When do you call the vet?

[WhoKnowsWhereTheSlimeGoes]

We adopted our first cats, one year old rescue females) last month. Tonight the DCs found one of them throwing up, she had also just done a soft (semi liquid) poo in her litter tray. One of them threw up on Sunday as well and we didn't know which one. They have both been behaving normally and have not been out of the house since they came here. I will ring the vet tomorrow I think.

It has occurred to me that I really don't know that much about cat health or the vet system - for example the out of hours system. Perhaps some of you could list the things that would make you call the vet a) immediately or b) the next day?

First thing you need to find out what your vets out of hours system is do they do it themselves or do they subcontract to another service that you will have to travel to elsewhere for.
When to call the vet immediately:
Breathing difficulties
Inability to use one or more limbs
Large wounds (bigger than 5cms)
Persistent and regular (more than one vomit every two hours) vomiting
Collapse
Eye injuries (not just a weepy eye)
Inability to pass urine

All of the above could suggest a life ending or life ending problem and I would see them all as out of hours emergencies.
Vomiting and diarrhoea that has lasted more than 24 hours and does not meet the above criteria should be seen in hours.
Obviously there are many more scenarios, but those are the most common I see.

Thanks Lone. Very useful.

Tbh, our out of hours vet was pretty rubbish, they looked at the cat, declared a problem with her eyes, which is why I'd taken her, and then suggested I come in the following day to see the usual vet, who specialised in eyes.

I would only use out of hours, as with humans, for anything which literally can't wait, see them as animal a & e.

It's difficult to say when you should take your pet in though, as with people I would say you know when they are really ill and when they're a bit off colour.

Yes, thank you. I googled my vet's out of hours service after posting and it is their own vets in their own surgery, which is only 5 mins drive from here, so that's good. Cat seems fine in herself, am going to keep a close eye on her tomorrow and maybe give them a ring, will take her in if she vomits again.

My ooh vet charges over 200 for a consultation.
yet another vets down the road is open 7 days a week til 8pm. It's quite handy finding out if there are any places open longer or when ooh kicks in.

Lone has given some great advice there.
Just be careful of falling in to the 'well she seems ok' way of thinking, animals are so very good at carrying on as normal when actually they can be quite ill. It's simple survival instinct to not let bigger, badder animals know you're vulnerable. So as soon as you notice something is up give the vet a call and get an appointment, the quicker treatment is given the less stress to the animal and to you (and probably your bank account!).
Do you have your cats insured?

Well, they are still on the 4 week pet plan policy from the cat rescue, I was about to get a new one started for when that ends (it ends tomorrow), was going to do it yesterday but held off. She has been fine today. Should I really be thinking vet every time one is sick?

Not necessarily. You'll see Lone's list above for OOH stuff but for ordinary attendance - well - the occasional sick goes with the territory and you'll get to know your cats also so that you'll find yourself better able to judge whether something is up.

I'd personally continue the policy though - now is the time to do it when they're only young and you've got a starter policy.

Not every time no, sorry if I sounded a bit alarmist! You'll get to know your cats before long and learn to see when something is wrong versus when they're just being themselves.
Just a quick thought have you changed the food they were on at the shelter or since you got home? My girl cat has a super sensitive tummy and any change in food is met with copious amounts of vomiting (mostly in people's shoes or on pillows, the little darling).
Do get that policy sorted though, it shouldn't take long to do and you'll be very thankful for it should they ever need treatment.

Thank you all, I am feeling quite uncertain of myself with them at the moment, a bit like when the DCs were babies.

WRT the food, the rescue fed them on just dry food and we couldn't find the same one, I have changed it a couple of times but not in the last week. THey have also been having a Felix pouch each every night, they are a variety of flavours I have taken note of which one it was that she had eaten (she threw up a couple of hours after it, having gobbled it down).

And yes, I will sort out the policy, I wasn't going to stick with PetPlan, but got a load of quotes last night and will go through the small print and sort it out tonight.

Vomiting can be a reaction to eating food down too fast so if she's a pig for certain things, maybe give them out in smaller quantities but a bit more frequently until you see how she gets on with things. Do you know anything of their past history eg were they starved at all?

PS - and don't feel too uncertain. Cats aren't so difficult. This board is often where people come (and of course you can also) if they have problems so the balance of the threads might be a little misleading. Most of the time, it's just mutual enjoyment. (With vet trips for shots and flea and worming potions of course.)

Have fun with your new companions.

Reasons for throwing up in this house:

Boy cat eats too fast amazingly often

Aww don't worry, you'll soon get used to them and looking after them. My DH was a panicy mess when we first got ours as they were the first pets he'd owned and he bonded with them really quickly but had no idea how to actually look after them. I'd not even considered you could feel like that as I'd grown up with an animal in the house that I was encouraged then expected to help look after in some way since I could toddle.
Your cats sound really lucky to have such a lovely new owner.

They haven't been starved, they were given up by someone who had to move to a place where they could not keep cats.

Apart from a cat we had when I was very young (he ran away when I was about six) I have never had a pet, so it really is all new to me.

I think sometimes the eating too quickly is just because there are two of them and don't want to miss out!!

You'll be fine, WhoKnows.

Thanks, yes I was like this with the DCs at first and I grew out of it. Gave them their dinner in two sessions a couple of hours apart tonight, so far so good. And it means each DC gets a turn at feeding them so that's a win-win.

That does sound like a good solution. Stop the kitties bolting their food and reduce human sibling rivalry as well.

I join the chorus re insurance being worth it.

Insurance all done now, thanks to a lot of helpful information on another recent thread.