9 Week old kitten has cat flu!

Hi

Our kitten is ill with cat flu, cought from our adult male cat, who brought it in, ive heard shes too young for jabs, so what can we do?

Were trying to re-home her also!

She looks very ill, sneezing, snotty nose, she can hardly breath, but shes doing ok breathing out her mouth, were puting this stuff around the place, that clears her nose, which works pretty well.

Vet gave us these tablets to give her, but she wont eat anything to get the tablets, any help here please?

Shall we give her to the RSPCA?

Thanks

Matt

Sorry I can't help. Hope she gets better soon.

Matt, are the tablets to be given with food? If so, you may need to use a syringe (without the needle of course) to gently feed her some canned kitten food. Is it possible for you to ask the vet for some antibiotic paste for her? That may be easier.

Also, she should have her first set of vaccinations at 8 weeks but it is recommended that a sick cat or kitten is not vaccinated until they are well.

Just to add, it's a good idea to take her back to the vet, as she's not getting better. Is she drinking?

She must eat or she will go downhill very fast, in a matter of days. Probably she can't smell anything therefore won't eat. I would get a feeding syringe from a pet shop or a large 20cc syringe without needle from a pharmacy and make her some liquid food. Try kitten glop, the recipe is on this forum at the top, or beaten up egg yolk in kitten milk (from pet store or supermarket) or water. You can also liquidise kitten food with water and put that in the syringe. Home-made chicken broth or tuna juice, without salt, are good too and she may be able to smell them. Feed her a little (20/30 cc) every two/three hours. Do not let her get dehydrated - test for that by pinching the skin at the back of her neck. If it remains up more than a second or two then she needs fluids fast.

On the pill, some people have success coating pills in butter, breaking them up if necessary. Or if it is possible you can powder it up and mix it with liquid in a syringe and administer it that way, gently into the side of the mouth.

The important thing is to keep her strength up, to give her body the ammunition to fight the virus, and to make her comfortable. Steam helps her breathe, as it does a child, and she must be kept warm at all times. Good luck with her - I nursed my Dushka through serious flu/pneumonia when she was only 3/4 weeks old and the vet gave up on her. It is hard but can be done.

Hi guys

I didnt know i would get replies so fast! Thanks!

Some great advice here, i didnt think about a syringe! I will get one after ive written this post, she has not eaten in 36 hours, she cant smell it, she walks up to the bowl, then walks away, we keep puting her back there, and she keeps walking away.

We have made sure shes warm, she is sleeping alot, im talking 90% of the time.

From the vet, we have tablets, and this white powder that shes meant to eat (as we put the powder on her food), shes not taking either. The stuff we have put around the place to help her breathe is called "Olbas Oil", which she hates and walks away from!

We dont want the vet to put her down, so were desperate in getting her better, shes only 8 weeks old and cant fight this too well.

Our adult cat who brought it in is now better, its just the kitten who now has it.

Thanks

Matt

Please ask your vet for Hills a/d food - it should work well. You can also try heating food - either by adding a teaspoon or so of boiling water (also helps with the water consumption) or putting in the microwave for 10 seconds - but stir it well after and check it isn't too hot. Most cat foods, including a/d get nice and smelly when you heat them, so should be more tempting. Smelly fish/fish juice such as tuna, sardines etc are also good for tempting cats to eat as they should be able to smell them. I would also try taking her in the bathroom and running a very hot bath to produce lots of steam. I don't blame the cat for not liking Olbas Oil - I have had success with Eucalyptus oil in a burner though.

Matt- 36 hours without food is getting into the danger zone. Please read this article. In it, you will find tips on how to get a reluctant cat to eat. Also regarding the meds, try spray cheese and see if that works for her. She is not eating because she can't smell. Little Noses a nose spray for babies will work for her. Put one drop in each nostril then stand back and let her sneeze, then put another drop in each nostril again.


http://www.thecatsite.com/Cats/Cat_H...Lipidosis.html

Are the tablets a antibiotic? If so she needs to get her antibiotics into her to help get her better. Antibiotics can be given in liquid instead of tablets if you can't get the tablet into her ask the vet for a liquid type that you use a eye dropper to get it into her. I hope she improves..

update?