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My 4-month-old feral kitten has a fever and can't poop. What's up?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Mixed Breed | Female | 4 months and 21 days old | 4 lbs

Female unaltered kitten, age 4 months.. Last surviving member of a feral litter. Last Thurs she was febrile. I managed it with her resting on towel wrapped around ice (20 on, 20 off). Never had a BM until last night (she squealed). Temp is less & not spiking anymore. What is up?

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Amy Poole, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on June 26th, 2017

Poor Nova! A kitten this young with a fever can have a number of different problems going on. If she is having trouble defecating, she could have either diarrhea or constipation issues, as both conditions can look the same in kittens and cause them to be uncomfortable and vocalize when they defecate. If she is from a feral litter, and her litter mates did not survive, I would be very concerned about a possible infection or congenital problem going on. She likely has intestinal parasites, given her history, and needs to be dewormed. At 4 months, she should be started on a vaccine schedule as well, if she hasn't been already. I would recommend you take her in to your vet to be evaluated. She could still have an undulating fever that needs to be treated with supportive care and potentially antibiotics for a potential infection. I would also recommend testing her for FIV (feline aids) and Feline leukemia, which usually can be done quickly in a hospital with a few drops of blood. This could be what is contributing to her being so ill. Good luck! I hope she improves soon!

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