Lethargic Kitten

[tinabull]

I have a 12 week old kitten that I adopted from the rescue centre over the weekend.  He has had his vaccinations.

He is very tiny and weighs 800g.  He doesn't seem to eat much and sleeps all of the time.

He generally likes to have a lot of cuddles and purrs a lot.  He is using the litter tray fine with no obvious problems there.

Is he underweight and is it normal for him to be so lethargic?

Thanks

[Thomas Dock, CVJ, Vet. Technician]

I am glad to hear that he is eating better for you.  Other than his size, I think he sounds like he is doing well.

In any case, a trip to the veterinarian should be considered soon.   I know that the rescue center said that he had "all of his vaccines" but I am concerned, like you, that his size doesn't match his purported age.  If he is indeed younger, it is likely that they vaccinated him too early and it would be best to follow up with a veterinarian.

Also, some rescue groups or individuals are not always well versed with vaccines and believe that 1 set or even 2 sets is always sufficient to be "fuly vaccinated".  My advice is to have them document his vaccines for you (dates given, types, etc) and then take that to your veterinarian.   Then, you and your vet can decide if he needs any more vaccines based on that history and his apparent age.  You can also have the veterinarian check a fecal sample as most rescues only provide a general deworming that covers hookworms and roundworms, but not other parasites such as coccidia or giardia.

Sounds like you have found a friend for life!

[tinabull]

Thank you for your advice. The rescue centre advised a dry food but he wasn't eating it so we tried wet kitten food and he is eating much more. He is playful if we instigate it but rarely starts the play himself.

He was fully vaccinated and wormed when we took him so will need a booster in a year.

I thought he was underweight for 12 weeks and I wonder if he is younger than they thought - he wasn't born at the centre as he was found as a stray, so I guess it is possible they may have miscalculated?

He is currently sat on my shoulder fast asleep which seems to be his favourite place. He seems really contented and relaxed and his toilet behaviour is excellent. I really don't know if it is something to worry about or not.

[Thomas Dock, CVJ, Vet. Technician]

Let me clarify my last paragraph....kittens should be tested before going home, especially in a multi-cat environment, but it is difficult to know for certain whether the test is truly positive or negative (for FIV) until the kitten is closer to 6 months of age.  In an ideal world, the kitten would be tested upon arrival at the shelter and then again about 4-6 months later.

[Thomas Dock, CVJ, Vet. Technician]

Thank you so much for helping to rescue a little kitty!   Their love will be a great reward for you far into the future.

800 grams is about a pound and half and that seems VERY small for a 12 week old kitten.   Most kittens will gain about a pound (454 grams) every month, so he should be closer to 1400 grams (3 lbs).

Can you quantify how much he is eating and how often he is sleeping?  Depending on the choice of food, he may not need more than a 1/4 cup of food daily.  Also, in general, kittens will sleep around 18 hours a day or more.

You mentioned that he seems alert and likes to cuddle...does he play?

There are alot of viruses that can take their toll on little kittens, especially rhinotrachetis (upper respiratory infections) and panleukopenia.  As zodiacqueen said, deworming would also be helpful at this stage.  He should see your veterinarian anway because you will want to booster those vaccines when the doc says he is healthy enough for them.

Although it is a good idea to test for Feline Leukemia and Feline AIDS, kittens can not be definitively tested as positive or negative for Feline AIDS until closer to 6 months of age due to maternal antibody interference.  Experts recommend testing for Feline AIDS closer to 16 weeks to try and minimize the chance for a false negative result.

[zodiacqueen]

No  it's not normal at all for a kitten to be sleeping a lot and not eating.  That is not good at all.  Kittens DO sleep, but they are usually full of energy and playful and they should be eating a lot because they are growing quickly.  In my opinion, your kitty needs help ASAP.  Please don't let this go!  I would call the rescue center and ask them to reexamine the kitten-also ask if he's been dewormed.  Or if they won't reexamine him, take him to a vet.  These symptoms usually don't reverse themselves and the kitten might get worse.

One more thing, has the kitten been tested for FIV and FeLV?  That's the kitty AIDS virus and Feline Leukemia.  Hopefully, the rescue center already tested for these-you should check to be sure!

Good luck and please come back to let me know how the kitty is doing!  =)