Topic: Newly arrived stray (Read 18886 times)

Sue P (Paddysmum) · « **Reply #43 on:** February 29, 2016, 06:50:55 AM »

What a fantastic update, and totally justifying your efforts towards her.

Thank you for taking a damaged and broken life, and turning it round so completely. And not for the first time, clearly, as Scruffy's story illustrates. Am sorry to hear of Scruffy's loss, but again, my thanks to you for making a difference to cats who others may well pass by. You're amazing.

barney101 · « **Reply #42 on:** February 28, 2016, 23:26:30 PM »

And 7 months later.... Well what can I say, a massive improvement all round, she's still here, she's been named 'Catty' by the vets. Having done a lot of reading up about the overactive thyroid I decided it was worth the risk of having it removed altogether and just after Christmas this was done, she also had a dental at the same time

The improvement was more or less instant, the thyroid that was removed was around 3x it's normal size, the other one was quite normal in size. Now her weight has gone up to 2.5kg, her skeleton is no longer protruding her skin, she eats normally now, no more diarrhea or blood in her stools and no more vomiting. And her coat is now lovely, fully grown, soft and shiny. So she has done really well, she's is really your typical lap cat as is quite content to sit on me all night long. She'll come out in the garden with me, but won't wander off. There are however some not so good issues, she is deaf and we believe she is epileptic which is now also under control with medication......As for trying to find her a new home, well I've given up on that idea

Sadly though my cat Scruffy who I had for around 8 years died last Sunday from a blood clot, she wasn't the friendliest cat probably due to her previous owners, many a time when we went to the vets its was me who needed treatment

and we both had sparring matches with each other over the years... with me giving up most times... but I do miss her....

Gill (sneakiefeline) · « **Reply #41 on:** October 05, 2015, 02:30:18 AM »

I believe those tabs can cause problems and doseage has to be got right but there is another tablet that can be used..................no expert here and hope others see this...try asking in health cos people wont expect to see it here.

Another way is to go to search and advanced search, put in the med name and just press search. This will bring up threads mentioning the tablet.

It sounds that she has something else wrong to me

Poor girl hope she will be oK and has no other problems

barney101 · « **Reply #40 on:** October 05, 2015, 00:17:08 AM »

Just checked on her again and she's actually vomiting blood now, so will have to call the vet in the morning... Starting to wish I never went in the first place, only went because I thought she was getting better.....

barney101 · « **Reply #39 on:** October 04, 2015, 22:23:37 PM »

Well, went back to the vets last week, saw the main vet and he has agreed to treat her as a stray. Told him about the sleep issues, not sure he knows what it is either. Anyway we had blood tests carried out and she has a thyroid problem so she has been prescribed felimazole, I asked if the blood tests showed anything else and he said no, though I'm not totally convinced about that... Not sure whether it's the pills, she's had 3 to date but this evening she has thrown up in the kitchen which she hasn't done for weeks now also she wanted to go out in the garden and just lie down on the damp grass which is strange as she never goes out even if I leave the back doors open.... We're back at the vets on the 22nd so hopefully things will be a bit better...

Gill (sneakiefeline) · « **Reply #38 on:** October 02, 2015, 20:16:35 PM »

Poor girl. maybe she is having bad dreams of her previous life

barney101 · « **Reply #37 on:** September 29, 2015, 02:51:47 AM »

Ok, another update... Well she's at last putting on weight her rib bones are getting harder to feel, she constantly follows me around like a lost puppy. I still have a few concerns about her, her hip joints and shoulder joints still just seem to be bone with no body fat there at all.... She desperately needs dental treatment, but I cannot see her being strong enough at present for anaesthetic and personally feel if we went down this route at the moment it would be game over.. She's eating regularly and no longer gorging and her toilets are fine, she's been both wormed and de-flead (not that I ever found any) this was done with advocate and profender.
My main concern for her now is when she is actually asleep and I've seen this happen several times now, what will happen is this. The only way I can describe it is as though she dies and comes back more or less instantly. She will be sleeping normally for around 30 or 40 minutes, then all of a sudden she will uncoil herself from her sleep, her back will arch and then it's like a bolt as she shakes herself out of it, this only happens when she is asleep.

heather sullivan · « **Reply #36 on:** September 10, 2015, 23:23:34 PM »

thats great she seems to be picking up and feeling better. I just wondered if she is underweight and has breathing issues, she could have an underlying thyroid problem? If you could get help from local cat protection or PDSA it might be worth having a blood test done?

