If your kitten is constantly sluggish and unable to carry out basic functions as it does in a typical day of its life, then you may be dealing with a sick kitten. It is important to figure out when your kitten is sick by observing its behavior and symptoms, so you can provide your feline friend with the best treatment at home. So keep reading if you are going through the problem of My Kitten won’t Eat and is very Sleepy in this post.
Is your Kitten not eating and sleeping a lot?
Young kittens usually do not get used to new foods that easily, but once they do, feeding them isn’t a problem. But if your kitten is avoiding its usual food all of a sudden, there could be various reasons for it. Some of them such as:
- Illnesses such as vomiting, diarrhea, etc.
- Being around unfamiliar people and surroundings
- Psychological problem
- Recently gotten vaccinated
Also, while sluggishness in a kitten is usually easily dismissed as being tired, it is important to know your kitten’s behavioral patterns throughout the day. This will help you know if the kitten is sick. Young kittens are full of energy and find it hard to stay in one place, this is quite normal. But if your kitten is under the weather, it will avoid all sorts of tedious activities and look for different ways to laze around.
If your kitten faces both of these problems in extreme, make it a priority to consult your vet and get your kitten checked.
Symptoms of sickness in your kitten
The most common reason for not eating and sleeping a lot in kittens is sickness. Hence, if you know the symptoms of sickness, it will make it a lot easier for you to spot the signs early on. While lack of eating and excessive sleeping is a major sign, there are various other signs that can help you confirm your kitten is indeed sick.
Try to recall with a history of 3 months in your mind. Below symptoms will help you understand how long your cat may actually be having this problem.
Swollen Stomach
Sick kittens sometimes have a bloated tummy, and this could also cause them to considerably reduce their diet. This can happen due to excessive eating of a meal, and the kitten’s small stomach can have problems digesting the food. It can also cause diarrhea.
If reducing your kitten’s food does not work, try changing the food brand, otherwise, your kitten could have worms in the stomach area.
Do contact a vet if you suspect your kitten is going through this symptom.
Vomiting
Kittens are small, so their food portions are also small. If your kitten vomits any food it eats, it might be time to decrease the portions and give it food a few times throughout the day instead of the usual 2 to 3 times. Other than that, you can try changing the type of food you’re feeding, and even the brand if needed. Make sure that your kitten is not vomiting blood, because that could lead to a serious condition if not treated immediately. Your cat could be throwing white foam or maybe diabetic, but do consult with your vet before jumping to a conclusion.
Diarrhea
While discussed before in this article, if your kitten has severe diarrhea, get it checked. Diarrhea can cause problems like loss of nutrients and water from the body and make your small kitten weak. Causes of diarrhea could include any sudden changes in diet, timings the kitten is fed, and even worms in the kitten’s body (which also caused the swollen stomach). For diarrhea, Metamucil can be used after discussing it with a vet.
How and what to feed your kitten during this time
Weakness in your kitten is a sign of sickness, so you should understand that it is normal. To stop your kitten from collapsing with weakness and help regain its strength, it is important to make sure it is getting the right diet.
As mentioned above, if your cat is avoiding the food when in new surroundings or has faced diarrhea, try changing the brand or the interval of feeding. If this does not work, experts suggest trying and feed the food with your finger very gently, as your kitten may be too weak to eat it itself.
If finger feeding does not work, use a syringe with the needle out to gently place the food in the kitten’s mouth.
Moreover, you can try heating the food and then placing it in the kitten’s food bowl.
Besides this, many people try to get medicines incorporated within the food so the kitten will eat it with ease for this purpose pill pockets can be used. Do not do this, as kittens can smell and taste it from a distance, and will feel reluctant to ingest any food in the future.
As for the type of food to be fed, you can switch to a kitten milk replacement formula if your kitten is under 6 weeks, as most kittens have not transitioned to cat food yet. However, if you have an older kitten, say 8 weeks, it may be tempted to have dry canned food when sick.
The process of feeding your kitten the formula-based milk is to slightly heat the mixture and then pour it in a small baby bottle. Then feed your kitten the milk every few hours to make sure it’s getting the nourishment it needs to survive.
Lastly, don’t forget to ask your veterinarian about specific dietary instructions for your kitten based on its health.
Tips to take care of your kitten’s health
If the feeding instructions fix your kitten’s health, great! But there are a few things you should take care of, especially when your kitten is sick.
Give enough water
It is important to keep your kitten hydrated at all times. Water has many functions in the kitten’s body, and one of them is to absorb the minerals and nutrients provided by food and convert that into energy throughout the day. Lack of water can cause problems in urination, lethargy, and organ problems.
A tip for making sure your kitten gets enough water is to place bowls filled with water at different locations in your home. Your kitten will be encouraged to drink more this way.
Keep them warm
Kittens under 6 weeks cannot regulate their body temperature so they rely on you to keep them warm. If you live in cold areas, keep your kitten warm at night by putting a blanket loosely over it, or if there is more than one kitten, they will stick together by themselves and share body heat to keep themselves warm.
It is also a good idea to keep your heater on through the day so the kittens don’t fall victim to a cold as they also have a weak immune system.
Keep a nesting space
Kittens like to snuggle and stay in a cozy nesting space when they are unwell, and this also helps them heal quickly. This is because it feels vulnerable when sick, so this gives it a place to hide and be comfortable for some periods It should mainly come out for food and water during this time.
Conclusion
While having a sick kitten can be quite nerve-wracking, it happens to everyone!
If you make sure to take precautions, be wary of your feline friend’s behavior patterns, and take good care of its health and diet, your kitten should heal in no time!
If something seems out of place in your kitten’s health, please do not risk anything and immediately take a vet’s help. Your kittens’ health is your priority.
We hope that now you have resolved the problem of My Kitten won’t Eat and is very Sleepy.
Happy healing!