Feral/street cat hasn't eaten for 3 days post spay/abortion surgery

Hi all. Hoping someone with a bit more experience can give some advice. One of our local colony cats that we've been trying to trap for some time under our SPCA's TNR program was spayed on Friday.  Unfortunately she was also heavily pregnant (the vet said "close to delivery") so a late-stage termination was also performed. Due to the more complicated nature of the surgery, I am holding her post-op for recovery in a large crate (something we do for most of our TNRs as often as is practical). Usually, even the more "feral" of the cats aren't overly stressed - they eat, use their litter box, sleep and remain fairly quiet throughout the duration of their stay. This girl however, hasn't eaten now since Thursday night (it's now Sunday night here), doesn't appear to be drinking (that I can tell) and seems depressed, for lack of a better description. The only thing she's doing really is using the litter box (peeing - no poop)...oh, and sleeping in it (the litter box) from time to time (as well as the bed she has). The SPCA automatically give a long-acting antibiotic injection (10 day?) and I can't see the wound or handle her to see if it's infected. I haven't seen her touching it though and she does seem to just sleep/lie about most of the day. She may also have a slight dose of flu...sounds a little snuffly and one eye seems a bit weepy (not overly). I've tried all types of canned food, have cooked chicken, fish - plus made homemade chicken stock to see if she will drink that (tonight's offering). Still waiting to see if she's interested but nothing so far. It's not the lack of eating that's concerning me, but the lack of fluids and ultimately dehydration. I feel it's too soon to release her given her surgery was more complicated than a regular spay but I'm at a loss as to what to do with her now. I will of course call the SPCA in the morning, but just wondered if anyone can offer up something I'm overlooking? Thanks in advance! 

Poor girl. Have you tried water flavored with tuna juice. Or well-watered down (soupy) chicken baby food? You're right, that girl needs some fluids, but it's so difficult when you can't handle them. Best wishes for your little girl.

Susank521 said:

 
Poor girl. Have you tried water flavored with tuna juice. Or well-watered down (soupy) chicken baby food? You're right, that girl needs some fluids, but it's so difficult when you can't handle them. Best wishes for your little girl.

Click to expand...

I haven't...but I'll give it a go. Thanks for the tip! Tonight I bought chicken legs and boiled them down to make fresh (very smelly) chicken broth (no mean feat for this vegetarian!) and also gave her fresh, warm chicken. I've left her alone for a few hours and will go in and check soon to see if she's had any. So worrying when they're unresponsive like this. If I release her, I'll worry myself sick that she'll get herself an infection so that's just not an option right now.

I can relate to your situation. I had to release one of the ferals after 4 nights because she would not eat or drink. She was admitted at the vet during those 4 nights and the vet gave her vitamins shots and fluids but it didn't help. The first thing she did when I released her was to eat.

Please make sure she doesn't go without eating longer, as she can develop hepatic lypidosis. Try raw food, cooked food, baby food without onion or garlic, parmesan, treats, kibble, whatever.

KylieR said:

 
Tonight I bought chicken legs and boiled them down to make fresh (very smelly) chicken broth (no mean feat for this vegetarian!) and also gave her fresh, warm chicken.

Click to expand...

Oh, bless you!  I am praying the chicken broth, so lovingly prepared, will do the trick.  She does need something soon.

Laying in the litter box is her way of soothing herself.  After all the trauma she's been through, the litter box is the only thing that smells familiar to her.

KylieR said:

 
I haven't...but I'll give it a go. Thanks for the tip! Tonight I bought chicken legs and boiled them down to make fresh (very smelly) chicken broth (no mean feat for this vegetarian!) and also gave her fresh, warm chicken. I've left her alone for a few hours and will go in and check soon to see if she's had any. So worrying when they're unresponsive like this. If I release her, I'll worry myself sick that she'll get herself an infection so that's just not an option right now.

Click to expand...

That makes you a double angel, not only looking after that kitty, but then going above and beyond in handling those chicken legs! Lots of prayers that she turns around today. I'm with you, there's no way that I could release her yet. Is she in a cage and, if so, is the cage covered?

