Mom mom was out today and met a woman who has a TON of dogs and she was giving away a cat (or adolescent kitten ... I can't tell which) that she says wandered into her yard. The cat looks like it hasn't eaten in weeks. It's a beautiful Siamese. I want to keep it (not sure if its a him or a her), but I don't know if it'll live. I'm out in the middle of nowhere and can't get to a vet until Monday. When mom brought it home, the cat was somewhat listless, but when I opened a can of tuna (which was all I had that I know a cat would like) it perked up a little and ate some of it. I noticed its nose is a little runny (clear liquid) and it seems to have a cough that sounds a little like its trying to cough up a fur ball or throw up or something. It does more when it tries to eat. Its stomach is also pretty round but the rest of it is SO thin...its spine and leg bones are very pronounced. What do I do? I don't want it to die, but I don't know what to do. I'd appreciate any advice.
2006-09-09 14:59:09 · 21 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Cats
OK, if you can't reach your vet and you don't want to go to an emergency vet clinic (they cost a fortune), try looking in the yellow pages to see if there is a Humane Society or ASPCA office in your area, they often have 24/7 emergency care available, especially for a stray kitten.
If not available, try looking for stray cat rescue program in the area -- they may be able to give advice and have someone who has worked with such kitties before to help you make the best decision.
The swollen belly and skinny legs sounds like a bad combination -- very likely she has a really bad case of worms. They will eat all the nutrition from her food, starving her while filling her belly. Her immune system gets weaker so she gets ear eye and nose infections and a cough. They will kill her eventually, by starvation and sickness.
She definitely needs professional veterinary care absolutley as soon as you can get it for her. She will probably not live long without it. I don't mean to panic you, but cats are very hardy critters who hide their pains and illnesses well, so when they start looking sick they are REALLY REALLY sick and need help.
2006-09-09 15:14:00 · answer #1 · answered by Mustela Frenata 5 · 6⤊ 0⤋
Don't give it milk, most adult cats are lactose intolerant, and kittens should only have special kitten milk.
It sounds as if it's been a stray for a while, and as such, has succumbed to many of the problems associated with being a stray. He may have an upper respiratory infection (it would explain the runny discharge from the nose and the hacking), and his belly is more than likely bloated because he's full of worms. He's thin simply because he hasn't been getting a whole lot of nutrition. Just try and keep him fed until you can get him to a vet. And be wary of anywhere he goes as some intestinal parasites can pose a health risk to humans.
He's probably dehydrated, so try and get some quality canned cat food soon (this will help hydrate him and put some weight on him). Make sure he has some fresh water available at all times. If he's dirty, pick up some waterless cat shampoo or wipes. More than likely, he also has fleas....so it might be a good idea for you to keep him somewhere outside of your home (maybe a garage?) until you can get him all fixed up at the vet on Monday.
If you have any other cats, make absolutely certain you keep the stray away from them. He could transmit things to your cats (including life-threatening diseases like FIV and Feline Leukemia).
Don't worry, as long as you're giving him some food and water, I'm sure he'll be fine until you can get him to the vet on Monday.
Good luck and God bless!
(I may be wrong about this.....but vitamin C certainly doesn't FIX "the runs" in humans. Too much vitamin C in a human LEADS to diarrhea. I'm guessing the same thing goes for most mammals.)
2006-09-09 22:13:23 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
You did exactly right! Water-packed tuna "juice" is a great emergency hydrater and has saved the lives of other cats in my experience. Offering chicken or beef broth - NOT SOUP!! - can also help strengthen her as can offering her Pedialyte, "baby gatorade" which is sold in supermarkets and drugstores.
While you are there, get some meat baby food and a baby "eye dropper" or syringe to try to put food in her mouth if she is too weak to eat on her own. When you do this, be sure her head and paws are facing down - that she's not lying on her back - or she'll choke. Upright is ok if you support her. Squirt the food in from the side of her mouth not the front to further guard against choking.
I completely disagree with the anti-milkers, though. Milk can cause diarrhea, but in an extreme case like this it is more important for the cat to gain any hydration at all.
If you can get her to a vet, they will give her IV fluids which will strengthen her. Sounds like she could have lungworms or pneumonia or simply a bad cold. She can be pulled through with good nursing care and a vet can instruct you how to do this. Ensuring she is hydrated and swallows more than a tablespoon of food everyday is key!
