06/16/2026
🩺 Medical Monday: Hammy’s Fight Against Panleukopenia 🐾
Meet Hammy, an adorable 6-week-old kitten that was brought to us by one of our TNR trappers on June 6th. Last Tuesday, his foster noticed something wasn’t quite right. He was barely eating, had very low energy, was losing weight, and had developed soft stool.
On Wednesday, his symptoms worsened and Hammy tested positive for panleukopenia on an in-house SNAP test. Because he had received a modified live FVRCP vaccine just four days earlier, we knew there was a possibility of a false positive result. To be sure, we sent out a diarrhea PCR panel the same day.
The results came back on Friday: Hammy was positive for both panleukopenia and feline coronavirus.
Panleukopenia is a highly contagious and often deadly virus that attacks rapidly dividing cells in the body, particularly those in the intestines and bone marrow. Kittens are especially vulnerable, and without aggressive supportive care, many do not survive.
Hammy went home with our medical director that same day and has spent the last several days receiving around-the-clock care, including syringe feeding, heat support, medications and supplements, hydration support, and frequent monitoring. The good news? After almost a week of fighting, he’s finally eating on his own, gaining strength and weight, and acting like a kitten again!
Today, Hammy gets to return to his original foster home to continue his recovery. ❤️
Cases like Hammy’s are a reminder that saving lives often requires much more than food and shelter. It takes diagnostics, advanced medical supplies like incubators and fluids, medications, special diets, and sometimes days of intensive nursing care. Because of your support, we’re able to say “yes” when kittens like Hammy need us most. As always, please consider donating so we can help more sick babies.
Thank you for helping us give vulnerable kittens a chance to survive and thrive. 🐾
