Worst Mum in the world - burnt my cat - crying my eyes out

[Ashleighc01]

Oh guys 😭😭😭😭

I have two Siamese cats which are my life - I adore them so much.

I have a 2 week old baby (first time mum) who has been ill since birth with various problems - first he wouldn't eat, then had blood in his sick now has a really bad cold so is struggling to breathe.

Day before yesterday I boiled some water and put it in a bowl on the window sill in the kitchen to cool so I could clean baby's eyes as they are sticky - cats are not allowed in kitchen and the door is always shut. I was washing the dishes and in comes the one cat and jumps up onto the window sill and stands in the boiling water - he knocks the bowl over and runs away. I followed him with a cool cloth and checked his feet and they seemed fine. He didn't cry or fuss and was begging for treats straight away.

I've noticed tonight he is burnt super bad on the inside of his leg. I'm crying my eyes out 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭 I didn't even realise and now I feel so bad I am the worst person in the world.

I will take him to the vets tomorrow but I could cry and cry and cry.

Everything seems against me 😥

@iknowimcoming

Hmm. So my partner took him to the vets and it's apparently stress related not a burn

Gotta put a collar on him xx

That must be a huge relief, to know that you didn't hurt him.

Stress is a funny old thing for cats. It might just be the change in his 'normal' lifestyle, and will settle down over time. Have you got any Feliway? It's fab stuff.

Hurrah for non-scalded cat! I hope you find a good solution to deal with the stress (the cat's that is).

Wee bugger making you worry and feel guilty.
Did they suggest anything to reduce stress? Feliway? Can they go out?

I've got a savannah cat and she pulls her fur out, has big bold patches and looks awful, thought she was ill when she first did it, vet said stress related, she's very highly strung

I'm not convinced it's stress as he hasn't been off his food or isn't pacing. He has been really chilled out.

He has had antibiotics and steroid injection and now has a cone on to stop him licking it and making it worse. She didn't give him pain relief though which I'm annoyed at.

He is an indoor cat so doesn't go out anyway x

If you have a new baby it is likely to be stress. Overgrooming or hair pulling out is a coping mechanism. If he can’t go out he can’t get away from the stress.
Assuming no fleas.

@Wolfiefan the baby is a really quiet baby so it's not hectic here. Maybe the visitors have thrown him off a little. He seems fine in himself. He's never gone out and does have company so won't miss not going out as a form of escaping.
There are no fleas, I regularly treat them even though they do not go out x

Please don’t read my comments as a criticism. Not meant that way at all.
My old girl had a flea allergy. If she was treated with anything from a pet shop or frontline or her advantage was late she would have pulled her own fur out. I didn’t need to see a flea.
Cats are easily upset. I was bitten by a rescue cat in a cattery at the weekend whilst volunteering. The reason? The cat next door looked at it!
A poorly baby will be a HUGE change to the living environment of a sensitive cat.

A poorly baby will be a HUGE change to the living environment of a sensitive cat.

I agree with this and I agree that you mustn’t take it as a criticism (not easy when you’re in such a vulnerable life stage, I know!). When my cat had bald patches from overgrooming, the vet quizzed me about potential stressors - she even asked me if we had a new sofa! For some cats that’s enough to set them off.

My cat seemed fine in all other ways but he turned out to have an overactive thyroid. However with a new baby in the house that would be the first thing I’d consider.

(My cat was rather put out when I had a baby (and then another one) but now that they’re school age and somewhat calmer he loves to go to them for a cuddle and my PFB is cat-mad.)

Have you looked into Feliway?