Timeline of a URI

tdonline

TCS Member
Thread starter
Super Cat
Joined
Mar 20, 2009
Messages
707
Purraise
44
Short story: I adopted a pair of 6 months old 10 days ago and they were both sneezing. Six days ago, I returned them to the shelter to be nursed back to health. They had URIs, fever, eye infections and worms. One was eating well and the other had to be force fed and subcuteously fed fluids.

I visited them today and sadly, I do not see much improvement. As a matter of the fact, the non-eater is still not eating and was put on intravenous feeding this weekend. Whatever symptoms they had six days ago are still present.

I've never had cats so I'm not sure what kind of timeline I should have in mind? I know that when I have sinus infections, if the antibiotics do not kick in within 3 or 4 days, it usually means I need a different kind of antibiotics or prednisone. What should I look out for cats?

When will my girls turn the corner? The shelter are doing what they can and I don't doubt their commitment to the cats, it is 100%. I call daily to get updates and the shelter tells me I need to be patient. So help me here, when is it "patience" and when is it time to do something different? I don't want to step on toes, but ultimately it's about the cats' health.

The cats have not had blood work done. I think I should push for this procedure in my daily call on Monday.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #2

tdonline

TCS Member
Thread starter
Super Cat
Joined
Mar 20, 2009
Messages
707
Purraise
44
Just chatted with a friend and she had similar issues with her boy at his adoption time. She said that within a couple of days of being on meds, he started to show improvement. She thinks I should pull my girls and go to a cat-specialist vet since it's been a week since they went back to shelter and there hasn't been improvement. She said it shouldn't take this long to see improvement.

My girls aren't worse off, just not doing better.

Any opinions out there? Thanks.
 

mrblanche

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Jan 28, 2008
Messages
12,578
Purraise
119
Location
Texas
OK, I'll be honest with you. The shelter is the last place I would have taken them, unless you just want to give up on them and get a refund or a different cat. There is a constant influx of new germs there, both bacteria and viruses, and it's mighty hard to get well with all that coming in.

There may be something more going on, such as intestinal parasites or other problems. It's going to cost you, but I'd take them to your own vet for a thorough checkup.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #4

tdonline

TCS Member
Thread starter
Super Cat
Joined
Mar 20, 2009
Messages
707
Purraise
44
I do not want to give up on them. They've spent very little time in my home, but I've made a commitment to them. I want them healthy and here with me.

I volunteer for the shelter (though not at the HQ where the girls are being cared for, so I do not have a personal relationship with the staff there) and a fellow volunteer recommended going back to the shelter, she has a high regard for the vet who runs a clinic on site. In any case, it's a bit awkward at this point. But yes, considering the influx of cats, I now realize that the odds of catching something is pretty high. And the girls seemed pretty stressed out too. And I don't think they recognized me ;(

They are my first pets ever and I'm just so unsure of what to do. Every decision is fraught with agony/worry.
 

kscatlady

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Jan 13, 2009
Messages
1,847
Purraise
1
Location
Mulvane, Kansas
I don't have any advice. I just wanted to say I'm sorry you and your new kitties are having a rough time. Get better vibes for them and
for you.
 

mrblanche

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Jan 28, 2008
Messages
12,578
Purraise
119
Location
Texas
I feel so bad for people when an adoption runs into snags, but, to some extent, they all do. You can't know everything about the cat, you can't know what it's been exposed to, you can't even really get to know much about its personality in the short time you have with them before making a decision.

Maybe you can talk to the vet and get a better feel for what's going on.
 

miamaria

TCS Member
Adult Cat
Joined
Mar 1, 2009
Messages
117
Purraise
1
Location
MA
Sorry you are going through all this. It sounds like you need to bring the cats home with you ASAP and take them to an animal hospital or to a vet that can give them individual care and attention. This may sound cynical, but it doesn't seem like a shelter would have a lot of time and attention to devote to each of your cats, compared to a vet that you are paying to do so.

Good luck, I really hope your babies feel better soon! Congrats on getting your first kitties.. you are in for it!
 

white cat lover

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Nov 17, 2005
Messages
22,206
Purraise
35
If no improvement within 5 days on an anti-biotic, try a new/stronger one.

I'd pull them - as they are not going to get better near as well at the shelter.
 

stephanietx

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Dec 1, 2005
Messages
14,768
Purraise
3,490
Location
Texas
I think they'd do better in your home as well. The stress of the shelter is enough to make any cat sick, much less one who's already sick! You can learn to do sub-q fluids at home, or leave the one who's more sick at your own vet's clinic. When you bring them home, I'd suggest starting them on Lysine and using a Feliway diffuser.

