My 4-month-old kitten is missing. Can she die from chlamydia?

Sorry to hear this! Unfortunately, this is not an uncommon situation with small kittens. They usually die suddenly like this due to a heritable defect, poor immunity, or a severe disease like panleukopenia. There are very few diseases that a kitten can pass onto people and considering that she died so quickly, I would not be concerned about any diseases that could be passed to people. Most of the diseases carried by cats that can be passed to people are not a problem for healthy people and would not be nearly as deadly. If you did get a disease like toxoplasmosis or bartenolosis there would be warning signs such as feeling malaise, or Flu-like. Again, it's extremely unlikely for this to happen to you, but if you did feel sick in the next two weeks, then it would be good to mention the kitten to your doctor. Either way, the diseases that you could get from cats can be treated and would not be deadly (besides rabies, which is extremely unlikely in this case). I really wouldn't worry though. I've seen many of these little kittens die suddenly in shelters and have never had a concern about a zoonotic disease (disease passed from animals to people). I hope that helps.

They should be seen by a veterinarian for an exam and confirmation. Afterwards, antibiotics may be prescribed along with an eye ointment if indicated. Treatment can last as long as 6 weeks. In the meantime, keep the eyes and nose clear, keep them warm and as stress free as possible. Feed a good quality canned kitten food and make sure they are eating and drinking normally.

I'm so sorry about Sky! Not being vaccinated is definitely a possiblity behind her death. Parasites or other infections could have been a cause as well. She could have contracted feline leukemia or FIV too. It is very hard to say without seeing her. I'm very sorry for your loss. My thoughts are with you during this difficult time.

Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Sorry to hear about your kitten. It's very hard to try to give you the right answer without a necropsy (autopsy of animals) and some tests. Some guesses would include sepsis (blood poisoning), viral infection with a very potent upper respiratory virus, fading kitten syndrome, among other things. Again, I'm so sorry that you lost him. I send you my deepest condolences.

He may have had an injury, been hit by a car or he had a congenital heart defect that caused a blood clot at the bifurcation of the aorta (that paralyses hind legs and hurts terribly). This can also cause a clot in the lungs which would cause breathing problems. Unfortunately most cats with these blood clots die within a short time. I am so sorry for your loss. This is very sad.

Hi there and thank you for using Pet Coach. It sounds as though Nova may have been dealing with some infection or systemic disease. It is difficult to say for sure but if it was progressed too far, there probably was not much you could have done. If caught early on, then maybe something could have been done. Viral infections such as feline leukemia and feline immunodeficiency virus can cause chronic infections and can lead to death in some cats. She could have any one of these infectious diseases and there is no treatment for either disease. I am sorry for your loss but try not to blame yourself. If she had something untreatable, there is not much you could have done. I hope this helps. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns.

Oh no! That is very frustrating to not be told the truth, but it is a good thing you know now. It is a little difficult to assess risk if it is uncertain if your kitten was raised by its mother. If so, and she was vaccinated, she could have passed some maternal antibodies on to your kitty. The biggest risk for kittens is through exposure to other cats. If your kitty is an indoor kitty with no other contact with other cats this significantly decreases his risk. What is most important now is to start his vaccinations with your vet, to have him tested for the kitty viruses (feline leukemia and FIV), and to have him checked for intestinal parasites (if not already performed/dewormer given). Just because he is older does not mean he can not get his vaccines, he will just need less vaccines than a younger kittens. Typically we vaccinate with FVRCP (for kitty upper respiratory viruses and panleukopenia) and rabies. If your kitty will eventually be going outside then vaccination for feline leukemia (after a negative test) is important. Your family vet can set up a schedule for Chase at his first visit. I hope this helps and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!