Sick Siberian Kitten/cold? :(

[Olly_Olly_Oxenfree]

We got our 14 week old male Siberian kitten last week. He’s been very energetic except yesterday, he acted unusually lethargic. Still eating fine, good Litterbox habits. Very thirsty. Today, his right eye was slightly pink-rimmed and had white mucous gunk. I gently cleaned his eyelid. He’s slightly lethargic but drinking a lot of water.
Our vet saw him last week (before he got sick) and said kitten colds are common.

Is this a kitten cold? How do you best treat it (e.g lots of rest? Meds?)

 

[FeebysOwner]

Hi. Colds are common in kittens because these little guys have developing immune systems and aren't as able to fight off infection as well as adult cats can. The colds are typically due to upper respiratory infections caused by either virus or bacterial infection, and can become serious very easily. I think it would be a good idea to take him back in to see the vet (or, perhaps another one, considering what your current vet said) and have him checked out, including testing of the mucous to see what type of an infection it might be.

 

[Lranders29]

I agree. Worth getting checked out in case it’s something else brewing.

 

[stephanietx]

Upper respiratory infections are common after a new kitty comes home. It usually happens 10-14 days within going to a new home, mainly because of the stress of the new environment. Then you throw in the vet visit which is another stress producing event and it happens. I would keep an eye on him and get him to the vet, probably a new one since your current vet wasn't very supportive. If he stops eating, starts hiding, or there's a change in litterbox habits, it's a trip to the vet immediately.

 

[cheeser]

Upper respiratory infections are common after a new kitty comes home. It usually happens 10-14 days within going to a new home, mainly because of the stress of the new environment. Then you throw in the vet visit which is another stress producing event and it happens. I would keep an eye on him and get him to the vet, probably a new one since your current vet wasn't very supportive. If he stops eating, starts hiding, or there's a change in litterbox habits, it's a trip to the vet immediately.

Every kitten we've adopted from a shelter has always developed a cold after we got them home and our vet gave them a clean bill of health at their first appointment. It would usually be another day or two before we could get another appointment with the vet anyway, so in the meantime, we'd close our snuffly kitty up in the bathroom with us and turn on the shower a few times a day in the hope that the steam would help with the congestion, and made sure he got plenty of food and fluids. Sometimes that's all it took, but sometimes they needed a little extra help from the vet to bounce back.

Hope your fur baby is feeling better soon!