The number of people who are adding a new kitten to their family is higher than ever due to the recent surge in the popularity of keeping cats.
Not only is it great to see such a large surge in the number of people who are keeping kittens but it’s also great to see how many people are getting their kittens vaccinated too!
One common question that we see from people is based on why their kitten is crying after a vaccination so we have decided to publish this article going over the topic.
Our hope is that we will be able to help our readers get a better idea of the possible reasons that their kitten is crying after a vaccination and help you narrow down the potential reasons.
Before we go any further though, we just want to quickly say that this article is not intended as a replacement for advice from your local veterinarian!
If possible, you should always check with your local vet to get a professional opinion on why your kitten is crying after a vaccination and the rest of our article is only intended for informational purposes.
Why Your Kitten Is Crying After A Vaccination!
The list below goes over the most common causes of a kitten crying after a vaccination:-
- Pain!
- Infection!
- Inflammation!
- Swelling!
- Side Effects!
- Itching!
In some cases, your kitten may actually have more than one of these problems occurring with it at the same time causing the crying.
Depending on the exact situation, these symptoms may be easy to notice in your kitten where as in other situations the may be difficult to confirm so this is why we recommend that you take your kitten to see a veterinarian so they can confirm any potential causes.
Pain!
One of the most common reasons for a kitten to cry after getting vaccinated is due to pain.
This is because vaccinations are given via needle and sometimes the needle can cause some discomfort which may lead to your kitten crying.
However, it is important to note that the pain should only be temporary and should go away once the vaccination takes effect.
Infection!
In some cases, your kitten may develop an infection at the site of the injection which can lead to crying.
Infection!
This is usually due to the needle puncturing the skin and bacteria getting into the wound which then leads to an infection.
You will almost always need medication to treat an infection in your kitten so if this is the reason, you have no time to waste and you really do need medication as soon as possible.
Your kitten will often feel warmer than usual if it does have an infection and the site of the vaccination will often be swollen and potentially leaking puss.
If you think that your kitten may have developed an infection then we recommend that you take them to see a veterinarian as soon as possible so they can treat the infection.
Inflammation!
Another possible reason for your kitten crying after a vaccination is due to inflammation at the injection site.
This is usually due to the body’s immune system reacting to the vaccine and causing inflammation which can lead to discomfort and crying.
In most cases, you will not have to do anything if the crying is due to inflammation and in many cases, this will pass within a day or two and your kitten will return to normal.
Swelling!
In some cases, the injection site may swell up after a vaccination which can lead to your kitten crying due to the discomfort.
Although many people often get inflammation and swelling confused, they are technically different.
Inflammation that we touched on above is usually the body’s natural response to an internal issue.
Swelling is commonly due to your kitten having pressure applied to the area of the vaccination site for an extended period of time.
This could be something as simple as a bandage on the area that has been applied too tightly that causes the area to swell.
Side Effects!
It is also possible for your kitten to experience some side effects after getting vaccinated such as a fever or lethargy.
These side effects are usually not serious and should pass within a day or two.
Vomiting and trembling can be common additional side effects in addition to your kitten crying after an injection giving you an idea that this is the problem.
If your kitten is experiencing any side effects then we recommend that you monitor them closely and if the symptoms get worse you should take then to see a vet as soon as possible.
Itching!
The final reason for your kitten crying after getting vaccinated could be due to the vaccine itself causing an allergic reaction.
This is fairly rare but it can occur and if it does, you will usually notice that your kitten starts to excessively itch the injection site.
If this occurs then we recommend that you take them to see a vet as soon as possible so they can treat the reaction.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are a number of potential reasons for your kitten crying after getting vaccinated and in most cases, it is nothing to worry about.
However, if the crying persists or gets worse then we recommend that you take them to see a veterinarian as soon as possible so they can rule out any serious problems.
