Why does my foster kitten have a bloated belly and recurring fever?

Question

So I have been to 3 different vets now for my foster kitten Mabel and no one can figure out what going on. Her bloodwork is normal, her fecal test was neg, but her belly is bloated and she had a fever of 103.4 the other day, then normal temp the next day and now today has a fever again. Those are her only two symptoms. In every other way she is normal and healthy. I'm hoping one of you can point me in a possible direction because I'm stumped and so is our shelter vet. Shes dewormed/vaccinated. Pet's info: Cat | Domestic Mediumhair | Female | unspayed | 1 month and 20 days old | 0.5 lbs

Angela Hinton, DVM · Accepted Answer

Hello there! I am sorry your little kitten isn't feeling well. Based on what you are describing my top concern would be FIP (feline infectious peritonitis). This is a viral infection that is pretty common in kittens and especially kittens that are in a shelter environment. Has your vet checked to see if there is free fluid in her abdomen? Her bloating could be due to extra fluid. If there is fluid, that raises my suspicion even more for FIP. You could also get a sample of this fluid to be analyzed as well. There is a blood test to check for corona virus which is what causes FIP, but it isn't specific for the particular mutation that causes FIP. Meaning they can be positive but not actually have FIP. If she were to be negative for corona virus then it is pretty unlikely this is FIP and you would have to do other testing such as abdominal ultrasounds. But if it's positive it's another thing that seems to point in the same direction. Unfortunately, if it is FIP that is poor prognosis. Most kittens do not do well. The bloating in her belly is uncomfortable and can make it harder to eat. And having a fever makes them feel badly too. I am worried that this little girl might not have a good outcome. But you could at least check for the fluid and consider the corona virus test to get some more information. I hope this information was helpful for you and I wish you and your bottle baby all the best! Dr. Angela Hinton

Why does my foster kitten have a bloated belly and recurring fever?

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