Lucy's Got Cat Flu

Just came back from the vets after having to get an emergency appointment (it's just after 5am here in the UK).

It was the out-of-hours vet and they were very good. They gave Lucy an antibiotic shot and an anti-inflammatory shot so hopefully she will feel better in a few hours. They checked her temperature and it is normal so that's a good thing. It seems to be more up in her head, like a heavy cold in a human. She has got a sore throat and mouth with it too, so no wonder she's not eating very much poor thing.

I'm really annoyed with my own vet's practice though as I pleaded with them to see her on Friday and they wouldn't. The owner of the practice was having a few days off and isn't due back in until Monday morning. The other vet I've never been too keen on and I think had he seen her on Friday which is what I wanted, I wouldn't have had to have got an emergency appointment today. That little lot just cost me £117 which we can ill afford, so I'm not happy as regards that. I do feel a little happier that Lucy's finally got some medication. I just hope it works for her.

Oh dear, poor Lucy. But thank goodness she now has treatment. Cat flu is very nasty - I nursed a cat through it once and he only just made it. I do hope all goes well with her.

Poor Lucy, and I send hisses to that darn vet! Hug her for me. GOod luck, and I hope this is over soon.

What does 117mean? I don't know moeny other than USA currency.

Poor Lucy!! And poor you for having to go to the emergency vet!! (However, I'm thankful that you have an emergency vet to go to!)

I've been there, done that with a kitty! It's so hard watching them while they are sick. Lots of steam time in the bathroom will help, as well as lots of yummy, very smelly wet food to help her get her strength back. Watch to make sure she's eating and drinking. If you don't think she's getting better, take her back to the vet.

Stephanie

Hopefully you caught it in time & she'll make a quick recovery despite your nasty vet.

I hope Lucy gets feeling better soon and gets over the cat flu.

I hope she gets better quickly!

Originally Posted by batgirl2good

What does 117mean? I don't know moeny other than USA currency.

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It's about $225 USD, that's about the normal cost for an out of hours vet visit plus antibiotic here in the UK.

She had this 14 months ago and ended up spending 4 days in the vets hooked up to an IV drip. That time she had a raging fever as well, this time her temperature is normal. We know we were very lucky to pull her through the last time as her age was against her. Her age is even more against her now. She's somewhere between 16 and 20 so this time, I am sadly prepared for the worst. I think I know deep down it will take a miracle to pull her through this time and I've had just over a year to prepare for the inevitable - but it is so hard. I don't want to let her go, but I know I may well have to if she doesn't respond to the antibiotics. Although I have 9 other cats, Lucy has always been my "very special" cat and the sorrow I feel right now feels like a red hot knife, I love her so much

How long should it take for the antibiotic injection to start taking effect and hopefully make her feel better, because when I checked on her an hour ago (we're all taking turns every half hour or so to check on her) I stroked her and she stood up, turned round and sat down again quickly facing the opposite way from me (that really hurt ) My husband's upstairs with her now.

Something else worries me - something quite uncanny. Lucy has never got on with my other cats except one - Snowy. She has always had a "ritual" that goes like this.

We go to bed. Lucy jumps up purring, rolling over for us to make a fuss of her. Then, when we put the lights out she sits on my husband for 5 or 10 minutes. She then jumps onto me for the same length of time then jumps down and has something to eat. She then jumps back on the bed, sits on my husband for a while, then sits on me for a while then goes and sits on my pillow where she'll push me off and she'll still be there in the morning. If Snowy is staying in, if he tries to come on the pillow she hisses at him and smacks his nose. One night about 2 months ago, Snowy came up to come on the pillow and Lucy just stood up and let him. She spent the night curled up on my husband. Over the past few weeks, bit by bit it's as if she's handing over her reign of our bedroom to Snowy. This past week Snowy has been very subdued. Usually when he goes out, he'll stay out for several hours. This week, he's gone out and come back in again within 10 minutes. It makes me think she knows she's not going to be here very long and is trying to get Snowy to take her place. I think maybe he knows too. Another strange thing is that although Snowy was born into the family he doesn't get on that well with the other cats, especially Spook but he's always, from a kitten been close to Lucy. He's feeling lost and unhappy too so we are trying to make a fuss of him. For several weeks now Snowy is the one who shares my pillow and not Lucy. Very uncanny.