Please read I know we need to call the vet but it is after hours so do you have any ideas what could be wrong?

Question

We were gone for 2 days. We have left like this before and just left plenty of food and water out for our cat. She is less than 1 year old. When we came home, she was laying on the floor and her fur looked like it had something in it (kind of matted). She wouldn't move and we actually thought she was dead. It looked as if she might have thrown up also. We took her to her water dish and got her to drink. She even ate a little but she couldn't use her back legs. Now she is up and walking around but still seems off balance. She is also walking around and meowing some as if she is looking for something. Anyone have any ideas what may have happened to her? We thought she might have taken a drink from the toilet with the freshener in it or something.

Answer 1

In addition to the poison possibility, there are others. My young cat did the same thing. Turned out he had a heart condition....enlarged heart that we never knew about until this symptom occurred. It has to do with the blood flow through the body and a big red flag is the paralysis in hind legs. Persians tend to be at higher risk. (That was mine, and my mom who had his sibling lost her cat to the same thing a few months before my cat did this.) If this is the case, then the condition is fatal. My cat did perk up a bit when they kept him at vet overnight for observation and tests, and started acting like he was going to use his legs again....but then relapsed the next day. He died at vet about the time I was going to call and give consent to euthanize. My prayers are with you. (Another cause for hind leg paralysis could be a blood sugar problem....and THAT one is treatable with meds.)

Answer 2

If you are absolutely certain she couldn't have gotten outdoors (no doggie door or window left open) then you need to look for clues in the house. Check all house plants, do any of the leaves look chewed on? Some houeplant varieties are poisonous to pets, but that doesn't keep them from chewing on them. Crawl around on your hands and knees and see if there is something you overlooked by standing up and walking around. (they say this is a great way to baby-proof a house too...at their eye level).
If her behavior doesn't change then you should have your vet do xrays to see if she ingested something that is causing a blockage. Sometimes cats will get hold of a string and swallow it, this too can wreak havoc on their innards.
The matting of the fur could have been from her licking herself because she didn't know what else to do with what was bothering her. Or she could have rubbed up against something behind the refrigerator, or washer or dryer, places that you probably wouldn't think to inspect but she would hesitate to explore.
I was at my sister's house and saw her cat licking at something and then it looked like it had something stuck in it's mouth. I pried his mouth open and pulled out a capsule of something. Showed it to my sister and it was her son's ADHD medication! He had dropped it that morning and couldn't find it. Afraid he would get in trouble he didn't tell mom, he just figured he'd find in later - he's 9 and thus it was perfect logic in his mind.
Can you imagine? A cat with 20mg of Ritalin in him? So, what I'm saying is...there are a gazillion things that kids and pets can get into that we can't, won't or don't see, expect or suspect. So, keep looking!

Answer 3

Keep getting her to drink as much as you can and try to find an after-hours vet or a pet hospital. It sounds like she got into something poisonous. Look around and try to see if you can find out what else she may have gotten into, because the doctors want to know what she's eaten or drank recently. Also check if any houseplants were chewed on by her if you have any. They'll want to know about that too.

Answer 4

is she fixed if not she may be in heat but that wouldnt explain the matted fur, matted fur could come from the toilet freshener if she drank it then licked her fur, but im not sure, how old is she, if you think she may ave drank toilet water with freshener you might want to get her to drink as much as possible, drain a can of tuna give her the water you drained from it, or warm a mix of milk and water almost equal parts a lil more milk than water just to warm in microwave and stir well so you dont burn her tongue. leave toilet bowl top down please if you put in freshener.cats love toilet water! they have "water fountains" for pets at wal mart for like 30$ that continuously run cold clean water for your cat so you can leave for 2 or more days and still provide fresh water for your cat. good luck

Answer 5

The cat could have vitamin B1 deficiency, the symptoms sound right, it's is killed off by preservatives in the food take it to the vet ASAP, there will always be an after hours vet somewhere.

Answer 6

She would possibly not keep it in opposition to you, puppies do not suppose approximately matters like that. If you're involved that she is bloodless positioned her right into a hot tub after which blow dry her hair dry and wrap her in hot blankets. Try to get to a vet as quickly as viable. Or seek on the net approximately puppy signs and diseases.

Answer 7

It sounds like head trauma or poisoning. You should try to find a 24 hour emergency vet right away.

Answer 8

Your cat may have gotten into some poison, call an after hours vet, pronto.

Answer 9

aside from all the great info given by other users you may want to consider stroke, it also happens in animals too usually not so young but it can happen my personal reccomendation is get to a vet ASAP!!! 1st thing in the am if you cant go tonight!!! look in your ph book for 24hour emergency vets in your area!!! best of luck!!

Answer 10

It sounds like she been poisoned. I would take her into an after hours vet as soon as possible.