Nine week old feral kitten foaming at the mouth

Hi all,

I live in a neighborhood where lots of feral cats like to hang around, one of which is a kitten about nine weeks old.  His mama takes good care of him.  He has been sort of low-energy today, and at first I thought it was the heat, but then I noticed that he has a little bit of a foamy-like substance around his mouth, and tiny bugs are buzzing around his face.  He looks miserable and I'm worried.  He's not tame yet so the chances of me being able to take him to a vet are pretty slim. 

Anyone have any ideas/advice?

It definitely sounds like he needs to be seen by a vet. How is he today?

I'm moving your post to the Ferals & Rescue forum where you can get more help about possible trapping.

kateghost said:

 
Hi all,

I live in a neighborhood where lots of feral cats like to hang around, one of which is a kitten about nine weeks old.  His mama takes good care of him.  He has been sort of low-energy today, and at first I thought it was the heat, but then I noticed that he has a little bit of a foamy-like substance around his mouth, and tiny bugs are buzzing around his face.  He looks miserable and I'm worried.  He's not tame yet so the chances of me being able to take him to a vet are pretty slim. 

Anyone have any ideas/advice?

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Sounds like an ASAP vet errand.

Any possibility to get him?  Being sick he is probably not at all as movable as usual...  IF you can get near, threw a big towel around him, and wrap him up.  If necessary, head and everything. And directly after, into the carrier...  Or carry him wrapped up so, and let someone else drive...   Wrapped up, head and all, e will cease the resistance.

Its possibly enough cover up his head, even...  Especielly eyes.   Like they do with birds of prey in training.

If you cant get  him, it will of course be more diffult to do anything...

If you cant do anything, try and give him milk - goat mil or full fat low lactose.  Milk does binds some sorts of poisons.   And lotsa of fluids helps to wash away some other poisons...

This is NOT instead of a vet visit, just a bleak  emergency try...

Thanks so much for the replies!

Thankfully, he seems to be doing much better today.  He is still sleeping a lot (which I guess is normal) but doesn't look as miserable as he did Friday, and he perked up when his mom came around, and was able to nurse with no problem.

He still seems to be a little congested or something--he was breathing through his mouth, and wasn't able to "lap" water, but instead just dips his mouth in it and sort of lets the drops of water settle so he can swallow them.  I did leave some lactose-free milk for him, and he drank a few drops of that also.

I had a thought that the "foaminess" may have been a result of vomiting.  He may have done it again today if this is the case--he had what may have been a little bit of vomit in his front paw and around his mouth this morning (I couldn't get close enough to examine it without him hissing and running away).  He may have been overeating--a few neighbors leave food out for all the cats, so it's hard to keep track.

I'm going to keep a close eye on him and keep trying to approach him without freaking him out.  StefanZ, the towel idea sounds like a good one.  I'll keep it in mind and try to find a basket or carrier in case things don't continue improving.

kateghost said:

 
Thanks so much for the replies!

Thankfully, he seems to be doing much better today.  He is still sleeping a lot (which I guess is normal) but doesn't look as miserable as he did Friday, and he perked up when his mom came around, and was able to nurse with no problem.

He still seems to be a little congested or something--he was breathing through his mouth, and wasn't able to "lap" water, but instead just dips his mouth in it and sort of lets the drops of water settle so he can swallow them.  I did leave some lactose-free milk for him, and he drank a few drops of that also.

I had a thought that the "foaminess" may have been a result of vomiting.  He may have done it again today if this is the case--he had what may have been a little bit of vomit in his front paw and around his mouth this morning (I couldn't get close enough to examine it without him hissing and running away).  He may have been overeating--a few neighbors leave food out for all the cats, so it's hard to keep track.

I'm going to keep a close eye on him and keep trying to approach him without freaking him out.  StefanZ, the towel idea sounds like a good one.  I'll keep it in mind and try to find a basket or carrier in case things don't continue improving.

Click to expand...

Nay, its sooner the other way around, he did foamed, and he did vomited.

Im happy he is better.  With a little luck he may even make it, and have 8 lives left to use.   One has surely gone here.   (the proverb says cats have 9 lives).