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.
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The litter tray
Poorly kitten with cat flu.
ToffeeWhirl · 05/06/2013 19:27
Brilliant news Toffee so pleased for you, and for poor little Baby. He has had a rough patch.
Not sure if renewed appetite will all be down to the NutriPlus, but its amazing stuff isn't it..... seems to work like a charm, every time.
He's just having another snack .
Mum - we are having a battle over the NutriPlus. I wipe a blob on his paws and he shakes it off. I put it on again... etc. But, in the end, I win 
.
Well, came back from the vet very happy because he is pleased with ToffeeKitten's progress and decided we'd wait before doing any more tests . So that's better for kitty's stress levels and for our bank balance. The vet advised me to get kitty weighed by the nurse regularly to check that he's gaining weight. I told him that kitty was licking all sorts of things now (washing machine and other walls), but he didn't seem very concerned about it.
An hour after I arrived home, DS1 screams to me that I have to see the cat. And there is ToffeeKitten looking all the world like a plucked chicken, with all the fur pulled out of his chest and a raw, red patch underneath. It looks really sore and .... shocking.
So, I phoned the vet for advice (wondering if it was some sort of stress reaction to visiting the vet) and they have asked me to take him back in at 5.
In the meantime, we are taking DS1 to visit his new school (fingers crossed he will cope, as he will be very nervous - maybe I could try Feliway on him too? 
), then going into work (to pay for all the vet fees!).
I never knew that having a kitten would be such a rollercoster.
Thank you for all the kind and encouraging words, cozie, Mum and zebra.
Well, the vet checked for fleas (none), then said it could be stress or it could be itchy skin caused by an underlying liver disorder, which only blood tests will determine. He has given me Fucidin cream to put on it and we will adopt a wait-and-see approach. This is a new symptom, so I think any tests that the vet does after this would be covered by the insurance.
The vet didn't charge me for the second consultation today, which was kind.
My next challenge is to stop ToffeeKitten licking off the Fucidin cream.
Mum - oh goodness, I hope it's not that. Thanks for the contact, but we don't have any money left to spend on this kitten, unless it's an emergency, so I will hold off on that for now.
cozie - DS was a bit shocked when he found a plucked kitten, but seems to have recovered remarkably quickly. It still hasn't occured to him that we have a sickly kitten, so he's not worried about that, and he is not squeamish.
DH, on the other hand, nearly passed out when I showed him...
you could ask vet for a (free!) collar ...like a cone... that stops them biting at stitches after ops, and will also prevent licking off cream, and any attempt at more fur pulling. Wouldn't need to take him back, to get that.
A seriously quiet weekend sounds in order, so he can de-stress as much as possible. More than anything though, I am just so pleased for you that he is getting better and eating again .
Damn, I wish they'd offered me a free collar. I can't get back there today and I have to keep stopping him from licking at it.
I agree about the quiet weekend for him - and for all of us !
I love the idea of him in a BabyGro, Zebra . After all, he is already my surrogate baby. So far, I have managed to distract him from licking that spot and he is now sleeping on DH's lap. Will see how it goes tomorrow.
And yes, he is having quite a time of it, poor kitten.
The school visit went well, thanks. Almost couldn't get DS1 there because he panicked, but somehow, between me and DH, we persuaded him to go. He has a longer visit on Monday, so am crossing my fingers that he will cope with that. He has to realise that the only way to overcome his anxieties is to face them head on. As you say, Zebra, the psychologist can help him to cope with that transition. I feel really hopeful.
Apparently it does make cats look almost unbearably cute... Suspect your DS2 would be distinctly unimpressed, mind you. I suppose another option would be to pop him in a sling so you can trot him about the place in a perma-snuggle & he can't get to the sore spot? I hope the fucidin helps & that ToffeeKitten can be dissuaded from licking that spot.
Glad the school visit went well & hope that Monday's does too: will keep my hooves crossed
Oh, so sorry to hear about Seniorboy, cozie. If he is still eating, drinking and using his litter tray, those must be really good signs. Let us know how you get on at the vet tomorrow.
Kitten Strachey is doing well, I think. He is eating more each day - still small amounts, but more frequently. I think he is getting used to us bringing him food regularly, even when he is lying in his basket (pampered cat ). He still won't touch biscuits at the moment, but I think that is because we are willing to keep giving him wet food in our desperation to make him eat. He is eating mostly Felix at present, augmented with his favourite Applaws.
His eye infection has gone and we can see his big blue eyes again. He hasn't scratched at his fur again, so his wounds are healing.
He is still licking walls 
. We know when he's doing it because we can hear his tongue rasping on the wall. He knows he isn't meant to do it because he always stops and looks a bit guilty when we approach him.
Am still putting the NutriPlus on his paws and at least some of it gets licked off. The rest of it ends up in sticky blobs on the floor for us to tread on in the morning. Oh, and I am adding Lysine to his water to combat the flu virus. Would that help Seniorboy, cozie? I bought mine from a healthfood shop (cheaper than online) and I just cut up the capsules and sprinkle it into the drinking water.
DS1 is sleeping downstairs with him at night at the moment. He is a bit put out that kitty always goes back to his heated basket after his cuddles (he does love that electric pad).
Last night, we had a major breakthrough with DS2, who has held out all this time and never even stroked kitty. However, I was reading to DS2 in his bed last night and kitty was curled up against me. He was so still that DS2 tentatively reached out his hand and stroked him. Once he'd started, he couldn't stop. "He's so soft!" I managed to stay calm and not make a big deal about it, but really I wanted to whoop.
I am going to take kitty in for weighing every couple of weeks and only take him back to the vet if he isn't gaining weight or if anymore symptoms show.
Thanks for asking after DS1's school visit, zebra. Unfortunately, it was cancelled until this Friday. However, he had another CBT session and it went really well. He definitely feels more hopeful that he will be able to overcome his OCD now.
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ToffeeKitten just fell down the stairs . Poor boy. He's unhurt, just a bit surprised. We all cuddled him. But DS1 said he had noticed him being wobbly on his legs today, as had I. His back legs aren't behaving quite right. I hope it's because he's still recovering from the cat flu.
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