Two things come to mind. The first is that we had an experience with a non-feral cat who had a late term spay/abortion and was not eating and not grooming, obviously depressed.  When some screaming orphan kittens were brought in, covered in poop and starving, she came back to life and started calling for them.  They sure could use a mama, so we took a chance and let her have them in her cage.  She washed them and despite her being spayed about 10 days before, they started nursing on her.  She was ecstatic and within 2-3 days she had a full load of milk despite being spayed.  She raised those babies, and several other litters through the summer in a foster home (she became our orphan kitten wet nurse for that kitten season.)  One kitten from the first batch was her obvious favorite, so we kept that kitten with her and promised her we would place her and the kitten together at the end of her "service" period.  When kitten season sputtered to an end and no more orphans were coming in, we kept our promise, and she and her favorite daughter from the first foster itter went to a wonderful forever home.  Because of her, we no longer do late term spay abortions because the mothers are geared up for kittens and they DO get extremely depressed.  I do understand it is different with a feral you are going to be releasing, but just be aware that she IS clinically depressed, her hormones were telling her to prepare for babies, and now that's gone, as is her former freedom. 

The second thing you might want to look into is what long-term antibiotic injection she was given.  Hopefully it is a long acting penicillin-type antibiotic, but it could have been Convenia, and if so, she may be having a negative reaction to it.  Some of the negative reactions to Convenia include anemia (loss of red blood cells), anorexia (not eating) and lethargy (sleeping all the time.)  It is not unusual for vets to use Convenia on feral cats, but it is dangerous because once in the system, it takes a full 65 days to clear, and deaths have occurred.  I'm including an article by Lisa Pierson, DVM, written some time ago but still very valid.  I will not allow Convenia to be used on any of my cats, even ferals.  Even if we can't handle them, we can crush Clavamox pills and put the powder into their foods.  It is virtually tasteless and they all eat it just fine, and if they have any allergic reaction to it, we can take them off it and their systems will clear the drug quickly.

The first thing I would suggest you do is check and see what long-acting antibiotic she received, and if it's Convenia, she may need some serious supportive treatment to get through it.  Not all cats have negative reactions to it, but some have actually died from it.  If they did NOT use Convenia, then find out what they did use and also read up about that drug to see if her reactions may have something to do with the drug she was given, or if it is just the natural depression mama cats get from late term spay/abortions.  Here is the link to Dr. Pierson's article.

http://www.catinfo.org/?link=convenia

IrinaSaK said:

I can relate to your situation. I had to release one of the ferals after 4 nights because she would not eat or drink. She was admitted at the vet during those 4 nights and the vet gave her vitamins shots and fluids but it didn't help. The first thing she did when I released her was to eat.

Please make sure she doesn't go without eating longer, as she can develop hepatic lypidosis. Try raw food, cooked food, baby food without onion or garlic, parmesan, treats, kibble, whatever.

Click to expand...

Thanks IrinaSaK...I've had cats my whole life (43 years) and I've been rescuing/TNR on and off (and now pretty much full-time) for about 4 years... It's amazing the things you don't know! I've never heard of hepatic lypidosis (fatty liver) so thank you so much for educating me. It's the same as when I moved here (Hong Kong) from Australia...all these diseases and illnesses that I'd never come into contact with (nor heard of) because we just don't get them, or they aren't very prevalent in my home country. There's always something to learn. BTW, she ate a little of the cooked chicken last night...not a lot, but at least something. I'm now waiting on the vet to call me back.

Ondine said:

 
Oh, bless you!  I am praying the chicken broth, so lovingly prepared, will do the trick.  She does need something soon.

Laying in the litter box is her way of soothing herself.  After all the trauma she's been through, the litter box is the only thing that smells familiar to her.

Click to expand...

The kitties definitely come first around here (just ask my poor husband!) so handling a few chicken legs is worth trying to get her back on track And yes of course, that makes sense re the litter box...she tends to lie in it more after she uses it.

Susank521 said:

 
That makes you a double angel, not only looking after that kitty, but then going above and beyond in handling those chicken legs! Lots of prayers that she turns around today. I'm with you, there's no way that I could release her yet. Is she in a cage and, if so, is the cage covered?

Click to expand...

Thanks Susank521! She ate a little of the cooked chicken overnight and I am currently waiting on the SPCA vet to call me back with further advice. She is in a good sized crate and covered - in a nice quiet room - all the usual stuff I do with our post-surgery cats. This one's just so unhappy I've never had one who refused to eat before so it's very distressing and upsetting to see. I'm hoping today she starts to pick up a bit, but the reality is, some of the street cats just don't do very well being caged. I'll keep everyone posted.