Rosella moggy · « **Reply #35 on:** September 10, 2015, 22:21:30 PM »

The simple fact that she is grooming is huge progress I would say. Well done. I mean REALLY well done

Gill (sneakiefeline) · « **Reply #34 on:** September 10, 2015, 20:12:31 PM »

I like Hope too

bickhamwitch · « **Reply #33 on:** September 10, 2015, 09:09:02 AM »

Not Grace as I have a rescue Gracie. Grace is a disabled ancient cat that came into my life and made a difference. She has taught me the wonder of looking after a cat that I thought needed me. But in actual fact it was me that needed her. But Hope sounds like a good name. And if she has the spirit of my Gracie, then she has come into someone's life to help in some way. Animals are healers.
Julie.

Dawn F · « **Reply #32 on:** September 10, 2015, 08:37:57 AM »

do get her on a waiting list with a local rescue, you sound like you have enough on your plate with your others, they are supposed to be a pleasure not a nightmare

Sue P (Paddysmum) · « **Reply #31 on:** September 10, 2015, 07:21:20 AM »

So pleased to hear how she's pickedup.

I was thinking of you the other day bbut as Purrs was down, couldn't post. This is quite interesting:

http://www.wayofcats.com/blog/dear-pammy-my-cat-is-still-afraid/32927

I hope the link works.

Sounds like she's desperately needed time to just catch her breath, take stock and adjust to having a "safe" place for respite care.

If you're not going to bond with her, now would be the time to begin making enquiries of rescues and shelters in your area, as she may well need to go on a waiting list for admittance.

On the other hand, I like the names "Hope" and "Grace" for [your] little waif.

Gill (sneakiefeline) · « **Reply #30 on:** September 10, 2015, 00:44:03 AM »

So pleased she is improving

Go on give her a name

barney101 · « **Reply #29 on:** September 09, 2015, 21:47:46 PM »

Well, just an update I've just gone downstairs and she wasn't where she normally is, so thought I'd check the garden as the back doors were open and found her with a dead mouse... don't think she caught it though lol... On the plus side she is no longer defecating in the kitchen and uses the litter tray. Her diarrhea seems to have settled now, her back legs seem to give way on the wooden flooring until she gets her balance back and she'll follow me to wherever I'm going to. She seems far more alert and awake more than she was previously, where she would fall asleep with her head in the food bowl... By and large I'm happy with her progress especially from the way she just magically arrived as I don't know how she managed to navigate the cat proof fencing, I'm guessing a neighbour dumped her in my garden... Anyway there still seems to be a long way to go with her and I'm still not convinced she will pull through completely. What I assumed was purring, seems to me to be more of a breathing issue I cant fathom that out yet, but she is grooming herself more now... and she still doesn't have a name as I think if I give her a name we'll end up bonding....and I can't let that happen..

emmmy_lou · « **Reply #28 on:** September 04, 2015, 09:32:55 AM »

I would try rescues/ cat protection too.

I would state that she is going to be PTS if you can't get any help as often room can be 'found' for urgent cases.

She definitely needs help, but I am afraid that if you aren't able to find her a place somewhere the kindest thing would be to have her PTS

It sounds like she is suffering and may have sought you out to ask for help.

In the meantime could you get a cage to confine her in with bed, litter tray food and drink? It would make life better for cleaning purposes

Mymblesdaughter · « **Reply #27 on:** September 04, 2015, 08:55:53 AM »

Definitely contact local rescue, cat protection are usually excellent not Rspca. Where do you live?

Sue P (Paddysmum) · « **Reply #26 on:** September 04, 2015, 05:48:35 AM »

Have you made any enquiries of local rescues to see if they can assist?

barney101 · « **Reply #25 on:** September 04, 2015, 00:54:44 AM »

Well I'd say she has definitely picked up a bit since she arrived, all my cats are registered with companion care which is where I took her last week the vet who I saw, rather than give any advice or suggest any treatment just weighed her and asked what I wanted to do with her and then promptly wrote an invoice... As I'm currently on sick leave at the moment the last thing I want is escalating bills for a cat that is not mine and I really don't want even if she pulls through this she cannot stay here as I have enough cats as it is. My entire life revolves around cats and work and although my own cats are well looked after and I love them to bits I do regret having so many, in fact it has become a nightmare.....

heather sullivan · « **Reply #24 on:** September 03, 2015, 23:21:16 PM »

she may just have a bowel infection or bacterial infection, the diarrohea would drain her of all her energy. She really needs to be seen by a vet to see if they can help?

or she may just be riddled with worms

Sootyca · « **Reply #23 on:** September 03, 2015, 19:57:32 PM »

To be honest I would look on it that she came to you to help her in her last days - you have given her a chance and maybe it would be kinder to let her go.

If she hadn't found her way to you she would probably have died alone and unloved and quite probably in pain. Sad as it is, sometimes there is nothing you can do but let them go and help them on their way. At least she will have known love, companionship and warmth in the last few days and maybe that is what is all she wanted.

