HELP!!!

oreocookie

TCS Member
Thread starter
Young Cat
Joined
May 6, 2012
Messages
78
Purraise
2
Hi, I am new to this forum and very much in need of advice!! I found a female cat abandoned in a metal cage (in the full sun) Saturday night. The pet shop where she was left reported that she had been left in this cage for several days before I came along! “Oreo” (my son named her) is skeletal; she is literally a bag of bones!! I can feel every bone in her spine, hips, shoulders and chest with nothing on them. She is also pregnant and today I felt a kitten move, not kick, but the entire “sack” moved away. I felt at least two, maybe three sacks, although I am not able to make out kittens yet, just sacks! Oreo is VERY tired all the time (as would be expected), she just eats, drinks uses the litter box and sleeps. I have gotten her dry kitten food and am providing her all she can eat food and water. This is the sweetest cat I have ever met, she is so loving and genuinely seems to understand that we saved her life; she acts grateful! I have noticed fleas and ear mites on her and am not sure about internal parasites? I will be taking her to the vet in the morning (Monday), but am sooooo worried about her!!!!! Is there anything more I can do tonight? Should I be feeding her wet cat food? I have noted that she has VERY bad gas and when she does number 2 it is REALLY smelly; I have to change it right away and vent the entire house!!!! I am not kidding when I say it is like napalm went off, VERY bad smell!!! The stool is very loose, but not watery as of yet. I have not noted any worms! Any help that can be provided is greatly appreciated!!!
 

clynn11

TCS Member
Super Cat
Joined
Mar 23, 2012
Messages
765
Purraise
40
Location
California, USA
It sounds like you're really doing all you can for her until you get to the vet and know more! You're amazing for taking her in!!
 

happykitty

TCS Member
Adult Cat
Joined
May 6, 2012
Messages
200
Purraise
79
Location
Southeast USA
I'm in a very similar situation at the moment.  Best way for cats to gain weight is with a good wet food that will also give plenty of moisture.  Try one that doesn't include wheat, soy, or corn as these tend to cause digestive problems. 

Some also use KMR kitten formula to add to the wet food, this will also help pack in the calories.  However, I prefer to use goat milk.  Just don't give cow milk. 

Generally, praziquantel (droncit) is considered safe for preg cats.  Also, some vets say Revolution is safe for fleas and mites.  No vaccines though, but you should get her FIV/FeLIV check.

She will gain weight with good care, good luck!
 
Last edited:

StefanZ

Advisor
Staff Member
Advisor
Joined
Sep 18, 2005
Messages
25,995
Purraise
10,640
Location
Sweden
If she was THAT hungry and bony, you must begin with very small portions. Food as long as possible easy indigestable. Although you must have done so, otherwise she would get diarrheas...  These smellies may be this, but my guess it is she has worms.

Yes, wet food is good. Try it.

There was one tread of a totally exhausted mom and her two kittens, look in there too. Little Sky and her two kittens.

Good luck!   *vibes*
 
Last edited:

orientalslave

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Jan 23, 2012
Messages
3,425
Purraise
114
Location
Scotland
Yes, plenty of small meals of good-quality food, plus a vet trip ASAP for worming, treating the fleas & ear mites, and FIV/FeLV test.  Also change her bedding and either discard it or wash it hot - 60C - to destroy flea eggs & larvae.  Do you have any other cats or dogs in the house?  If you do I'd treat them against fleas as well, the last thing you want is an infestation setting in.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #6

oreocookie

TCS Member
Thread starter
Young Cat
Joined
May 6, 2012
Messages
78
Purraise
2
Thank you everyone.  I have a vet appointment today.  I do not have any other cats or dogs, so flea control should not be a problem :)  I want the vet to put something on ASAP for the fleas to prevent them from getting in my carpet/bedding and so on!  She is acting more alert today, had the energy to jump on my couch and sit with me (first time, I have had to pick her up before now).  Anyway, I will let you know what the vet has to say!  Thank you again for the advice!  
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #7

oreocookie

TCS Member
Thread starter
Young Cat
Joined
May 6, 2012
Messages
78
Purraise
2
Well fat lot of good the vet did me :(  They did not test for anything!!!!  Said they would just treat her for worms instead of checking, same with fleas/ear mites and heart worms.  They did not do any blood work or x-rays to check on things.  When he examined her he felt her bladder area and said "I do not feel any babies, but she could be pregnant.  I told him I have felt the babies on her sides, not directly under her and he simply said "well, she may be pregnant, but if she is it is early on".  What a total waste of $72.00!!!!!!!!!!!!  I have an appointment with another vet tomorrow to at least get some blood work and real help!!!! 

This vet said "you have found a young (about a year), healthy cat".  WT?  How can you call a skeletal cat healthy????  How can you make a statement that she is healthy when you did nothing to check for diseases, parasites and so on??????????  I am so confused, LOL!! 
 

catmom5

TCS Member
Adult Cat
Joined
Mar 14, 2012
Messages
201
Purraise
20
Location
Michigan
First of all, bless your heart for taking her in. And the fleas of a thousand camels on the pet shop folks and vet who totally disregarded her welfare.

I might suggest that you use both kitten kibble and wet food for her, in frequent small meals. When I took in a pregnant stray that's what I started her out on. I mixed the kibble with some warm water and then added some wet. It got more calories and nutrition into her and she did very well. Eventually, she was on all wet. But Oreo does need to be seen by an actual vet who will do something for you - like blood work and a real exam.

