Stray Kitten

[elizabethann]

I rescued a stray kitten and brought him to the vets. He was given his shots & tested negative for kitty aids & leukemia. He didn't have ear mites but he has fleas and was given some Advantage. However, I told the vet he makes this weird noise - almost like he is going to throw up or gag (or even sneeze) but it sounds more like he's congested - kind of hard to explain - never heard anything like it before. The vet didn't think he had URI (upper respiratory infection) so the vet said the kitten could be let loose in the apartment (I have 2 cats & 1 dog). The kitten still makes that noise periodically. Does anybody have any thoughts as to what it could be? Do kittens get colds? I hope whatever it is isn't infecting my cats & dog. I am trying to find someone to adopt the kitten (who I call Moose). He is very cute but I just can't keep him. If anybody has any idea what the sneezing/gaging/throwing up congested noise is, I'd appreciate any comments. Thanks!

[catfancier]

I'd say that if the vet doesn't think it's a respiratory infection, then I wouldn't worry too much.
Having said that, it could be anything - cats commonly get things like blades of grass stuck up their nostrils, so that could be tickling him and he's sneezing/coughing/hacking to try and get rid of it... it could be polyps perhaps (not sure if cats suffer from it, but I guess it's possible) - kind of haemmorhoids but in the nasal cavity... maybe he possibly has trouble swallowing all his food when he is finished eating (if the noises happen after feeding), or something could be obstructing the airway when he gets excited or plays.
Like I said, could be anything! If it doesn't seem to bother him too much and he is pretty happy most of the time, and you don't want to or can't spend a lot on him, then I wouldn't be too concerned. Keep an eye on things though, as you never know what could happen. Obviously when you do rehome him, you will have to mention it to the new owners/caretakers.

Good luck with the rehoming, let us know what happens

[elizabethann]

The kitten has found a new home with a trustworthy owner. I mentioned the problem to them. They'll keep me posted on his condition. I hope he'll be okay.

[Logan]

I'm so glad you found a good home for the kitten (if it couldn't be yours). I hope he will be happy and healthy! Keep us posted if you ever hear from them.

Thank you for being so kind to take him in.

Logan

[QueenScoopalot]

I hope the kitten was wormed by the vets. Almost 100% of all kittens, and puppies are born with roundworms. If the kitten's really packed with them, it could be the cause of the hitching noise. I've rescued kittens so severely infested with worms, that it's taken three doses in a row, over three days to erradicate them.