help new kitty so sick!

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It was my birthday on friday, on thrusday I went to the shelter to donate cat food...I took a peek in and fell in love with a black torso shell kitten. She appeared healthy, no discharge, playful aware clear eyes....6 months, was found on the street wrapped in a scarf. so I decided i wanted her for my birthday gift. I called my husband he said "NO" then another girl wanted her so I said take her my husband doesn't want more than 2. anyways we exchanged emails, and I was so upset when I got home because I really wanted her. then my husband changed his mind. I was so mad. So I emailed her to check up with her, hoping the kitty was happy and that that would make me happier. To my surprise she didn't take her because her husband wanted a 2 month kitten. So I went back to the shelter and picked her up! She seemed so healthy I was so excited I got her! I brought her home, she was checked by the vet there and was said to be fine, just needing the booster in a month. To be safe as my vet said, I isolated her from my other two cats for 2 weeks minimum. For the first day she was fine. Then the occasional sneeze. then in just a few hours her nose/eyes were leaking sneezes were getting bad, and she was drooling like crazy. I was so scared. I never had a sick kitty like this. She stopped eating and drinking, and wasn't sleeping at all. So ofcourse I took her to the vet. She is still there he said it is an URI with an infection possibly. She also has tapewroms. He is giving her fluids to hydrate her and antibiotic shots. She tested negative for felv/fiv, but I have such fears she is not going to make it, and my husbnad is freaking on the cost to help her! I don't care about the cost (although my bank account probably does) just want to save her. He will update me on her condition in the morning, hopefully the antbiotics will give her enough of a boost that she can start to beat the virus, but if she won't eat or has other reason for the drooling, it doesn't look good. Please pray for my kitty, she was so sweet and loving, I couldn't handle seeing her sick, it was killing me and still is, and cant do anything else but wonder about how she is doing! It is aweful and I feel so terrible....He said her throat must be so soar she doesn't want to swollow hence the drooling...oh yeah and no ulcers in her mouth..It was so hard seeing her drooling like that outh open, unable to breath through her nose....Please pray for my kitty!
 

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I am sure she will be okay with some TLC. If it comes down to it,most vets will let you make payments, so it's not so bad on the checking account. She's very lucky you stopped by that day
 

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You scared me!! I was so worried at the start of your story.
I had a kitty who survived pneumonia in the womb and had that and a URI as a kitten (before I got him) and he pulled through. Veterinary science is very good now and they have so much they can do for your kitty.

Tapeworms are not really bad. If your cat has to have worms, those are the best LOL. They don't take as much nutrition from your cat as some other worms and generally are easy to get rid of (not counting any underlying flea problems).

Have faith, she is in the right place and her problems are very fixable. She WILL be okay! Power of positive thinking!
 
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I also forgot to mention she had a high fever, do you really think she will be ok? I have heard so many stories about cats dying form URI as kittens, is it because she is 6 months that she will get over it? My vet was most concerned about the drooling/foaming... and the quickness it came on...has anyone else had a cat get so sick so sudden? Gasping for air?? He aslo said if her condition doesn't improve he thinks furthur blood work will be needed to check her kidney/liver...anyone else have this excessive drooling with uri before? I have seen many sick cats at the shelter, but not like the way she became. Perhaps it just looks worse than it is? Also, I didn't know tape worms meant she had fleas, what's the best way to get rid of them? Our my other cats at risk even though she was isolated? I didn't mean to scare anyone, I guess I just new at this, so don't know what to expect, both my other cats had mild sneezing when i got them, but it went away with antibiotics and they never didn't eat/drink or sleep....
 

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Oh Anita, no need to worry about scaring me, I meant that more in a tone of relief. I was worried it would be FIP or a more severe disease.

Yes your kitty is very sick but I really hope they can help her. They will do all they can, and many cats, especially older kittens like 6 months can pull through this. She has help and you to love her as well.

Most tapeworms come from fleas, it's the intermediate part of the process. There are other tapeworms too. And she might not have fleas, it just means at some point she ate one or got one of the other kinds of tapeworms somehow. I just meant that tapeworms are easy to treat so long as she doesn't have fleas. When the cat still has fleas, and you deworm them (you need a special kind of dewormer for tapes, most regular ones only get rounds and whips), if they still have fleas they just get tapeworms again. If she doesn't have fleas, the wormer should be a solution.

I'll keep your kitty in my prayers and please keep us updated on her progress. I can't wait to hear that she's better and on her way home!!
 
