I think my cat is dying :(

[lilysguardian]

Lily has been my outdoor cat for 11 years... she started out as a very wild abandoned kitten whom I tried to bring indoors but she never accepted it.  I was able to get her into a cage for vaccinations and spaying 10 and a half years ago before letting her back outside but since have rarely been able to even pick her up though I could pet her from time to time.  This summer she began to sleep more and more...and 3 days ago her behavior radically changed during a heatwave.  Normally she would sleep up on my deck or in hidden areas, and then come into the garage at night to sleep and eat (We have also always had food and water outside too), but all of a sudden she stopped wanting to come in, and started resting in random open shaded areas in my yard.  Her fur (normally clean) is dirty, eyes gunky and glassy, I can see her breathing, and she just seems extra confused.  I was able to get her into the garage yesterday after 2 nights of being worried sick, but couldn't catch her there and today she ran out and went back to this new routine of sleeping in open areas and overall acting strangely.  She doesn't appear to have an appetite and I have set water bowls near her new outside areas though have not seen her drink.  I want to help my sweet, wild kitty but am at a loss as to how to get her to see a vet.  If this is indeed the end (though 11 seems so young!), I don't want her to suffer.  I'm also scared something will 'get' her while she is outside.  I realize this is a long shot but does anyone have any ideas how I could get her some help?  Isn't 11 too young to die of old age?

 

[lilysguardian]

also important to note.. the heatwave ended and she still doesn't want to come in or be touched... it was already over the first time I got her in the garage after she started acting sick.

 

[StefanZ]

It may be so she is dying although just 11 years.  Not by old age, but say, some kidney fault or even heart fault...

The peculiar is, they say dyeing animals go hide themselves.  But she apparently wants to be found by predators.  A sort of try to end her life by will??

Peculiar.

May it be she is depressed??   Had she perhaps a cat friend, who died / diappeared??

Anyways, you have two alternatives. 

1.  Let the nature take its course - that is apparently what she wants.  Dont adding any extra stress on her.

I mean, severly sick semiferales, quite often do seek human help when they are almost dying.  Especielly if they know a friendly human.   The big extra plus with this behavior is, if they survive, they gets very often also socialized in the process - the days of being severly sick and being taking care off, opens anew the window of easy socialization.

It seems it is not so here.   She wants to be left alone, to die or live through on her own.  Near your place to be sure, but on her own.

2.  IF you want to try  save her, you must take her, and keep her in a cage of type  dog cage.   Its the only way, as she knows how to flee from the garage.

Having her caged, it will also be easier to give her medicines.   Being caged, you have a Feliway diffuser on, calming classical music, etc...

How to trap, I dont know.  Human trap?  Throw a  blanket  over her??

So get yourself such a cage, and proceed from there.

Good luck!

I

 

[msaimee]

Can you get her into a carrier or a humane trap?  I think that if there's a way you can capture her in order to get her to a vet, you should do so, so you know what's going on and can have peace of mind. If she's in kidney failure, then you can either return her back home to die in your yard, or have her humanely euthanized at the vet's. On the other hand, it could be something that's treatable like a urinary tract infection or parasites or some kind of infection. You can treat a feral cat for many of these conditions by putting antibiotics in their food. Orbax is a liquid, scentless, palatable antibiotic you dose your cat with only once daily by putting it into the food, perhaps something tasty like a little tuna. It's pricey--about 40 dollars a bottle--but it's what I use on my feral cat because he won't go near food that has the nasty pink liquid amoxicillin or the liquid clindamycin. At any rate, I wouldn't assume she wants to die. She likely just wants to be better. Try to get her to the vet, then you will have peace of mind that you've done everything you can to save her.

 

[Norachan]

I think the best thing to do is try and trap her and get her to a vet. If she isn't eating she won't let herself be enticed into a regular trap, but maybe you could set up a drop trap in one of her new resting spots.

 

[StefanZ]

 I agree with the above posters.   Get her to the vet if you can.   Letting "nature take its course" is a bad solution, more for being complete, than as my suggestion.

I still think, if you want to give her help at home - after the vet visit - the best here is to use a cage, not the garage as such.  You can have the cage in the garage is you wish.  

Good luck!  @LilysGuardian  

 

[lilysguardian]

Thank you for the replies!  Gotta love my fellow cat lovers <3

I'm still trying to catch her to get her to the vet.  It's reassuring that she's strong enough to get away from me, but at the same time I know she needs help and I want to provide it.  I'm going to see if i can find a better cage at our local Rural King (Farm store)- i think that's my best chance of finding a drop trap.  I have a pet carrier for my tame indoor cat but I think it's going to require more than that.  Today she ate a few bites of wet food and I saw her taking a bit of water...but her breathing is still labored and she keeps laying out in the open *until I approach her, of course..facepalm*. 

