Falling Apart Watching Her Decline – Any Advice for Helping Her Heal? (Cat flu)

[Charlotteap]

Hi everyone, I’m hoping for some advice.

Last year, my mum took in two 12-year-old cats after their elderly owner sadly passed away. They had been left alone in the house for two weeks while we tried to find rescues to take them, but in the end my mum offered to foster them — and of course, she fell in love and ended up keeping them.

Everything had been going really well until about a week ago, when Millie started looking a bit off — low energy and crusty, closed eyes one morning. Mum booked a vet appointment, and in the meantime Millie’s nose and mouth started to crust over, she became lethargic, and even developed a cough.

The vet diagnosed a bad case of feline herpes (cat flu) and gave her a steroid injection, antibiotic injection, ear cleaner, and antibiotic ear/eye drops.

After a few days, the coughing stopped, she perked up slightly, started eating bits of chicken, and even came downstairs again — so we thought she was turning a corner. But yesterday she went off her food again (only taking a few licks of anything offered), hasn’t been downstairs since, and seems to be breathing more from the side of her mouth. She’s been hiding away and just looks really poorly and fed up.

Mum called the vet again, and they said severe cat flu can take a couple of weeks to recover from — but it’s now been a full week and we’re starting to feel really worried that she’s not going to make it through, she looks so poorly and lethargic.

Is there anything else we can do at home to help her feel better or more comfortable? Any advice would be so appreciated

Will she eat lik e lix or cat soup? Anything to get come calories into her? Meta cam for pain relief, to make her more comfortable.

Can the vet not give another dose of medication?

I think back to the vet. For food you could try Liquivite recovery, it’s a liquid food with high calories. https://www.viovet.co.uk/Liquivite-Liquid-Cat-Food/c3798/?quick_find=502584&utm_source=sag&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=surfaces_UK&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22169160221&gbraid=0AAAAAD-IHB1MPIoeVBO-rj6P-6gS1Krjk&gclid=Cj0KCQjwuvrBBhDcARIsAKRrkjeKMK85Rt1H44GQdeLlxIhON-6mzwvZZIsnAZrkAKnp-dSsfibTYO4aAjfmEALw_wcB

Thanks everyone for your replies , mum took her to the vet an hour ago as she looked even worse than this morning, her ears getting redder. The vet did an even more thorough exam as he expected her to have signs of improvement and found sores between her toes and under her fur and he thinks she’s actually got a really aggressive skin cancer. Mums absolutely heartbroken.

I'm so sorry to hear this awful news. Can't offer any advice however I just wanted to say that I'm thinking about you all 💐💔

@OneFingerOneThumbKeepMoving thank you so much, that means a lot ❤️

So sorry to read this. Your mum sounds a very caring cat owner. Sounds like it’s probably time to let this poor kitty cross the rainbow bridge now.

That's very sad, Op. How lucky Millie has been though with your mum looking after her

@ThatCyanJoker @Motnight thank you both, she really is one of a kind! The vet booked her back in for Thursday to give mum a couple nights with her but probably going to have to take her today as she is getting worse so fast. I am actually shocked at how she had no symptoms ten days ago and now looks like this.

A photo of Millie last month 💔

She's beautiful. Thoughts are with you all. 💔💐🌹🌈 xx

I'm kind of scared to ask however I just wondered how Millie is and hoping there has been some kind of miracle. Hope you and your mum are doing ok 🙏🏻 xx

I’m so sorry you’re all going through this – it must be heartbreaking to see Millie like this after everything your mum has done for her. She’s clearly deeply loved and in the best hands she could possibly be in right now.

Reading through the symptoms and the sudden worsening, I just wanted to gently add: while it’s of course possible that the vet is right and this is an aggressive form of skin cancer, some of what you describe could also match a very severe viral infection, especially something like feline herpesvirus (FHV-1) or calicivirus. These viruses can cause crusting around the eyes, nose, and mouth, as well as ulcers in the mouth and paws, coughing, lethargy, and even breathing changes – especially in older or immune-compromised cats.

Some strains of calicivirus, in particular, can cause ulcers between the toes, paw swelling, or sores under the fur, and can look really dramatic. The red ears might also be linked to fever or inflammation.

It’s also worth noting that Millie seemed to improve slightly after the steroid and antibiotic injections – that short period of perkiness and eating a bit is not something you’d typically expect in fast-spreading cancer, which tends to be steadily progressive.

That said, the vet has seen her in person and may have noticed patterns we can’t judge from afar. But if there’s any doubt, and if Millie stabilises even a little, it might be worth asking about doing a skin swab or biopsy – just to be sure it’s not something inflammatory or infectious that might still respond to treatment.

Sending lots of gentle thoughts to your mum and Millie – no matter what the cause, she’s clearly surrounded by love, and that means everything.♥️

@OneFingerOneThumbKeepMoving @Mia184 thank you both for your comments ❤️ I wanted to give an update incase anyone else has similar.

she was basically booked in to be put to sleep last Thursday, lesions appeared everywhere on her fur and revealed flaw flesh, her paws , all her body, even her genitals. Her ears crusted and bleeding once to raw flesh, she couldn’t even open her eyes. She was in the back of the wardrobe and would only take two steps to litter tray and barely eaten. Mum actually used chat gpt who mentioned Pemphigus an autoimmune condition and the pictures of the ears was bang on.

That Thursday the vet agreed it was way too aggressive for cancer but he still thought she was very far gone and the pemphigus was a very serious one but luckily for Millie my mum did not give up, costing her an arm and a leg with all the steroid injections and tests but she’s finally (touch wood) on the mend, a few days ago she came out of the wardrobe and started eating full pouches and last night for the first time in two week she made it onto the bed with my mum. Her skin is still in absolute terrible condition but slowly improving but she’s got her light back! going to be something she has for the rest of her life but hopefully she will be okay. We have cats here at my house who really don’t like my toddler aha but Millie is his best friend so happy they will be able to cuddle again soon.

sorry so long winded but thanks again!

On the road to recovery x

Thanks for covering me head to toe in goosebumps 😀 I'm absolutely over the moon about your update. I'm so glad your mum waited a while longer and took the vets advice. Brilliant outcome. I'm so happy for you all 💞 ❣️ 💞 ❣️ 💞

Paws crossed she continues to get better try a doughnut if the cone is uncomfortable my cat used his as a pillow