All 20 cats sick

20 cats!  That is a LOT of eye wiping!

We have frequent conjunctiva around here, so I make my own herbal eyewash using distilled water, pure sea salt (no iodine), and liquid goldenseal extract. You could also make the basic saline wash without the goldenseal, although goldenseal has mild antibiotic properties.  Recipe is based on the one in Anitra Frazier's The Natural Cat). Both my regular vet and my vet opthalmologist are fine with it.  Very easy to make, and affordable (cheap, even!)  Here it is:

Basic Saline Eyewash

--Boil 1/2 Cup distilled water 

--Stir in 1/8 teaspoon sea salt until dissolved.

Herbal Eyewash

Add 1 drop goldenseal per Tablespoon of basic saline solution

Some natural healing books say not to add the goldenseal immediately, but wait until the basic solution has cooled. That makes sense to me. Same set of books all advise to store solution in fridge, but differ on how long it will keep (3 days to 1 week -- I go with the 1 week and have had no problems). I put my basic saline solution in an old baby formula container that holds exactly 5 TBSP, add the 5 goldenseal drops, shake well, and store the herbal eyewash in the fridge.  When it's time to flush eyes, I transfer some eyewash to a small plastic squeeze bottle with a nozzle top (the kind the vets use for liquid meds).  The small squeeze bottle is much easier to manipulate and is less scary-looking to the kitties. Oh--after I transfer the cold eyewash to the small squeeze bottle, I let the squeeze bottle sit in a jar of warm water to bring it to room temp. or very slightly warmer. 

After much trial & error, the best thing I've found for actual wiping are cut-up strips of paper towel, folded to whatever shape/angle I need at the moment.

I also put GenTeal gel lubricant in their eyes as needed. It's not heavy/stiff like the petroleum-based ointment, and it lasts much longer than drops.

good luck!

One last thing:  Frazier says that if you choose to buy saline solution (the kind people use for contact lenses) make sure that the label says "unbuffered" and "unpreserved."  Often other chemicals are added to commercial saline that would not be desirable for our cats.

i been doing the sea salt and disstilled water thing and it seems to be working my friend told me how to make it and i use cut up paper towls lol

Awesome!  Hope you can kick those URIs out quickly.  

I've been trying to figure out a way to get steam into my congested cats without using the sink/shower (I've flooded the bathroom more times than I can admit).  I bought a plastic shower curtain liner, and one of those $15 "hot pots" on Amazon.  The plan is to put the cats in their carrier, make a little "tent" over the carrier with the plastic liner, then set the hot pot inside the tented area and boil some water.  Haven't tried it yet, but am really hoping it works.

Please be careful with water that is not sterile and using it on eyes.

c8rams said:

Awesome!  Hope you can kick those URIs out quickly.  

I've been trying to figure out a way to get steam into my congested cats without using the sink/shower (I've flooded the bathroom more times than I can admit).  I bought a plastic shower curtain liner, and one of those $15 "hot pots" on Amazon.  The plan is to put the cats in their carrier, make a little "tent" over the carrier with the plastic liner, then set the hot pot inside the tented area and boil some water.  Haven't tried it yet, but am really hoping it works.

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i dont have a cat carrier will it work if i just steam up the cat room?

and will it make fleas worse? im fighting fleas right now

and do you have a drainage plumbing promblum at your house ?

c8rams said:

Awesome!  Hope you can kick those URIs out quickly.  

I've been trying to figure out a way to get steam into my congested cats without using the sink/shower (I've flooded the bathroom more times than I can admit).  I bought a plastic shower curtain liner, and one of those $15 "hot pots" on Amazon.  The plan is to put the cats in their carrier, make a little "tent" over the carrier with the plastic liner, then set the hot pot inside the tented area and boil some water.  Haven't tried it yet, but am really hoping it works.

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This is what I used for a cat with respiratory problems for most of her life but you have to use this technique with great care. 

I didn't use plastic to cover as it would get way to hot and it stops air.  Use a beach towel, tablecloth.. something like that. 

And I just put a bowl of steaming water outside the carrier and covered the lot.

Obviously you keep a really close eye on your cat for any sign of distress. 

How much Clavamox did they give you? Usually it's 7-10 days. But if you have more than that, give it to them until it's all gone.

Glad to hear they're doing better!

my vet said give tell gone she said it will last between 7-10 days

Hi Mani!!!   My rescue kitties also have chronic respiratory problems (they endured a horrible early life experience that was compounded by bad vaccine protocols, among other things).

Great suggestion, thank you! -- I will substitute a blanket or tablecloth for the shower curtain. 

I did try the steaming bowls/towel early on, but it didn't quite do the trick. Not sure why. Their nasal passages were very blocked at the time, though. Only the shower steam seemed to make a dent in that discharge.

I really didn't describe my plan very well, did I... I'm trying to make a more efficient space -- smaller than a bathroom but much larger than a bread box -- so that steaming isn't such a production and I can do it when necessary instead of dragging my feet.  With 2 small cats and 1 very large carrier made of hard plastic -- I worried that it might be harder to get enough steam into the carrier, hence the hot pot.  Was thinking I'd set the carrier on a short table (about 1.5 feet off the floor) with the hot pot on the floor and away from the carrier. I'd hang the tent cloth so that its peak is about six inches above the carrier, and adjust the material so that it doesn't quite reach the floor. That way most of the bottom area would be open to fresh air, steam would rise naturally into the tent space, and there would be air cushion all around the carrier. I will certainly try out the process myself before putting any cats in the carrier.  (And if it works, and their little heads get the steam, you can bet that my lunky head will be right there with them, bad hair days be danged).

