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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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ILoveNigelTufnel · 27/02/2024 19:51

That’s brilliant! He’s so lucky to have a family who have helped him. The weight gain is really good too and he’ll be getting those nutrients he needs now and that must make him feel so much better.

Have you got a laser pointer toy for him? They’re ace (and you can play from the comfort of the sofa 😁)

Poorlycatadvicewanted · 27/02/2024 20:00

Thank you @ILoveNigelTufnel !!

After a really difficult start, I'm glad we persevered. I really love him as do the kids. Dh does when it suits him. But he's always been funny about anything that moves fast that isn't a car or a bike 🤣

We did have one. But I don't know what the kids did with it! Need to hunt it down. He loved it. But wasn't interested at the height of being ill and I think the kids played with it and it's gone missing

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Poorlycatadvicewanted · 28/02/2024 11:49

Having a lovely snuggle today! And no diarrheah so far today!!

Advice needed for situation with poorly cat
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Poorlycatadvicewanted · 28/02/2024 14:55

Would you say his tummy still looks swollen?

Advice needed for situation with poorly cat
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ILoveNigelTufnel · 28/02/2024 18:39

Love the snuggly photo!

Is it swollen or has he had a lot to eat for his lunch (like before you took the photo?) It looks to me like a round kitten tummy but I don’t know what he usually looks like so it’s hard to say. Sorry - not overly helpful.

Hope the rest of your day has been diarrhoea free too.

Scampuss · 28/02/2024 18:56

Sadly, yes, he does look quite swollen ☹️ He's a bit too old for fully belly kitten tummy I think.

His back paws/legs are very dirty, is that dried on poo?

Poorlycatadvicewanted · 28/02/2024 19:06

@Scampuss yes. He had a bit of an accident. But I get him to a point to clean him. He's been a bit skittish when I pick him up after being neutered. I'm attempting to give him a bath this evening. But I'm.a bit worried about his incisions. So i was waiting as long as possible as the vet said not to let him get wet.

He has a post op check tomorrow at the vet.

No more diarrhea today.

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LostCats · 28/02/2024 19:12

Compared to the way he looked before I’d say his tummy isn’t as swollen as then though.

Poorlycatadvicewanted · 28/02/2024 19:13

Ok. Thank you. He's definitley heavier. I weighed him this afternoon and he was exactly 2 kilos. So it's possible he's just eaten a lot!

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Poorlycatadvicewanted · 28/02/2024 19:25

Maybe if I put a towel over his head I can wash him in the sink?

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Scampuss · 28/02/2024 19:28

If you can clean it with minimum distress then it's worth a go, especially as it's poo, so it does need cleaning up somehow, but he really should be cleaning himself!

Poorlycatadvicewanted · 28/02/2024 19:31

Yes I agree. He's a bit drowsy from the painkillers. He still has one more day. So I'm expecting him to be more himself on Friday. He's been cleaning his chest and front paws.

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Poorlycatadvicewanted · 29/02/2024 14:06

Ipek seems good so far! Cleaned himself today after not letting me help him yesterday. Vet is happy with him. He's eating really well and we have had only solid poos for 48 hours which is a record!

He's playing like a kangaroo. Wolfing down katkin. Vet said keep him on panacur until the bottle is finished and then we will see how he is.

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Poorlycatadvicewanted · 29/02/2024 14:09

Happy as a kangaroo

Advice needed for situation with poorly cat
Advice needed for situation with poorly cat
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Scampuss · 29/02/2024 14:39

That is good news.

ILoveNigelTufnel · 29/02/2024 18:55

Fantastic news! Good work!!

Poorlycatadvicewanted · 01/03/2024 23:25

Thank you! He's much happier now! Naughty side came out today! Knocking things of the side board! And getting heavier!!

Advice needed for situation with poorly cat
Advice needed for situation with poorly cat
Advice needed for situation with poorly cat
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ILoveNigelTufnel · 02/03/2024 13:25

Gorgeous photos 😍 great he’s getting heavier too. He must be so much happier!

StBrides · 02/03/2024 14:08

He looks soo contented!

Glad to hear he's discovered his mischievous side!

Poorlycatadvicewanted · 03/03/2024 23:38

He's putting on weight and no more diarrhea for nearly 1 week as of tomorrow. He's so much happier. Just weighed him and he's 2.2 kilos so catching up very fast. He's just been grooming me. Locking his tummy then my hand then his tummy etc.

Advice needed for situation with poorly cat
Advice needed for situation with poorly cat
Advice needed for situation with poorly cat
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ILoveNigelTufnel · 04/03/2024 19:59

Amazing news! So good he’s putting on weight and much happier in himself. What a relief for you as well. He’s really lucky to have a family who haven’t just given up on him. He looks much brighter in the photos. Hows he getting on with the birds?

Poorlycatadvicewanted · 04/03/2024 22:22

He's stayed away from the bird! I hissed a few times and since then he just watches him.

His stomach is still quite swollen but I'm wandering if that's the panacur causing gas? He's pooping great and lots of energy etc. He's nearly finished the panacur. Vet said keep him on until the bottles finished. So about 4 days I think.

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MadeOfAllWork · 04/03/2024 23:04

Good to hear his poo has settled down! He does look swollen still but I guess wait and see once he’s finished the pancur.

Poorlycatadvicewanted · 05/03/2024 15:53

I can't believe I'm writing this again. Just had 2 boughts of diarrheah again today. After 2 weeks!! I'm not even sure there's much point going back to the vets. They said we would need to do more stool samples... but they have already said he has a bacterial infection and won't give him antibiotics. So I'm not sure what more stool samples will do!

He's still on panacur..Still hs 4 days left. He's been on katkin for 2 weeks straight and was fine. So not sure why this has started again!

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StBrides · 05/03/2024 16:38

I might have missed, but why won't they give anti biotics? How do they propose to treat the bacterial infection? Foecal transplant?