Fading Kitten Syndrome refers to a kitten's failure to thrive during the period between birth and when they wean from their mother or from a bottle for hand-fed kittens. This period lasts about four to five weeks (when a kitten is most vulnerable to sickness).
This life-threatening condition affects up to 30 percent of kittens, according to the World Small Animal Veterinary Association, and spotting the symptoms takes a watchful eye. Providing care at the earliest stages of fading kitten syndrome gives kittens the best chance of survival.
Fading kitten syndrome is a set of symptoms that are associated with a failure to thrive in neonatal kittens. Fading kitten syndrome is not a single disease. It can have many underlying causes, many of which lead to rapidly declining health, or even death, without immediate intervention.
Many kittens that succumb within the first few weeks of life between birth and weaning are often said to have been afflicted with 'fading kitten syndrome. ' Typically, around 75% to 95% of kittens make it to 8 weeks of age. Of those, however, about 20% to 40% may not survive beyond 12 weeks.
Fading kitten syndrome, sometimes referred as “failure to thrive”, describes a kitten that “crashes”, suddenly becoming ill or unresponsive, even if it was previously healthy.
What age does Fading Kitten Syndrome start? Fading Kitten Syndrome can start immediately after birth up until the age of weaning (about four to five weeks of life).
Depending on the symptoms, some fading kittens might be in pain and make loud, pained cries.
Increase blood sugar.
You will need to place a few drops on the Q-tip and place on the gums of the kitten every 3 minutes. Sometimes it will take a few hours for them to come back to life but you MUST give them whichever sugar you choose to use, every 3 minutes. Not 4 minutes, not 2 minutes, not 10 minutes…….
Hypoxia (lack of oxygen), trauma, hypothermia – kittens born after difficult birthing (dystocia) have a higher risk of death and this may be the most significant cause of early deaths. This results from lack of oxygen (hypoxia) and/or trauma.
Fading kitten syndrome (FKS) is a catch all term that is used to describe pre-weaned kittens that stop growing and gradually decline over a short period (usually hours to a few days). Although always a worry, birth defects are a relatively uncommon cause of fading kittens.
If the eye still remains closed, take the kitten to the vet. If a kitten does not open their eyes at all by 2 weeks of age, take them to the vet. Again, never try to open a kitten's eyes.
When a cat gives birth to a stillborn kitten, it's important to leave the kitten in place until their mother realizes that they're dead. Otherwise, your cat may become distressed at removing one of her kittens without knowing they had passed away.
Grasp your cat's chest with one hand by placing your thumb and fingers on either side of his chest, behind his elbows and over the heart. Give a quick squeeze to compress the chest to about one-third of its normal thickness. Compress the chest 100-120 times per minute, giving two breaths for every 30 compressions.
Exaggerated and/or mouth-open breathing in kittens means that they're having a hard time breathing, thus limiting their ability to receive a sufficient amount of oxygen.
Cat breeders want to avoid a condition called Neonatal Isoerythrolysis (NI) or 'fading kitten syndrome'. NI typically happens when blood type A or AB kittens are born to a blood type B queen.
A cat that is losing weight, but still consuming food is likely affected by chronic disease. Your veterinarian may refer to this condition as cachexia, the term used to describe the wasting and weakness of one's body due to chronic illness.
Some cats experience seizures before they die. This can be convulsions accompanied by yowling noises. The cat may have several in the hours before death, may seem to not recognize their owner or understand where he is.
When a cat loses a companion, whether animal or human, she most certainly grieves and reacts to the changes in her life. Cats alter their behavior when they mourn much like people do: They may become depressed and listless. They may have a decreased appetite and decline to play.
Mother Cats Will Bury Their Kitten
Finally, and perhaps the most surprising, a mother cat might bury her kitten. She instinctively knows that the kitten might be dead for some kind of health reason and wants to move the body a safe distance from their other kittens.
Yes, you can stop fading kitten syndrome, but it can't always be successful. In order to make your kitten healthy and happy again, you will need to find out what is making them unhealthy and unhappy. The cause or causes won't always be obvious, and veterinary intervention will be necessary.
Kittens should be kept in a box or cat carrier in a warm, draft-free place, completely isolated from other animals. Keep the container covered with a towel or blanket; a small towel or cloth inside the carrier will also keep them cozy. Change the bedding of their “nest” daily, since kittens tend to have accidents!
It is usually a good idea to handle kittens with gloves if they are below two weeks of age. If they are with their mother, avoid touching them. The mother will be extremely protective. Kittens that young are vulnerable to infection and disease and you may harm them by picking them up too soon.
Usually found to affect kittens by 1 to 2 weeks of age, the causes of toxic milk syndrome may include: Acute septic mastitis. When mammary gland becomes infected with bacteria, the milk becomes toxic to kittens causing septicemia and/or sudden death.
If your kitty still seems reluctant, try warming their food for a few seconds in the microwave - heat will release the scent of the food and entice your kitty to eat up! Always make sure that the food isn't too hot before serving it to your kitty - don't make the food piping hot, just warm!
Sugar isn't toxic to cats. However, it's not very good for them. Cats are obligate carnivores, which means they must eat meat rather than plant material. That being said, felines can have small amounts of carbohydrates in their diets.