6 Common Kitten Illnesses: Signs and Treatment

Imagine if a human infant could grow into a young adult in about 365 days. While that sounds impossible, kittens undergo an equivalent transformation within their first year of life. Though kittenhood is short-lived, this stage can be a lot of fun…and equally worrisome when your kitty is sick.

Navigating kitten illnesses is stressful, but being prepared can help. The worry, appointments, medical tests, medications, and mounting veterinary care costs can all take a toll. Options like pet insurance and a CareCredit credit card can help you manage vet expenses so you can focus on your pet’s health.* And learning about common kitten illnesses teaches you what sick cat symptoms to watch out for, so you can get your kitty the best care possible.

How to Tell Your Kitten Is Sick

Eat, sleep, play, repeat: This pretty much sums up the daily routine of most kittens (with some snuggles thrown in there, too). And that’s important because knowing what’s “normal” for your kitten can help you recognize when something is amiss.

Changes in health or behavior are often the first sign of illness in kittens, but they aren’t always obvious. Just like adult cats, kittens may hide or minimize symptoms of sickness. So it’s important to keep an eye out for signs of kitten illness, including:

• Kitten isn’t eating, refuses food, or shows signs of decreased appetite
• Low-energy or lethargic kitten
• Kitten is vomiting
• Kitten has diarrhea
• Kitten is sneezing a lot, has nasal discharge or congestion (kitty stuffy nose)
• Kitten has eye discharge or redness
• Kitten has a bloated belly

If you note any of these sick kitten symptoms, contact your veterinarian. Some new kitten parents may hesitate to reach out for fear of overreacting. However, it’s always best to leave that decision in the hands of your vet. 

6 Common Kitten Illnesses: Signs and Treatment

Kittens are resilient little creatures. However, their small size and immature immune systems make them especially vulnerable to certain illnesses and kitten diseases. Here are the most common kitten illnesses to watch out for in your kitten’s first year.

Upper Respiratory Infection

Upper respiratory infections (URIs) are quite common in kittens. They typically develop when highly contagious viruses, like feline herpesvirus and feline calicivirus, overcome a kitten’s immune system.

In some cases, kittens may develop a bacterial infection due to respiratory pathogens such as Mycoplasma felis and Bordetella bronchiseptica secondary to a viral URI. This may cause more severe respiratory symptoms requiring additional treatment with antibiotics.

Symptoms of URI in kittens include:

• Sneezing
• Nasal congestion
• Nasal and eye discharge (ranges from clear to thick yellow/green)
• Conjunctivitis (inflammation of the tissues around the eyes)
• Coughing (in severe cases)

In most cases, feline URI is like a kitten cold, with mild symptoms lasting about 7-10 days. Providing supportive care at home can help your kitten feel more comfortable while recovering. 

Kittens with URIs who develop more severe respiratory symptoms, high fever, painful mouth sores, or serious eye issues like keratitis will need additional treatments.

Your veterinarian may recommend fluids for dehydration, appetite stimulants, anti-inflammatories, eye drops to treat infections, antivirals, and antibiotics if a bacterial infection is involved.

The FVRCP vaccine is a core combination vaccine that can help prevent or lessen the severity of feline URI. 

Fleas

These pesky parasites don’t care if your precious furball is only a baby. They’ll stop at nothing (except veterinary-approved flea preventatives, thank goodness!) to get a blood meal.

While cats of any age can get fleas, kittens are particularly vulnerable. Due to their small size, kittens can lose enough blood from flea bites to cause anemia. This can trigger weakness, hinder their growth, and may be fatal in severe cases. 

Flea bites can cause fur loss, skin irritation, and infection, especially if a kitten has a flea allergy. Itchy bites also make it difficult for kittens to get the vital sleep they need. Fleas can also transmit pathogens that can make cats sick or even be passed to people, like the plague.

Thankfully there are many options to treat and prevent fleas. However, some products shouldn’t be used on very young kittens. Be sure to consult your veterinarian for guidance on safe and effective flea prevention for your kitten and your home. 

