Impact of Plasma Supplementation

Orphan neonatal kittens are presumed to have less antibodies, which are normally passed through a mother’s colostrum, leaving them more vulnerable to illness and death. To address this, San Diego Humane Society offered a one-time subcutaneous blood plasma injection to kittens at intake, a practice that was unheard of at shelter scale.

Years of careful data collection by Executive Director, Jackie Noble, led to this peer-reviewed study. Researchers analyzed records from 544 kittens four weeks and younger: 193 received a 3-mL plasma dose within 24 hours of intake; 351 did not.

Plasma supplementation did not reduce the risk of death. However, kittens who received it experienced a delay in the onset of diarrhea and weight loss, two of the earliest and most serious signs of decline.

The study also found that kittens with higher intake weight and consistent weight gain had the best chance of survival. These findings reinforce what many caregivers know, that early nutrition and daily weight tracking are among the most powerful tools we have.

Future research is needed to explore whether higher doses or repeated plasma administration could provide greater benefit to kitten survival outcomes.