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.
Recovering from Kitten Fading Syndrome is possible if an underlying cause can be identified in, and treatment started in time. Unfortunately, Fading Kitten Syndrome is fatal more often than not, with the highest rate of mortality being in the first week of life.
Symptoms of Fading Kitten Syndrome
Early signs that a kitten is fading may include lethargy, lack of interest in nursing, sleeping separately from the litter, and whining. Caregivers may notice that the kitten's skin is less elastic, which is a symptom of dehydration.
There isn't a catch-all cure for fading kitten syndrome, but you can treat the causes of the medical condition. This can include antibiotics for infections, raising the base body temperature to prevent hypothermia, making dietary substitutions, long or short-term medication, and more.
1. It's Mom's Fault: A mother cat is called a queen. Her breed, age, health, nutritional status, disposition and blood type all may dictate the risk for fading kitten syndrome in her babies. Difficulty during birthing is called dystocia and is one of the most common causes of injury to both the mother and her kittens.
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.
INCREASE BLOOD SUGAR – While warming the kitten, apply light Karo corn syrup to the gums. If Karo is not available, use pancake syrup or mix equal parts sugar and warm water until dissolved. Use a syringe or your finger to place a few drops of the sugar source into the kitten's mouth EVERY 3 MINTUES.
The fading kitten syndrome age ranges from newborns to weaned felines, which generally happens around six weeks after birth. There are many causes that can lead to a kitten's health rapidly declining or crashing.
Eric Barchas says it is fading kitten syndrome. He explains, a staggering proportion of kittens succumb to fading kitten syndrome before they reach nine weeks of age. Fifteen percent to twenty-seven percent die before nine weeks of age even in well-managed catteries.
Understanding the Kitty 'Terrible Two's'
Between the age of 6 months and 2 years, your kitten will be reaching physical and sexual maturity. They will grow out of being a pure bundle of energy but, like human teenagers, they will be learning and exploring more of the world around them.
Aggressive Biting, Scratching, and Fighting
If your kitten is displaying signs of aggression such as hard biting, scratching that draws blood, and dangerous fighting with other kittens, this is abnormal and problematic behavior.
Single kitten syndrome is the idea that young kittens, when raised with other young kittens and cats and then adopted into a home by themselves, can become aggressive, anxious, stressed, and even develop behavioral issues like inappropriate chewing/scratching and inappropriately using the litterbox.
Despite the common belief that cats are solitary animals, they're actually incredibly social beings who thrive when they have feline friends from an early age. That's why I always recommend adopting two kittens, or adopting a solo kitten only if you already have another young cat in the home for the kitten to befriend.
It is not uncommon for one or two kittens in a litter to be stillborn. Sometimes, a stillborn kitten will disrupt labor, resulting in dystocia. At other times, the dead kitten will be delivered normally.
Cats do, indeed, grieve. They cannot tell us how they feel. And the owners in the family may overlook behavior changes while dealing with their own sense of loss.
If your kitten seems weak and tired, rub sugar water, karo syrup, or honey on her gums to boost blood sugar and then call your vet, Demos says. "A kitten with low blood sugar can die very quickly. It won't hurt to give your kitten a little bit of sugar."
In addition to a sickly appearance, a cat's eyes may appear dilated when they are close to death. In other cases, a cat may appear to be blind, or their eyes are glazed over. If they're severely dehydrated, their eyes may also have a sunken-in appearance.
If your cat still has an appetite, offer tasty foods to help ease your cat's last days. Particularly pungent smells, such as fish-flavored food, may help tempt your cat to eat. If your cat doesn't feel up to chewing, try offering some canned food mixed with warm water, or you can try offering baby food.
Some cats will become more reclusive, and may be cranky and more irritable (this might be due to pain or cognitive dysfunction). Other cats become more friendly and clingy, wanting to always be close to you. Some cats experience cognitive dysfunction, similar to dementia in humans.
It's difficult to say with certainty whether or not cats know they're going to die. It's likely, however, that they do sense a change in their biochemistry which affects their behaviour. It's common for a cat to wait until an important family member returns home before passing away, for example.
Should I stay with my cat during euthanasia? This is entirely your choice, but we often hear that it is comforting for owners to know that they were with their pet at the end. Because of the close bond you have with your cat, they may find comfort in knowing you're there with them too.
Checking for signs of breathing: Can you see the cat's chest or stomach moving? Checking if the cat's eyes are open: Cats' eyes tend to stay open after they have died, this is because muscle control is needed to keep them closed. Checking the pupils: Pupils often appear larger than usual after a cat has died.
Agonal breathing occurs as the body is dying and the pet has no consciousness of this and certainly does not feel like "he can't breathe". Most of the times, those are silent, but occasionally, breathing noises can accompany them.