Keep us posted, okay?
 
 

poes

TCS Member
Kitten
Joined
Apr 13, 2012
Messages
16
Purraise
0
Well fat lot of good the vet did me :(  They did not test for anything!!!!  Said they would just treat her for worms instead of checking, same with fleas/ear mites and heart worms.  They did not do any blood work or x-rays to check on things.  When he examined her he felt her bladder area and said "I do not feel any babies, but she could be pregnant.  I told him I have felt the babies on her sides, not directly under her and he simply said "well, she may be pregnant, but if she is it is early on".  What a total waste of $72.00!!!!!!!!!!!!  I have an appointment with another vet tomorrow to at least get some blood work and real help!!!! 

This vet said "you have found a young (about a year), healthy cat".  WT?  How can you call a skeletal cat healthy????  How can you make a statement that she is healthy when you did nothing to check for diseases, parasites and so on??????????  I am so confused, LOL!! 
 I had something similar as your case. The vet treated her for internal/external parasites. They dont check it, they just do it. Checked her pregnancy and gave me some good food to help her get in weight (a kind of milk/formula with lots of proteins/energy. And It only costed me like $18.

Its nice that you look for a second opinion. But sometimes you dont need to take blood for a general diagnostic. Lets see what this second opinion says. And meanwhile just give her some good quality food. Doesnt matter if its wet or dry.  It would be even better if you give some kitten food, as they have a lot of energy and nutrients for their development.
 
Last edited:

catmom5

TCS Member
Adult Cat
Joined
Mar 14, 2012
Messages
201
Purraise
20
Location
Michigan
I think that preliminary bloodwork is important. I have had 2 rescues (different times) who both had problems from flea bites. The first one was so anemic that they had trouble getting blood from him. The second ended up with bartonella. Both recovered nicely, but I would always suggest checking it out. That has been my experience and my philosophy is BETTER SAFE THAN SORRY.

How is Oreo doing tonight?
 
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #11

oreocookie

TCS Member
Thread starter
Young Cat
Joined
May 6, 2012
Messages
78
Purraise
2
Oreo is doing great tonight!!  She is acting like she has more energy and even played for a minute this evening.  My little guy bought her a feather toy today and she lade on her back and batted at it for about three swats before rolling over and going to sleep, LOL!!  She is now able to jump on the couch and coffee table on her own; she is by my head on the back of the couch as I write this puring away, LOL!  I did get her some flea control while at the vet today so she has been treated.  I used some baby shampoo and gave her a bath to help rid her of the flea dirt and yuck!  I know cats do not generally require or even recommended for bathing, but she was in need of help due to her lack of energy to clean herself!  I have added Science Diet wet kitten food to her daily feeding (2x day), she still has IAMS dry kitten food 24/7.  If I could just figure out how to get her to not stink soooo bad, she has bad gas still, LOL!!

My son got her a shinny pink collar with  a bell and we created an engraved name tag for her; she finally looks like she belongs to someone :)!!!  I want to buy her a cat tree so she can have some place to "get away" if she wants, however I do not think she has the energy just yet to climb one, LOL!  My son used his blanket to create a "cave" for her so she can hide away under my computer desk, it was really sweet!    
 

who it is

TCS Member
Young Cat
Joined
Apr 27, 2012
Messages
43
Purraise
1
First off, thank you for saving this girl! She seems so sweet. A suggestion about the gas...Contrary to popular belief, science diet and IAMS are not very good foods. They are high in carbs, which cats have a hard time digesting. If you want to feed the best, go raw. If you are not ready for that go with a grain free canned diet. My guy was on science diet when I adopted him and he STUNK! he had gas, his poop stunk, his breath stunk, everything. I now have him on a rotation of grain-free canned foods and a raw meal here and there, and he no longer smells! It may take her a week or so to get used to the food change, and of course she may have some other things going on affecting her digestion, but in my experience, Science Diet made for one stinky cat!

This is a great website about feline nutrition:

http://feline-nutrition.org/health/species-inappropriate-the-dangers-of-dry-food
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #13

oreocookie

TCS Member
Thread starter
Young Cat
Joined
May 6, 2012
Messages
78
Purraise
2
Thank you for the tip!  I spent over an hour in the pet shop reading all the labels because everything they had listed garbage as the main ingredients, such as corn meal!  It is so frustrating to have to spend so much on food that is not very healthy.  I will check out the web site you suggested!  I did see a wet, raw food at the pet shop, they keep it in a fridge cooler so I will check it out.   
 

happykitty

TCS Member
Adult Cat
Joined
May 6, 2012
Messages
200
Purraise
79
Location
Southeast USA
Yes, those brands of cat foods do contain a lot of fillers and grains that cause stinky gas.  There are a lot of good cat foods out there but most cost a good amount too.  Nutro has a 'natural' variety of canned food that actually does not contain soy, corn, or wheat and is quite affordable.  The other issue if there is lots of stinky diarrhea is the possibility of coccidia or giardia.  I believe the vet has to do a fecal float for these and you would need Albon or something to treat it with.  This would most likely be an additional med to the wormer you already gave.  Find a competent vet and make sure to tell them about the gas.  There are some vets that specialize in dogs or other animals and don't know much about cats but just pretend to. I'm glad you were able to recognize that it was time to find someone else.  There are some good review websites that can help you find a good cat vet. 

Don't worry, she'll be fat in no time now that she has you!
 
Top