Worried about my 8 week old Kitten

Hi everyone

Have tried google and come up shy, so I hope someone can help.

I rescued 2 kittens, both 9 weeks. We've had them for a week now. 

At first Umi was skittish, anxious, and had dihorrea, which we saw the vet for and she's doing great.

Monty started out SO playful and affectionate, but on Sunday we brought him to the vet and he was diagnosed with an upper respiratory infection. He was so lethargic, sneezy, etc, and the main thing I noticed was he was constantly crying for attention. The vet gave him an antibiotic shot, then gave us 6 days of antibiotics for him. 

Now, Monday and Tuesday it seemed like he was bouncing back really well, which I thought was crazy fast, but was so happy he was running around again. But in the last two days (today will mark day 4 on antibiotics) he's crying a lot and sleeping a lot again. I'm not sure what to do. I can hear that he's definitely congested, particularly just before he sleeps, I can hear his tiny little panting breaths, and its heartbreaking. He is on meds, and he's still eating, I just feel like somethings wrong. I'm an absolute crazy worrier, so its stopping me sleeping worrying about him. 

Does anyone have any advice? Is it normal for kittens to still seem really lethargic after 4 days of antibiotics?? My rationalisation was that when I go on antibiotics for chest infections, which I get a lot, I always feel wiped out, and usually it gets a bit messier and more phlegmy and uncomfortable when the infection is clearing... is this the same for kittens?

So sorry if I seem absolutely crazy, I just want to make sure he's ok.

Thanks everyone <3

Also because who doesn't love kitten pictures, here are the two lads:


This is Umi


and this is Monty <3 <3 

ciarajay

Red Alert!!!

Poor Monty!

I suggest you run a hot shower, and sit holding him in the bathroom and let the steam help loosen the congestion. If his nose is stuffy, you can use pediatric saline drops (not spray), called Little Noses.

HOWEVER, it sounds like the congestion has gotten worse, not better. If he's panting in short breaths, it sounds like pneumonia has developed. This is not good!

I'd call the vet right away. He may need a different, stronger antibiotic, or even a steroid. It's no longer just an URI.

What did the vet put him on? And please update after you speak to a vet. Pneumonia is very dangerous in kittens. His chest probably hurts very badly! This accounts for his lethargy!

ciarajay

How is Monty doing? I've been very concerned about him.

@sarthur2 Thank you so much for the advice!!! He's turned around completely, and is so MUCH better today! I booked a vets visit as soon as i read your post, and I'm glad I did. Luckily it doesn't seem to be pneumonia, he was just a little stuffed up and I was getting worried. I tried the steam shower, and he was so much perkier after, though he was terrified of the sound of our power shower, hahah Vet is happy with his progress, and he's running around like a lunatic today!

Oh, I'm so glad to hear that he is better! The breathing you described really concerned me. It's always best not to take chances with something like that. Thanks so much for the update!

They are both absolutely adorable! [emoji]128149[/emoji][emoji]128062[/emoji]

Cute as buttons, they are! [emoji]128571[/emoji][emoji]128149[/emoji][emoji]128062[/emoji]

Thank you everyone <3

Unfortunately, Monty is not well. He's had a vestibular episode. I just got him home from the emergency vet, he was very ill, classic symptoms: running in circles, couldn't hold his head up, it was falling to one side, crying and generally drunk type behaviour. It was very upsetting, as I'd never seen or heard of this before and didn't know what to do. I got him to the emergency vet, who explained what vesibular disorder was.

He's currently extending his antibiotics in case his URI has given him an inner ear infection, which may have caused the episode. Because we've seen some other symptoms before which may have been an indicator that something more serious is wrong, the vet thinks there's a strong possibility that this is congenital and monty has some problems in his brain. We're monitoring him for a few days to see if the anitbiotics help, and we'll go from there. I'm taking a week off work to keep an eye on him.

I have to say, I'm finding this all really difficult to deal with. Its really hard to see him like this, so uncordinated and dizzy. Luckily he's eating, and theres been no vomiting from the dizziness. I'm just so worried about him. His episode earlier, when it was at his worst, reminded me of a stroke in a human. I honestly thought my little dude was gonna drop dead.

I've never been so scared or upset. If anyone has any tips or advice for helping him be more comfortable, or has gone through this with their kitty, I'd really appreciate it. I just feel so upset, I keep crying over it and my other little kitty Umi is trying to comfort me. I have no problem at all at all looking after a little special needs cat, if it does turn out to be a long term syndrome, he will not go short of love in this house, I just feel so shaken and scared and worried. The vet calmed me a bit, but I can't shake the feeling that I'm going to come in and find him dead. 

Anyway sorry for the splurge of emotion, just love the little guy and am finding it hard to deal with seeing him so sick. The emergency vet place has told me to monitor him overnight, and try and ensure he keeps eating (which he is) and they'll call tomorrow with more info for me and more help on what to do next.