Red Top Rescue said:

 
Two things come to mind.

Click to expand...

Thank you for this most in depth reply and the information provided. I too believe that she is suffering from clinical depression, based on the exact reasons you stated. According to the man who feeds her colony, she was a very successful breeder and an excellent mother to her kittens, with a near 100% (known) survival rate - so mothering is something she's excelled at. I trapped her last litter of four kittens at the end of January when they were around 9 weeks old. Two were homed together and the other two are in foster with a potential adopter coming to meet them this week with a view to taking both. She's been a devil to trap and I'd been trying relentlessly for about 6 weeks. As it was, I had to sneak up on her (like a ninja ) and manually trip the door because she wouldn't go all the way down to the food! She didn't get through 5 years of breeding and not being trapped by being stupid, that's for sure! 

She ate a little of the cooked chicken last night, not a lot, but something at least. Hard to tell if she is drinking her water or whether she drank any of the chicken broth. I am currently waiting for the vet to return my call and I will ask them what type of antibiotic they use. Am hoping they can offer some advice, even if it means taking her back to the clinic. Where I live in Hong Kong, we don't have a car, so it's a 25 minute ferry ride one-way to the main island then a 15 minute taxi ride, then repeat to get home! We do have a local vet clinic but they are not so experienced in dealing with the local kitties and I prefer dealing with the SPCA because this is what they specialise in.

I don't have any Clavulox here atm, but could probably get some no problem for future use. I do have the VibraVet paste which is a doxycycline - do you think that would do the trick if I didn't have the Clavulox? Thanks again for taking the time to reply.

My feral, Mia, didn't eat for a few days after her spay surgery and was not moving around. I had to use a syringe to force feed water and wet food. After bringing her back to the vet 2 days after bringing her home, they did labs and learned that she had a bad reaction to the anesthesia and had temporary liver and kidney damage, as well as anemia and malnourishment. She was put on an antibiotic and it was another several days before she began to eat on her own. Cats, especially weak ones, can dehydrate very easily, so if she doesn't start to drink or eat on her own, I would take her to the vet ASAP.  

How is she feeling today?

Hi everyone! Thought I would update you all as to Ginger's progress. I took her back to the SPCA at their request on Monday. They said her wound looked okay and she wasn't dehydrated. They couldn't explain her inappetance. They gave her 15ml of sub-q fluids and a Vit B shot to improve appetite. I checked on the antibiotics and apparently they only give a short-lasting Amoxycillin injection. Monday night still not eating. Tuesday evening I was desperate, so I tracked down the man who feeds her colony and got some of her regular food from him (don't know why I didn't think of this earlier!) Anyway, Tuesday night she ate a small amount and drank the lactose-free millk I gave her. Yesterday (Wed) she ate some more during the day and overnight, cleaned out her bowl of food and milk! Managed to take a look at her wound and it appears to have healed well and looks okay. Her right eye is still looking a bit average, but the clinic says they couldn't find any indication of infection or ulceration, more of a skin issue externally. Regardless, I will try and slip some powdered Lysine into her milk and see if she will take some VibraVet paste for a couple of days. Thank you all so much for your care, concern and advice. I hope to be able to release her in the next couple of days.

Thanks for the update, and for the great care you are giving her!

This is so nice to hear and you are an angel for her.  She will probably recuperate emotionally a lot quicker once she's back outside in familiar territory.  Good job!

Just a quick note from Sita123....  what wonderful , caring, and very informative people you all are.!  My little Monique is slowly coming out of her depression,  ( she apparently was only 10 days away from giving birth) today the vet said she is till holding unto milk and her belly still warm, (she was spayed/ kittens aborted 8 days ago).   The vet gave her a mild anti inflammatory , and this evening she is moving around more, and actually chased a spider!  Am finding myself getting more attached everyday,  I had planned on taking her  to local grp for adoption ., and have been thinking more and more of keeping her.    BUT, there is a BIG issue for me, I travel for long periods of time, and need a cat who is comfortable traveling in crate, and/or riding in car.  My  last baby girl was very comfortable and went everywhere with me.  Actually my previous cat was good traveler as well.  I  do realize this is probably unusual. eh?   Unfortunately, this kitty seems to just hate being in crate, esp in the car.  and even when we took her out and held her she wasn't much better.  she just wails and then begins to almost hyperventilate.  I would so appreciate any info on how I could work with her on this?!   Anything I can do ?? Thank-you in advance, and thank-you again for this wonderful forum. ,

