My poor kitten is going downhill - scared

[tortietimestwo]

Hi

I've already posted another thread about my two little torties (10 months) who are very shy and have been hiding a lot. We got them from a lovely local shelter nearly 2 weeks ago and they've been fixed, flead, vaccinated and wormed on schedule.

As far as we can see they've been eating, drinking, grooming and using their litter trays. They were starting to settle in and come out around us a bit, but had to go to vets last Friday for weepy eyes and have been having twice daily eye drops since. Eyes were looking brighter and I thought all was good, but the littlest one seems to have gone downhill in the last day or so. She's not eaten at all, had diarrhoea on carpet, barely drank and was super listless.

We got her to vet this morning, who gave her an antibiotic/anti-inflammatory shot. He said it could be cat flu that's dragging on a bit. He also weighed her and said she's 1.2kg and should be 2kg so she's underweight, although I was told she has always been very slight.

We've had her on wet food that we know from the shelter she liked and she's been ok with it, but now she's not touching it. As they're still hiding a bit, he told us to move her into the bathroom so we can keep an eye on her. I'm just really hoping she picks up and starts eating, I'm going to try her on some cooked chicken as well.

Just a bit beside myself about her and could do with a hand hold! I really want her to be ok.

Here she is:

Handhold and ((((hugs)))) from me

Aww bless her, I hope she’s feeling better soon! It’s such a worry when our fur babies are ill, my two had diarrhea for three days straight when they were 6 months but they soon picked up. It’s a good sign that she’s eating ❤️ She’s a lovely girl

Feed chicken and rice. Liquidise if you need to. I had 2 who had cat flu but 1 had to be on a drip overnight. Try fish too if it's poorly.

You need to liquidise food and syringe it into her cats do not survive long if they don't eat enough unfortunately.

Tiny cat has eaten a fair bit although she's mostly just sitting still, poor little love. Probably still not feeling brilliant, I imagine the meds haven't necessarily kicked in yet. Not sure she's drinking at all though she has her water fountain in the bathroom with her. I do hope she uses her tray by tomorrow as she's not gone at all - maybe the change of location to bathroom has thrown her off.

Think I made a mistake trying to pick her up to get a better look at her as she was crouched at the back of her little nook and I couldn't see her properly, she got a bit panicked and dug her claws into the fabric. She's still too nervous for much contact.

I do hope they'll both settle in soon and start to feel a bit happier around us, they're extremely shy which has made monitoring when unwell quite difficult.

Can you check the scruff of her neck to see if she's dehydrated? If she is then you may need to syringe water into her to get her fluids up.

Lik e lix is also pretty good for getting fluids into them. I put it on a saucer and mix with a little water.

IIRC lik e lix isn't too bad nutritionally speaking.

You can also try warming cat food - only needs about 4 secs in a microwave - to release the aromas.

Little & often the way forward right now.

Once had a rescue kitten with cat flu and they came through OK. Make sure the little thing is kept warm.

Maybe give it a blanket smelling of its sibling too in case its missing them!

Feliway spray can help with anxiety.

When we had our youngest cat she was fine for a few weeks then went really downhill, very listless, not eating. She weighed only 500g at one point. Didn't really know what was wrong, but she had antibiotics, parasite treatment, fluid injected, plus probiotics on her food. Multiple vets visits. it was awful. She slept under my chin for several weeks, and we woke several times in the night to feed her. Then suddenly she started eating regularly and 20 months later is a large menace who has no idea of how traumatic her first few weeks with us were. We found warming her food slightly helped to tempt her.

DKitten is sending a pawhold 🐈

Flu means their sense of smell and taste isn't great, so definitely try warming or adding tuna juice or a likelix topper to their food to make it extra tempting. I hope your kitty is doing better really soon.

Mackerel or sardines in tomato sauce has always been a firm favourite with our crew, good for disguising supplements and medicines in too.

Tuna in spring water is good - nice fishy water!

Yes I have been warming her food and adding lick e lix often, definitely seems to help. I just gave her some wet food mixed with some warm water so hopefully that gets a bit more fluid into her. Shall try some tuna tomorrow.

@mimiasovitch How traumatic for both you and your poor kitty - the two of you were so strong to get through that tough period and sounds like she is doing wonderfully now 💐.

@KirstenBlest The though of a pawhold is adorable 🥰 mini says thank you 🐈.

I don't have a plastic syringe but maybe should get one tomorrow in case of needing to get more fluids in.

@Collywobblewobbles There's a Feliway in their room downstairs, sadly little cat in bathroom hasn't got its soothing effects for now but I'll look into the spray. Anything is worth a try to relax her a bit.

All the kind comments and experiences people are sharing are really helping so much, thank you all.

I forgot to say when posting last night that we had some convalescence food from the vets, which is super high in fat and calories so even if not much is taken then you can be sure that they've had some nutrition.

I hope she's feeling better this morning.

@Ellmau She seemed ok when looked in on her but was coughing a bit, extending her little neck so she's probably still shedding cat flu.

But she does seem brighter and more alert, ate a little chicken and she's weed in her tray overnight. She's now hopped up onto the bathroom windowsill and is sitting behind the blind, so I hope she might be feeling a little perkier.

That definitely sounds positive 🥰

Checking in for updates. Sounds like tiny improvements 😊

Good to hear she's brighter today.

Let's hope she continues to improve.

Haven't managed to get her to eat anything else yet, so I'll try some chicken or tuna soon. But she's definitely looking more alert.

She just pushed her head into my hand when I was stroking her and rubbed her head against me. Awwww

She trusts you. I am so glad.

Get well soon little puss.

Aww, bless her. It's so rewarding when they show you affection for the first time!

I gave her some treats after 😊 bless her. I think she's picking up, I just hope she does a poo in her litter tray by tomorrow as she's not pooed in over 2 days. She was poorly and not eating a lot for one of those days mind.

She's been having such a variety of food I wondered if she'd end up with diarrhoea, but nothing yet. But she's been having water with her wet food and I think drinking from her fountain, so hopefully we can get things moving. Pinch test on her shoulder blades didn't indicate dehydration which is good.