Summary
Establishing and being familiar with a kitten’s baseline condition allows you to promptly provide necessary care and note changes over time. A caregiver needs to examine kittens even if they have been examined by someone else previously also because kittens’ conditions can change rapidly. Learn how to examine a kitten from nose to toes.
Assessing a Kitten’s Health
It is essential to carefully assess each kitten once they arrive in your care. You need to be familiar with each kitten’s baseline condition to be able to recognize changes. Even if kittens have been examined by someone else, each caregiver should conduct their own initial exam because kittens’ conditions can change rapidly, and what you see might not have been seen by those who performed the previous exams.
Get as much history as possible from the shelter, rescue, previous caregiver or finder. This history can give critical insights into what needs to be done immediately for kittens and what needs to be done to provide for their continued best care. This information is useful to help understand the physical and behavioral condition of kittens.
Perform the physical exam in an area that is clean, warm, draft-free, and escape-proof. Ideally, supplies needed include paper and pen, a digital scale that weighs in grams and ounces, a flea comb, a small soft wash cloth, tissues or cotton swabs, a light-colored exam cloth and a rectal thermometer. Other supplies such as bathing/grooming implements may also be useful. Exam gloves are useful for kittens that are dirty and/or have parasites or feces present on their skin/coat. Even if you are missing some or all of these supplies, an initial basic kitten assessment can and should still be performed. Then, work to create and stock an exam kit with these items. Additional items such as stethoscopes and otoscopes can be added as you learn more about examining a kitten.
Note: If any kittens appear unstable (unresponsive, limp, having trouble breathing or actively bleeding), stop and address these conditions immediately.
Assuming kittens appear stable, perform the following assessment. Following a consistent order for all kitten assessments is helpful to ensure nothing is missed. Findings from the assessment will determine if or how quickly a kitten needs to be seen by a veterinarian.
Determine the Kitten’s Weight
If an appropriate scale is available, weigh the kitten and record the weight. This will become the first weight on the daily weight chart.
General Weight Chart for Healthy, Well-Nourished Kittens
| Age | Grams | Ounces | Pounds |
| 0-1 week | 50-150 | 1.76-5.29 | 0.011-0.33 |
| 1-2 weeks | 150-250 | 5.29-8.81 | 0.33-0.55 |
| 2-3 weeks | 250-350 | 8.81-12.35 | 0.55-0.77 |
| 3-4 weeks | 350-450 | 12.35-15.87 | 0.77-1.0 |
| 4-5 weeks | 450-550 | 15.87-19.40 | 1.0-1.22 |
| 5-8 weeks | 550-950 | 19.40-29.98 | 1.22-2.0 |
Examine the Kitten’s Eyes
If any of the problems mentioned below are noted, contact the foster coordinator or veterinarian immediately for further assistance.
When examining neonatal kittens whose eyes are still closed due to age, look for bulging or swelling, which may indicate a possible infection behind the eyelid.
Once the eyes open, they should be clear, bright, and without any discharge or swelling. Note the eye color and size of the pupils. The pupils should be the same size and reactive to light (a light shone into their eyes causes them to constrict).
Note: kitten whose eyes have only recently opened (approximately 7-10 days old) will show little response to light—the eyes of kittens that age have very large pupils and a small iris area.
If there is discharge or crusting, record the color, viscosity (thickness) and extent of the discharge or crustiness observed in one or both eyes. Notice if there is any squinting or pawing at the eye(s), if the third eyelid is red and across the eye(s) or if there is bulging of the eyeball or swelling of the conjunctiva (the thin, mucus membrane inside the eyelids). Notice if the eyelids are turned inward or outward or if the eyelashes are in contact with the eyeball.
Congenital defects may also be present.
Examine the Kitten’s Ears
Examine the pinnae (ear flaps) for injuries, swelling or thinning or loss of fur. Examine the outer ear canal for parasites, debris, scabbing or signs of irritation.
Examine the Kitten’s Nose
A kitten’s nose should be clean and free of discharge, and the kitten should not sneeze frequently. Kittens also should not be pawing or rubbing their nose. If there is discharge, record if it is colorless or colored; record the color. Also, indicate if it is thick and its degree of thickness. Colored or thick discharge may be an indicator of an upper respiratory infection which should be treated by a veterinarian immediately.
Kittens should be breathing through their nose, not through their mouth. If a kitten exhibits open-mouth breathing (except for a few moments after very vigorous play), immediately contact a veterinarian.
Examine the Kitten’s Mouth
Carefully open the kitten’s mouth.
The gums should be moist and light salmon pink in color. If the gums are not light salmon pink, note the color and determine the “capillary refill time” (CRT). If it takes more than 2 seconds for the color to return, contact a veterinarian or your foster coordinator.
How to Measure Capillary Refill Time: Press your finger against the kitten’s gum line until it blanches (turns white). Immediately remove your finger and count how many seconds it takes for the original color of the gums to return. It should return within two seconds.
Look for ulcers, injuries, bleeding or abscesses on the gums, tongue and lips. Check for foreign objects (e.g., maggots, string) in the mouth. Examine the entire roof of the mouth for a cleft palate, and also check for a cleft lip.
Warning: Cleft issues may require specialized feeding techniques
When you look in the mouth, note what teeth, if any, are present. Check for abnormalities (missing or broken teeth, e.g.). Up to six months of age, the presence of specific teeth will help to ascertain the kitten’s age.
