my two cats have both been sick - whats going on?

Question

i got my first rescue cat barney 1 week ago and felt guilty about taking him away from his brother fred so i went to pick him up yesterday.
they are both shy 7 moth old tabbys but barney is getting braver by the day.
as far as i know fred hasn't eaten yet other than a dried fish treat this morning. he was then sick.
a few hours later Barney had diarrehea which had some blood on it and then was sick.
both the seem ok. barney was scraching his post and running about quite soon after being sick.

i've called the vet and they have told me to remove all food and just leave water for 24 hours which i have and will do done.
i am just in panic, other that the fish thing i can't think of anything they both could have eaten to make them poorly.
they are both very nervous moggies and i am giving them their space i just don't want anything i am doing making them worse!

i am new to cats and a bit of a worrier!
Any advice, tips, hints???

Answer 1

It sounds like they may have coccidia. If that is the case they do need lots of water to keep them from dehydrating but they also need food to help overcome it. So give them lots of canned food.
If that doesn't work and they liked the fish treat then give them canned tuna...something is better than nothing.
I would take them to see another vet for they will need Albon to overcome this highly contagious illness and possibly antibiotics. This could easily kill them so please consult with another vet.

Answer 2

Were they seen by a vet and given a clean bill of health before taking them home?

If yes, then they might have some stress that is giving them the diarrhea. The blood may be from the irritation of having the diarrhea.

Taking the food away for 24 hours will allow their tummies to heal a bit. When you do start to feed them again, make sure it's little amounts at a time, otherwise they may eat it and then throw up.

If they were not taken to a vet prior to coming into your home, then you should make an appointment asap. They should have a good once over by a vet, along with vaccinations and a stool sample to check for parasites.

Cats hate change I've found for the most part. They stress out very easily. My newbie that I brought in in May of this year hid for an entire day in a small space behind my Christmas tree in the basement. I couldn't find him anywhere, I even took off of work because I was so worried about him. I found him of course, but he's been with me for almost 7 months now and is still a nervous a bit. You're doing fine, just love them and take care of them...that's all they want.

Good luck with your new babies!

Answer 3

Don't worry about the cats. Buy some dry kitten chow for after the 24 hour period. Leave the bowl on the floor and then leave them alone. They will eat when they need to. I believe the food you are giving them is too harsh for their system. Place their litter box in the same room but opposite corners so they can eat and poop in a hurry. The plain dry food should make their stomach problems go away. Also you can call where you got them to find out the brand they were fed. Some cats are picky and some are not when it comes to changing brands.

Answer 4

It is common for cats to react violently to being moved, especially from a small cage to a large house. If they were eating a certain food at the rescue, and you changed that food suddenly, that can also cause diarrhea.

Keep them in a small area of the house, like a bathroom, kitchen or room, and follow your vet's advice. If it has not cleared up in a day or two, go see your vet again.

Good luck with your kitties! I'm sure they'll be okay soon.

Answer 5

Cats are exposed to all kinds of things in shelters. Sometimes they don't keep the cages very clean and they have so many cats coming in that they don't have time to disinfect a cage right in between. You should take the cats to the vet and take some of that diarrhea stuff along in a sandwich bag. The vet can tell you if they have worms and what else is wrong. Most shelters don't have a vet there to do health checks before the cats are adopted. You should check the papers the shelter gave you with the cats. A lot of them say that you should take the cat to the vet within a week.

Answer 6

First enable me congratulate you on rescuing those cats!! What you're doing is remarkable. And now for the files you gained't opt for to take heed to...even with the actual shown truth that that is amazingly painful you truly might want to ease their suffering. in the journey that they are not eating that is a good indication that there is not a lot more advantageous you should do to assist them. i'm confident they're susceptible and of their personal way are thanking you for all you've performed for them even as they arrive to position with you. I have 3 cats and understand what you're dealing with. i am going to in elementary words say i wish you discover convenience in understanding in the destiny you'll see them back and they are going to be healthful and freed from discomfort on the prompt,yet you should enable them bypass.....i'm sorry and that i favor you properly and need you nonetheless rescue more advantageous animals in favor.

Answer 7

call the rescue place and ask them to recomend a good vet and what you should do in the meantime forget the 24 hr thing you need help now

Answer 8

You will probably feel a lot better, if you take the cats to the vet. They can be checked to see if they are sick. If they aren't really sick, the vet could give you hints about what to do to make things better, like food and stuff.

At least, if you take them to the vet, they could get medicine for their illness, and if they aren't sick, you could get some good advice. It will make you feel better.

Answer 9

They have worms. Alot of new cats from pounds or pet shops have it. go get wormer and then get a check up at the vet today.