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.

Fingers crossed for him.

Yay! Very glad to hear that Toffeekitten is having such a good day today: long may this state of things last.

When I first got My Darling Cats they were so tiny they could (just) squeeze through the biggest of the gaps between the spokes of the chair. They've never actually seen me use it, so at some point (hopefully later rather than sooner) they're going to get a real shock...

We had a Burmese who got cat flu when he was about 14 weeks old - he was very poorly for a long time (but he was still eating) and he has been left with a wheeze sometimes - we thought we were going to lose him at the time. He is now a healthy 8 yr old who spends most of his time being chased around by our 2 yr old Siamese boy (although not necessarily through choice! Fingers and paws crossed for your boy xx

Thanks Burmillababe. Sadly, it is not cat flu now, but am hoping ToffeeKitten is going to be with us for a while yet.

He has been adorable today - playful, curious, active, chatty. All the things a kitten should be. In between, he has snoozed whilst wrapped up in his new fleece blankets.

Am giving him a cuddle now, then sneaking off to my own bed and leaving him with DS1 for the night.

Sleep tight - all the Toffee household.

A happy, if wobbly, cat this morning. Ate a good breakfast (with hidden probiotic). Very affectionate and vocal.

Good on him.

Excellent. Yes.

Well done that kitten.

Am so happy to see him so well . But he is still very needy. Is this just normal for a Balinese/Siamese-type cat, cozie, or do you think it's because he hasn't been well? I love cuddling him, but it does get a bit tricky when he is asking to be picked up and you are trying to get on with chores.

Both - she says trying to type over a cat. I'll add more later.

Well, it's lovely to be the special person, but also a bit - er - wearing sometimes. Even if I let him hop onto my lap, he still bats at me with his paw because he wants my complete attention. And I would happily sit there, adoring him, but nothing else would get done!

Back upstairs now. I was getting a hard time because I was out all of the afternoon but he's decided he's done enough now and has gone under his fleece.

I imagine that his illness is making him feel frail and more needy than normal - but also possibly a bit cold. I'm sort of likening him to Seniorboy because my boy is old and therefore gets chilly - but the same is probably true of KS with his thin coat and little insulation resulting from his illness. If I were you, and despite the fact that it's notionally summer, I'd still be giving him a positive heat source other than yourself such as a daytime hottie. That might relieve the pressure on you a tad.

Otherwise, I'm afraid, they can be a terrifically close breed. I was given Firstboy so many years ago that I can only just remember it. He set the pattern though - I woke up on my birthday morning, was told to get my present downstairs and after the ecstatic meeting, I asked my Mom what I should do with him. She said, from a haze of sleep, the fateful words 'Why don't you take him back to bed?' - which I did and where he promptly fell asleep in my arms.

I've referred sometimes to a 'Need Tank' and it's only half a joke. It's as if, when they've bonded closely with a person, they have to have a certain amount of love and attention to 'fill up'. I'm lucky that I sleep with my boys so they get a good solid dose of me all night and that pretty well does them for most of the day. (You might review whether KS is more needy of you when you've slept upstairs the night before?)

I'm also used to dealing with things with a cat around. As Seniorboy is so old, I'm indulgent to him so if I have to read/watch a movie/answer emails etc, I'll usually go upstairs and although he's asleep, he knows I'm there. And if I have to do something which really can't be done with him around and I tell him to go away or shut him out (Yes - I do do that) he takes himself up to his bed and is relatively happy with that by himself.

They do moderate as they get older by the way - kittens are in your arms and hair all the time - but in my own experience, they're just not as self reliant emotionally as other cats.

Maybe the ones that chose me just saw a sucker coming!

ToffeeKitten has his heated basket on all day, cozie, but prefers a person if possible - well, me. If I try to leave the room without him, he runs after me. If he wasn't wobbly, of course, I would let him have the run of the house, but I can't because he might fall downstairs (he nearly did that this evening, but, luckily, I was right beside him and caught him).

It's interesting what you say about a 'need tank'. I slept upstairs last night, then went out for a large part of today, so ToffeeKitten has a lot of that 'need tank' to fill up now. You are probably right about the night-time presence affecting how much he needs me during the day.

If I really can't have ToffeeKitten around, he goes into his basket and seems fine. I am happy to do things with him draped over my shoulder at other times, but I can't do everything that way.

It's confusing because I love the fact that, as a breed, these cats want to be close to their person/people. But, on the other hand, this can make life tricky. I always feel a bit mean when I put him back down on the floor, so it's encouraging to hear that you, also, have to be firm sometimes.

And yes, I'll make a note of whether ToffeeKitten is as needy after a night together.

