Healthy kittens have bright eyes, a sleek coat and a plump belly. Their eyes and nose are generally free from discharge. But you don’t have to be an expert to know if your kittens are healthy. In this section, we will review the most common signs of illness, so that you can identify when a kitten needs medical attention.
The most important thing you can do to ensure your foster kittens are healthy and growing is to weigh them daily. If you do not have one, LHS can provide a kitchen scale for the duration of your fostering. Changes in weight are the #1 indicator of illness or imbalance, and we must be proactive to keep our kittens healthy. LHS foster kittens must be weighed at least once daily until they are at least 8 weeks old.
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Weight Monitoring
Monitoring Weight Monitoring your foster pet’s weight over time is very important. Some of those reason include:
Small fractions of weight gain or loss are significant in kittens and puppies, especially those between 0‐4 weeks of age.
Kittens should be gaining 4 oz. per week, or 0.6 oz. per day.
Puppies should be gaining 5‐10% of their body weight per day, resulting in doubling their body weight every 10‐14 days.
Skinny foster pets need to gain weight, and obese foster pets need to lose weight.
It is especially important to monitor overweight cats to ensure that they do not lose weight too quickly. Rapid weight loss in cats can lead to hepatic lipidosis, also known as “fatty liver disease.” This is a very serious medical problem that can result in the cat needing emergency veterinary intensive care.
There are many medical conditions that affect weight. Geriatric pets may lose weight due to muscle atrophy. Pets with respiratory disease often lose their appetites, which can cause weight
Grooming & Baths
Kittens are usually groomed by their mother. In the absence of the mother, you must work hard to keep the kittens clean. The two most common reasons kittens get dirty are diarrhea or messy eating. Be sure to keep their skin and fur clear of any feces, urine, or food. If left it could cause uncomfortable irritation and painful burns to their delicate skin, or cause secondary infections.
Kittens can be messy, but “less is more” is the general rule when it comes to cleaning them. Kittens have special oils in their fur that protect and moisturize their skin and over-bathed kittens can cause dry and itchy skin. Because of this, bathing pets more than once a week is not recommended. For minor messes, use a warm, damp toothbrush or washcloth to stroke the kittens’ fur. This simulates how a mother cat would groom her kittens.
Here are the basic levels of cleaning (depending on how messy the kitten is!):
Spot cleaning: use a baby or pet wipe, or a warm damp cloth and gently wipe the mess. For kittens with food stuck to their face, only use a warm damp cloth. For quick clean up a baby wipe can be used to clean remnants of diarrhea. Dried feces should be moistened with a damp washcloth before gently removed using the cloth or a flea comb. A small amount of dawn soap on the warm, damp cloth will help to remove any lingering dirt/ fleas that may be present.
Half bath: Fill a sink with 1-2 inches of warm and very soapy water, not too hot! Only bathe the messy part of the kitten (such as its rear end). If you can get away with just a butt bath and not the whole body that is ideal. Clean the kitten as quickly and thoroughly as possible. Use a cup to scoop water and gently rinse off any soap. Dry kittens well using warm towels and a gentle blow dryer so that they do not get chilled.
Full bath: ONLY fully bathe a kitten if it is absolutely necessary. Getting a bath can be a terrifying or traumatic experience for kittens and pose a risk to their health so proceed with caution and care. If the kitten needs a more thorough bath, make sure you do not get water on its head, especially the eyes, nose, and ears!
Safe Suds
It is very important to only use soaps that are safe for kittens. Gentle fragrance-free baby wipes labeled as safe to use on human baby skin are also safe to clean your kittens. Johnson & Johnson Baby Shampoo and Dawn Original Dish Soap are great to use for tougher messes or flea baths. Adult cat shampoo is different from kitten shampoo and is not good for a kitten’s fur and skin. If you are unsure, please contact a Community Pet Coordinator.
Keep soapy water away from the face and ears, and rinse off all soap completely. If left on the skin it will dry it out and cause irritation.
Until they are 3-4 weeks old kittens can’t regulate their own body temperature so we want to keep full baths to a minimum. But even when they are young there are times a butt bath or full bath are needed. It is very important that after you wash kittens you dry their fur thoroughly. Kittens can get a chill very easily which can make them sick. Set up a heating pad or Snuggle Safe and a blanket where the kitten can warm up after being towel dried.
Kittens should not have diarrhea, if you are giving them regular baths for diarrhea you must contact your coordinator to get them tested and a treatment plan in place.
Please do not automatically bathe your foster pet within the first 24 hours of it arriving at your home. Most kittens will receive flea treatment before leaving LHS and you will wash off that treatment if you bathe them too soon. Talk to your Community Pet Coordinator if you are concerned about fleas. A bath and treatment schedule will need to be arranged so that we follow the most effective route in removing those pesky parasites.
