Hair loss in our new foster

Poor Madeline!  She was found about two weeks ago at our local landfill.  We think she was locked in a truck or dumpster.  She was so thin, you could see her tendons on her legs.  She's gained about 2 pounds (she should weigh about 12 pounds and is now up to 8).

I see her grooming but she still smells a little dirty - as if she isn't grooming enough.  I have two big worries - one is that her hair is so thin on her stomach and legs.  She sheds a lot but loves to be combed.  One explanation (on the web) was that its hormonal and often happens after a spay but the vet said her spay scar indicates she was spayed a while ago.

The other worry is that she is coughing a lot.  It is a bit like when they have hairballs but sounds like her lungs are wet.  The vet didn't say anything about that.  I plan another vet trip this week, just to be sure.

Any ideas on the hair loss?  I am hoping it's due to malnutrition and it will get better as she does.

Anyone?  I could really use some feedback ...

My latest stray (Stellar) showed up to me the very beginning of June.  He was pencil thin, his fur was matted and the condition of his fur was thin with many bald patches.  At first he was so skittish so I couldn't get a very good look.  I didn't start feeding him regularly until mid June.  I would look through the binoculars at him and he had round bald spots that looked like he had been in a fight and all the fur was gone.  Yet, there was no sign of a wound.  By mid July I was able to get a bit closer to him and see that he had many spots where he didn't have fur.  I did TNR on him shortly after and the I asked the clinic to get a closer look.  They didn't see any wounds (other than a large one on his neck that he got a few nights before TNR) and figured it was from poor nutrition.  Once he got more comfortable with me, he allowed frequent brushings and also allowed Shadow to groom him.  He has now been eating well for 5 months and most of the bald spots are now covered in fur.  He still has some on his stomach, but they are getting smaller. 

The wet cough is more alarming, but could just be a hairball.  Shadow had a very strange cough a few years ago.  It took him days to finally bring up the hairball.  I would definitely have the cough looked at and while you are there ask about the hair loss.  Maybe there is a supplement that would help. 

Bless you for all you do for these cats.  I find that with so many to take care of, there is always one of them to worry about.

Thanks!  I've never had a rescue who was so thin - she was on death's door.  She absolutely loves to be brushed and was definitely someone's lap cat.  It breaks my heart.

The cough is better.  I've added l-lysine to her diet and also went back to giving her the wet kitten food.  The vet told me she didn't need it but she's just so thin!

She's been throwing up, too, although I noticed it was after certain foods.  She can't stomach the Tractor Supply 4Health and FF with gravy (she got one can and it came right back up).

So I got her Blue Buffalo duck dry and so far so good.  I plan a trip to find canned duck tomorrow.  I think Merrick makes one.

I haven't been feeding dry but I just think she needs the extra food.  I tested to make sure she wasn't eating too fast, and then vomiting.  But it does seem to be tied to the 4Health and the gravy in the FF.

I've posted her on the Missing Pets Network, Facebook and Craigs List.  I also emailed a few people who had posted lost cats.  So far, only one has responded and she had found her cat, thank goodness!

Originally Posted by Ondine  

So I got her Blue Buffalo duck dry and so far so good.  I plan a trip to find canned duck tomorrow.  I think Merrick makes one.

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Yeah, Merrick has a duck pate. I think they also have a couple varieties of turducken.

I know PetSmart's Simply Nourish line has a chicken and duck. It's mostly chicken though, and it's a little pricey, but it's going on sale tomorrow @ .80 cents for a 3oz. can. I have the most finicky cat in the world and it's literally the only thing she'll eat in one sitting... and it looks good enough to put on a sandwich.

Thanks ProCat.  I didn't find any Merrick's duck, (the only store nearby that sells Merrick's didn't have the duck and our Petco is 35 miles away).  I'll go to PetSmart tomorrow.

Ondine said:

 
Thanks ProCat.  I didn't find any Merrick's duck, (the only store nearby that sells Merrick's didn't have the duck and our Petco is 35 miles away).  I'll go to PetSmart tomorrow.

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Hey Ondine... hopefully you catch this before you make the trip to PetSmart... That sale doesn't start until Friday.

The cans are regularly priced at $1.10-$1.20

Sorry about that... I kept thinking today was Thursday...

I did catch this. Thanks! I'll go tomorrow.

 I was a little disappointed at PetSmart.  They had some Simply Nourish lamb and duck that I grabbed but put back when I read it had red bell peppers in it.  I mean, really?

So, I ended up getting some Merrick's duck at our high-end store, then some of the chicken and duck at PetSmart.  I did get a good deal on it - between the sale and my membership card, I saved $.19 a can, so I can't complain.

Ondine said:

 
 I was a little disappointed at PetSmart.  They had some Simply Nourish lamb and duck that I grabbed but put back when I read it had red bell peppers in it.  I mean, really?

So, I ended up getting some Merrick's duck at our high-end store, then some of the chicken and duck at PetSmart.  I did get a good deal on it - between the sale and my membership card, I saved $.19 a can, so I can't complain.

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I mislead you because I misread the ad. The food that I was talking about is in three ounce cans and the price was $1.09 not .80 cents.

Stupid me missed the "starting at" type on the ad flyer.

But I hear you... I haven't bought their "loaf" type foods because of the contents.

Even the chicken & duck has some tomato in it, but it's a very small amount.

Probably no more than they'd eat chowing down on mouse...

Don't worry about it - those ads are deliberately deceptive.  I just felt like so many of the pet food manufacturers are appealing to human tastes, not making decent food for the animals.

I did get the chicken and saw the bits of tomato.  I dug out as many as I could and gave her half a (3 oz.) can.  She threw it all up about 5 minutes later, so I took the rest back.  She seems OK with the Merrick's and an Evo can of duck that I found, plus she does fine on the Fancy Feast turkey for kittens.

The Merrick's and Evo come in 5 ounce cans, so divided by three meals each, they're not that expensive.  She can only hold so much at a time - the one time I gave her a whole 3 ounce can, she tossed it right back up.

She's due for her second distemper, so I will talk to the vet about this issue.  She's gaining weight and her coat is growing back, so this may only be a temporary setback.  She was, after all, in pretty bad shape when I found her.

BTW the Simply Nourish chicken and duck (with the tomatoes) is regularly $1.19 for a 3 oz. can at our PetSmart.  With the sale, I paid $1.00 a can, which isn't too awfully bad (except the tomatoes!)

I wonder if they the pick tomatoes out of their mouseburgers in the wild? 

Honestly, I'm not too bothered by the little bits of tomato. Tomatoes are 95% water, so in that little amount there's really no carb or nutritional value to them. Like you said, they're probably put in there just to make the food look more appetizing to the human opening the can.

... and I doubt they'd pick the tomatoes out of the mouseburger... except maybe for my finicky cat... who probably wouldn't know what to do with a mouse in the first place...