets, and she is a groomer by trade, as well. Sometime this week she is going to help me pick out a good set of claw trimmers and teach me how to do it.

I would like to ask one question though. Is it true that if you cut them too short, the kitty could lose enough blood to actually die?

Hi . I would definitely offer him some dry kibble maybe at lunchtime. He should be getting at least 25 to 50 calories per pound as he is growing and needs lots of healthy food. The wet meals are much easier on the digestive system than dry, easier to digest but not sure it is any faster. As for the belly rubs , really you are not stimulating him in the way you think . Belly rubs usually make cats a bit aggressive and feisty, it is a vulnerable area for them to be pet or rubbed and some cats won't even tolerate it . You are probably over-stimulating him with the rubbing but it is not in a sexual way . Make sure you have someone show you about trimming the nails. Don't worry they cant die if you cut them too short but they will bleed. You need to have some Styptic powder on hand and you can picknthis up at any pet store. This clots the nail immediately. Or you can use Corn Starch if necessary but Styptic powder is better. You only take the very tip off of the nail. You can easily learn how to do this and then Coal will get used to the routine. Glad he is doing so well

Originally Posted by CoalsMommy

I would like to ask one question though. Is it true that if you cut them too short, the kitty could lose enough blood to actually die?

Click to expand...

You would only cut one short enough to bleed; the cat will be so angry at you that you're not likely to do a second one. And no, they won't bleed to death, but you can use a stiptic pencil on it to stop the bleeding.

A lot of people swear by the Soft Paws, and we used them, but keep in mind you need to cut the tips off the claws before you put them on.

I did start giving Coal a little dry food in between meals. He doesn't seem to be meowing and crying for food anymore. He is actually doing great now! He is very active, and he has the shiniest softest coat! His eye sight seems to be great, as well. He is the sweetest little kitty... very loving! He absolutely loves cuddling when it times to go to sleep. Thanks for all of the advice and support guys. You are all so awesome!

@PatrickCampbell: I once knew a guy with that same name. Funny.