Average Internal Temperatures of Underage Kittens
Over the first month of life, a kitten’s average internal temperature will change from close to 95 degrees F to roughly 101 degrees F. Kittens under 2 weeks of age do not have a shiver response and cannot regulate their own body temperature. Additionally, sick or kittens in poor body condition have a hard time retaining their heat, so knowing a kitten’s target temperature for their age is critical in giving them appropriate care. Neonatal kittens should have their temp taken before every feeding!
How to Take a Kitten’s Temperature
To take a kitten’s temperature you will need a rectal thermometer, a lubricant, and probably an assistant to hold the kitten. Lubricate the tip of the thermometer and insert it into the rectum, just past the metal tip of the instrument. Hold until the temperature is read, then remove and clean off the kitten and instrument.
Aspiration
A milk mustache may be cute, but if milk ever comes out of an animal’s nose it is aspirating. Kittens are pretty good at clearing milk from their lungs on their own. Set them down and allow them to begin breathing normally, which should take a few seconds. If this does not help, hold them upright, turn their head towards the ground with their butt in the air. You can also lightly tap repeatedly on their side flank on the rib cage, near where the shoulder meets the back. If the neonate is consistently aspirating or milk forms in its nose every time it suckles into the bottle, the nipple flow might be too strong. Additionally, if your foster kitten repeatedly aspirates please alert an LHS Community Pet Coordinator as we may start prophylactic antibiotics to protect them from developing an infection.
See more by clicking here: Bottle Feeding
Fading Kitten Syndrome
Fading Kitten Syndrome (FKS) is a life-threatening emergency in which a kitten, sometimes one that was previously healthy, “crashes” and begins to fade. This can occur with kittens who have a mother as well as those who do not, so watch for mother cats pushing away a kitten and not caring for it. Oftentimes, If not dealt with immediately, this can result in death. There is no clear cause or reason for this condition. It has been linked to birth defects, environmental stress, and infectious disease. Cases of FKS due to environmental factors and illness can sometimes respond to supportive care and medical treatment, but there is not much to be done for congenital defects we cannot detect. But we will try our hardest to give them a fighting chance!
Symptoms include low body temperature; the kitten feels cool or cold to the touch, extreme lethargy; not getting up, unable to stand, not responding when pet, can’t hold head up, limp body, lack of muscle tone, gasping for breath; mouth-breathing, meowing, crying out.
If the kitten(s) seem lethargic, follow the Fading Kitten Protocol
Internal Parasites & Poop
Diarrhea and parasites are very common in kittens, but that does not mean they are “normal” for kittens. Diarrhea should always be a red flag to foster caregivers. Bring diarrhea to the attention of your Community Pet Coordinators immediately. Parasites are very common with shelter pets. A large percentage of pets that come through our doors have been living outdoors in the community or in less-than-ideal circumstances. In that time there is no way of knowing what they eat, and they can pick up a variety of organisms. These organisms cause diarrhea, dehydration, anemia, and malnutrition, and if left untreated these infections can be deadly to young kittens.
All cats and kittens are started on de-wormers when they are signed into our care. But some cats and kittens either have high parasitic loads, or very early stages of infection so additional doses are needed. Indications of intestinal parasites include a large belly, diarrhea, and an inability to gain weight even when eating well, but the type of parasite can only be identified by testing a fecal sample. By coming to the bi-weekly appointments to get the following doses of de-wormer and bringing in a fecal sample to be tested regularly, we are able to catch parasites early before the pets show clinical signs of illness or spread it to others. The foster team encourages everyone to make it a habit to bring along a fecal sample to every appointment to be tested for parasites.
The most common intestinal parasites seen in cats at LHS are roundworms and coccidia. Coccidia can be devastating to a young kitten, but if caught early it is easily treated. Coccidia can also be sneaky and hide in the most beautiful little poops, but these are carriers and can make other kittens who have a less developed immune system very sick. We all want happy, healthy kittens and minimize the spread of parasites, so please be sure to collect fecal samples regularly!
The easiest way to get a fecal sample is to take a Ziplock baggie, turn it inside out, use it like a glove to pick up the poop, turn it right side out, and seal it up! Then either bring it to the center during our staffed hours or refrigerate it until you can drop it off. Fecal samples should be as fresh as possible and still soft. We only need about a sugar cube-sized sample to test. Additionally, you do not need to know which kitten in a litter the poop belongs to since they all share germs between themselves. Just pick the “worst” sample you find, whichever is loosest or smelliest. Please write the kitten’s or your own name on their baggie. Once collected you can give it to either your community pet coordinators or the front desk attendant, who will give it to our medical team to be tested.
Neonatal Kittens Poop
Typical healthy neonate kitten poop is yellowish brown and the consistency of toothpaste. Diarrhea and parasites are very common in kittens, but that does not mean they are “normal” for kittens. Diarrhea should always be a red flag to foster caregivers. Bring diarrhea to the attention of your Community Pet Coordinators immediately.
Parasites are very common with shelter pets. A large percentage of pets that come through our doors have been living outdoors in the community or in less-than-ideal circumstances. In that time, there is no way of knowing what they eat, and they can pick up a variety of organisms. These organisms cause diarrhea, dehydration, anemia, and malnutrition, and if left untreated these infections can be deadly to young kittens. We all want happy, healthy kittens and to minimize the spread of parasites, so please be sure to collect fecal samples regularly!
