Poorly kitten with cat flu.

[ToffeeWhirl]

Our six-month-old Balinese kitten has a recurrence of cat flu again . He first had it a month ago. This time, he has a high temperature, an eye infection, the sneezes and is sleeping all the time. He is still eating and drinking, thank goodness, but he is very underweight.

If he gets another recurrence, the vet will check for other diseases.

I have come away from the vet with a bagful of medicines and a much depleted bank account.

The vet did reassure me that this wasn't life threatening. We are all besotted with this kitten, particularly my oldest son. The other day, DS1 fell asleep during the day and I found him and the kitten tucked up under the duvet, both heads on the pillow .

Has anyone else had a cat with cat flu? If so, did it keep coming back? Any tips?

Also, any tips on telling the breeder would be welcome. I chickened out of telling her the first time round, but I really feel I should this time. However, I don't know what to say without sounding as if I'm asking for a refund or blaming her in some way. Also, I'm not sure what she can do about it if her cats are carriers. Does it mean that she shouldn't be selling kittens, or is this just a risk you take when you buy a cat from a breeder?

Incidentally, the only reason we bought a pedigree was because I am allergic to cats and this was one of the few breeds that don't trigger my allergies. Am not particularly bothered whether I have a moggie or a pedigree, just don't want to spend my days sneezing and wheezing.

It's only my girl cat who likes fish tbh, they all like chicken and the boy love ham/bacon. Fussy!

They put me off Lidl chicken when they turned their noses up at it. 2 of mine have conjunctivitis and i would very surprised if the 3rd didn't get it.

Ah well. (It's an easy job if you have the right tools - just cutting down some hard plastic. I could do it myself in between cooking supper and eating it.)

Any handy friends or neighbours ?

PS - Seniorboy doesn't like fish much either. Chicken is the thing with him.

I would still go with the litter on just a tray tbh, he can step on and off, maybe put some paper underneath it, it's easy for me to say though as I have a tiled area for them so easy to clean.

this answers a lot of questions and looks like he can eat what he wants

Good news about the trial week despite the visit being difficult. Suppose it is the bargaining stage of things that you need to be esp concerned about for DS1.

Truly do hope that you are able to keep KS for years rather than months.

My two are both decidedly unimpressed with fish. They will eat it, but they are hugely unenthusiastic. (Unless there is pumpkin involved, naturally...) Chicken is Very Much The Thing here, too.

Am quite impressed cozie's not still bearing physical scars from the cat bathing along of the mental ones! Mine get wiped down after being groomed to stop them broadcasting stray loose fur & reduce how allergenic they are, but idea of bathing a cat... Erk. Mine might love to sit in the bath/basin when they're damp following human ablutions, but I don't think they'd be too pleased if I was to attempt to bathe them. Sincerely hope I never need to!

each of our rescue mogs had cat flu two of.the three are still ok at 13. one died of lung cancer last year he had an ace life though

Well Seniorboy's flu appears to have abated although he still has to go for his final jab tomorrow and he's 18, change.

There was no room for physical scars, Zebra. I've never known any of my boys to scratch with intent but boy can they wriggle. It required 4 adults at the kitchen sink - to pinion all moving/wriggling parts as well as do the bathing and rinsing.

Glad to hear that!

Mine don't scratch on purpose, but claws come out when there is Flailing In Terror, which, with Nijinsky, is frequent. So if I'm holding him & someone knocks on the door, I will get scratched as he bolts for cover. Balanchine tends to claw to stop himself falling, which is pure instinct, no? Sadly neither of them understand that if they catch us with their claws it hurts us, even if they have no intention of hurting us. Ech.

It is amazing how wriggly cats can be when they put their minds to it...

That's good to hear cozie. He's a grand old age isn't he? Our oldest made 17 through sheer spite.

It's good for a Siamese in particular. No one in the family thought he'd last more than a month or two when he came to me at 13.

Diary - sorry your cats have conjunctivitis. Hope it heals soon. I am using the spare litter tray and ToffeeKitten is fine with it at the moment because he isn't so wobbly. That link is great, thanks.

Zebra - good point about needing to watch out for the bargaining stage with DS1.

change - so sorry you lost one of your cats to cancer last year .

cozie - how is Seniorboy today?

This morning, ToffeeKitten is very, very needy still (almost entirely centred on me - once I am in his room, he follows me around, protesting, until he is either picked up or takes matters into his own hands and climbs up me), but actually better in himself. His legs seem stronger and I have, finally, taken a deep breath and allowed him the run of the house again, as he was getting frustrated being stuck in just two rooms. He is also doing proper loud miaows again, which he hasn't done for ages. Didn't eat much this morning, but he ate loads yesterday, so I'm not too concerned about that. He is still having runny poos (sorry if TMI), but I still think that's most likely because he's eating wet food and refusing biscuits.

No sign of overgrooming this morning either. His poor plucked chest is all scabbed now - he looks as if he has been in an accident. Hopefully, it will heal soon and he will be his normal beautiful self.

