Wheezing kitten.

Dr. Marie replied:

Poor little one! It sounds like she is quite unwell.

There are a number of things that could be going on. Most likely she is fighting one or more viruses. The breathing issues could be due to an upper respiratory virus. These are really common in kittens. While some cats can get over these on their own, if you are really noticing some breathing difficulties then she may need some medication from your vet.

Regarding her stools, there are a few possibilities. A virus called panleukopenia could cause these problems. This can be very serious. Panleukopenia is similar to parvo virus in dogs.

Another possibility to consider is parasites. Roundworms, which are really common in cats can cause stool problems and sometimes can affect the lungs. Have you dewormed her yet? Any dewormer for cats should be effective.

When you mention that she is "leaking" but doesn't have diarrhea, do you mean that she is dropping stools out of her bum? Some cats can be born with problems with their anus where they have poor muscle tone. But this shouldn't cause the other issues you are seeing.

I would highly advise that this little one sees a vet. It would be much easier to get a diagnosis if I was there to examine her. Kittens don't have a lot of reserves to fight sickness so if she needs medication the sooner we get her on something the better!

I hope she does ok!

Dr. Marie.

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Dr. Marie replied:

What you are describing with her breathing through her mouth and sounding congested definitely sounds like an upper respiratory tract virus. Yes, putting her in a steamy bathroom is a great idea. Get the bathroom nice and steamy and she can stay in there for about 10 minutes.

It's really important that she is eating as well, so another thing that will help will be to heat up some canned kitten food. This will make it more smelly and she is likely to eat more.

I hope she does ok!

Dr. Marie.