Stephanie
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #10

tdonline

TCS Member
Thread starter
Super Cat
Joined
Mar 20, 2009
Messages
707
Purraise
44
Not going to say much more but it's gotten ugly. Hope that something can be worked out very soon.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #12

tdonline

TCS Member
Thread starter
Super Cat
Joined
Mar 20, 2009
Messages
707
Purraise
44
They are okay, but simply pulling them from the shelter isn't an option. I don't want to say much more at this point until we work something out. It has been an exhausting and depressing experience...
 

optionken

TCS Member
Adult Cat
Joined
Jul 8, 2008
Messages
286
Purraise
12
Many cats coming from shelters come with uri's. What has worked for me is giving l-lysene which is available at most pharmacies. I give 2 pills a day Each pill contains
250 mg. Best of luck
 

kscatlady

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Jan 13, 2009
Messages
1,847
Purraise
1
Location
Mulvane, Kansas
Originally Posted by optionken

Many cats coming from shelters come with uri's. What has worked for me is giving l-lysene which is available at most pharmacies. I give 2 pills a day Each pill contains
250 mg. Best of luck
Sorry, I just want to clarify (hope I don't step on your toes, I just don't want any confusion). They don't always come in 250 mg, so keep an eye on that when you're buying it.
 

stephanietx

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Dec 1, 2005
Messages
14,768
Purraise
3,490
Location
Texas
Remember, it can take Lysine about a month to really work before you see any benefits.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #16

tdonline

TCS Member
Thread starter
Super Cat
Joined
Mar 20, 2009
Messages
707
Purraise
44
One is snoring away and the other is watching Lost with me


Thanks everyone for your advice and support. They are still dealing with some health issues but for now, it is manageable. I will have to go back to the office tomorrow so I'm a little nervous about leaving them for the day but I think they'll probably be fine.

I'm going to order Lysine in tube from Amazon but meanwhile I found it in capsule form for humans at the drug store. Can I feed this type to the cats meanwhile?
 

carolina

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Nov 17, 2008
Messages
14,759
Purraise
215
Location
Corinth, TX
Originally Posted by tdonline

One is snoring away and the other is watching Lost with me


Thanks everyone for your advice and support. They are still dealing with some health issues but for now, it is manageable. I will have to go back to the office tomorrow so I'm a little nervous about leaving them for the day but I think they'll probably be fine.

I'm going to order Lysine in tube from Amazon but meanwhile I found it in capsule form for humans at the drug store. Can I feed this type to the cats meanwhile?
Great news that they are home and well! Yes, you can feed L-Lysine for humans - just crush the pills and mix it to their wet food. 500mg daily should do it while they are sick - for maintenance 250mg will do it.
 

stephanietx

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Dec 1, 2005
Messages
14,768
Purraise
3,490
Location
Texas
So glad to hear your babies are home and doing well. Hope they're on the mend and back to normal soon!!

I buy powdered human-grade lysine at the health food store for my cat.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #19

tdonline

TCS Member
Thread starter
Super Cat
Joined
Mar 20, 2009
Messages
707
Purraise
44
Tried the wet food trick today, but one of them wouldn't have any of it. She's sneezing a lot and has an eye infection, so I really want her to take Lysine. But she likes dry food.

And it's weird, both my kitties won't eat treats. None of it.
 

althekitty

TCS Member
Alpha Cat
Joined
Mar 20, 2007
Messages
632
Purraise
1
Location
Nottinghamshire, U.K
I had a similar issue when I adopted my kitty a couple of years ago. I knew I wanted him but had to wait until he had been neutered before I could take him home. He got cat flu in between that time from all the other cats and whilst he was ill they could not do the surgery. I signed a disclaimer so that I could take him home saying that I was responsible. He was in a right state. He was sneezing blood, eye and nose running, he had eye drops and tablets and ear mites, the lot. They said at the rescue centre that he may not like me if his first days with me were about me giving him tablets and eye drops and wot not, but I new that it was for his own good and he loved me all the more for it, he new I was looking after him. I would say that it took a couple of weeks for him to get better and it was awful to see but I kept him nice and warm and loved. As he couldn't taste or smell he didn't want to eat so the vet suggested that I give him tuna, not in brine as too much salt but in oil drained and warm it up a little as the smell comes out more and he ate that. I don't feed fish now but I did feed him what he would eat! I think that having them will help them get better so much quicker. It was definately the right move and the right advise that you got on here, as usual!
 
Top