2006-09-13 17:42:59 · answer #3 · answered by catlady 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Do not give this cat MILK. Cats cannot tolerate milk. It will give her diarrhea. Do you have any cat food in the house? Give her cat food, canned or dry whatever she will eat. If you don't have any cat food, try feeding her some chicken or turkey. Don't over feed her though, it could make her sicker. Do you have any neighbors? Ask them for cat food, or if any of them have a baby maybe you could get some turkey or chicken flavored baby food for the cat. Tuna is okay for the time being, but once you get her back on her feet, don't feed her human tuna, it's not good for her. The tuna should be the kind with water not oil. If it is in oil, rinse the oil out of it before giving it to the cat.
If it's stomach is pretty round, and the rest of her is bony it may have feline peritonitis which isn't good. You'll need to get her to a vet ASAP.
If nothing else, try calling a vet and asking them what you can do until you can get in to town with the cat.
2006-09-09 23:06:38 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
The tuna has some nutrition to it, but cow's milk is hard for cats to digest (they can't digest lactose), so I would stay away from that and make sure it gets plenty of water. If you have some gatorade around, by chance, put a little bit into the water to replace electrolytes.If you have a change, go to the grocery store and pick up some cheap wet food (it will have the most fat) and some Pedialyte or Gatorade to add to the water.
The cat is very, very malnourished and needs a vet immediately. Hopefully it will make it until you can get it to one.
The round belly could be worms, so try to keep it away from other animals if you have any.
2006-09-09 22:10:29 · answer #5 · answered by Protagonist 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
since you are out in the middle of no where as i am also, here are a few tips, please do not give it any milk. try to get it to drink some beef or chicken broth. add a little dry cat food. keep it hydrated with plenty of clean water, your kitty has been starved for so long that she is weak and needs food, when animals are this starved the organs in the body start to shut down. get fluids down it and some food. if you have a grocery store around get some canned kitten food, she needs to be fed small amounts several times a day and thru the night.the important thing is to keep it drinking and eating until you can get to the vet asap. it will not be that much for a check up. i will pray for this little one and hopefully it will be alright. it needs to stay warm and in a quiet place, make sure you stay with it thru the night and feed it. the more fluids and food you can get it to eat the better chance it will have, even if something else is wrong, like worms.
2006-09-09 23:24:52 · answer #6 · answered by cowgirl 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Keep the kitten warm and quiet. Don't give her regular milk though if you can some of the mothers milk suplement can help. Also get her some kitten food. Avoid people food . It could make her worse.
She might have Feline respitory so if you have another cat keep so keep her separated from other animals.
Try about an ounce of the Kitten milk supplement and mix it with the dry food.
Then of course take her to the vet asap.
This helped pull my baby out what he had. Even when the vet said he wouldnt make it. Zell now weighs 20 pounds.
Good luck with your new baby.
2006-09-09 22:16:08 · answer #7 · answered by Kat L 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Keep it very warm, make sure it has a litter box, you can wash its rear with a warm water dampened rag or paper towel if it has the runs. try feeding it chicken broth (without salt) at the very least try to get it to drink water. This cat may be very malnourished and the most humane thing may be to make it really comfortable now and take it in to be put down. Chicken broth works well, you can also try some yogurt. You must take it to the vet ASAP, tell your parents, because it may also have something contagious. Now that you all have had contact with this animal you need a vet to look at it and tell you. This is very important for your own health and safety. In the future remember to bring an animal to a vet First (and never touch a sick one!) and whoever gave a sick animal to a child should be avoided in the future - that is one bad person.
2006-09-09 22:19:10 · answer #8 · answered by kazak 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Sounds like the poor mite is suffering from malnourishment,but it could have a worm infection to top that off.You should try using some deworming meds to help until you get kitty to the vet,and control how much food it consumes cause it could end up with an abdominal rupture if it over eats and can't regurgitate or isn't able to have a bowel movement...
Take the little thing to the nearest vet clinic ASAP.
Good Luck
2006-09-09 22:18:07 · answer #9 · answered by nighneev 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
If you have other cats in the house please keep this one away from them till you can get her to a vet. She could be pregnant, have worms, Feline Aids, FIP. Cats can carry a host of diseases that they can give to other felines.
Keep her warm, give her plenty of water and if you have a pet store nearby (or Walmart) try some Mothers Milk. It's cat formula basically. That will help her get her strength back. But go easy with the food. She may over eat and make herself sick.
Good luck with her, cats are strong little creatures.
2006-09-10 00:37:05 · answer #10 · answered by purple 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