Help with 8 week old kitten needed

I have an approximately 8 week old kitten that is underweight & breathes very hard with his mouth open. He also cannot meow. At all. He looks really out of it. Took him to the vet yesterday because of this & the fact that when he eats he makes a loud cracking noise like teeth grinding or twigs snapping. No diagnoses yet. We got meds but he barely eats. I am pretty sure he is not hissing though because he sleeps on my lap &his comfortable around me. Any ideas on what is wrong or maybe even the right place on this site to post and get some advice?

Can you  post a picture of him/

slightapex said:

I have an approximately 8 week old kitten that is underweight & breathes very hard with his mouth open. He also cannot meow. At all. He looks really out of it. Took him to the vet yesterday because of this & the fact that when he eats he makes a loud cracking noise like teeth grinding or twigs snapping. No diagnoses yet. We got meds but he barely eats. I am pretty sure he is not hissing though because he sleeps on my lap &his comfortable around me. Any ideas on what is wrong or maybe even the right place on this site to post and get some advice?

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This takes my thoughts to a heart problem, unless it happens after a intensive play session, esp with a longhaired kittens...

If coming after a moderate play, I will normally suspect heart problem.

If he is undernourished for real, and emaciated as after starvation, he will be weak too.   After some fasting (ie non eating)  I too tend to become weak and get easy breathless, even after a moderate hard work...

Undernourishment, perhaps combined with say, fleas and because of it, a serious anemia...

But if he had a serious heart problem, the vet would prob discover it, even a so so vet would discover it, especielly listening after such a problem...

So I hope its undernourishing.   Do you know his history?  Is it yours cats, so you know he had always access to enough with nourishing food?

Or its a new cat to you, friendly and cuddable, but could have had any hardships??

The non meowing doenst need to be a problem.  Some cats dont meaw, they dont know how to do it, and must learn it with time.

That peculiar sound when he ates,  I have no idea for the moment...

But if he has some fault with the bite as such, THIS could perhaps explain why he is undernourished...

What does he gets to eat?  dry food or wet food?

I would suggest wet food, by several reasons.

Supplement with Nutri-cal or similiar viitamine paste.

And if you can get goat milk, do so.  Nourishing and healthy, good supplement for anyone.

Raw, fresh or frozen is best, but bottled , cartooned or powderd, full fat is OK too.

Some ideas for  you to analyse.    

Handsome Kitty said:

Can you  post a picture of him/

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Yes. How do I post a pic on this site? The only other forums I belong to have a different layout. I will check back & send a pic or 2 later tonight. Thanks in advance for any and all help/info!

slightapex said:

Yes. How do I post a pic on this site? The only other forums I belong to have a different layout. I will check back & send a pic or 2 later tonight. Thanks in advance for any and all help/info!

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when you write your post, you see   some sort of a postcard icon,  an industry/mountains... click in there, its rather intuitive once you found it.  EVEN I do manage to publish pics, if necessary.   That intuitive!

The button surrounded by the red square ^^ That's the one you are looking for, to post a picture.

Also, if possible I wouldn't say no to a video either, to see his breathing.

slightapex said:

Yes. How do I post a pic on this site? The only other forums I belong to have a different layout. I will check back & send a pic or 2 later tonight. Thanks in advance for any and all help/info!

Click to expand...

slightapex Try this link for instructions How to Add an Image to Your Forum Post
http://www.thecatsite.com/a/how-to-add-an-image-to-your-forum-post

slightapex said:

image.jpg

• slightapex
• Sep 23, 2015

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here he is, it seems like he has to move his head up and down to breathe. Even in his sleep. I have a video of it but I can't upload it. Either way he really looks like he is having a rough time.

Btw, he weighs exactly 1 pound.

He should weigh 2 pounds, but due to illness is not eating. He looks rough. Is there something the matter with his eyes?

You mentioned meds - what medicine exactly did the vet put him on, and when exactly?

Try feeding Gerber turkey baby food. It's high protein and sick cats usually like it. You may have to feed from your finger or from a spoon.

Will he take a bottle with kitten formula?

This little guy needs loads of special care right now!

He can't breathe unless he lifts his head. Vet gave us AD food that I make watery for him & Clavamox, .2 twice a day

At what point should I give up on him? I don't want to just keep letting him suffer. On the other hand I don't mind putting some time and money into fixing him.

I certainly would not give up! He needs to get through an entire course of antibiotics, and may need more. He also may benefit from a steroid. He needs to eat though.

Poor little fellow. When did this start with him?

I would like to get advice from catwoman707 . She may have some thoughts and ideas on his situation.

Hang in there for now.

I will do the best I can. The more I watch him the more I think he has a throat issue as well as a cold. He acts like he wants to eat but then he takes one bite and is in obvious pain from it. It's to the point where he starts to shake his head like he is in pain when I put food out for him. It's like he is experiencing Pavlovian conditioning, expecting pain. Vet says he is a main coon mix. that's a breed I guess.

That's why he needs mush or Gerber right now. Something he can lap up. You need to mash up his food and also water it down for him. He's probably hungry but it hurts to swallow, but he MUST eat.

When did this start?

Hiw long have you had him?

If fluid food is easier for him, you CAN still use KMR, stage one, or goat milk...  If you can get raw goat milk, fresh or frozen, its in itself good.

Wont help him with his main problem here, but useful supplement / emergency nourishment.

If you dont have problems with salomonella in eggs in your area, you can add a raw egg yolk into this goat milk or KMR  or other wet food.  Nourishing...

Add Nutri-cal or similiar vitamine paste to his totale intake....

That too will help him fight on.

From the further converstion on the tread, I see, its probably not heart fault, as the vet would discover it.

And yes, big part of his problem is undernourishing - in practice starvation - but its not the primary problem.  The primary is something painful in his neck or mouth... Or possibly even lungs.

What a little doll!

He is clearly in desperate need of help.

I want to know how long he has been on clavamox first of all, oh and btw his eyes really show he is in danger, his inner lids are very visible.

He is grossly underweight and needs to be syringe fed chicken baby food with pediolyte immediately, and every couple of hours.

The open mouth is because he is very clogged up tightly so he needs 10-15 minute stays in a steamed up bathroom a few times a day.

It is critical that he gets his clavamox exactly when due, they are twice a day and the med is out of the system after 12 hours so it's important.

I really want to wake up and check in, and know how many doses he has had, and what he has taken in liquid and food-wise by then.

It is only alot of work and time for a few more days, to allow the med to start showing progress.

NEVER give up! He can be saved but need constant care right now.

He MUST stay hydrated! This is critical to whether he pulls through this or not.

Going to pick up some baby food and pedialyte right now. He's coming to work with me tomorrow so I will feed him frequently. I hope he doesn't die. I will be pissed. I don't mind spending the money if any of you think that it would be worth it to drop him at the vets to have him cared for for a few days, what do you think? Maybe like an IV of nutrients or something?

catwoman707

What do you think? Should he stay at the vet's for a few days? See above post.