by Nomi Berger
 
With the arrival of spring comes the birth of millions of newborn kittens, the majority of them born to feral cats living outdoors. Fortunately, however, most of these kittens will make excellent family pets if they’re rescued and properly socialized at an early age.
 
Enter the compassionate, attentive and nurturing foster home. And yet, tragically, despite the most ideal conditions, a disproportionate number of these well-tended kittens will succumb to fading kitten syndrome. According to the most recent estimates, 15 to 27 percent of them will die before they’re nine weeks old, while mortality among litters of foster kittens can be as devastatingly high as 100 percent.
 
What, then, is fading kitten syndrome? And, more importantly, can it be treated?
 
Fading kitten syndrome describes and encompasses a number of problems and conditions that can cause young kittens to die. Most of those who die from this syndrome seem to sicken and die suddenly. With a few exceptions, such as trauma and hypothermia, however, the problem usually builds gradually and is extremely difficult to detect until a crisis develops. The key, therefore, to reducing such a high mortality rate in these kittens is the early detection of any subtle problems before a crisis develops.
 
Potential causes of fading kitten syndrome include:
Inadequate mothering by the kittens’ mother. Most foster kittens are particularly at risk if they were orphaned or abandoned by their mothers. Even kittens with mothers can be at risk if those mothers are young and inexperienced, stressed, malnourished, unable to produce enough milk, unwilling to allow their kittens to nurse or are, paradoxically, obese.
 
Bacterial infectious that result in sepsis. Viral infections like calcivirus, feline herpesvirus, feline AIDS (FIV), feline leukemia (FeLV) and panleukopenia. Parasitic infestations with coccidia, roundworms or other organisms. Many of these infections are linked to a complete collapse of the immune system, usually associated with a condition called thymus atrophy.
 
Hereditary defects ranging from heart irregularities to undeveloped immune systems. Hemolytic anemia, which occurs when a kitten’s blood type differs from her mother’s. When that kitten nurses during the first days of her life, she ingests antibodies that will attack her blood cells.
 
While the early signs of fading kitten syndrome are subtle, they’re usually detectable, and foster parents should be aware of them. Sick kittens may not be capable of righting themselves when turned on their backs. They may have a poor suckling reflex. Their eyes may not open at the usual age of five days to two weeks. They will often be smaller than their littermates and may not gain weight normally. Healthy kittens should gain from 7 to 10 grams a day. (Many experts recommend weighing kittens on a gram scale twice a day). Kittens not gaining weight at an appropriate rate must, therefore, receive extra attention with a special focus on feeding.
 
Fosters should be on the alert for constant noises such as whining or crying even after feeding, gradually worsening lethargy, weakness, labored breathing, vomiting, diarrhea and nasal or eye discharge. These symptoms constitute a crisis and require an immediate visit to the vet. Recovery is possible if the underlying cause can be quickly identified and treatment started in time. Supportive care usually includes fluids, dextrose to support blood sugar levels, antimicrobials, nutritional support, oxygen support and body temperature support.
 
If a kitten does survive this crucial period and grows stronger, long-term management in her foster home must focus on proper nutrition, scrupulously clean living conditions, preventative health care, and especially close monitoring of her food intake to ensure she gains weight. Sadly, though, the prognosis for most kittens in crisis is poor, with many of them dying even with treatment. And one kitten lost doesn’t augur well for that kitten’s remaining littermates.

by Nomi Berger
 
Are unsightly and uncomfortable scabs making YOUR kitty itchy and irritable? If so, what’s causing them?
 
One of the main culprits is miliary dermatitis, where itchy scabs appear on a cat’s neck, back and tail. Most often the result of a fleabite allergy, whereby a cat is allergic to a substance in flea saliva, a single bite can trigger severe itching in her. Although you’re unlikely to find fleas on your affected cat due to her fastidious grooming habits, you will be able to see flea droppings -- composed of digested blood.
 
Some cats have food allergy dermatitis and may exhibit hypersensitive reactions to one or more components in their diet. Other possible causes of allergies include atopy, a type of allergic reaction in response to inhaled allergens, and contact dermatitis or contact allergies. Some cats may react adversely to materials in their owners’ bedding, carpets or rugs. Seasonal allergens – from pollen in the air to grasses, weeds and bushes -- can also cause intense itching in especially sensitive cats, not to mention chemicals commonly used in households and on gardens and lawns.
 
Next on the list of possibilities are skin parasites such as ticks, lice and mites, nutritional deficiencies due to an unbalanced or inappropriate diet, and immune-mediated skin diseases. While they themselves don’t cause a cat’s scabs, her frenzied scratching, chewing and licking in an attempt to find relief from the itching will – by eventually breaking the surface of the skin. The longer she claws at the scabs, the greater the chance of secondary bacterial or fungal infections, making treating her all the more complicated. It’s therefore essential to bring YOUR unhappy kitty to the vet as promptly as possible.
 
The diagnosis of miliary dermatitis is based primarily on your cat’s medical history and her symptoms. Your vet will, in all likelihood, check for signs of fleas and flea dirt, collect some skin scrapings, run allergy tests and take biopsies if necessary. You may even be referred to a veterinary dermatologist.
 
Ultimately, treating her scabs and itchy skin will depend on identifying the trigger and then, relieving her symptoms. If a flea allergy is to blame, your vet will prescribe a flea medication for at least two to three months. If it’s a mite or lice infestation, medicated baths or sprays should help. If it’s a food allergy, a hypoallergenic food trial (without the offending allergens) may make all the difference. She may also be put on a brief course of corticosteroids or other anti-inflammatory drugs to help ease her itching while any other prescribed medication works to eliminate the root cause of her condition.
 
Should a secondary infection be involved, your vet will prescribe a round of antibiotics or antifungals for a given period of time. But remember: even if her skin problem begins to resolve itself within a few days of starting any medication, you MUST finish the entire prescription to prevent it from recurring, which can be more serious and more difficult to address. Additional protocols may also include giving her antihistamines and/or cyclosporine and supplementing her diet with essential fatty acids.
 
Fortunately, most cats diagnosed with miliary dermatitis have an excellent prognosis. But to err on the side of caution and keep it, wherever possible, from becoming an issue in the first place, your cat’s preventive health program should include a monthly flea preventative to ensure she’s adequately protected throughout the year. If your cat spends any time outside, keep her inside instead, thereby reducing both her exposure to various outdoor allergens and keeping her away from any cats potentially infested with fleas, mites and other parasites.