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.

Ah well - just depends what you have in the oven, I guess.

Nope. No sample. Blighter did a pee in the early hours when I was still asleep and is now flat out on his blanket. I just know that he'll head for the tray as soon as I go off to do something. The actual collection is straightforward it's the waiting around that's a PITA!

I used to use a plastic food tray for tiny kittens, with litter spread across the top, it can be a little bit messy on the floor after they flick the litter about.

Lots of unwell cats just now, 2 of my cats have conjunctivitis I look like I've been playing with a baby tiger, so many scratches on my arms trying to get the ointment in.

Cozie I don't know who is more clever you or the cat catching wee on a little saucer!!

Well it's actually a saucer from an antique coffee can so is perhaps just a little deeper than your normal saucer - but honestly, it's the easiest way to do it if you have a cat that will actually pee!

Toffee.......
this is the last conversation to really be having now, but as you have mentioned DS1's reaction, it seems to be the 'right' time, so you can hopefully feel a bit supported here.

It is a very natural reaction for your son to say "never again", but really is an unhealthy track to start down, for children or adults.
One of the weird benefits of having kids grow up with animals is that they do learn to cope with death. It hurts. It feels as though you will never recover. But, as all adults know, life does go on. And children learn that loving an animals can only ever be finite. But, it matters just as much that the children learn they can love again. Its a crucial lesson for life. Another animal will not be the same. How could it. But they will learn to love the new 'baby' for its own characteristics. Thats a really important thing for them

I know of just one friend who has never had an animal, and once asked him why he didn't like them (animal haters aren't usually my kind of person, but I like him ...and he is lovely with our animals). He told me that his dog died when he was 9. They never got another, and he felt no other dog would be the same, and could never face the hurt of loss anyway.
How sad is that. To never love again, because you once loved so well?
We had more funerals for various animals than I could count - each of them adored.

I would not minimise for one second the devastation that experiences such as yours cause (actually did go through a similar sort of scenario with a cat of mine. I was incoherent with grief when we lost her at 11 months!)
It is horrendous, and I have usually sworn I would not have another.
A month or two later, something else would end up with its feet under the table, causing laughter and showing us a new little personality.

It is time when adults have to take the lead a little bit, in the same way that we make them do so many things that they are resistant to ....because its the right lessons to be teaching them about the world, and the way it works.
Hardest of all is making yourself believe you can love again.

but I still say this conversation has arrived to soon, Toffee. Little guy is stiull fighting, and even sounds a tiny bit stronger today
I, for one, am still crossing every toe and finger for you all..

MumnGran - you are absolutely right. And, actually, there is no way we won't be getting another cat one day because DH and I really, really want to have a cat in the house always. We have loved having this extra member of the family so much and he has enhanced our lives in so many ways (well, maybe not so much financially ).

So, if the worst happens, we will be accepting another kitten, regardless of what DS1 says. But we will emphasise to DS1 that this doesn't mean we will ever forget Snowy/Baby/Kitten Strachey/Kittenofsomanynames. In time, I think DS1 will understand that, but it's all too raw for him at the moment. And he has never been through this before.

That is so sad that your friend never allowed himself to have another dog.

And you are right - ToffeeKitten really is fighting back today. He has eaten loads and he is actually remarkably frisky and playful. It has made it quite difficult to look after him because instead of curling up safely in his basket, he is prowling around, looking for things to do. DS1 is a loving, but slightly unreliable, nurse, so I am on nursing duties and it is just like looking after a toddler. Kitty is resting on my lap at the moment, but the moment I put him down to get on with anything else, he is on the prowl again. That would be fine normally, of course, but it's alarming now. He somehow climbed up onto the back of the sofa, but then wobbled at the top and only didn't fall because I was right there with him. The last thing I want is for him to add an injury to his ailments.

Well see how it goes. No-one is giving up on him and you won't be getting the blood results back until tomorrow. Eating and playing may be a temporary good sign but at least it's a good sign, eh?

That sounds like such positive news Toffee. There is always hope!!
All fingers crossed for the blood tests tomorrow. Though it sounds as thought the blood chemistry may have considerably improved since they took the samples!!

I apologise for preaching to the converted Its such a sensitive topic., and a;ways hard to talk about, but do think that being open helps a little. If and when one can be.

Yes, there is still hope. Have just been trying to convey that to DS1, but he feels like I did yesterday. I have had time to pick myself up since then.

Wouldn't it be fantastic if it turned out to be some sort of temporary and self-limiting inflammation following the cat flu? Not that the vet has indicated this at all, so I know I'm clutching at straws here.

Don't apologise, Mum. You were quite right to say.

You're in the difficult position of having to wait, Toffee - and waiting is so hard. Your mind goes back and forward, back and forward ......
And you can't even, realistically, get out of the house to do something active to occupy yourself - because KS will be at home and you'll be worrying about him.