<3

Goodness gracious! Didn't see this coming!

Your emotions are totally understandable. It's hard to see a little kitten having such problems, and be helpless to do much. Thankfully, you got him vet care right away.

I do not know much about what he is experiencing, but maybe one of our other advisors will.

I hope he will get better soon. I think it's great you are able to take a week off to be with him. Please keep us posted as you learn more.

Thank you. I'll keep everyone updated. 

If anyone has any experience with vestibular episodes in kittens, I'd love to talk / get some advice.

My main concern is the vet didn't do / tell us much. She gave Monty a steroid, but was really vague about what to look out for / what we should do next. I would have thought she'd have taken some bloods / talked about organizing a scan for him, I'm a bit uncomfortable with the idea of simply upping anti-biotics for a few days in case its an ear infection. Of course it may well be and that would be great, but if there's something more serious going on, I want to be proactive. I'm getting my partner to call them today for more advice / talk about next steps and further tests. We don't have cash to burn or anything, but I'll do whatever it takes for him.

Anyway, an update on his behaviour : he's playing with Umi lots today which is great, seems overall less distressed. When he wakes up from a nap he seems the most disorientated, which I think seems natural. His head is still very much tilted, but overall less falling over. He's eating as normal, and I'm keeping up with antibiotics. I got up at 10am (had a hard time sleeping, and then fell asleep at about 5am and slept in haha), and he hasn't used the litter tray yet, which is my only worry, but the vet said yesterday he didn't seem constipated so I'm not too worried about that yet. 

Thanks for checking in, I'll keep everyone updated

The antibiotics and steroids are probably the way to go with this. He may need to stay on the steroids for awhile. I'm glad he's doing better though.

Now that I think about it, I did have a cat who had a neurological issue develop about halfway through her life. We never did know what caused it, but she was given antibiotics and steroids. Initially she appeared stroke-like and was crying and could barely walk. It took two rounds of antibiotics and continued steroid pills (every other day), but she recovered except her head remained slightly tilted and her gait was just a tiny bit off for the rest of her life. She lived 16 years.

Asking the vet lots of questions is a good idea. You may need a prescription for cortisone tablets. Your little guy may fully recover since he's so young.

Hi Ciara... I read your postings and I just wanted to thank you because you are a great person that rescued two kittens!!.. I rescued my cat from the streets and I had him for almost a year.  He was already around 3 years old approx.... I got advised by all my friends to test him for leukemia or FIV and unfortunately he got an upper respiratory infection and when we tested, he was leukemia positive....There is nothing we could do at that point and we had to put him to sleep to avoid him to suffer.  I'm telling you this, because since you got kittens and they are young, you are in time to give them the care they need and live good lives.  Unfortunately my cat was old nd he got all these infections in the street.   I have two other cats that I kept separate from him and I also will test them just in case.

Good luck and God bless you and your kittens!  Marie

I'm pulling for Monty.

You're AWESOME for rescuing these two beautiful kittens!

Keep us updated.

Omg the kittens are so cute!  

How is Monty doing today?  Hoping for the best.  

Poor little thing, how is he doing now?

ciarajay

How is Monty doing? We've been wondering.

Sorry guys!

An update: we brought him to the vet again last monday for a checkup, and she said much the same: that he's too small right now for a lot of tests, and we can't do bloods til he's a bit bigger. She said that he deserves a shot, but she's also worried that he may have a shunt also. Basically it seems like the little dude might have been born with quite a few congenital issues. I personally disagree about the shunt, no other vet has brought it up or said he was bloated when they saw him, I think he was bloated when he saw her, but he'd been on two courses of antibiotics, which often constipates little kitties.

Anyway, she told us to come back in 2 weeks, which is a week from Monday. In the meantime, we're monitoring him, and if anything serious happens we have to bring him right back in.

So, he seems to be improving. He's playing with Umi again, running around, eating lots (he's the greediest little cat I've ever met), sleeping well. He's stopped falling over, seems far more co-ordinated, still has a head tilt some of the time. He's at his worst when he wakes up, the other day he got so dizzy he got sick, but slept and recovered really quickly. He generally seems happy, with fewer episodes, further apart, so I think there's a definite improvement. Vet said it can take between a week and three weeks for him to fully come out of it .

No other news yet, but some photos

ciarajay

He is absolutely adorable! Both of them are!

I'm so glad to hear he is doing better!

I agree with you that he does not have all those congenital abnormalities. It could have been a virus. Vets often tend to think in textbook terms.

Clearly the antibiotics have helped. Did they give any further steroids?

I'm hoping he continues to improve! He sounds pretty normal overall.

Please keep us posted! [emoji]128522[/emoji]

Those 2 are so adorable.  So glad he is doing better too!