Ferret Attack on my Kitten

Question
We recently had kittens, and we also have ferrets, but we are mindful to shut the door to the bedroom when the ferrets are out playing, so as not to freak out the momma cat. But one of the ferrets got in, and bit a kitten, I got to them before any real damage was done, but she broke the skin a bit, and now it seems like   he's listless, he's just laying there and mewing a bit. I know he will probably be ok, and is just shaken, but i'm a bit shaken as well. wondering if you had any information on the subject, and if you knew when about he would start acting normally again. thanks.

Answer
Hi Kelsie,

It depends on how old the kittens are. If he's only a few weeks old, he's too young to recall that anything dangerous has befallen him. Kittens under 4 weeks shouldn't suffer any psychological effects of trauma, and if his behavior has changed, it's most likely because he's hurt. If he's older than this, he may be stunned for a while. This is an uncommon response in cats, but the best way to deal with it is to keep him close to his mother in a dimly lit room. If he's not eating by morning, he should see a vet first thing. If his conditions worsens sooner, or if he's under four weeks, I would suggest seeking emergency vet care overnight. Chances are the bite wound penetrated more deeply than it appears to the eye.

Best wishes!
Jessica