My kitties are disaster magnets!

I'm taking him to the vet today, I just want some vibes for both my kitties.

I haven't posted too recently, because I was getting tired of starting new posts when it seemed like every week I had another problem with Lorelei. But I'm getting too stressed and I need release!

Lorelei had an allergic reaction to something, to the point where she had scabs all down her back and she was beginning to lose her hair at the base of her tale and creeping up her back. By this point she'd been to the vet so much she'd earned the nickname of "our problem child". They gave her a cortisone shot and said to keep an eye on her so we could figure out if it was a pollen problem or a good problem. Oh, and now she's on a diet because she put on 7 ounces in a month I'll stop worrying about her not getting enough to eat.

A week later, just a few hours before they called to check up on her health, Lorelei had started having sneezing fits, though I couldn't see anything coming out. I mentioned this on the phone and they said to give it a few days to figure out if it was the allergy or just normal sneezing. Since the sneezing went on all weekend even after I vacuumed and changed out the littler in the cat boxes, I had her in yesterday and they diagnosed her with a mild URI (she sneezed right on the table, so it was easy to figure out). They said that I'm better off letting it run its course since the only problem is the sneezing and its still very clear with only a damper than normal kitty nose.

I get her home and take a good look at Carter - his left eye is soaking wet. Now, he's always had a slightly squinty left eye that goes away after awhile and I've had to clean off the ducts almost daily if he didn't do it himself. But nothing seemed out of place until yesterday when he practically had little waterfalls coming out of that eye. By evening, he only had it half open. By morning, he had been sleeping next to my bed again and didn't even pounce on me at the sound of the alarm. I turned on the lights and his eye completely shut and looked swollen. He'd open it all the way only for about a second before clamping it back closed. He was completely miserable

So, another trip to the vet in about an hour to get him checked out. I suspect conjunctivitis - the symptoms sound right. I feel so bad for him...at least Lorelei seems to have finally shaken off her sickness funk.

Sending lots of vibes for your kitties!

Aaaaand now that Lorelei's stopped sneezing, Carter's got her URI plus coughing...plus the eye problems. The vet gave me eye drops for him. It could be conjunctivitis, or it could be herpes. We're both hoping for the former. I spent quite a while not only getting a drop in his eye before work, but also decrusting it.

And and top of it all, he's got fleas, so both kitties have feline Advantage on them now.

Should I take him back to the vet for the URI? The sneezes are clear and he's still eating and drinking plenty. Since Lorelei's wasn't serious and didn't need the vet visit, I'm gun shy about taking Carter again if it just needs to run its course.

I would watch him closely. I just had that problem with my Cats. Meeko had a high Fever with URI and woudnt eat or anything. I took her and sh got better with Meds then Coco caught it. I took her fast because her age and Asthma. She is on Meds. My Kitten caught it too but she is getting better without the Vet. The only Cat that didnt catch it was Sasha. I have been at the Vet almost every week with a Cat since Nov. I hope I am done now. I know how you feel going to a Vet all the time. I lost 2 of my Cats.

I'm keeping a very close eye on him. I asked my mom to head over an check up on him midday, and she said he didn't seem any worse. The vet said to keep a close eye on him and if his symptoms got worse to bring him in. Checking on him tonight, he seems a little lethargic, but I had no trouble getting him to eat a little food as a test (most of the dry food was already gotten - I know Lorelei didn't eat all of it!), and I did watch him use the litterbox to make sure he'd been drinking. But his little eye had crusted shut during the day, so before I could even give him his drop, I had to spend about five minutes with a moist eye wipe cleaning off the goop. He certainly had the energy to keep squirming out of my arms Oh, and now his other eye was leaking really bad, so I bumped him up to getting a drop in each eye just to keep them both healthy.

Still could use some vibes for him - he's really miserable right now.

Sending a lot of vibes for Carter...
Both of my cats got a URI (one still has it), so if you have any questions, I think I now know pretty much everything there is to know on the subject (I've been reading and asking a lot about it, since Tania had it so severe she wouldn't eat and drink by herself). Just make sure he keeps eating/drinking and he should recover fast . As for the eye, I'm no expert, but I hope everything gets back to normal soon!

Well Carter's heading back to the vet this afternoon - the other eye is starting to have swelling in it and the URI isn't getting any better. The worse eye crusted over while I was at work the last *two* days, and he's figured out that if I go for the eye wipes, he's about to get a wipe down. I didn't want to ask for anymore time off, so my mom is taking him to the vet for me and I'm going to meet her up there if they're still in because the appointment is the same time I actually get off work.

I'm so nervous...he's a real trooper through all this, but now he's nervous every time I pick him up because about half the time it's to clean off an eye or put drops in them. At least the fleas are clearing up and Lorelei has maintained her health since her URI cleared up. She's been keeping the rest of him clean, such a good girl.

Out of curiosity, what litter do you use or have you been changing brands? We changed to something perfumey and Carly had squinty, watery eyes soon after. We changed to something without perfume (though more dusty than I like) and she cleared right up.

I'm currently using Tidy Cat Small Spaces. The watery eye thing started a while back, and the swelling just started last week. I did consider the litter, but the vet was pretty sure it wasn't that.

All right, weekend update. Carter is now on an antibiotic along with the eye drops. He's making a slow, steady recovery, but he does seem to be returning to his old self again. I never thought I'd be *happy* to have him knocking stuff off the nightstand again

Yay!
It's great he is doing better! Keep us posted on his recovery...

for Carter

Marilou

Awwww...poor kitties! Hope they both feel better soon!!!

All right, update time.

Lorelei: Still healthy, but she's starting to scratch more. I'm keeping an eye out for a return of scabs, but they have not returned since I took care of both kitties flea problems!

Carter: Back to his old self. Actually more energetic than before - I've kicked him out of the bedroom the last few nights because he's started biting my shoulder every day at 6 AM to get me up otherwise. Which is fine on work days, but not weekends meanie! He is back on a pill antibiotic to clear up a case of diarrhea which is apparently working, but the little jerk keeps hiding the pill and spitting it out after I think he's swallowed it! He's tough to pill...

Otherwise, disasters are minimal right now. Knock on wood!