It's funny how some cats mourn the loss of their babies and others bounce back without any obvious signs of distress. My last street cat, Luna, who was quite close to delivery, was the latter...she couldn't sit still post op and was completely unfazed by the whole event. She's since decided that our apartment is a much better place to hang out and has opted to stay. Six months down the track she's a right terror, but we love her huge personality and attitude...wouldn't trade her for anything. Having said that, and reading your post re travel and crates... Luna cannot stand being confined AT ALL. Not even in a large dog crate, shut in (or out of) a room...she goes absolutely bananas. I attribute this to her being a former street cat and having had plenty of open space in which to wander.

When you say you travel a lot, is it for work, pleasure or both, and how often are you away? We also travel quite a bit, especially overseas, so taking Luna isn't really an option anyway. But...TBH, I wouldn't feel comfortable putting her through the stress, nor do I like the idea of boarding her at any of our local catteries. Our solution is to have a reliable, trusted friend/animal sitter come stay at our place and look after her whilst we are away. This has been a positive experience for everyone thus far. Not sure if this is an option for you, but just a suggestion to consider.

Good luck...and thanks for caring so much for your kitty!

Thanks so much KylieR.   I so appreciate your feedback alot.   Yes, I travel for work and for pleasure.  And sometimes Im away for 2 months or so.   This will be the case next week.  I have found someone who will come in a couple of times a day, and and friend will fill in as well.  But, i was just sitting here worrying about how she will feel being alone so much?  Have you ever left yours that long?  I know, I'm a softy, but, when i have a pet, they become the prince or princess of the realm.  Do you find that your cat is different when you return?  Your post is perfect right now, as we will leave on Monday.

My last cat, my Sita went everywhere with me, but, I found her when she was a little kitten, and began the trips early on...and she was a very extraordinary being.  

  I did read something about using Feliway ( a cat hormone spray) that seems to comfort them..have you heard of that?

  I  do KNOW what you mean by BANANAS!!!

Thanks so much... VIVA la Cats!  

sita123 said:

 
Thanks so much KylieR.   I so appreciate your feedback alot.   Yes, I travel for work and for pleasure.  And sometimes Im away for 2 months or so.   This will be the case next week.  I have found someone who will come in a couple of times a day, and and friend will fill in as well.  But, i was just sitting here worrying about how she will feel being alone so much?  Have you ever left yours that long?  I know, I'm a softy, but, when i have a pet, they become the prince or princess of the realm.  Do you find that your cat is different when you return?  Your post is perfect right now, as we will leave on Monday.

My last cat, my Sita went everywhere with me, but, I found her when she was a little kitten, and began the trips early on...and she was a very extraordinary being.  

  I did read something about using Feliway ( a cat hormone spray) that seems to comfort them..have you heard of that?

  I  do KNOW what you mean by BANANAS!!!

Thanks so much... VIVA la Cats!

 

Click to expand...

Haha...I know how you feel. My cat/s are the most important members of the household and I do hate leaving any of them for any length of time. The longest we've been away from Luna is a month (quite recently). We had a full-time live-in person come stay with her. They went to work during the day and did their thing, but they were home with her in the mornings, at night and on weekends. There are often many reputable people who offer these kinds of services if you don't know someone personally. She was completely fine while we were away and when we returned, she was her same old crazy self    I could have gone with the option of having someone drop by a couple of times a day but decided against it, purely because of Luna's personality. She is a real people "person"...loves company to the extreme and is VERY outgoing and engaging. Leaving her on her own just wouldn't have been an option with her as she would have been terribly lonely and bored. I think it would really depend on Monique's personality and whether she is the type of cat who needs company or is the more independent type. It is hard being away...I know...I am away again atm (my husband is home looking after Luna this time though...) The only other suggestion would be a boarding place - but this can be an expensive option. Or...you could get a second kitty to keep her company whilst you are away Hope everything works out!