Hello TCS! I am in some real need of advice. About 5 weeks ago, my aunt adopted a cat from the animal shelter I volunteer at. The cat is female, 7 years old, declawed, is incredibly overweight, and all black. She figured the odds were against her for adoption, and she appeared healthy, so she adopted her. Unfortunately, I did not believe she was fully ready for the responsibility and cost for a cat, and it looks like I was right.
About a week after she adopted her, Cuddles' (cat's name) eye started to run and she started to sneeze. After a day, she had stopped eating completely, and was coughing and sneezing pretty bad with a bad, runny nose. Her eye was bad too. So, we took her to the vet. The vet diagnosed her with an upper respiratory infection and conjunctivitis, and prescribed her clavamox and some sort of eye cream. The clavamox cleared her up quick, but the eye never completely got better. It improved a lot, but after stopping the medication after 2 weeks, the eye got bad again. We called the vet, and he prescribed her the same eye meds, but to be given for an additional two weeks.
Well, now, both eyes are running, and my aunt says the cat is sneezing again. What could this be? She has until Friday to give her the eye medicine (not that it's doing much good), and she said she is only able to take her back to the vets then (which is 5 days away). What could this be? Is there anything specifically the vet should test for? The shelter tests for FeLV, and she was negative, but she has not had a FIV test done. Although, this really doesn't sound like FIV to me. And unfortunately, my aunt can't afford to do extensive blood work, which worries me.
I am so ANGRY at my aunt it isn't funny. I KNEW she wasn't ready, I knew it. But she insisted, and my mom was on board with the idea, and well, now, we have a poor 7 yr old, and very overweight, cat that isn't quite getting better with limited resources. Obviously, the most responsible thing to do is for my aunt to return the cat, but she is refusing. She doesn't want to give up on her, but this just seems so cruel to me. I mean, ATM, the cat is still eating and drinking and being active, but it just sounds like it's starting all over again. Any advice on this would be very much appreciated! I'm so frustrated right now, and feel so sorry for poor Cuddles.
About a week after she adopted her, Cuddles' (cat's name) eye started to run and she started to sneeze. After a day, she had stopped eating completely, and was coughing and sneezing pretty bad with a bad, runny nose. Her eye was bad too. So, we took her to the vet. The vet diagnosed her with an upper respiratory infection and conjunctivitis, and prescribed her clavamox and some sort of eye cream. The clavamox cleared her up quick, but the eye never completely got better. It improved a lot, but after stopping the medication after 2 weeks, the eye got bad again. We called the vet, and he prescribed her the same eye meds, but to be given for an additional two weeks.
Well, now, both eyes are running, and my aunt says the cat is sneezing again. What could this be? She has until Friday to give her the eye medicine (not that it's doing much good), and she said she is only able to take her back to the vets then (which is 5 days away). What could this be? Is there anything specifically the vet should test for? The shelter tests for FeLV, and she was negative, but she has not had a FIV test done. Although, this really doesn't sound like FIV to me. And unfortunately, my aunt can't afford to do extensive blood work, which worries me.
I am so ANGRY at my aunt it isn't funny. I KNEW she wasn't ready, I knew it. But she insisted, and my mom was on board with the idea, and well, now, we have a poor 7 yr old, and very overweight, cat that isn't quite getting better with limited resources. Obviously, the most responsible thing to do is for my aunt to return the cat, but she is refusing. She doesn't want to give up on her, but this just seems so cruel to me. I mean, ATM, the cat is still eating and drinking and being active, but it just sounds like it's starting all over again. Any advice on this would be very much appreciated! I'm so frustrated right now, and feel so sorry for poor Cuddles.
I looked up some stuff on feline herpes and that does sound like it could possibly be it. Everything seemed to match it exactly. But, my aunt has a vet appointment now set up for Friday at 2:40, so I suppose we'll find out then. And thank you for the L-Lysine advice! Would this be alright? 
