Expert: Jessica - 10/27/2011

Question
We are watching a kitten for somebody for the weekend, and the kitty seems sick. He seems lethargic, and he has ear mites,fleas, and I think worms. His stomach is huge but I can feel his bones. His owner gave him a capsule for worms but it might only be for one kind. I read somewhere that I could give him pumpkin seeds to get rid of all kinds would it be okay to go ahead and give him that even though he already had a different kind of worm medicine.Is it possible that he is just tired because he lost some blood from ear mites? It is possible that he has feline leukemia and his eyes are dilated. I read somewhere that he could be going blind. He seems okay for right now he is trying to get out of his cage. Would it be okay to take him to the vet Monday or will he live that long. Is he dying? His fur is really rough too and he is an unusual color. He purrs a lot and loves to rub around your ankles but he doesn't play that much.

Answer
Hi Elizabeth,

I don't recommend giving pumpkin seeds for deworming right now, for a number of reasons. These are a holistic treatment against tapeworms. But tapeworms rarely cause any real problems for cats. Also, they take three weeks to mature, so the kitten is very young to be so affected just yet. Additionally, if he had tapeworms, you would surely know, since these cause rice-like segments to be shed from the anus, into the cat's bedding and feces. So I don't think this is likely to be his major issue. I would feel better getting him to a healthy state, and then treating with a proven treatment once he's on his feet, IF you see signs of tapeworms.

Roundworms are the ones that cause the most problems, and these should be treated by a vet. They also take around three weeks to fully mature and reproduce. They can start to cause some problems before this, but because the worms are not yet reproducing at a great rate, it's uncommon for a kitten to be extremely malnourished due to worms by the age of 8 weeks.

Ear mites don't feed on blood. These feed on exudate from the ears and shed skin cells, etc. So while they cause lots of irritation, they won't cause blood loss. However, the fleas will certainly cause anemia, and if he has lost blood sufficient to cause lethargy, he is in danger of dying. Only a vet can say for sure if this is the case. A transfusion is often the only way to save these kittens, but sometimes an iron supplement like Pet-Tinic can help. The baby also needs to be treated with Advantage, Frontline or Revolution. This will get rid of fleas. Pet-Tinic, Advantage and Frontline are available at many pet stores or through vets. Revolution is a prescription only available through vets (this will kill roundworms, too).

I am fearful that this kitten might be suffering from an infection and not just parasites. I don't think he can wait to see the vet until Monday. Feline leukemia is a distinct possibility, as this causes poor muscle condition and fluid build up in the belly and can cause the pot-bellied appearance that you're describing. Another viral illness, Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP), causes the same body condition. Both can also cause neurological symptoms, such as dilated pupils. FIP is more likely to cause sudden blindness. I'm not sure if you mean that his coat color is uncommon, or if you mean that his skin is an abnormal hue, but if his skin is a color that it shouldn't be, this can indicate anemia, poor oxygen levels or liver failure. These can be consistent with both of the viruses, as well. But most any germ can cause all these symptoms if it gets out of control enough. Some of them are perfectly treatable with antibiotics. However, I think he needs treatment now, or you could run the risk of losing him over the weekend. I would hold off on applying a flea treatment until the vet gives the go-ahead. Sometimes treatments should not be applied to very debilitated animals.

I hope he has something simple to treat and that he's on the mend soon!

Jessica