Intestinal Parasites

Roundworm

Roundworms are the most common intestinal parasites in cats, especially kittens. Kittens can get roundworms from their environment, their mother’s milk, or by eating infected prey or insects. The larvae travel through the liver and lungs before settling in the intestines as adult worms.

Healthy adult cats often show no symptoms, but severe infections in kittens can lead to serious illness or even death.

Signs of roundworms in kittens include: 

• Lethargy
• Vomiting (occasionally includes vomited worms)
• Alternating diarrhea and constipation
• Bloated belly 
• Poor growth and thin body condition
• Dull coat
• Large worm burdens can cause intestinal obstruction

Deworming is a safe and effective way to treat roundworms. It’s often recommended as a preventative treatment for kittens, even if they don’t show obvious signs.

Hookworm

Hookworms are parasites that live in the small intestine where they feed on blood. Cats can get them by ingesting larvae from the environment, eating infected prey, or through skin contact with contaminated areas.

Healthy adult cats may not show symptoms, but hookworms can cause severe blood loss in kittens, which can be life-threatening.

Signs of hookworms in kittens include:

• Lethargy
• Poor growth and thin body condition
• Bloated belly
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Dark and tarry feces (sign of bleeding in the GI tract)
• Anemia (signs include weakness, pale gums, and fast breathing)

Hookworms are treated with deworming medication. Severely anemic kittens may need additional treatment such as a blood transfusion.

Tapeworm

Tapeworms are ribbon-like parasites that attach to the intestine. Cats typically get them by swallowing infected fleas during grooming.

Pet parents may notice tapeworm segments resembling wriggling grains of rice around a kitten’s anus or in their poop. While tapeworms usually don’t cause serious illness, severe infections can lead to weight loss, diarrhea, vomiting, or intestinal blockages in kittens.

Treatment is simple with a vet-prescribed dewormer, along with flea treatment to prevent re-infection.

Ear mites 

Feline ear mites are a real pain in the ear! The culprit is a tiny, contagious mite, called Otodectes cynotis. Infected mother cats easily transmit ear mites to their kittens.

Signs of ear mites include:

• Dark, coffee ground-like ear discharge
• Intense itching and scratching around ears and head
• Frequent head shaking
• Irritation, fur loss, sores, and scabs around ears and head

Other ear diseases can mimic these signs. So it’s always best for a veterinarian to examine your kitten to determine the cause and treatment.  

The treatment for ear mites is typically a topical prescription medication. Your veterinarian may gently clean excess ear debris with an ear-cleaning solution. Your kitten may also need ear drops to soothe inflammation and treat secondary bacterial infections. 

Feline Panleukopenia

Feline panleukopenia (sometimes called feline distemper) is a serious illness caused by the feline parvovirus (FPV). Thanks to widespread vaccination, feline panleukopenia is much less common than it used to be. However, outbreaks still occur. And kittens have a much higher risk of becoming extremely ill or dying from this disease.

FPV is highly contagious and spreads by contact between cats or contaminated surfaces. The virus attacks cells lining the intestine and within the bone marrow. It can cause severe GI symptoms and immune system suppression.  

Signs of illness include:

• Fever
• Appetite loss
• Lethargy
• Abdominal pain
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea (often severe and sometimes bloody)
• Dehydration 
• Sudden death

Affected kittens require significant supportive care, such as fluids, medications for nausea and vomiting, nutritional support, and treatment of secondary infections. Even with veterinary care, the disease is often fatal in kittens.

Kittens exposed to FPV from their mother while still developing in the uterus or shortly after birth may develop cerebellar hypoplasia. This disorder affects the part of the brain responsible for coordination and fine motor movements.  

Thankfully, this terrible disease can be prevented with vaccination. It is usually administered as the FVRCP vaccine. (This is the vaccine that protects against viral URI as well. The P in the name stands for parvovirus.) 

Feline Leukemia Virus

Feline Leukemia Virus (FeLV) is common, with studies estimating a 3 percent prevalence in the U.S. and Canada [1]. FeLV is spread by close contact, so a mother cat with FeLV can infect her kittens during pregnancy or while nursing and grooming her young.

