What should I do with my sick cat?

Question

I adopted a cat last Sunday who was spayed on Friday. She's an adorable one year old calico and we were given vitimans to give to her daily, which we did. They told us at the humane society that she was used to IAMS brand of cat food, but she wouldn't eat it. Now, all she eats is the Dad's brand and she has HORRIBLE diarrhea. She goes on EVERYTHING. She will eat every five minutes, literally. Then within the following hour or so she GOES! I would feel like an *** if I gave this cat back to the humane society. She also had an upper respiratory infection which we are treating with antibiotics. Could those meds be making her sick? She eats everything in her path and gets sick from it. WHAT SHOULD I DO? I like the cat, she's gorgeous and kind of gets along with the others but we can't watch a poopy cat 24/7!

We took her to the vet 3 days after we got her. At the humane society here in Pittsburgh, they have a vet there. They checked her, gave us antibiotics for the upper respiratory infection, and said she was fine. When we first got her, they said that she DID have fleas and I think worms (I don't know, she was talking fast and my mom knows the deets), but could they have had a really sick cat, and just gave her to us to make space for others?

Answer 1

Your cat has just gone some HUGE uphevals in her life. She just went through a pretty intense surgery (my little girl was off for days afterwards), was rehomed (while this is a VERY good thing it's still a big change especially with other cats), is on antibiotics because she has been unwell & has changed diet. All of these things would likely affect her tummy. If you haven't already I'd keep her confined in the laundry or bathroom with water, food, litter box, bedding & maybe even a couple of simple toys. This will help her to settle into one room of the house so she feels safe & will help keep her quiet while she heals - you should go in & visit with her a while, making the visits longer each time - it will give everyone time to adjust to the new member of the household.

I would be giving her just some plain cooked chicken little & often, along with a few of the biscuits she was on previously as this is easy to digest for her. As other people have said she's likely to get really dehydrated really fast with the runs so make sure she is drinking. "Dad's" brand doesn't sound like very good quality food so that wouldn't be helping things.

If this is going on for more than a couple of days I would take her to your regular vet (or another one). I wouldn't give up on this kitty yet but it's gonna take a little time for her to settle down, get her eating back in order & get used to her new family.

Answer 2

I think your cat is just showing "nerves" and expressing her anxiety through over-eating, then getting an upset tummy and diarrhea. If you have a good size cat carrier or kennel ( the ones made out of plastic and stainless steel bars), put her in there after she has eaten and done her business (put a litter box in the bathroom and plonk her in it and close the door). Just put a lot of newspapers to line the cat kennel and check it now and again if it needs changing. This way, you can be sure that kitty isn't pooping just anywhere and the confined place will actually feel secure for her and go a long way to calming her anxiety.

Just make sure that she gets plenty of water while she has the runs coz cats dehydrate very quickly. If she wont drink on her own, try using a syringe or medicine dropper (insert at the side of the mouth and press the trigger).

Feed her no more than 4 times during the day.

If the diarrhea does not stop by the 3rd day, call the vet.

Answer 3

Hi Karen...one of the side effects antibiotics can create is loose stools/diarrhea. Also changing food suddenly will contribute to bowel distress as well. Your vet can confirm these two facts and they will certainly not mind if you gave them a ring to answer your concerns regarding treatment from the antibiotic. They actually would prefer to know this because if the antibiotic is a likely culprit they will need to look to another type of antibiotic that may be gentler on her system.

Cats digestive system is very sensitive so any dramatic changes will lead to diarrhea and in some cats vomiting. Consider purchasing a small bag of the brand of cat food the shelter was using then gradually switch her over to the brand you would like her to eat over a course of several weeks. You make the gradual change by mixing 3/4 of the old with 1/4 of the new food for a week then the next week 1/2 to 1/2 then the following week 1/4 of the old with 3/4 of the new before completing the change over.

It's likely she wasn't eating the IAMs because she was nervous coming home to a new environment. Sometimes cats just don't eat when they are stressed for a couple days as they are still adjusting to the changes.

Cats can have a teaspoon of canned pumpkin (just plain not spiced) to help add fibre bulk to her diet. Your vet can confirm this fact as well and it helps many cats with loose stool problems.

Canned pumpkin and other alternative treatments for loose stools: http://www.petplace.com/cats/constipation-in-cats/page1.aspx

Answer 4

Worm her and only give her dry food! The medicine may have made her sick. I don't think they would have given you a sick cat-they probably would have put her down first. If she has just been fixed then she should be kept in for awhile-ask the vet how long. Give her food for inside cats. When they are fixed they don't eat too good for a few days. Stop giving her the food you are now! Hope she is better soon! Don't give her any canned food!

Answer 5

the antibiotics aqre taking care of kitties lungs but I bet they have also recked the good bacteria in her little intestinal track. My vet gave me a very unusual treatment several years ago for a manx kitty I had the honor of raising. He gave me gelitin type powder I mixed several times a day and gave the guy after bowel movements. He also perscribed a pill called metroconizole. the dose was tiny, like 1/5 a 20 milligram pill. Both did the trick. Don't give up on your kitty, you may have a very special friend there who just needs to be helped over a rough spot.

Answer 6

Go to another veterinarian & get her checked out. Nobody can tell you your cats health problems on yahoo answers. The cat should be looked at. Tell the vetinarian everything you told us. Definitely get a second opinion. I know for sure that when you change a cats (or dog's) food - you have to do it gradually, or they will get diarrhea. You should never change foods just like that. You gradually introduce the cat to a new food, adding it to the old food gradually , more & more each time. Diarrhea could also be a sign of a cat disease or many problems, -that's why you need to get her checked out by a vet.

Answer 7

It relies upon on the area. If the canine is whelping a muddle of domestic dogs or a cat has slightly diarhhea then the 1st decision may well be to handle it at abode to work out if the area gets greater constructive. And whilst waiting human beings can ask different puppy proprietors in the event that they have any innovations on a thank you to handle the priority and ask for widespread advice. If it does not get greater constructive then the subsequent decision is the vet. some human beings do have some hum dingers on right here, yet for the main section the questions are solid, valid ones.

Answer 8

I can suggest that you go back to IAMS or Eukanuba, this other brand of cat food sounds terrible. Try putting vegemite with her food, this can help alot. Sometime antibiotics can give your kitty a very upset tummy, so if she is still sick after trying pet food and vegemite, take her to the vet immediatly. Also give her plenty of water. Just mix about a teaspoon of vegemite also. Hope this works out for the best for you!

Answer 9

Find your own vet and FAST before this baby dies! Unfortunately many animals come out of humane society shelters sick when they went in healthy.

Try putting her in the bathroom (when you can't watch her) with a littler box and food and water. That way the mess isn't so difficult to clean because of the tile/lineoleum floors and she won't have to go far to the box.

I personally rescue cats and would never take one to a shelter. I have a great vet who actually loves animals and charges me less because of what I do. I'm no where near Pittsburg (PA or the one in TX) or I would give you his name and number.

Answer 10

Animals are prone to getting upset tummies if you change their diet. I don't really know the brand that you are giving her but IAMs is as far as I know a dry biscuit type food. It may be that you should try a gradual change over in her diet. Mix the food you want to start giving her with the food she is used to and gradually change the ratio.

She will eat more if she is excreting almost as soon as she eats as she is not getting the physical nourishment that her body requires.