 

off topic: do you have any experience with GSE?  If so, would you mind taking a look at my question (I added it to a very old thread) about dilution?  My older cat is finally being tapered off antibiotics after 7 months, and I'm looking for more ways to strengthen and protect his immune system. 

c8rams said:

Hi Mani!!!   My rescue kitties also have chronic respiratory problems (they endured a horrible early life experience that was compounded by bad vaccine protocols, among other things).

Great suggestion, thank you! -- I will substitute a blanket or tablecloth for the shower curtain. 

I did try the steaming bowls/towel early on, but it didn't quite do the trick. Not sure why. Their nasal passages were very blocked at the time, though. Only the shower steam seemed to make a dent in that discharge.

I really didn't describe my plan very well, did I... I'm trying to make a more efficient space -- smaller than a bathroom but much larger than a bread box -- so that steaming isn't such a production and I can do it when necessary instead of dragging my feet.  With 2 small cats and 1 very large carrier made of hard plastic -- I worried that it might be harder to get enough steam into the carrier, hence the hot pot.  Was thinking I'd set the carrier on a short table (about 1.5 feet off the floor) with the hot pot on the floor and away from the carrier. I'd hang the tent cloth so that its peak is about six inches above the carrier, and adjust the material so that it doesn't quite reach the floor. That way most of the bottom area would be open to fresh air, steam would rise naturally into the tent space, and there would be air cushion all around the carrier. I will certainly try out the process myself before putting any cats in the carrier.  (And if it works, and their little heads get the steam, you can bet that my lunky head will be right there with them, bad hair days be danged).

 

off topic: do you have any experience with GSE?  If so, would you mind taking a look at my question (I added it to a very old thread) about dilution?  My older cat is finally being tapered off antibiotics after 7 months, and I'm looking for more ways to strengthen and protect his immune system. 

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You've thought that through rather well! 

The only other thing I did was clean the eyes with pure saline and then put a few drops of it in each eye before doing the steaming bit.  It tends to run down into the nasal cavity.  I'm really big on nasal cleansing with saline for humans, and on a very simple level it seemed to help my girl.  These were just my own ideas, but I passed them by the vet and she was happy with it all.  In fact she was pretty impressed with how well my cat did.

Sorry, can't help you with the grapeseed question.

Mewlittle, imho, yes, steaming a flea-infested cat room will make the problem worse. Humidity accelerates flea egg hatching.  Knowing this, you could try to be prepared for it -- but that is also a ton of work, and you've got sick kitties on your hands. (In the first week of bringing home the cats we found fleas, and every day for the next 2 weeks all we did every night was vacuum, borax, vacuum, laundry, repeat. Sometimes we ate). I'm not sure I would risk the added flea problems by steaming a room that had flea eggs in it.

I don't have a plumbing problem in the bathroom itself, BUT our 150 year old house has root-ridden, broken  clay sewer pipes, so drainage is a major consideration.

Since you are already wiping their eyes, maybe try what Mani suggested for congestion:  keep the saline wash in the eyes long enough so that it drains into the pharyngeal / nasal passages.

Hang in there! 

k THANKS i havent done the steam yet so i might not do the steam

the kittens started to get better but there showing signs of it coming back and there still taking there antibiotics i don't think the clavamox is working

I would add L-lysine. It wont interfere with the antibiotics. I'm not sure of the dosage for kittens but I'm sure somebody else here has used it for kittens and can tell you how much.

were so i buy it? i looked on chewy all they hhad was the treats and petfooddirect l-lysne cost to much for me right now and it takes them to long to chip

You can get l-lysine tablets at Walmart and crush them up. They're pretty cheap. Or order NOW l-lysine powder from Amazon.

Antibiotics won't work against a virus, which is what this probably is. Keep giving the antibiotics to prevent a bacterial infection, but the virus is just going to have to run its course, all you can do is provide supportive care.

Try giving them chicken broth (get some cheap bone-in chicken and boil it until all the good stuff is boiled out of the meat and bones. Don't add any salt or spices. The broth will be very nutritious). They always say that chicken soup is good for colds . And it will help them stay hydrated, which is the most important thing.

Willowy said:

You can get l-lysine tablets at Walmart and crush them up. They're pretty cheap. Or order NOW l-lysine powder from Amazon.

Antibiotics won't work against a virus, which is what this probably is. Keep giving the antibiotics to prevent a bacterial infection, but the virus is just going to have to run its course, all you can do is provide supportive care.

Try giving them chicken broth (get some cheap bone-in chicken and boil it until all the good stuff is boiled out of the meat and bones. Don't add any salt or spices. The broth will be very nutritious). They always say that chicken soup is good for colds

. And it will help them stay hydrated, which is the most important thing.

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what brand at walmart?

and how much does the powder last per cat?

I don't remember what brand name. . .Walmart's usual brand, with the yellow caps. Just look for l-lysine; I'm pretty sure they only have one choice. I think the pills are 500mg, which would be a good amount for a sick kitten. Adult cats should have 1000mg when they're sick. I forget how many pills are in the bottle. Probably 100.

I have had a case of gardia at my home they have all been on meds.  I really need to know what I can feed two of my cats to help stop the runs.  PLEASE if anyone know please contact me.

My feral cats have outbreaks of the herpes virus once or twice a year and two of them get it real bad in the eyes. Mama kitty just had it so bad that it looked like she had no eyeball. I gave them all L-lysine and in a large does for 2 weeks and they all got over it a lot faster them normal. I am not able to take all my feral cats to see the vet but this had worked out good for us. Mama cats eye was back to normal in 7 days. I'm sure everyone else has better advice and I hope all your kitties get well soon.