The gut is incredibly important to a kitten’s overall health and more things can affect it than just parasites. Food changes, stress, overfeeding, and bacterial imbalance are all common causes of diarrhea or constipation. In addition to medical treatments, we may recommend feeding or diet changes to promote gut health.
Constipation, Upset stomach & Diarrhea
The gut is incredibly important to a kitten’s overall health, and more things can affect it than just parasites. Food changes, stress, overfeeding, and bacterial imbalance are all common causes of diarrhea or constipation. In addition to medical treatments, we may recommend feeding or diet changes to promote gut health. Using stool charts like this one, we can communicate the consistency of pet’s poop. Type 3-4 are considered normal, while higher types indicate diarrhea. Kittens with Type 1-2 are constipated, and you may see them straining to defecate or poop less frequently. Kittens who have not defecated for more than two days need to be seen by a veterinarian.
Upper Respiratory Infection - URI
The term “upper respiratory infection” is used to refer to any illness that affects a cat’s upper respiratory system; it is basically a kitty cold. There are a lot of viruses and bacteria that cause upper respiratory symptoms. URIs are commonly treated with antibiotics or antivirals that are prescribed by our veterinarians. Due to the sheer volume of community cat intakes and the stressful environment impacting immune system, URIs are very common in shelter cats. URIs are very contagious to other cats and kittens through direct contact and can also be airborne. And URIs can be very serious for underage kittens if they are not caught early and treated appropriately.
Common symptoms include sneezing, runny nose and/or eyes, congested breathing, fever, oral ulcers lethargy and loss of appetite. If the kittens' congestion causes difficulty breathing, LHS staff can provide nebulization treatments with antibiotics or you can provide steam baths or a humidifier at home. A lot of kittens with upper respiratory infections will have decreased appetite and may need supplemental feeding, more frequent meals or syringe fed until they feel like eating again. Warming the food can make it more appetizing to kittens unable to smell their food well due to congestion. Kittens with upper respiratory infections may need additional help regulating their body temperature so be sure to offer an external source of warmth while they recover.
The Kitten Cold
The term “upper respiratory infection” is used to refer to any illness that affects a cat’s upper respiratory system; it is basically a kitty cold. There are a lot of viruses and bacteria that cause upper respiratory symptoms. URI’s are commonly treated with antibiotics or antivirals that are prescribed by our LHS Veterinarians. Due to the sheer volume of community cat intakes and the stressful environment impacting immune system, URI’s are very common in shelter cats.
URI’s are very contagious to other cats and kittens through direct contact and can also be airborne. And URI'scan be very serious for underage kittens if they are not caught early and treated appropriately.
Common symptoms include sneezing, runny nose and/or eyes, congested breathing, fever, oral ulcers lethargy and loss of appetite.
If kittens are having difficulty breathing may also need to be nebulized, or you can provide steam baths or a humidifier at home. A lot of kittens with upper respiratory infections will have decreased appetite and may need supplemental feeding, more frequent meals or syringe fed until they feel like eating again.
Warming the food can make it more appetizing to kittens unable to smell their food well due to congestion.
Kittens with upper respiratory infections may need additional help regulating their body temperature so be sure to offer an external source of warmth while they recover.
Is This Emergent?
At LHS our Foster team & Medical team are tasked with providing all medical care and treatments under the leadership of our amazing veterinarians. However, this means we have to be efficient and effective at providing the necessary care for everyone. In order to do this, we ask that all medical concerns that are considered non- emergent to schedule an appointment with staff, either on Calendly or via email. Walk-ins are reserved for emergencies.
If you are unsure, here are some common non-emergent medical concerns you may see:
Yellow or green eye discharge, morning crusties or winking, redness, inflammation or swelling of eye or surrounding eye tissue
Debris in the ears, accompanied by frequent scratching at ear (more than 4 times a day) itching or minor pain
Yellow or green, snotty discharge from the nose, small traces of bloody mucus from nose, Excessive sneezing, audible sinus congestion
Decreased appetite, vomiting (once or twice in small amounts), trouble eating or chewing, ulcers of the gums or tongue
Sudden limping that does not improve with rest within a day, animal exhibits pain upon walking or handling but is able to stand/eat/drink/urinate.
Diarrhea, constipation (no bowel movement for more than 48 hours), dark amber urine, straining or discomfort while passing urine, swelling, inflammation or other discomfort of the anal/genital area
Changes in attitude or behavior, slow to move or decreased playtime, poor appetite (decrease intake or skips 2 meals), excessive drinking.
Itching, lumps, cuts, hair loss, scabs, frequent scratching or itchiness
After Hours?
After hours, contact the emergency contact at 434-473-1383. Please leave a message and someone will reach back out to you! This line is monitored by a member of the medical team, who can either walk you through the problem or approve you to go to Animal Emergency and Critical Care of Lynchburg.