Gill (sneakiefeline) · « **Reply #22 on:** September 03, 2015, 19:37:31 PM »

You need to get her some treatment fast for the diahria as without the body weight this will kill her.

You need a sympathetic vet who can give you some sensible advice as to what if anything is wrong with her.

Fussy eaters are normal and it really sounds as if she has been left behind, dumped or got lost.

Purring can be because of pain.

Do you have a good CP branch near you? They may be able to help.

barney101 · « **Reply #21 on:** September 03, 2015, 18:53:58 PM »

Thanks for the advice, well the situation is now like this she is still eating am not convinced she is drinking much water. I'm also not convinced that there will be a successful outcome for her. She is a fussy eater and wont eat anything with chicken or beef tends to only eat fishy food with sardines. The downside is she has constant diarrhea, she has now stopped using the litter tray and will only use the kitchen floor although I get the impression she would go outside but hasn't the energy to open the cat flap. Although her head moves quite freely and she is quite alert the rest of her body seems to struggle, she is constantly purring and sleeps on the sofa which she hops on and off by herself. I don't know how long it takes for a cat to put on a sufficient amount of weight or whether something else is going internally with her.
The downside to all of this is, is that the house now stinks to high heaven, however much cleaning I do an hour or 2 later we're back to the same situation at least four or five times a day I have to scrub the kitchen floor. My own cats have by and large left her alone as though they can sense she is ill, normally they will be territorial but I cannot say they have with her, maybe they don't see her as any kind of threat. All of my cats have more or less gone off their food which just sits there. I wished she had never turned up here, I know that may not sound nice from a cat person but I just don't need this right now nor is it something I want....

emmmy_lou · « **Reply #20 on:** September 02, 2015, 13:12:49 PM »

I think I would be giving her kitten food? It is much more calorific, so she wont need to eat as much to get her weight up. You can mix some water in with it too if she isn't drinking, then this will keep her more hydrated.

I think I would avoid the treats too, only as it may upset her stomach and undo the hard work you are doing.

I wonder if there is something else going on though, I know she is extremely skinny, but she sounds exhausted poor thing!

I would put out posters and flyers, facebook have lots of local missing animal sites too if you have access.

She sounds really sweet and someone may be missing her dearly.

Rosella moggy · « **Reply #19 on:** August 30, 2015, 09:34:07 AM »

Wet food little and often suggested here too with access to water. I would just keep it simple and mush the food up as much as possible. Not sure I would be giving treats in case she gets diarrhea which would be very unpleasant for her.

Does she groom at all? I suspect not

When she lies down, does she show signs of any discomfort?

Hope the fleas have cleared up

Sue P (Paddysmum) · « **Reply #18 on:** August 30, 2015, 09:02:31 AM »

Good points, Rosella and Julie. Easy to get emotional about things like this. Sorry.

But even if she has 3 or 4 days where she's looked after, it's a better conclusion than the alternative.

I think I'd stick with little and often too, in terms of meals.

How's she doing today?

Mymblesdaughter · « **Reply #17 on:** August 29, 2015, 20:24:45 PM »

I fostered a underweight cat that had been a stray. The rescue recommended lots of small meals and only wet food.

Gill (sneakiefeline) · « **Reply #16 on:** August 29, 2015, 19:25:34 PM »

I think its probably best to feed small meals often...........poor lil girl she is trying to make up for lost time with her food and her body is so tired now she has found somewhere to be.

I think even once an hour or 2 but only small meals which she will probably gobble. As she starts to put on weight then the meals can get bigger and less often.

Others may have other ideas.

Is she drinking?

barney101 · « **Reply #15 on:** August 29, 2015, 11:06:01 AM »

Having never had to do this before, how would you guys be feeding her? When she first arrived I put down 2 bowls of wet food and she ate the lot and fell asleep with her face in the bowl. Yesterday after giving her some advocate she vomited twice after eating at two different times. At the moment she is getting what the others get felix as good as it looks, I also give her a couple of webbox yoghurt licky things as my thinking is at least these are liquid and she laps them up.... This morning after having something to eat she went into the garden to do her business and then just crashed out there and then. What I don't want to be doing is feeding her wrongly........

bickhamwitch · « **Reply #14 on:** August 29, 2015, 10:15:01 AM »

I agree about vets or anyone not being able to judge a cats age by their teeth. My Gracie who looked ancient and I was told she was over ten has been with me for ten years and looks no different. Thierry age 3 has lost 24 teeth, whilst Solly 11 has a perfect white set. Hebe 15 has only a coupe of teeth, whilst her brother has a perfect almost white set. I think it very difficult to age most cats. Diet can also make a difference as well to the condition of the teeth.
Julie.