Smell the kitten’s mouth and breath. Unusual or foul smells may indicate infection or ingestion of a toxic substance.
Assess a Kitten’s Hydration
Using several methods and observations, assess the kitten’s hydration:
- Skin tent test: Lift the skin between the scruff of the neck and the shoulder blades and observe how quickly it falls back into place. With adequate hydration, the skin flattens immediately. If the kitten is dehydrated, the skin stays tented or flattens slowly. This test may be unreliable in kittens under 6 weeks of age
- Capillary refill time (CRT)
- Gums: The gums should be salmon-colored and smooth and moist to the touch. Pale and tacky gums may indicate dehydration
- Urine color: Kitten urine should be very pale yellow. Darker urine may be a sign of dehydration.
- Sunken eyes
Examine a Kitten’s Skin and Fur
Look the kittens over carefully for parasites such as fleas, flea debris, ticks, lice, fly eggs, or maggots.
Look for injuries such as cuts, abrasions, bites or puncture wounds. Check the skin for inflammation, abscesses, rashes or scabs. Notice any skin discoloration, bruising, irritation or swelling, including in the groin and genital area.
Check kitten’s fur for liquid or solid substances, such as grease. Look for missing or thinning fur.
Check kitten’s feet, paw pads and claws for debris, punctures or abrasions. Look for broken, torn or missing nails.
Smelling a kitten’s fur can be useful for determining if a kitten’s skin or fur has been exposed to dirty or toxic substances.
Examine a Kitten’s Chest
Look at the general shape of the chest and listen to the heart and lungs. While using a stethoscope is valuable, heartbeat and respiration can also be seen and felt in many cases even without one.
Count the number of heartbeats per minute. Without a stethoscope you may be able to hear the heartbeat (and respiratory sounds) by putting your ear to the ribs along each of the kitten’s sides. Note if you hear anything other than a regular “lub dub, lub dub, lub dub.”
Count the number of breaths per minute. Note if the chest rises and falls at an even or erratic rate, or if you hear wheezing, gurgles or crackles when listening to the lungs.
Examine a Kitten’s Abdomen
Look at the general shape of the abdomen. With kittens on their backs, observe whether the abdomen looks round or linear.
Hold the kitten underneath their armpits and see if the abdomen looks round/pear-shaped or has a narrow, rectangular look. With several fingers together, gently palpate the abdomen to determine if it is hard or soft. Hard abdomens may indicate constipation or other situations needing attention. If the kitten reacts with vocalization or withdrawing when the abdomen is touched, that may indicate possible pain.
Look for the presence of an umbilical cord, parasites, sores or a hernia.
Examine a Kitten’s Limbs
Observe the legs for any abnormalities such as twisting or splaying.
Note whether kittens move appropriately for their age (crawling versus walking) and if there is any wobbling or circling. Kittens should be able to move as soon as they are born. They will root (they will move towards the queen’s nipples in search of milk) or roll back on their abdomen when turned on their backs.
If kittens two weeks and younger are gently scruffed (as the queen would do to move them), their hind legs should pull upwards.
Check the paw pads, nails and area between each toe. Count the number of toes. Determine whether the nails need to be trimmed and if they can retract. Kittens younger than four weeks cannot retract their nails; orphan kittens may be delayed in the ability to retract their nails until five weeks of age.
Examine a Kitten’s Tail
Run your fingers along the tail and record if there are kinks or lumps. Examine whether it tapers from its base to its tip. Is it shortened or missing altogether? As the kitten moves/walks, watch if the tail is upright and moving for balance or positioned outright facing back, tucked under the body, hanging downward or is limp.
Examine a Kitten’s Anus and Genitalia
Check to see if there is a visible anus and if it looks, soiled red or inflamed. It should be clean and not appear red or swollen. No skin or tissue should protrude out of the anus. The anus should be free of debris, including fresh or dried blood, feces or parasites like worms and maggots.
In male kittens, look and gently feel if both testicles (testes) are descended. The testes develop within the abdomen and normally descend into the scrotum by eight weeks of age.
Note if just one or both are descended and if there is discharge or debris around the prepuce (the sheath around the penis) or any urine scald. The penis is not ordinarily visible; however, if it is, take note of any color or swelling. It should retract easily into the prepuce
In female kittens, look for discharge or swelling around the vulva or urine scald in the area.
Determine a Kitten’s Sex
We provide information on how to determine a kitten’s sex in the Determining a Kitten’s Sex article.
Take a Kitten’s Temperature
Unless kittens are unstable, ill or are about to receive a vaccination, taking their temperature may not be necessary. It is important to know how to take a temperature correctly and to have the right type of thermometer to avoid damaging a kitten’s fragile tissues and causing pain and stress. It is important to know the kitten’s temperature if they are unstable or ill or receiving a vaccination.
Normal Resting Rectal Temperatures for Kittens
| Kitten’s Age | Temperature |
| Newborn to two weeks | 96-99°F |
| Two to three weeks | 97-100°F |
| Four weeks | 99-101° |
| Over four weeks | 100.5-102.5°F |
Note: Temperature an indicator of a kitten’s age. This chart is most helpful if you know the kitten’s age.
Examine a Kitten’s Behavior
Notice whether kittens demonstrate age-appropriate development, activity and movement. Check the activity levels, vocalization, agitation (if any) and responsiveness.
