Kitten won’t move or eat

Our question this week was:

My kitten is 4 weeks old and won’t eat or move. What could be the problem?

Jacklyn Labelle

Answer

Hi – thanks for your email.

Thanks for your email. A four week old kitten that won’t eat or move is a big problem. I’d recommend that you call your veterinarian immediately. In the mean time, she might be hypoglycemic. You can try rubbing Karo syrup on her gums and make sure she is nice and warm. I’m not sure what the situation is with her mother but you may need to also start feeding her.

If your kitten does have a low blood sugar – there may be underlying reasons such as she has an infection or parasites. I recommend that she be examined by your local vet to rule out common underlying problems and they can help you get set up on a feeding program or whatever is needed.

An article that might be helpful to you is on our Petplace.com is Orphaned Kitten Care.

Another article that might be helpful is on low blood sugar called Hypoglycemia in Cats.

Best of luck!

Dr. Debra

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