Poorly cat, advice please

[monniemae]

Hello, my almost-4 yr old cat is poorly. It started Tuesday with a sudden bout of diarrhea. I wish I had taken him to the vet then, but we kept him in and he seemed fine. Thursday he threw up a furball (unusual) but was otherwise fine, eating, playing etc. Friday afternoon he threw up suddenly several times with furballs and vomit that seemed flecked with white specks. I gave him a de-flea and de-wormer, but he seemed otherwise fine, decided to wait till saturday. Saturday he was bouncing around fine and I relaxed.

Saturday evening an hour after eating he projectile vomited undigested food and liquid everywhere. Suddenly much floppier and fed up. He's been sick in the night again, yellowy liquid. He is still affectionate but looks skinnier already. He's been begging for food but left his dry food (wet food is a top up).

I've looked at the emergency vet arrangements for his brilliant vet and it's a) miles away (we have no car, 90mins each way public transport) and b) terrible online reviews. There's another that serves south london where we are but that's also an hour door to door. Don't want to drag him across London if it's something that could wait till his brilliant vets are open tomorrow.

Also, while obviously I will bung it on credit card if I have to, I'm having a baby in a couple of weeks, am skint, and this week three v expensive things have gone wrong in our house meaning so far I'm going back to work 2mths earlier than planned. So if it can wait till tomorrow, or if anyone knows a decent cheap open-on-sundays london vet, please help! He has pet insurance that I've religiously paid since he was 12weeks old but just realised in the house move last year his boosters were missed so it is invalid. Argh.

[cozietoesie]

Has he pood and peed, monniemae ?

[Fluffycloudland77]

Do you have a pets at home store? They have vets with a Sunday service.

In future ALWAYS take him at the first sign of illness, it's much cheaper in the long run and the cat suffers less. I'd have booked him in for Saturday with dh telling me I'm over-reacting and the cats fine we have this row every time I take him

[cozietoesie]

I have to agree. I have mine down to the vet at the fist real sign that something is wrong. It's definitely not every weekend (I know them too well) and there's rarely been an occasion where there wasn't something up.

[Fluffycloudland77]

I bet if you post it in chat you'd get a reccomendation on a vet open on Sundays.

Bad things always come all at once but you get through it.

If you qualify for benefits pdsa might be able to help you.

[monniemae]

I know, I know I should have taken him, DP would have done but I thought we were overreacting :(( have learnt lesson.

There is a pets at home near us, thanks will check out. Cat has pooed and peed though no pee today / overnight I don't think. Has perked up again and begged to eat, I just gave him a bowl of water mixed in with some mushed up jelly from a pouch and he drank it all (initially reluctantly). DP was working late so shall wait for him to get up and then send him to sort vet out.

We won't qualify for pdsa and nor should we, I'm just kicking myself about the pointless pet insurance

[Fluffycloudland77]

At least pets at home don't charge a lot for Sunday visits, best get an appointment soon though, all the other owners who thought it was nothing in the week are also panicking now and getting booked in.

[cozietoesie]

Ach - it's a bad situation for you but I bet you won't forget the boosters again. (The insurance wasn't pointless, of course, just that you didn't fulfil the conditions you agreed to.)

Keep an eye on the litter tray situation so that you can tell the vet when you get there.

The best of luck to him - and let us know how he gets on.

[cozietoesie]

Useful tip, Fluffy.

[monniemae]

Too late they are fully booked, but thankyou, great to know they exist. There is literally nothing within a ten mile radius of us - will have to get DP up and on his way with the cat. Thanks for all the advice x

[browneyesblue]

I don't know if you are close to one of the Celia Hammond branches, but we found them very helpful on a Sunday night when our cat took a turn for the worse. I don't have the numbers, but they're easily google-able. If nothing else, you could talk to them and they could advise you what to do next.

[Fluffycloudland77]

I'm only so pro-active with ours because we had a cat pass away after my mum wouldn't pay for a vet visit because she said he was just old, he was only 14. By the time my redundancy cheque cleared and I could afford it several weeks had passed.

He had a parasite eating his red blood cells and briefly got better before he went. I never forgave her for buying loads of wine while telling me she couldn't afford a vets visit.

[MumnGran]

It is just possible that what you have seen is all connected to worms and worming. The white flecks in the vomit can be indicative, and an indication that the worm load may be severe.
Treating a very heavy worm infestation can cause its own reaction, because worms release a toxin into as they die and of the load is sufficient ..then the toxins can overwhelm the system. Symptoms could be as you describe and the time frames would fit.

