Runt of the litter, Should I be worried?

gstcbs

We got two 12 week old Kittens three weeks ago, Brother and Sister. The girl was the runt of the litter and the size difference between her and her Brother is quite large. The reason I am posting this is because we have never owned a pet before, we waited a year before we got them to be sure, and we didn't want to rush into buying a pet.

The boy is everything you would expect a Kitten to be, into everything, jumping up, climbing the curtains, plays with the toys we got them, she on the other hand is completely different in as much as she will just sit there in her own little world, she does not play, she is not interested in anything at all, does not climb, will not jump down from anything, in the three weeks we have had them she has never once attempted to play with me even if I am down on the floor with them, she will literally just sit in a corner of a room and stare into space. We noticed when we fed them that he would wolf his food down in record time then rush over to hers and push her out of the way then he would eat hers too, after that we started feeding them in seperate rooms to be sure she is getting enough.

We have noticed him getting bigger, she hasn't changed size wise in the time we have had them.

She eats her food fine, uses the litter box fine.

Because we have never owned Cats before I was wondering if a trip to the vet is needed to see if she is ok, or is it just a case of every cat is different and she will come out of her shell sometime?

Fosterdog

Something is not right there, get her to a vet ASAP, a 15 week old kitten should be a bundle of energy and trouble it is not normal for them to sit and stare into space.

Does she act the same when in a different room to her brother? Did you see her with her mother and litter mates? How did she act then?

kazwookie

Take both of them to the vets:-

1. to be checked over
2. wormed and flee treatments if they have not had them.
3. raise your concerns over the little one
4. book them in for neutering when they are the right age.
Do it today..............

gstcbs

Fosterdog: We saw them with their Mother and her four other Kittens. When we seperate them to feed them they are fine when they are eating, as soon as they are done with their food they will both cry until they are in the same room as each other.

If her Brother starts to play with her she will run away and hide and that is about the extent of her involvement, if I pick her up she will cry until I put her back down. She will cuddle up with her Brother when they go to sleep and she will clean him.

Something made me write this post and I have no idea why, she just seems so small and vunerable.

thorsoak

Please take her to the vet, ASAP - for your own peace of mind as well as for her sake.

*Robin*

gstcbs wrote: »

if I pick her up she will cry until I put her back down.

That's not right. Sounds like she is in pain - please take her to the vet asap, OP.

Good luck, hope this ends well.

farfromhome

This is definitely not right and I agree with the other posters that you need to take her to a vet urgently.

Some years ago we adopted a mother cat and 2 kittens, about 7 weeks old at the time, from Cats Protection. The little boy was tiny, he wanted to feed from the mother but she always pushed him away. We immediately took all of them to the vet; the vet had grave doubts that the boy would make it, he was so undernourished and, like yours, did not have the energy to play. We were given some special formula and my husband then fed him a tiny amount every half an hour during the day and about every 2/4 hours at night. It took about 4 weeks for him to start behaving like a kitten. Really, there is no time to lose.

pinkteapot

Did she come from a shelter or a breeder? It would be worth asking whoever you got her from whether she behaved like that with them, so that you can tell the vet how long it's been going on. This may help them pin down what's wrong. Of course, if it's not a reputable person then they may lie, but worth asking.

Either way, agree with everyone else - get her to a vet for a check-up ASAP, mentioning everything you've said here.

Let us know how you get on - we like to find out what happens to the furry friends described on here.

Something made me write this post and I have no idea why, she just seems so small and vunerable.

First rule of pet ownership - always trust your gut if it tells you something's wrong.

Mupette

Our kitten Dave is the runt of the litter, and he is (well was until his fight with a car) a Tasmanian devil, he loves to play and run around etc, loves his food always had.

We knew he had a deformed chest, but when he had his accident the vet also found he had a deformed bum.

So yes i would say a vet check.

And Dave is getting better

GwylimT

Vets asap.

teddysmum

GwylimT wrote: »

Vets asap.

I agree.


Our neighbours had a rottie puppy, who was normal size but too quiet and it turned out that he had an incurable illness. They only realised how bad he had been when they got another of the breed and could compare.