Why does my 4-week-old kitten have garlic breath and low energy?

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Bertie. I recommend that he sees his veterinarian today if his symptoms persist. Being so young, he can dehydrated easily if he does not eat and drink properly. He may be experiencing an upper respiratory tract infection. See if he has any eye or nose discharge as well as any sneezing. Gastrointestinal infections can cause him to not feel well and are usually accompanied by vomiting and diarrhea. Finally, if he sustained an injury he could have the symptoms you reported as well. His veterinarian will be able to differentiate between these causes. I hope this information helps!

It sounds like he is getting sick. Without additional clinical signs it is hard to say exactly what is causing his lethargy and decreased appetite but he could be starting with a respiratory virus or a gastrointestinal virus. He could also have parasites that need to be treated. If it continues than he should be examined by a vet to determine the cause. Your vet can run lab work to help diagnose and then determine the best way to treat. If he is unvaccinated, please discuss a vaccine plan with your vet once he has recovered from this illness.

It is normal for kittens to play really hard and then sleep really hard. At this age I expect them to sleep more than play. This changes as they get a little older. If she is eating at least 1/2 cup of food a day, she may be just getting full and realizes she doesn't have to eat it all at once and this is also okay. Sometimes kittens will graze on grass and plants out of curiosity. Just make sure you don't have an toxic plants in your house/yard. BUT if you think she is eating less than this and doesn't play much at all and you think she is getting weak then I would see your vet for an exam. She may have something else going on like an infection or parasites that needs to be addressed. Your vet will be able to do a fecal and possibly bloodwork if needed. I hope this helps!

Oh dear! This is very concerning - it sounds like your kitten is very sick. I would recommend taking her to a veterinarian immediately to be seen. He/she can do some diagnostic testing if needed to help determine what's wrong and see what kind of treatment is needed.

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Lethargy and low energy level in such a young kitten is always a concern. This behaviour could be due to fever, pain, intestinal worms and more. Please de-worm your kittens if they have not been dewormed in the last few days. If it does not make any difference, please take him to your local vets for an appointment.

Kittens can sleep a lot, but if she is very listless I would be worried that she is ill and should be seen by a veterinarian right away. Starvation and dehydration can very quickly cause a kitten to go downhill which could be why she is so lethargic and requires medical care. She may also be younger than you suspect and still need additional care. Your vet can also help determine her age, and you can use this guide if she is young for rearing orphaned kittens: https://www.petcoach.co/article/how-to-raise-orphan-kittens/

Unfortunately it’s impossible to know if he is OK or not. I recommend to have Geronimo examined by the veterinarian within the next 24 hours. It’s very possible he is sick. You may look into financing options through care credit or scratch pay. You can find information on their website. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.