Hello,
I came across this forum in my search for advice and I am hoping that I may find a little here.
Quick summary of my little family: Ceilidh is my first cat and I got her when she was 8 weeks old. She is 2 years, 7 months old now and has always been independent and a little sassy. Friends joke that she runs the household and they're probably not far from the truth. She is a Maine Coon/tabby mix and has always been in good health. Brady is my newest kitten - he just turned 20weeks and I adopted from a shelter in November. They are complete opposites and after a few weeks they bonded well and it's not uncommon to find them squeezed in their little house cuddling and grooming one another or playing at all hours of the night. Both cats are up to date on all their shots and have been treated for worms, fleas, and the standard fare.
Two Saturdays ago (Jan 8) I noticed that Ceilidh wasn't quite herself. She was staying hidden, was very lethargic, and had a deceased appetite. She didn't want anything to do with me or Brady and spent much of that Saturday & Sunday sitting on her house or hiding under the dining table. The few occasions I did pick her up she growled and huffed at me which was out of character.
I took her to the vet that Monday (Jan 10). She was tested for feline leukemia, immunodeficiency, and heartworm - all of which came back negative, thank goodness. She has lost some weight (down from 10.3 to 9.8) and after a thorough exam, she was treated for a fever and given an injection of antibiotics (Convenia) for 14days. The vet suspected that she had been bitten by Brady when they were playing and had gotten an infection.
For the remainder of last week I kept an eye on her - probably more than she liked - and worried every single day. By Saturday, she was still behaving the same and her appetite was still not improving. I took her in for a follow-up the same day (Jan 15) and saw the same vet. He looked her over once more - her weight hadn't changed but her fever was gone. Again, after a thorough exam, he assured me that she was "on the mend" and that what was most likely happening was that she was going through the recovery process and that once the antibiotics worked their way out of her system she would began to revert back to her old self.
It is now Tuesday (Jan 18) and I am still not seeing a marked improvement in her behaviour. She is still eating in small amounts and drinking the same and doesn't appear to be having issues while using the litter box. She still doesn't want much to do with Brady but she has been more receptive to me - greeting me at the door when I come from work, flopping out in the bathtub for a belly rub - but she still keeps to her self and spends her time curled up sleeping in her carrier (yes, she actually likes it in there.) There hasn't been any vomiting or any diarrhea. She is still extremely slow in her movements.
I trust my vet (he is the owner of the animal hospital I go to - it is very reputable) and I want to believe that he is right when he says she is simply going through the recovery process - much like when humans are sick. It's very hard for me to see her like this though, and I break down in tears quite a bit. I want so much to do something to help her but I'm at my wits end. I've just want her to feel better.
Any advice or insight would be appreciated. Thanks for 'listening'.
Michelle
I came across this forum in my search for advice and I am hoping that I may find a little here.
Quick summary of my little family: Ceilidh is my first cat and I got her when she was 8 weeks old. She is 2 years, 7 months old now and has always been independent and a little sassy. Friends joke that she runs the household and they're probably not far from the truth. She is a Maine Coon/tabby mix and has always been in good health. Brady is my newest kitten - he just turned 20weeks and I adopted from a shelter in November. They are complete opposites and after a few weeks they bonded well and it's not uncommon to find them squeezed in their little house cuddling and grooming one another or playing at all hours of the night. Both cats are up to date on all their shots and have been treated for worms, fleas, and the standard fare.
Two Saturdays ago (Jan 8) I noticed that Ceilidh wasn't quite herself. She was staying hidden, was very lethargic, and had a deceased appetite. She didn't want anything to do with me or Brady and spent much of that Saturday & Sunday sitting on her house or hiding under the dining table. The few occasions I did pick her up she growled and huffed at me which was out of character.
I took her to the vet that Monday (Jan 10). She was tested for feline leukemia, immunodeficiency, and heartworm - all of which came back negative, thank goodness. She has lost some weight (down from 10.3 to 9.8) and after a thorough exam, she was treated for a fever and given an injection of antibiotics (Convenia) for 14days. The vet suspected that she had been bitten by Brady when they were playing and had gotten an infection.
For the remainder of last week I kept an eye on her - probably more than she liked - and worried every single day. By Saturday, she was still behaving the same and her appetite was still not improving. I took her in for a follow-up the same day (Jan 15) and saw the same vet. He looked her over once more - her weight hadn't changed but her fever was gone. Again, after a thorough exam, he assured me that she was "on the mend" and that what was most likely happening was that she was going through the recovery process and that once the antibiotics worked their way out of her system she would began to revert back to her old self.
It is now Tuesday (Jan 18) and I am still not seeing a marked improvement in her behaviour. She is still eating in small amounts and drinking the same and doesn't appear to be having issues while using the litter box. She still doesn't want much to do with Brady but she has been more receptive to me - greeting me at the door when I come from work, flopping out in the bathtub for a belly rub - but she still keeps to her self and spends her time curled up sleeping in her carrier (yes, she actually likes it in there.) There hasn't been any vomiting or any diarrhea. She is still extremely slow in her movements.
I trust my vet (he is the owner of the animal hospital I go to - it is very reputable) and I want to believe that he is right when he says she is simply going through the recovery process - much like when humans are sick. It's very hard for me to see her like this though, and I break down in tears quite a bit. I want so much to do something to help her but I'm at my wits end. I've just want her to feel better.
Any advice or insight would be appreciated. Thanks for 'listening'.
Michelle