Everything crossed for tomorrow.

You are so right, cozie. I have been googling, even though I shouldn't.

ToffeeKitten has been really perky today. He wants to go all over the house and to be with one of us at all times. I came back from the school run to find him upstairs. Chastised DH, who hadn't realised kitty was in the dining room and had left the door open. Luckily, kitty had managed to climb the stairs without any adverse outcome this time.

DS1 hasn't spent any time with him, but I think he just can't bear it. He just wants to cut himself off so that he can't get hurt. I will let him sleep downstairs again tonight.

Well perky is very good - in my experience, cats who aren't well go into themselves a bit (or more) so he's clearly happy. (Being close doesn't necessarily mean anything worrying with a Siamese/Balinese because they just like it - they'd spend their lives hanging around with people if they didn't have to eat and poo.)

I think it sounds better than yesterday, I have to say. Is he still wobbling on his back legs and having difficulty using his tray?

Sorry - I meant......cats who feel bad......

He is still just as wobbly, although he will persist in jumping up on things when we're not being attentive and scaring the hell out of us. He is managing to use the pile of litter on newspaper in the corner of the kitchen.

But he has just pulled the fur out of his chest again and it's all red and sore again. Why?! He did it whilst sitting on my lap, being cuddled, so he shouldn't have been stressed. He seems agitated though. I noticed him grooming a bit vigorously and discovered - too late - what he'd been oing to himself. It only took a few minutes. Maybe he feels wrong and it's his way of coping with feeling unsettled.

doing not oing. Am typing too fast today.

You know what stress is like - being in a good situation for a few minutes or hours doesn't mean that the stress isn't still there. It just sits quietly for a bit.

I realize that you can't ask the breeder this but there does appear to be a genetic/breed component to pica for instance - in particular among orientals such as Siamese, Balinese, Tonks etc. And pica is thought to be stress related so he may be susceptible.

I've never, myself, had a Siamese with the level of stress that that might just possibly demonstrate but then all my boys have eg slept with me (which is a de-stressor for them) and have my bed as their safe place. Even Seniorboy, who was frequently to be found hiding on the top of kitchen cupboards when he lived with my Mum, is now pretty sociable and laid back compared to before.

If KS gets agitated, or starts overgrooming, have you thought of taking him for a quiet time/lie down with you ? (I'm thinking that your allergy appears not to have reared its head badly since you got him.)

DH's Siamese as a child used to pull her fur out when stressed.

Our Siamese is too dim to get stressed

Oh, Mimsy, that made me smile .

Funnily enough, cozie, I was wondering whether I should be the one to sleep downstairs tonight. I did try to sleep with KS on the sofa earlier today, but he wouldn't settle, whereas normally he would have curled up on me instantly.

He is frantic at the moment. I'm trying to keep him on my lap, but he keeps climbing up onto my shoulder. He is very vocal. And he is biting and biting at his fur. I have put some Fucidin cream (presribed by the vet) on him to stop any itching. Itchy skin is one of the symtoms of liver disorders, isn't it?

He can't seem to settle, poor thing.

Could you nip to the supermarket for a cheap babygrow?

I'd send the rest of the family to bed/outside the living room and put him one on one with just you for the rest of the night. I'd also get some music or radio going quietly in the background.

I don't know much about stress - maybe other posters have suggestions. What I have always done is reverted, in times of troubled cats, to keeping things very very stable/structured and quiet/white noised (eg radio) and allowed the cat to have an absolutely defended place which is just their own apart from me.

Hopefully, someone else can come up with thoughts also.

Good idea, Fluffy, except DH and I have consumed wine, and rather too much for driving, I fear . We needed it!

cozie - he has finally calmed down on my lap. Poor baby is probably overwhelmed by what is going on with him. I think I will do as you say tonight.

He has managed to use the paper again. He seems to prefer the newspaper to the litter, but that's ok.

I'm afraid, Toffee, that he probably sees you as his person, despite the fact that you got him for DS1. They choose.

If so, and I rather think it is, he'll need a lot more of you if he's not to be stressed by seeming 'rejection' (as he sees it.) I think I've mentioned before that my boys have always seen Exclusion from The Presence as a punishment and it's true. Unless they can link it to a sin they've committed, they just don't understand and get upset.

It's a consequence of living with Siamese/Balinese. They can genuinely become obsessed with 'their person'.

Well, apparently, my shoulder is the place to be. He has gone all quiet now.

I am very happy (and feel lucky) to be his person, cozie.

DS1 and I have decided we will both sleep downstairs tonight.

(And if there is another humungous house spider on the loose again, like last night, it had better not use me as a shortcut to somewhere).

I think that that's good.

It will fill up his 'need tank' to have a long night session with you. I reckon you might see an improvement tomorrow.

Best of luck, anyway.