@StefanZ .. I don't think she is depressed... there haven't been any changes around the house, there is another cat here but they have a hate/hate relationship.. it's kind of sweet though, the other cat (who likes to go out in the yard from time to time) seems to know she is sick and doesn't try to intimidate her as she has sometimes done in the past.  If I can get her through this illness I hope maybe Lily and I can have a closer relationship, I would prefer if I could have her indoors as I always worry about my pretty kitty!

@MsAimee   It's good to know there is an antibiotic available that feral cats will accept!!  I really wasn't sure what was out there... I hope hope hope that whatever she has is treatable with something like that!!

@Norachan Yes, I'm going to try to do just that!!  Fingers crossed!!

 

[lilysguardian]

Lily, in better days... 

View media item 235764

 

[Norachan]

She's so pretty.

Good luck with the trapping, I hope she doesn't have anything to seriously wrong with her.

Fingers crossed for Lily.

 

[lilysguardian]

Thanks so much @Norachan !!

I have good news to report-  I finally got Lily to see a vet today!

Her labs were all normal (white blood cells not elevated, no kidney impairment, no diabetes), she passed her physical exam... the only things the vet could find wrong were dehydration, a fever, and fleas (I do have Frontline and put it on Lily when I get the chance but haven't been able to since July) so she gave her some fluids under her skin, a shot of Penicillin (with instructions to bring her back for another dose tomorrow if I can get her back in the cage), and a fancy flea collar that lasts for 8 months and is supposedly better than Frontline.  She also gave me some Hills a/d wet food to help with Lily's appetite...and boy has it worked, she lapped up the first little bit I put out for her and every bit since.  She's still acting strangely and just sitting still in the garage but she probably needs some time for all the treatments to work.  The other interesting thing is that while I had her in the cat carrier, she was perfectly happy.  She behaved better than my tame cat at the vet!

Anyway just wanted to post an update.  Heres to hoping things continue to go well!  I feel such a sense of relief now that I've been able to get her to see the doc.

 

[Norachan]

That's great. 

Glad it wasn't anything too serious. I hope she's feeling better soon.

 

[msaimee]

I'm so glad you decided to take her to the vet and get checked out! Is there any chance you could take her into a room in your home, at least until she's recovered? If she was docile in the pet carrier and at the vet's, she may be ready to settle down inside your home.

 

[queenof3]

I'm so glad you decided to take her to the vet and get checked out! Is there any chance you could take her into a room in your home, at least until she's recovered? If she was docile in the pet carrier and at the vet's, she may be ready to settle down inside your home.

@MsAimee, that was my exact thought too.

I hope she feels better soon.

 

[lilysguardian]

Thanks so much, again everybody

I managed to get her into the cage again the next day for a second Penicillin shot.  The vet checked, said she was no longer dehydrated, and told me that if she wasn't showing any other signs of improvement by Friday to bring her back in..but I still haven't gotten a definite diagnosis.  I didn't try to take her back on Friday because she started wrapping around my legs on Thursday night and she has been eating the Hills wet food really well.  However, I still can't help now but notice a continued major change in her mental status.  I let her go outside on Friday after she wrapped around my legs (thinking that was improvement) which she wanted so very badly.  She continued to just sit out in the middle of my yard but was easy to get back into the garage.  Today she stayed in all day, but I was gone for part of it so I didn't offer her the chance to go out (fortunately I went in someone else's car)....but now she isn't eating again.  I just have this feeling that something is majorly wrong though I know all her lab work tells me otherwise.  Heck, her results are better than mine!

I'd love to take her inside but really she hated the indoors the first time i tried and her favorite thing seems to be the garage/outdoor combo.  I have wanted to get her to the vet from the beginning of her health issues but she never allowed before the time I got the chance and took her immediately.  I feel like I've done everything I can and I think maybe its time for another vet visit on Monday maybe for some sort of internal imaging.  I just feel like there is more going on than the initial fever and dehydration... like maybe she has had a stroke or something.   I just hate all this and not knowing.

. 

 

[queenof3]

I know how you must feel. It took me month and half to finally get a diagnosis for my cat. The vet kept diagnosing him with fever of unknown origin and he recieved three different antibiotics to no avail. Needless to say the whole process was so taxing on my cat and me. The vet kept repeating labs, which were off initially but after a week they were normal. He continued to have runny eyes and his appetite was nearly gone. I was so miserable as was he. In the end I took him to the humane society of NY by someone's recommendation on this site. I was told the doctors there know more. My cat was diagnosed with clinical form of toxoplasmosis. He had to eat another month of antibiotics. He's still recovering but no longer on the antibiotics. His health is much better and he's slowly going back to his old self. Perhaps your cat will take some time to recover? If you feel uncomfortable about her health and think there might be some other underlying issue, maybe you should consider taking her to a humane society hospital.

