Expert: Jessica - 11/5/2011

Question
I have an 8 week old kitten which I have had to nurse to health because mamma didn't have enough milk for a third kitten. Have fed him kitten milk as he needed more I added and baby pabulum. I have done this with all my babies like this and have never had this happen. My house is clean and disinfected with all natural non chemical cleaners. He is otherwise health frisky but he is half the size of the other two. He now has a very healthy appetite and is eaten softened kitten food.
He does have a discharge in his eyes which I clean out every morning. I went through this with his mother and she grew into a healthy mature cat. So what is causing the scabbing?

Answer
Hi Marion,

There are so many causes of skin problems that only a vet could say. If you happened to apply a flea treatment to this spot, this is highly suspect. You should wash the area with a mild soap. Allergies are a cause of skin problems but are uncommon in kittens this young, and infections are the most common cause of skin problems in babies. Infections are also a common reason for stunted growth.

I would have the baby checked out by a veterinarian. Occasionally, a staph or strep infection will cause a scab on the skin and can be treated with oral and topical antibiotics. The antibiotics might also treat whatever systemic infection could be causing him not to grow properly, and what's causing his eye discharge. An ophthalmic ointment will also probably be recommended. Some skin infections are fungal or parasitic, and in those cases, an anti-fungal cream or a topical treatment or shampoo for mites will be required.

Because of his small size, I would have him tested for the feline leukemia and AIDS viruses. These can both cause stunted growth, and cats infected with them are also prone to skin and eye infections. Most vets can give you results in 10 minutes.

Good luck!

Jessica