I do recommend checking all local vets to see if anyone is open, because the above is only a possible, not a diagnosis!!
The fact that he has now had lots of fluid is a good thing and he may start to pick up.
If you have to wait, then keep going with the wet food rather than dried because he needs all the fluids he can get ....mash the lumps down as well as the jelly. Avoid offering him dreied food until you are sure he is bouncing again.

[monniemae]

Thanks mumngran

I did speak to our out of hours vet who weren't tremendously helpful, they said starve him till tomorrow and take him first thing, they weren't too concerned..

He hasn't thrown up the mashed water/food though and it's been a few hours now so keeping him in and hoping he is ok till tomorrow. He is currently playful (chasing lazer) and affectionate if sleepier / less active than usual.

[monniemae]

Just to update, he's been to our lovely vet today, they've admitted him for a couple of days to give him fluids/electrolytes and testing for things like pancreatitis, gastritis, IBS etc. They don't think it's infection as no temperature, don't think worms either. They did ask if he's been near lillies but he hasn't.

Hoping he will be ok. And DP thinks I misunderstood the insurance clause and it just means we aren't covered for anything that he should have been vaccinated against...!

He's lost almost 1kg so about 20/25% of bodyweight :( Although he was a pudgy little blighter last time he saw the vet.

[Fluffycloudland77]

That's good news about the insurance. It must be so quiet without the cat.

[cozietoesie]

That's still a lot to lose. Best of luck to him.

[monniemae]

Thanks both. Yep miss him fiercely, hoping it will be ok / manageable.

[monniemae]

Sorry to resurrect this but wondered if you guys had any more advice...

Cat came home wednesday, the vet was really happy with his progress as he'd started putting weight on, no more vomiting or diarrhea, was cheerful and purring etc. All his blood tests came back clear and as he was keeping food down they didn't need to check for obstructions. He did say the cat had refused food wednesday morning but that was probably just a sulking thing.

Cat came home, desperate to eat but turned his nose up at the prescribed sensitive food. (Vet had said feed him little and often on this for a few days, reintroducing his normal food with it) Tried mashing a bit of normal food in - nope. Gave him a tiny bit of his normal food and he nibbled the jelly but nothing else.

Same yesterday and today - will only nibble a bit of the jelly.

Have given him a small spoonful of tuna in brine which he's gobbled up, but is this normal? Will it just be a while before he wants to eat normally again and/or will he just have decided he's never eating those brands again?! Am totally clueless.

He's being very affectionate but still very thin and not back to himself. He's normally a bouncy, noisy, active cat. At the moment he's a slinky, silent, watchful cat :(

[monniemae]

I am going to speak to the vet later anyway as I have to pick something up but any advice welcome

[fackinell]

Sometimes they can sulk a bit when they come home or maybe not feeling up to scratch (no pun intended!) yet.

Is kitty drinking and using the tray? Long term, human food lack taurine but I reckon if tuna is what he's fancying it won't matter today. Call your vet again if you're worried. They're usually happy to give advice over the phone. You sound a very responsible pet owner.

[cozietoesie]

No need to apologize for anything monniemae. I've got a fussy cat myself.

I'd steer clear of the tuna in brine because of the salt content. (Seniorboy loves tuna in brine so I have to be very strict.) Will he eat tuna in spring water ? That's a good alternative if he'll take it.

You could also try fresh white fish (or frozen - you can get packets of cheapish frozen stuff in most supermarkets) or some fresh cold roast chicken. If you have a Coop near you, I can recommend the elmwood brand - it seems more succulent and acceptable. Either way, go for the barbecue version: it's not so dry.

If the vet is happy with him, it may be a question of trying several foods until you find one he eats. As he liked the tuna in brine, I'm guessing he's after strong flavours.

I'd go for changing his food every time he eats and keep it to small amounts and very fresh. (Take it away after an hour or two if he won't touch it.) Wet food is probably best and see if you can go for one with gravy or lots of jelly.

[monniemae]

Thankyou! Gave a little more tuna (rinsed in tap water) then found some frozen coley in freezer - he's gobbling it up and even nibbling a bit of dried food I mixed in.

[cozietoesie]

Great stuff. Sometimes it's just a question of getting them back eating so don't throw away any of the food (if sealed) that he previously rejected. Just keep varying the flavours a lot. (By the way, cat food freezes well if you have some spare little containers and don't want waste.)

Best of luck.