Not all cats with FeLV respond the same way. Some are able to eliminate the infection (abortive infection). Others carry the infection but aren’t contagious and are unlikely to become ill (regressive infection). Still others become contagious and ill (progressive infection).

Because of their immature immune systems, infected kittens are prone to progressive infections, which carry the poorest prognosis. 

Progressive FeLV infections in kittens are not always obvious. So a kitten may become an adult before showing signs of the illness. Progressive FeLV suppresses the immune system, leading to opportunistic infections (infections that a healthy immune system usually fights off). It can also cause anemia and lead to certain cancers, especially lymphoma. 

Sadly, there is no cure for FeLV. Diligent preventative care and managing FeLV-related illnesses can help cats with progressive FeLV live comfortably. However, these cats have significantly shortened lifespans. 

The FeLV vaccine is very effective and recommended for kittens due to their high susceptibility to progressive infections.

How to Help a Sick Kitten Feel Better

It’s natural to worry when you have a sick kitty. Your veterinarian will provide specific instructions depending on what’s ailing your kitten. But here are some tried-and-true ways to help your kitten while they’re under the weather:

• Ensure your kitten has a quiet, comfortable rest area. 
• Offer enticing food and water. Warmed wet food can stimulate appetite.
• Follow all care instructions and administer medications as directed by your veterinarian. 
• Monitor your kitten closely for worsening symptoms.

It’s important to pay extra attention to any changes in your kitten’s health, behavior, or appearance during illness. Your kitten’s condition can deteriorate quickly, so always contact your veterinarian if their health takes a turn for the worse. 

Tips for Keeping Your Kitten Healthy

Preventing common kitten illnesses is always better than treating them. And that goes for all illnesses and health risks your kitty will face. Here are tips for keeping your kitten healthy in their first year:

• Stick to the kitten vaccination schedule.
• Use vet-recommended parasite prevention that’s appropriate for the risks in your region and your kitten’s specific needs.
• Keep your kitten away from sick or unvaccinated cats.
• If you plan to let your kitten outside, wait until they’ve received all their vaccines, been microchipped, and are spayed or neutered.
• Feed a complete and balanced diet formulated for kittens. For more information, check out what kittens should eat. 
• Dental disease impacts overall health, so establishing an oral care routine as a kitten is an excellent way to keep your cat healthy.   
• Learn about common feline hazards such as toxic plants and flowers, medications, household products, foods, and objects that can cause GI obstructions, and keep these away from your kitten. 
• Most important of all, follow your veterinarian’s recommendations on all preventative pet health care.

Consistent preventative veterinary care is vital for your cat’s lifelong health and wellness. Just like preparing your home for a new kitten, preparing for these routine veterinary care costs is equally important.

Investing in pet insurance can help offset the costs of your kitten’s veterinary bills. However, coverage may vary depending on your plan. And unexpected kitten illnesses could leave you facing pricey vet bills.

That’s where having another option on hand, like a CareCredit credit card, can provide new pet parents with much-needed peace of mind. CareCredit is a dedicated pet health and wellness credit card you can use for routine visits, vaccines, emergency care, medications, and more.

CareCredit is accepted in more than 25,000 veterinary practice locations across the U.S. And it offers flexible financing options, so you can stay focused on the things that matter most, like your kitten’s health.*

Kittens bring endless joy and just as many responsibilities. However, learning about common kitten illnesses is the first step to helping prevent them so you can build a happy, healthy future with your furry friend.

References

1. Little, Susan, et al. “2020 AAFP Feline Retrovirus Testing and Management Guidelines.” Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery, vol. 22, no. 1, Jan. 2020, pp. 5–30, https://doi.org/10.1177/1098612×19895940.

*Subject to credit approval. See carecredit.com for details.

This information is shared solely for your convenience. Neither Synchrony nor any of its affiliates, including CareCredit, make any representations or warranties regarding the products described, and no endorsement is implied. You are urged to consult with your individual veterinarian with respect to any professional advice presented.