I am just pleased he is having a reprieve for the moment. I know anything can happen, but it's good to see him on relatively healthy form for the moment.

Well that's excellent news, Toffee. I did think he might improve once you'd 'given in' and started 'acting properly as his person'. The trouble with some Siamese (and by extension Balinese) is, as I've said before, that they really do become incredibly strongly focussed on their chosen one and get miserable and stressed if they feel rejected for some reason.

Now how you're going to explain all this to DS1 is another matter. In my experience, it's not a mother/kitten type of relationship but I suspect you'll have to say something along the lines of 'He thinks I'm his mommy' to avoid jealousy. I'll mull over while I'm taking (the currently snoring) Seniorboy to the vet for his final jab. We're due to leave in an hour or so.

PS - I know it's not the weather for it but could you maybe wear an old fleece for a day or two (or evening or two) so that it acquires your smell and put that, unwashed, in his bed? It might help with him sleeping there and allow you to get on with things.

Oh, great idea about the fleece, cozie. I will try that.

DS1 has already noticed that I'm kitty's 'mum' and he is actually fine about it. I think any jealousy over me being anyone else's mum was dealt with when I had DS2. And I think he's quite relieved that I am carrying the main burden of caring for ToffeeKitten. DH, on the other hand, thinks I shouldn't be so indulgent with kitty, but he's probably a bit miffed that he has been usurped at night in favour of ToffeeKitten . (I was in my own bed last night at least, although didn't get to bed till the early hours, so kitty didn't have long on his own).

I always wanted a third child, so at least I am able to lavish those maternal feelings on ToffeeKitten now. The friends I met last night were highly amused at the vision of me wearing him in a sling (which I still haven't entirely discounted, in spite of your and Mum's advice to the contrary ).

Good luck to Seniorboy for his final jab. Hope he continues to improve.

It's because DH hasn't been 'chosen'. Believe me, if he had been the one chosen to be the special person, you wouldn't see him after 22.00 - he'd be lying on the floor all night feeding KS taste treats and giving him cuddles.

But he's a grown up so he can deal with that himself.

Oh, you are clever! That hadn't occurred to me. So, he's the jealous one, not DS1 .

When our cat was a kitten he'd lie in my arms in bed like a baby and give dh looks that said "I've got the mommy s undivided attention, Ha!".

Oh everyone gets jealous when you have a Siamese/Balinese in the household. (It's something about the breed, their character and the oftentimes rarity with which they bestow their special favours.)

I've had youngsters rushing into the kitchen in wild excitement to say 'Seniorboy has sat on me..... ME!'.

With DH, just spread around an occasional 'It's just because I give him food, darling' and 'I really think that Toffeekitten likes you best of anyone in the house'. He'll believe it.

, Fluffy.

On a more prosaic note, ToffeeKitten has a rather smelly tail this morning and we have visitors - well one, in the form of my mother, who has a keen sense of smell. Do you think I should risk washing it? (Except that will cause both kitty and me stress). Any other way of removing smell from smelly cat? Maybe I should just wipe it down with damp tissues.

I could squirt him with my new tester tube of perfume from Liz Earle, I suppose .

Just a wipe down if you have a neutral tissue, I think. I'd also be fairly careful to keep him out of the way of the visitors if you can - just to avoid him getting over-peopled in his current fragile state.

PS - if you can't avoid a meet and greet with him, set aside a good half hour after they leave to top up his tank with a mini-snooze for him alone. That should do it.

Oh dear, he has pooed on the front-door mat and then was sick on the hall floor. Poor love. His rear end is caked in poo. And he's very vocal. Am worried he's in pain now. God, how do you tell?

And just tissue won't get the poo off. I want to shower him, but he'll go crazy. Might have to enlist DS1's help and just use lots of wet tissues whilst he holds him.

He has just tried to jump up on a chair and fallen off. One minute he's fine, the next this.

My mum is going to be in for more than she bargained for this weekend. Mind you, there is usually some drama going on here, unfortunately.

Just back.

Wet tissues alternated with dry tissues should do it. I really wouldn't recommend a shower in his current state - although I can't see how bad it is to judge.

I suspect you're getting stressed out and communicating to him. Or maybe doing something different to your normal routine? They love a very decided structure to their lives - particularly when they're not well.

Give it an hour or two anyway and see how he goes. If they're in pain, they tend to go quiet in my experience (maybe also to lick the fur over the offending part) and not to meow/behave as normal.

No, I won't shower him. Am getting stressed because I have to get the house sorted before mum comes and kitty is being needy. Argh!

He's been sick again. Looks a bit like a fur ball - long and sluglike. But like porridge, so I don't know if it is a fur ball.

Am trying to cook a big breakfast for teenage boys with poor kitty following me around. Am hoping to chuck the boys out later .

Ah, he's gone back into his basket, so he has worked out I am not for climbing on at the moment.

How did it go at the vet?