Yay for toffeekitten! Send him an extra cuddle from me! I think someone should invent a sling for oriental cats so that owners can get on with stuff when they are wanting constant cuddles!

Extra cuddles being administered right now, Burmilla. DS2 just said, rather scornfully, "You have a crush on that cat!"

Agree with you about the sling. And they do exist. And I am tempted...

ToffeeKitten lively and chatty again this morning. We had a real struggle over his a/b tablet this morning - he spat it out twice before I succeeded in getting him to swallow it.

Well you're doing better than I've done with Seniorboy. Even his vet acknowledges that tablets are a No Go Area for him and gives him jabs - sometimes at great difficulty (more surgery attendances) and always at extra cost.

Maybe some other posters can give better tips on pilling - for me, Seniorboy 'sees' a tablet coming and immediately goes to DEFCON 2.

Glad KS is lively and chatty this morning.

Maybe it's just because we started it so early, cozie. My friend - the one who has always had Siamese cats herself - showed me how to give him the tablets and it's worked ever since, though I do sometimes need someone to hold his front paws or he'll bat me away. I drop the pill right on the back of his tongue, then hold his jaw shut and stroke his throat till he swallows. He does try to hold out against swallowing, but always has to give in eventually.

Am feeling very cheered by ToffeeKitten's improvement. And DS1 is doing a great job of sleeping with him at night, then giving him his breakfast in the morning. I could hear him chatting to him this morning.

Is Seniorboy all better now?

Seems to be - the flu attack took care of itself and the ABs have caught up with any secondary infections. (He's flat out under his fleece right now - and I gave him some electric blanket, soft sausage that I am.)

How is DS1 reacting to the current state of play? Is his anxiety under control - ish?

That's good news about Seniorboy.

Thanks for asking after DS1. He is still very, very anxious, but I think it is now all about the forthcoming insight week at school, rather than ToffeeKitten. He was refusing to eat yesterday because he was so nervous about the school visit, but when I pointed out that he couldn't refuse to eat for the next three days, he gave in.

ToffeeKitten seems so much better, apart from his wobbles, that our immediate panic has diminished and I think the diagnosis all feels unreal to DS1. Like him, I rather hope the vet has got it wrong, although I realise that's unlikely.

DS1 has his regular appointment with the CBT therapist tomorrow morning, so I'm hoping he will discuss strategies with her. I've tried, but he won't talk about it with me because it makes him too nervous.

ToffeeKitten is a great comfort to him, especially at night. He used to lie awake for ages, fretting, but now he has ToffeeKitten curled up with him, he falls asleep really quickly.

I can't sleep properly now without a Siamese curled up next to me so I know how he feels.

Good luck to him with tomorrow's CBT meeting.

How is ToffeeKitten doing this morning? Am glad he had a good weekend & hope that you get a long spell of his being like this.

Have visions of you toting about a babygrow-wearing (to protect his skin & also to keep him warm as he's such a skinny little moppet) ToffeeKitten in a sling. You could have a lot of fun startling people with the unexpected appearance of your "baby"

I very much hope DS1's appointment goes well today & that the therapist is able to help him devise positive coping strategies to deal with the forthcoming insight week at school.

Splendid news about Seniorboy cozie, I hope with the germs having cleared his system he'll be back to his usual self asap.

Thanks Zebra. His usual self - at this time of day - is flat out on his electric blanket. He did come down for the remains of the milky porridge (he doesn't have lactose intolerance and he loves it so much that he's allowed it if he arrives in time) but then it was back upstairs to his bed again.

What a life, eh?

Glad Seniorboy is still doing well, cozie .

Zebra - thanks for asking. I am not far off the babygrow-wearing kitten in a sling, but have settled for carrying him around, wrapped in a small fleece blanket, his face peeking out. DH just shakes his head in despair at me.

ToffeeKitten is on good form again this morning. He woke DS1 up, demanding breakfast. He is determined to explore the house again, but it's still terrifying watching him go up and down the stairs, so I always hover. I have given strict warnings to the rest of the family to keep him in a safe room if they aren't able to be with him. He is cuddled up against me right now, basking in a patch of sunlight.

DS1's CBT therapy went really well today. About halfway through the session, he started to get really anxious and wanted to leave. The therapist reminded him of everything they had discussed about the anxiety curve and how leaving would bring him short-term relief, but not help him long-term, then asked him if he wanted to try and stay a bit longer. After a long silence, he said, "OK" - and stayed till the end of the session! Am so proud of him!

Tomorrow is his first insight morning at his prospective new school.

Well done all so far today - but I'd buy some gin if you're passing a shop this afternoon. You may need it by tomorrow!

Yes, that's a better idea, cozie.