Rosella moggy · « **Reply #13 on:** August 29, 2015, 09:05:40 AM »

I don't think I would be so quick to damn the vet tbh

That weight is extremely light for a cat of normal height. Without various blood tests, the vet would find it very difficult to say what could be wrong with her. I'm also not at all sure vets can age a cat very well from condition of teeth. We have 7 mogs running our lives and the eldest has the best set of teeth.

I was in a similar position a couple of months back. At least I had the reassurance that there was a large lump on one of the stray cat's kidneys and we said goodbye to her after 5 days or so. In the meantime, I made her as comfortable as possible and did my best to find her owner ... posters, leaflets etc. Well done for doing your best for this poor mite. Even if it ends similar to our poor stray you will have done what you can to make her comfortable and feel loved. I do however hope you can nurse her back to health but very much understand you not wishing to take on another

Sue P (Paddysmum) · « **Reply #12 on:** August 29, 2015, 07:43:28 AM »

And this poor little girl is only ten.

It's not old when you think what her potential could be with good food, veterinary CARE and loving attention. Makes me growl to think of this vet's attitude.

Gill (sneakiefeline) · « **Reply #11 on:** August 29, 2015, 01:35:16 AM »

Second what has been said about the vet, she deserves a chance,

My Ducha was also extremly light at the end of his life so cant imagine and adult cat that light.

Thank you for giving her a chance

heather sullivan · « **Reply #10 on:** August 28, 2015, 23:21:28 PM »

Bloody vets suggesting the easy way out! If she was someone's pet and insured they would offer every test and scan under the sun. Just because a cat could be a stray doesn't mean they can't be helped

She may have a thyroid problem or been locked in someones shed for a while? Well done for feeding her and giving her a chance, hopefully if she pulls through she could have another good few years to enjoy and there may be a desperate owner out there looking for her

barney101 · « **Reply #9 on:** August 28, 2015, 20:00:29 PM »

Yep he was just writing her off, or at least that was the way it came across to me, anyway hopefully she'll put on some weight over the next 7-10 days and we can avoid the worst case scenario. From my point of view it would just be crazy having another cat in the house, feeding her or getting healthcare for her isn't the issue its just having another one is and a line has to be drawn, not just for me but for the other cats as well and I really don't want to become a cattery...

Sootyca · « **Reply #8 on:** August 28, 2015, 19:32:25 PM »

1.65kg

Poor little girl - my stray boy, turned outdoor cat was 2.2kg at the end and he was skin and bones so can't imagine how tiny this little one must be.

I had 2 when I took him on - a bit like you I couldn't turn him away when he turned up poorly. He lived his life outside though and was happy with that as he didn't like being cooped up inside - I made him a shelter (complete with comfy bed) and he had regular meals.

Even if you do have to have her put to sleep it will be a better end than the one she would otherwise have to look forward to.

Sue P (Paddysmum) · « **Reply #7 on:** August 28, 2015, 19:22:34 PM »

Oh no. How awful. Did the vet actually hazard a guess at these illnesses or were they just writing her off like so much dross?

Thank you at least for giving her a chance. Sounds like maybe a case for a local cat rescue to help out?

barney101 · « **Reply #6 on:** August 28, 2015, 18:40:20 PM »

Hi again, thanks for the welcome back. Well we went to the vets, the cat is a female, shockingly she only weighs 1.65kg, she's lost some teeth including a couple of canines. Vet seems to think she's around 10yrs old, no microchip was found, said she may have several different diseases and suggested I should consider having her put to sleep, which just seemed the easy option out. Anyway going to give her a chance to put on some weight as she is eating and drinking, she's found the litter tray without even being shown which room it is in, which is a good thing and gives me the impression that she belongs to someone. I'm not really sure how things are going to turn out, it really is impractical for me to take on another cat, nor do I want another cat having 10 is more than enough. All of mine are aged between 5yrs - 12yrs 95 percent of the time we're fine and the other 5 percent of the time I think this is all a bit too much, so another one is definitely out of the question...... Should have left the backdoors closed yesterday afternoon lol...

Sue P (Paddysmum) · « **Reply #5 on:** August 28, 2015, 07:07:02 AM »

I'm so sorry you've had an absolutely wretched time of things, but welcome back to you and all of your furbabies. Bless you too for taking in this poor little cat.

I would also suggest Acclaim or Indorex for treating the house, but agree I wouldnt use anything on her until she's been seen by a vet, and they can advise. In her current condition, a good de-flea with a comb may be the best solution, if she'll tolerate it.

Am wishing you good luck with the vet visit, and hope this little girl's story is about to change for the better now she's made her way to your door.

bickhamwitch · « **Reply #4 on:** August 28, 2015, 02:09:44 AM »

The little cat looks very sorry for itself. Looks like she/he has been having a hard time surviving. Hopefully the vet can sort things out. Poor little soul.
Julie.

Author Topic: Newly arrived stray (Read 18886 times)