Kittens have an inferior immune system compared to mature cats over 12 months old. This makes them more susceptible to illnesses, which can render them unresponsive. But what does it mean when a kitten is unresponsive but breathing?
Well, a kitten that is not responsive but breathing means it is alive but unconscious. This serious condition can occur due to the kitty being hypothermic or hypoglycemic. Other causes include head trauma or injury, viral infections, dehydration, parasitic infections, neonatal isoerythrolysis, and even exposure to certain toxins.
So then, how do you help a kitty cat that is unresponsive but breathing? Stay here to find out as I tell you my personal experience with my now mature cat, and the crucial steps you should take.
Kitten Is Unresponsive But Breathing- What Does It Mean?
I have a 2-year 8-month-old cat called Muezza. She is a mixed Persian breed. Around 2 years ago, when she was only 8 months old, I found her on the floor of our shower. She was just lying there, eyes open, unresponsive, and limp.
However, I could hear her breathing, meaning she was still alive. When I tried moving her, her head kind of flopped. So, I tried offering her water, but she refused to drink.
One thing I noticed while picking her up is that her paws felt cold to the touch, and her muscles were rigid. So, I just picked a towel and wrapped Muezza in it to keep her warm. Then, I took her to the vet for emergency evaluation since her condition was not improving.
At the vet clinic, she was diagnosed with hypothermia. According to the vet, this is what was causing her to be unresponsive. So, the vet simply administered warmed intravenous fluids and a warm water enema to bring her temperature back to normal.
The following day, Muezza was doing well. So, I took her back home, having spent a night at the vet for close monitoring.According to the vet, hypothermia is one of the few causes of unresponsiveness in kittens.
However, it’s crucial to remember that these conditions can be life-threatening and require immediate veterinary attention.
Other causes include:
1. Hypoglycemia (Low Blood Sugar)
Also known as low blood sugar, hypoglycemia is a common problem in young kittens. It occurs when your kitty does not get enough food or stays longer without food, or in cases of severe illness. When a kitten has low blood sugar, this usually deprives its body and brain of energy, resulting in unresponsiveness. This is because blood sugar is the primary source of energy. Apart from being unconscious, a kitten suffering from hypoglycemia may show other signs like:
- Lack of coordination
- Trembling
- Muscle twitches
- Extreme lethargy
2. Respiratory or Viral Infections
Unlike mature cats, kittens are at a greater risk of developing viral and upper respiratory infections due to their weak immune system. These infections are usually transferred from other infected cats, and they include serious conditions like:
- Intestinal viral infection (e.g., Feline Panleukopenia)
- Feline calicivirus
- Feline herpesvirus
- Rabies (though rare in kittens, highly dangerous) The common signs of these infections are lethargy, weakness, fever, vomiting, diarrhea, and lack of appetite. These infections can cause your pet to become listless and unresponsive eventually.
3. Head Trauma or Injury
Kittens may develop head trauma or injuries due to falls from greater heights when playing or jumping, or from accidental impacts. When this happens, your kitty cat can lose consciousness and become unresponsive despite being alive. Other signs of head trauma that signal an emergency include:
- Seizures
- Vomiting
- Stiff limbs or paralysis
- Rapid eye movement (nystagmus)
- Bleeding from the nose or ears
- Unequal pupil sizes
4. Neonatal Isoerythrolysis (NI)
Feline neonatal isoerythrolysis is a life-threatening immune-mediated condition in which the mother’s antibodies destroy the kitten’s red blood cells. However, it is only common where a mother cat with blood type B gives birth to kitties with blood type AB or A. Generally, the condition occurs when kittens ingest their mother’s colostrum carrying the mother’s antibodies, causing them to be anemic. The signs and symptoms of NI are usually noticeable within the first hours or several days after birth. They include:
- Lethargy and weakness
- Difficulty breathing
- Yellowing of the skin (jaundice)
- Pale mucous membranes due to anemia
- Brown or dark red urine
5. Parasitic Infections
Kittens are prone to internal and external parasites, which severely affect their overall health. The frequent internal parasites in kittens include:
- Heartworms
- Hookworms
- Roundworms and tapeworms
- Cryptosporidium
- Coccidia
- Giardia On the other hand, the common external parasites in kitties include fleas, ticks, and ear mites. If left untreated, severe parasitic infections can lead to anemia, dehydration, chronic diarrhea, significant weight loss, and severe vomiting. Eventually, your kitty cat can become limp despite breathing, indicating severe illness.
6. Dehydration
When kittens don’t drink enough water or milk, they can develop dehydration. This critical condition could also be due to excessive fluid loss from prolonged overheating, severe diarrhea, or persistent vomiting. Unlike adult cats, kitty cats cannot properly regulate water loss as efficiently. Therefore, if they become severely dehydrated, they can quickly become weak, lethargic, and collapse, leading to unresponsiveness. Some ways to tell if your kit is suffering from dehydration include:
- Panting or rapid breathing
- Sunken eyes
- Loss of skin elasticity (skin tenting)
- Sticky or tacky gums
- Paleness of the tongue or gums
7. Exposure to Toxins or Poisons
As mentioned, toxin exposure is a significant, often overlooked, cause. Depending on the type of harmful substance your kitten inhales or ingests (e.g., certain plants, household cleaners, medications, rat poison, antifreeze), your kitty cat can quickly go into shock, become lethargic, and lose consciousness within hours, or even minutes. Always keep potential toxins out of reach of curious kittens.