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Hey! My new kitty is dong better, after the vet gave all sorts of things, anti-iflammatories, antibiotics, injections, fluids, she ate this morning and her fever is down! Now she is back home, looks better, she is still sneezing and drooling, but not drooling like before. I need to feed her tonight, and they said if she doesn't eat to call...hopefully she will have an easy recovery, since it is also a new home for her, I hope she adjusts well to us and the other cats(eventually-when clean bill of health reached)
 
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also I was wondering how often should I go in the room to be with her? Should I minimize contact since she doesn't know me, and only go in to feed/medicate her? I don't want to cause her any extra stress...plus I haven't heard a sneeze in a while now...any thoughts?
 

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Glad to hear she is home!!

I probably would treat her like a sick kid. Does she seem nervous around you? I wouldn't bug her too much, but I'm sure she likes to see you and be cared for. I think you're the only one who can really answer that question by trying to see how she reacts to you.
 

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im glad to hear that she is better. What ever she had ,she sure got a bad case of it. She will most likely sleep more than usual, just like a person who is sick would. Its important to remember to wash your hands good when going between her and your other cats. You dont need anymore little paitents.
 
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I went in a couple of times today, when she was sleeping I left quietly, one time she was up, I just talked to her a bit and left, she started to meow, and cry, so I 23we said maybe she wants me back in, so I went in, she jumped on me cuddled, purred away and fell asleep in my arms. My gosh was I shocked she was this sweet. Then my husband came to see her, but with him she w;lllllllllas all claws, and didn't want to leave me. She just doesn't knowpl; him yet, although I must say I have always bonded with cats, but not to this effect this quickly.
 
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oh my, sorry for the typos my other kitten Leo, was walking on the keyboard! and the new kitty ate well tonight, what a relief, and she has been sleeping most of the time, which I know is good because it's giving her body time to heal. She really is like a little baby. I have been washing my hands like crazy to minimize contact to my other cats, and changed clothes too, just to be extra safe.
I have a question not to do with my kitty, but at the shelter, a lot of cats have what she has, and they won't get treament unless someone takes them, can cats survive this without treatment when the syptoms are really bad? I am wondering because I don't see the point of putting them up for adoption without treating them first, most people won't pick a very sick cat, especially those with other cats. The vet at the shelter told me its a virus, and nothing can be done, but as in the case with my kitty, she would have died, because without treatment she would not eat or drink.... I am starting to question what this shelter is doing to these animals. I recently found out there is a no-kill shelter here in montreal, and now think I will direct others there first.
 

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I too have noticed all the cats having respiratory infections in all of the humane soc. shelters in my area. I wanted to adopt a second cat but couldent because i dident want to bring the illness home. I traveled to 5 different ones in quest for a new cat. only one of the shelters of the 5 had a healthy group, they sequetered their sick cats. Thats where i got my Binky. It was a search though. Their are probebly a lot of people who have had your experience with sick kittys. It sounds like you are doing a good job with your new kitty!
 
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that is the problem right now. My husband doesn't want to keep her because she is so sick....we are afraid it will be chronic and infect my other healthy cats. I don't know what to do, she is so sweet I want to keep her, but I can't bare the thought of my other cats getting sick because of her. I have her isolated, but this can only be temporary as I live in a condo. My vet is also concerned about my other kitties, I get the feeling he thinks I shouldn't have rescued her. Although her symtons are getting better, one of her eyes is getting worse, the corner is red and swollen and the third eyelid is covering her eye a bit, but not too much discharge, it's just wierd because up until today her eyes were clear. I have taken these two days off work, but must go back tommorrow. I don't know what to do, perhaps I should find her a home, when she is better with someone else where she would be the only cat. My husband is mad at me for spending so much time with my cats, It's just making think maybe I did a wrong decision by taking her in. I could never forgive myself if I hurt my other kitties.
 

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I doubt that its going to be chronic. You brought her this far and she is getting better. You just have to hang in there. I remeber asking my vet, when i was looking in the shelters, about isolating a new cat with the shelter flu and she said 2 weeks. It wont be forever. Her eyes will clear up too. Just keep in contact with your vet and she will be scampering around the whole house soon.

Dont give up yet! Their must be many people who have had your exact situation,( i have ) and it sounds like the hardest days are behind you. I understand your concern about the risk to your other cats,(worrie,worrie,worrie) but i cant give you any advice about that. They are your kittys and i dont want to impose myself.
 
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