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My month-old runt kitten is lethargic and not growing. What's wrong?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Mixed Breed | Female | unspayed | 1 month old | 1lb

Month old kitten as of today, doesn't move to too much or socialize as much as siblings. Buckwheat is the runt of the litter and only seems to move the most when suckling from momma. Have been supplementing her as well with kmr but not seeing substantial growth. No diarrhea or vomiting heart and lungs sound good, just worried about my seemingly lethargic depressed kitten.

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

Veterinarian

Published on February 12th, 2017

I agree that it sounds like Buckwheat is the runt of the litter, and they do tend to struggle more than their littermates. You are doing the right thing by supplementing with KMR, and he's unfortunately still too young to wean him. I'm not sure how often you are feeding him with KMR, but I would discuss with your vet increasing supplementation to try to get him to gain some weight. Also make sure he is up to date on his deworming treatments, as intestinal worms can prevent him from gaining weight. Finally, I would have him seen by your vet to discuss additional meals with KMR and the vet may have other suggestions to help him thrive.

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    Answered By Debi Matlack

    Veterinary Technician

    Published on

    There is a condition known as fading kitten syndrome, or failure to thrive. It can be caused by infection, congenital defects or sometimes hypothermia, but often the actual cause is unknown. Treatment is usually primarily supportive care, which you've been doing a great job of so far, but it is worth a trip to the vet to see if there is an underlying medical problem causing Buckwheat to lag behind the others.

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