Worried about new rescue cat

[HerewardTheWoke]

Hi, just posting here in case someone can offer advice or support. I adopted a cat from a rescue centre a few weeks ago and she's my first cat. A few days ago she started urinating in odd spots, which I thought was confusion/marking territory/disgruntlement at the new house, but today she's also gone completely off food and has started drinking a lot again, which she was doing when she first got here (but I thought that had settled down a bit).

I assume the best thing is to take her to the vet tomorrow, but any advice would be very welcome. She looks so melancholy and is just sitting hunched on the windowsill, instead of relaxed on the sofa where she normally is. It is horrible thinking she is feeling unwell and I am really feeling my inexperience - I never dreamed I'd have to do this so soon.

Are you feeding her the same food she was getting at the rescue place?
She will be getting used to her new surroundings so might be a bit stressed, but if her food is different now that may also be impacting her

Also, are you using the same litter she was using at the rescue?
Again, that could be upsetting her and making her avoid the litter tray

When we got our two from a rescue we were advised to use the same food and litter they were used to for the first few weeks then gradually swap over (e.g. with the litter, mix a bit of the new stuff in with the old stuff, then gradually increase the proportion of new litter over time)

Well that sounds exactly like cystitis. I'm glad she's seeing a vet tomorrow. The 'hunching' confirms it really.

Thanks. Not sure it's the litter. She's been fine with the litter tray (and presumably the litter?) until the weekend and is still using it - but is also now peeing in other places too. The rescue said she preferred the clay kind so that's what I've been using.

Good question on the food. The rescue didn't give me specifics on what she'd been eating and I didn't think to ask . They just advised a mix of wet and dry.

@thecatneuterer

Well that sounds exactly like cystitis. I'm glad she's seeing a vet tomorrow. The 'hunching' confirms it really.

Ah it's very helpful to get an idea of what it could be, thank you. I will certainly take her to a vet.

Aww, poor girl. We all feel like that when their ill.

Does she have a favourite spot to pee? Are there any red streaks in the urine?

Has the cat seen a vet?

How did you get on? Hope she's feeling much better.

Thank you so much for coming back to this. She saw a vet this morning, which was the earliest I could get her in. He was very concerned about her and thinks she may have been ill before I adopted her, so was scathing about the rescue's vet, who he thinks didn't do the right checks before she was cleared for rehoming. She is small anyway and has lost weight since she was last weighed by the rescue in mid December.

He took bloods but couldn't get any urine from her as she had emptied her bladder so I am taking her back for that tomorrow am. Said he strongly suspects something related to her age - thyroid, diabetes, kidney disease. Possibly an infection but I think he was leaning towards one of the age related things.

She has perked up a bit since Tuesday night - very lively on Wed night and earlier today. I have some electrolyte solution for her as she is dehydrated: she has been drinking it and eating, and has gone back to toileting in the right place. But she is hiding under a table at the moment

I am sad for her, cross with the rescue, who I think should have noticed her weight loss, and very cross with myself for not questioning whether she was well earlier.

I hope to know a bit more tomorrow.

Poor girl! We have a rescue too who was a bit nervy the first few weeks. Fingers crossed you get her well again, I'd be giving the rescue a call too.

Has the vet put her on antibiotics, painkillers, antinflammatory drugs while you wait for the test results. It sounds like she is in pain.