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The litter tray

Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

Advice needed for situation with poorly cat

489 replies

Poorlycatadvicewanted · 27/12/2023 01:03

I need some advice please. So we have a kitten still but he isn't well. We've been to the vets countless times. He's on prescription food, he's been on 4 rounds of antibiotics and he's not getting better. I've tried a few vets and they all say he might just always be ill as a complication of the virus. I want to take him to the vets again. But my husband wants to give him up to a cat charity so he can be looked after and possibly re homed. I'm not sure and think we should try to get him better. Its cost me a fortune in treatment so far.

The lady we got him from lied about everything. She said he was a she. She said he was flea treated but he was riddled with fleas. (I took him.straight to the vets and he was flea treated and wormed and vaccinated) She said any cat food was fine but he had diarrhea from the day we got him. After weeks of messaging her it turns out she was feeding him a raw food diet. He was only 4 months old and he got campylobacter ( like salmonella) vets reckon this is the cause of his illness.

He doesn't have campylobacter now as we got this treated but the constant diarrheah is an ongoing complication and he's not putting on weight even though I feed him 4 times a day. Kids are devastated because he said we need to give him up. I'm quite upset but part of me agrees with him and the other says we should carry on looking after him.

The other problem is that the vet refuses to do his vaccinations again or neuter him until he is better. But then also said he might never be better. But won't advise what we should do! I've tried all 3 vets in our area and they say the same. He can't have top up vaccinations as he has the diarrheah and so now he would need them re started but again can't because he's ill.

So now I don't know what to do as he is very much loved! But I feel awful that he's not getting better and looks like there isn't anything we can do about it either. The vets kind of given up!

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Poorlycatadvicewanted · 04/02/2024 12:32

I'm back again! We seem to have started going backwards again! As you lovely ladies seem to be better than the vet. Do you think I need to top up the panacur? Can worms reinfect in a certain time frame. No fleas since the last time.

I called the vet yesterday but they can't see him for another 5 days as they have vets off ill and booked up

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MadeOfAllWork · 04/02/2024 13:37

sorry to hear he’s poorly again.

Worms have a two week cycle of they are not completely killed off, so it could be that.

Poorlycatadvicewanted · 04/02/2024 14:31

Thanks @MadeOfAllWork OK. Maybe we need to do panacur again before it gets worse. He's OK in himself but diarrheah started again. So probably best to try again as there's a wait for the vet anyway

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FormerlyPathologicallyHappy · 04/02/2024 15:58

Poor little cat, if it’s safe then start again.

Poorlycatadvicewanted · 04/02/2024 21:49

Oh my goodness. We never see cats around here and now we have a cat trying to get into the house. I guess he could smell ipek as he was in the garden today. Is that normal? Other cats scoping out other cats? It's quote late. Nearly 10pm. He's very friendly. I went to check he wasn't hurt as he was pawing at the door. I have sent him on his way but he won't go. I'm saying he... who knows.

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Poorlycatadvicewanted · 04/02/2024 21:52

New friend? He won't leave 😅 I'm hoping he just moves along soon

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FormerlyPathologicallyHappy · 04/02/2024 22:19

That’s a girl cat. She must’ve picked up his scent on her patrols

Poorlycatadvicewanted · 05/02/2024 12:52

Ahhhh OK. How do you know its a girl? I bumped into my sons friends grandma who works at the shop next door this morning. She said it was following her home from work and she thought it was mine because she knows I have a cat so she let it into our back garden.... I said my cats white...she replied yeah but it's a cat... I'm like right..... 🤣

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FormerlyPathologicallyHappy · 05/02/2024 13:18

It’s a tortoiseshell so their all female, boys are very rare.

Poorlycatadvicewanted · 05/02/2024 14:18

Ahhhh OK. Thank you!

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Poorlycatadvicewanted · 05/02/2024 18:10

Looks like the cat is a stray. The shop next door. 3 members of staff asked if she was mine as they are feeding it now and it won't g leave apart from when it went into my garden. Not sure why they don't believe it's not mine! They called cats protection and said wait 2 weeks and if no one claims him they will take him....I said if she really isn't leaving at all then I will try and convince dh to take it the vet and go from there.

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Poorlycatadvicewanted · 05/02/2024 18:17

Can anyone recommend what would be good as shelter outside for her. I think if she ends up coming back I would like to have somewhere for her outside. I've just got back from the shop as I was waiting for them to check if anyone had got back to them. One of the shop workers took her to the vet this morning and its not microchips and she put in on our local Facebook page and I added photos and not been claimed. It's horrible weather tonight. So I said of she's still there when they close up to knock on my back door and we will have a make shift shelter for her and then up to her If she hangs around.

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Poorlycatadvicewanted · 05/02/2024 18:27

Have started a seperate thread for this kitty!

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Stickytreacle · 07/02/2024 11:07

The Mr Snuggs cat den is a good shelter, alternatively you can find instructions for a diy one online. Straw (not hay) is good as bedding as it won't hold damp and freeze like blankets can.

Poorlycatadvicewanted · 07/02/2024 20:35

Thank you! @Stickytreacle

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Poorlycatadvicewanted · 07/02/2024 20:36

Update on ipek! We are semi pooping normally again after 3 days of panacur. Think we might just need to do it on and off for a while until worms defintley cleared!

He's still putting on weight though which is good. He was 1.8 today. So 400g in a few weeks. Slow progress. But progress none the less!

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MadeOfAllWork · 07/02/2024 21:19

Great news. It sounds like he’s getting there slowly.

ILoveNigelTufnel · 07/02/2024 21:25

Lovely to hear there is progress! Poor kitten must have been feeling so awful. I hope it 100% clears up soon.

Poorlycatadvicewanted · 07/02/2024 21:59

Thank you.

I have just emailed the vet as he really does need to be neutered. I think he has sprayed as there's a strange smell in the utility room and incant get rid of it. So I have asked if it's possible to neuter, vaccinate and chip all at the same time as he will be asleep for neutering anyway and she does big procedures in the morning. And things like vaccines in the afternoon. So it would all be done and I've at once. Morning is better for me and one trip instead of 3!

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Poorlycatadvicewanted · 07/02/2024 23:31

I think he looks a lot more comfortable now!

Advice needed for situation with poorly cat
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Stickytreacle · 08/02/2024 00:02

He is gorgeous!

Poorlycatadvicewanted · 08/02/2024 07:31

Ergh ome of the kids let him upstairs. He's not allowed upstairs. He went and poped on top of my clothes in a cupboard that was left open. Absolutely awful smelly diarrheah. Literally opened every window and I don't think I can was the clothes.

We need to go back. I don't understand why it keeps happening. 2 good days of getting better then an explosion!

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Poorlycatadvicewanted · 08/02/2024 07:32

Stomach isn't swollen any more though

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Poorlycatadvicewanted · 08/02/2024 08:20

I'm starting stool samples today and going back to the vets. Maybe the mix of worms and campylobacter isn't over. The poor thing. I'm surprised DH hasn't moaned yet!

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MadeOfAllWork · 08/02/2024 16:20

Poorlycatadvicewanted · 08/02/2024 07:31

Ergh ome of the kids let him upstairs. He's not allowed upstairs. He went and poped on top of my clothes in a cupboard that was left open. Absolutely awful smelly diarrheah. Literally opened every window and I don't think I can was the clothes.

We need to go back. I don't understand why it keeps happening. 2 good days of getting better then an explosion!

Oh no, poor you! (And poor kitty of course).