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Why is my 5-month-old kitten lethargic, vomiting, and not eating?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Mixed Breed | Female | unspayed | 4 months and 29 days old | 3.5 lbs

I have a 5 month old kitten. She has been lethargic for a few days and coughed a little over 2 days. Was slightly off food. Yesterday morning she was hungry and had a big breakfast but then vomitted it up about an hour later. After that she was quite playful and went outside but became tired again later in the day. and didnt want any tea. Today she doesnt want to eat (even her favourite food) or drink milk & is sitting looking uninterested with the world. She threw up a little bile too ...

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5 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Megan, DVM, CVA

Veterinarian

Published on January 9th, 2018

Poor Maggie. There are several things that can cause vomiting and lethargy including hairballs, parasites, upper respiratory infection, eating human food, foreign bodies +/- Gi obstruction, certain viral and bacterial infections and much more. I would stop feeding her milk as most cats eventually get to where they cannot tolerate it. I would try to keep her inside so she can rest and offer her different types of food to try and entice her to eat. If she is still refusing to eat tomorrow or the vomiting is continuing, I would have your vet take a look at her. Your vet will be able to do a fecal, blood work and even x-rays if needed. Your vet will be able to get her the proper meds to help her feel better. I hope this helps!

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    Answered By Maria DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on

    I am so sorry that Maggie isn't feeling well. Unfortunately I highly recommend a veterinarian. The reason being is kittens can get sick quickly and declined quickly. With her symptoms there could be many different causes and without a full physical it is difficult to pinpoint what exactly is going on. I would recommend taking her sooner then later if she is that lethargic. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach and I hope Maggie feels better soon.

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    Answered By Amber W

    Veterinarian, Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist

    Published on December 26th, 2017

    Poor Novalee! She sounds like she is pretty sick! I'm a young kitten inappetance and lethargy can be a sign of many things including fever, infection, gastrointestinal disease, or intestinal parasites (among other things). I'd recommend taking Novalee to a veterinarian for an examination right away. A kitten can get dehydrated and very ill after only a day of not eating so it's very important to have Novalee evaluated and treatment started immediately. The sooner she receives treatment the more likely she will recover quickly. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach and I hope Novalee receives the care she needs and is feeling better soon!

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    Answered By Lauren Jones VMD

    Veterinarian

    Published on March 17th, 2017

    Poor Lexi! In many cases, vomiting indicates a problem in the gastrointestinal tract, such as parasites, obstruction, viruses, etc. Since she is a small kitten, I would be concerned both about dehydration and a decreased blood glucose (sugar) level as a result of her vomiting with no food or water intake. Please take her to the vet today for an exam and lab tests (fecal exam and possibly CBC and blood chemistry), so that appropriate treatment and fluid therapy can be started.

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    Answered By Jeffrey Milner

    Veterinarian

    Published on July 12th, 2017

    Hi, i"m sorry to hear Oreo is not feeling well. I am suspicious of a disease called panleukopenia, which causes vomiting, diarrhea and lethargy in young cats and kittens. If she is not drinking she is getting dehydrated and needs to see a vet. If she got into something that did not agree with her the symptoms would not last as long as 2 days. Eating an insect would not cause this either. Also, a 4 month old kitten is prone to low blood sugar if not eating so she needs to see a vet to have her sugar checked. Until you get to a vet, you can try syringing her some electrolyte solution by squirting small amounts into her mouth. If she vomits this up, she needs to see a vet immediately. Either way, I recommend a trip to the vet today or early tomorrow morning. Good luck, I hope she feels better!

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