What To Do When A Kitten Is Unresponsive But Breathing?
Important Disclaimer:
These steps are first-aid measures to stabilize your kitten and are NOT a substitute for immediate veterinary care. Always contact your veterinarian or an emergency animal clinic right away when your kitten is unresponsive.
The best treatment depends entirely on the cause of your kitten being unresponsive. So, below, we will discuss some immediate first-aid steps you can take while preparing to take your kitty to the vet.
- Keep your Kitten Warm
If your kitty feels cold to the touch, she could be hypothermic. In this critical case, gently wrap her in a towel or blanket, making sure to leave her face exposed so she can breathe easily. For additional warmth, you can use a heating pad set on a low setting or a water bottle containing warm (not hot) water. However, never place the heat source directly on the kitten’s body to prevent severe burns. Place a towel between the kitten and the heat source.
- Increase Their Blood Sugar (If Hypoglycemia is Suspected)
Once your kitty is warm, if you suspect low blood sugar, rub a small amount of corn, maple syrup, or honey on her gums or gently under her tongue.
Alternatively, you can mix equal parts of warm water and sugar and give it to your kitten using a syringe. Give the kitty this solution every 3 to 10 minutes, but never force fluids or food into an unconscious kitten’s mouth, as this can lead to aspiration.
- Increase Oral Fluids (If Dehydration is Mild)
If your kitten is mildly dehydrated and conscious enough to swallow safely, you should encourage fluid intake. For younger kittens, you can mix powdered kitten formula with a veterinary electrolyte solution like Pedialyte rather than just water.
This helps to supplement their mother’s milk and replenish essential electrolytes.However, for kits that are already weaned, you can soak kibble in water before feeding them. You could also add a splash of formula or water to their already wet food.
Again, do not attempt to give fluids by mouth to a kitten who is unresponsive or cannot swallow.
When To Seek Veterinary Care for Your Unresponsive Kitten?
This is the most critical step. If you delay getting in touch with a vet, your kitten could suffer irreversible organ damage and tragically die. Therefore, you should seek veterinary care immediately if your kit does not show improvement within minutes, or if their condition worsens.
After all, keeping your kitty warm and increasing its blood sugar levels and fluid intake may provide temporary relief, but they are not cures and may not work in all cases. This is especially true if the cause of your kitty’s unresponsiveness is severe head trauma, serious infections, or poisoning. These require professional medical diagnosis and treatment.
Once you take your kitty to the vet clinic, they can thoroughly examine and test her for infections, injuries, organ dysfunction, or parasites. And after proper diagnosis, the vet can prescribe appropriate treatments, such as antibiotics to treat infections, IV fluids, or other life-saving interventions. Crucially, before you even get to the clinic, you should call them first.
This is because they could provide essential information and guidance specific to your kitten’s situation, helping you stabilize your kit before you even reach the clinic. Find an Emergency Vet Near You.
FAQs
Before I conclude, let’s check out the commonly asked questions about kittens being unresponsive but breathing.
How do I make my unresponsive kitten that is breathing eat?
If your kitten is truly unresponsive, you must not attempt to force-feed it, as this carries a significant risk of aspiration (inhaling food/liquid into the lungs), which can be fatal. If your kitten shows signs of regaining consciousness and can swallow, you can mush up canned food to ensure it’s soft enough. Then, pull the food into a syringe barrel and squeeze it gently into your kitty’s mouth, allowing her to lick and swallow at her own pace. Alternatively, you can place small amounts of food on your finger and let your kit lick it at her own pace. Always consult your vet before attempting to feed an unwell kitten.
Can you prevent your kitten from becoming unresponsive?
You can’t guarantee prevention, but you can significantly minimize the chances of your kitty becoming unresponsive through various proactive measures. These include taking your kitten for regular vet check-ups, ensuring it gets all its essential vaccines on time, providing a safe and kitten-proof environment (especially from falls and toxins), and ensuring consistent access to proper nutrition and hydration.
Can exposure to toxins cause a kitten to be unresponsive?
Yes, absolutely. Depending on the type of toxin your kitten inhales or ingests, your kitty cat can quickly go into shock, become lethargic, lose consciousness, and even suffer organ damage or death within hours. This is why immediate veterinary attention is critical in suspected poisoning cases.
The Bottom Line
When your kitten is unresponsive but breathing, it is normal to go into panic mode. This is because there are many serious causes of this condition, such as low blood sugar, hypothermia, head trauma, severe infections, dehydration, and even poisoning. The good news? Each cause is usually accompanied by various symptoms, which, when observed carefully, can help guide your immediate actions.
With that said, there are several first-aid things you can do to help your kitty cat if it becomes unconscious. However, these measures only provide temporary relief in most cases and are meant to buy time. Therefore, it is absolutely advisable to seek veterinary care immediately if your pet’s condition does not improve, or if you are unsure of the cause. Early intervention by a qualified veterinarian is crucial for your kitten’s survival and recovery. What steps will you take to ensure your kitten’s safety today?
