Ask the Veterinarian/kitty

Advertisement

Expert: - 8/23/2011


Question
hey Jana,
my kitten has been acting really funny lately.  she is a couple months old and is usually a laid back cat.  as of yesterday she has stopped eating.  i was in my house and heard her whining outside. she is sitting in the middle of my yard.  she will barely look up no matter what i do to get her attention.  her back is also wet (this could be because my dog has licked her or a medical reason) because her and my dog get along pretty well and the way she is acting now, she would probably just let him eat her.  she doesnt roam so i dont think she has gotten into any poision or anything.  i need help and very soon!!!! thanks so much

Answer
Because this very young kitten is outside any number of things could have happened. She most likely got bit by another cat, she could have been bumped by a car, a dog could have picked her up and bit her.

In any regard she needs to see a vet right away. Cats this young need medical attention quickly since they don't have a lot of reserve to withstand an assault on their body or immune system. Your dog was probably licking her because she has punctures under the fur and he can smell them.

An eight week old kitten needs to be kept in the house 24 hours a day or she won't last long. She needs to be vaccinated as well for all the cat viruses and especially leukemia.

She can get a rabies at 4 months old.

Call your vet and get her in tomorrow.  

Ask the Veterinarian

All Answers

Answers by Expert:

Ask Experts

Volunteer

Jana Connell RVT, CVT

Expertise

PLEASE READ BEFORE SUBMITTING TO ME: I am NOT a vet and do NOT diagnose diseases. That is only for a licensed Veterinarian to do. I will give you suggestions and steer you toward calling your vet for help. You can call the vet's office and talk to the technician there or the vet at times. Don't be afraid to call them! If you have a serious issue with your pet please post it to one of the veterinarians in here- I will tell you the same thing in my answer. IF your pet is injured or in an emergency situation, CALL YOUR VET- Do not wait and post in here. Just call the vet's office and get them in to see the vet right away. Critical treatment time is lost if you seek answers here when you should have your precious pet at the vets!! Don't sit at home waiting for an answer when your pet is critically ill or injured!! I can answer most questions about small animal and wildlife care as well as small animal nutrition. I can also answer questions about all phases of dental care for small animals. I DO NOT answer questions about birds (unless it is wildlife or songbirds) or HAMSTERS/GERBILS/CHINS/GUINEA PIGS/REPTILES/FROGS/RABBITS/PET BIRDS OF ANY KIND so please submit these questions to the appropriate sections. I, as well as other experts in here, do NOT do homework questions- that is for YOU to do! Please respect these rules for all of us. Thanks!

Experience

I have over 35 years experience in the field of veterinary medicine. I specialized in small animals and did wildlife rehab for over 25 years, mostly raptors, squirrels and opossums. I am a Small Animal Nutritional Consultant with 6 certificates from Hills Pet Foods, CNM and Purina. I also specialized in Small Animal Dentistry which is a field I truly love.

Organizations
Audubon,World Wildlife Federation, American Society of Veterinary Dental Technicians.

Education/Credentials
Licensed with California and Oregon, RVT and CVT. Certified Veterinary Dental Technician Have over 500 logged hours of Continuing Education Credits(that means I keep up to date!).

Awards and Honors
Nominated for Expert of the Month for the last 5 years.

©2012 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company. All rights reserved.