I wish you and your cat good luck on her path to better health. Sending good vibes and positive thoughts your way.

 

[fuzzycat]

My experience is limited but here goes anyway;

Cat can change. It may be that when she was younger she did not want to be outside, but now that she is not feeling well or is slowing down a little she is ready. Give bringing her inside a try. Don't assume that because in the past she didn't like it she won't know. It sounds like she wants more attention for whatever reason. You always have to be willing to, as a former teacher of mine from Germany use to say, " make a little test."

How close does she stay to your yard? Is it possible she had a close call with a dog, car etc? I have seen a cat change behavior after a big scare.

The extra handling they get when they are sick can make a big difference. So know that an event like this can turn an outside scardy-cat into a proper inside house cat.  I have seen that happen several times.

Beyond that, my rule of thumb is, if there is a significant change in behavior.......go to the vet. Trust yourself on that one.

Good luck!

 

[Norachan]

I was going to say the same thing as @Fuzzycat.  She might be feeling unwell or she might have decided she's ready to give the indoor life a try.

My avatar cat, Gin kun, turned up outside my house about three years ago. He must have had a home before as he was very friendly and let me pet him straight away, but he'd obviously been living outside for a long time. He turned up one day with his ear almost ripped right off, but he let me pick him up and put him in a carrier. He didn't complain at all while the vet cleaned and stitched it. As soon as he'd recovered from that I got him neutered but he'd never stay in the house.

This spring I noticed that he'd started to lose weight. The vet had to take two broken teeth out, he only has one fang left now. He's also starting to get arthritis in his back legs. I decided that he'd have to come with me when I moved house whether he liked it or not because he wouldn't be able to survive another Japanese winter out on his own. I was half expecting him to put up a fight, but he's settled in really well. We think he's around 13 years old now, about the same as Lily?

Maybe Lily has decided that she'd be better off indoors. You could start with the garage and then gradually coax her into the house as she feels more comfortable.

He's a picture of Gin, he's turned into a real couch potato.

Gin6.jpg

• Norachan
• Sep 7, 2014

Gin kun last year, when he was a 100% outdoor cat.

ginkun2.jpg

• Norachan
• Sep 7, 2014

 

[queenof3]

I was going to say the same thing as @Fuzzycat
.  She might be feeling unwell or she might have decided she's ready to give the indoor life a try.

My avatar cat, Gin kun, turned up outside my house about three years ago. He must have had a home before as he was very friendly and let me pet him straight away, but he'd obviously been living outside for a long time. He turned up one day with his ear almost ripped right off, but he let me pick him up and put him in a carrier. He didn't complain at all while the vet cleaned and stitched it. As soon as he'd recovered from that I got him neutered but he'd never stay in the house.

This spring I noticed that he'd started to lose weight. The vet had to take two broken teeth out, he only has one fang left now. He's also starting to get arthritis in his back legs. I decided that he'd have to come with me when I moved house whether he liked it or not because he wouldn't be able to survive another Japanese winter out on his own. I was half expecting him to put up a fight, but he's settled in really well. We think he's around 13 years old now, about the same as Lily?

Maybe Lily has decided that she'd be better off indoors. You could start with the garage and then gradually coax her into the house as she feels more comfortable.

He's a picture of Gin, he's turned into a real couch potato.

Gin6.jpg

• Norachan
• Sep 7, 2014

Gin kun last year, when he was a 100% outdoor cat.

ginkun2.jpg

• Norachan
• Sep 7, 2014

Wow, he's gorgeous! He looks really comfortable.

 

[Norachan]

Wow, he's gorgeous! He looks really comfortable.

Thank you. I think he's a handsome boy.

I got his first collar for him today, a black one with reflective silver studs. He looks so butch now.

 

[lynnew1]

I had to put my 2 sweet indoor cats down last week. An only telling you this because it taught me what to watch for. Ezra was 19 but in perfect health. 2 weeks ago she was very disoriented and her back legs kept failing her. Took her to the vet who ran all the tests (that came back fine) and he said she was just dehydrated. 2 days later she was bumping into everything and very distraught. I think a stroke or something left her blind and messed with her neurological system. The vet missed that part I guess when he checked her retinas. Charlie was always an energetic cat at 10 and loved people. He started hiding, not eating, and puking green liquid right after drinking water. He had been to the vet 2 months before and got a clean bill of health. Last week when I took him in he had massive tumors all over his stomach and kidneys that had been growing for about 2 months according to the new doctor. Cats are so good about hiding illness to protect themselves so anytime they act differently take note. They can no longer hide it and are in need of help. What I would give to have those two back.