my cat ate a bird and is now quite sick

thanks everyone for answering me.  he just urinated and covered it up and trotted upstairs.  I still have not seen him defecate in like 24 hrs or more and he tried this morning and he did not look successful. I've been so stressed. I've never really dealt with a sick cat.  I've never been to a vet.  I think I've only picked some pets up at the vet's.  Thats something my mother and sister and girlfriend have always did. 

Miralax is an osmotic laxative, and might be worth a try at this point.  Osmotic laxatives draw water into the colon to help soften the feces, making them easier to pass.  Yes it is a laxative for humans, but it is something we commonly give for constipated cats as well.  http://www.vetinfo.com/miralax-for-cats.html

thanks I will look that up,  and cute kitty in your picture, looks kinda like mine...   He keeps begging for more food.  I gave him some wet food before I went to work this morning about 3 hours ago and my car broke down and I'm back home now and he is begging for more food.  I wish he'd go to his box so I could observe him.  ... thanks again. 

If you get pedialyte get it unflavored.

Find a vet - call around - now - not when its an emergency and you are out of your wits.    If you dont like this vet,  dump her and find another.   Most likely he will need an xray so ask them what they charge for xrays as it varies wildly.

Moosedog said:

 
thanks everyone for answering me.  he just urinated and covered it up and trotted upstairs.  I still have not seen him defecate in like 24 hrs or more and he tried this morning and he did not look successful. I've been so stressed. I've never really dealt with a sick cat.  I've never been to a vet.  I think I've only picked some pets up at the vet's.  Thats something my mother and sister and girlfriend have always did. 

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I'm confused, above you say you've never been to a vet but in your first post you make it clear you have.....

I would not let a rabies vaccine stand in the way of proper vet treatment.  You can go back and forth as to whether a vet should insist on a rabies vaccine or withhold treatment without it, but this sounds a bit like "cutting off the nose to spite the face".  I would either allow the vaccination and get treatment, or go to another vet who won't be so insistent, but I would not avoid treating my sick cat over this.

I took him to a new vet today and they xrayed him and gave him an enema.  the xray had some specs of white stuff she said was probably bone.  there was no blockage or dried fecal matter.  so they gave him an enema and then gave me some stool softener medicine. 

Before the vet he was very sluggish and his meow was almost silent and sounded pained.  After I brought him home he was doing good and his meow sounded much better.  Now his meow is very quiet and pained sounding.  He wants more food.  Also he is sometimes doing something weird with his mouth like he has cottonmouth or something.... He wants more food so I guess I will give him more. 

What about the stool softener?  If there is no stuck stool why does he need stool softener? 

Could something else be going on here?  He did have that 3rd eyelid thing on the first day he was sick?   

If he hasn't done his business then you need the stool softener so that he can perform.
Did you tell the vet about the third eye lid. It's important that you do.
Did he do anything after the enema?

He did go a couple times.  I saw some in the cats box.  the stool softener is lactulose.  I just gave him his first dose and he ate more food. 

His has cottonmouth and his meow is almost silent, after some wet  food with some water he was able to meow a little better.  I waited like an hour or so and his meow is silent again.  Why does he have cottonmouth?  and how serious is the strained meow?  I'm assuming he has a sore throat from all the stuff they did to him at the vet with the enema. 

He ate almost a whole can of food in last 8 hours.  What's the best food to feed him?  I've given him raw food and he'll eat.  the brand was something like Rad Cat raw food.  Should I feed him both can food and some raw or all raw? 

I don't know any of this stuff.  I always just presume that the most natural way is the best.  since he's been sick is now the time to change his diet to raw? 

For years I thought dry food was better than wet and I used to feed the cats some tuna every week.  There is something wrong in my head.  I understand that tuna is high in mercury and yet I still feed it to the cats and myself.  Yet I always give them spring water and never tap..... anyways what is the best diet for cats? 

If you can afford Rad Cat, yes, it's an excellent food. No problems with using canned sometimes if you want, though.

Willowy said:

If you can afford Rad Cat, yes, it's an excellent food. No problems with using canned sometimes if you want, though.

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Totally agree with the above on the food.   

   I'm assuming he has a sore throat from all the stuff they did to him at the vet with the enema.

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Ahem.... enema would have impacted his other end.    

This cat sounds dehydrated to me.   You said his poops were wet - diahrea????   You said he was vomiting brown liquid.     You said he was off-balance - wobbly?

Take him back to the vet and get a blood panel (unless they did it already??).   It will show if he is dehydrated or missing something.   

How much  are you feeding him?  He should be getting 6-8 oz/day depending on his size and probably more to make up for when he was vomiting.    

The mouth thing and weak meow could just be from being ill but could be a small bird bone got stuck in his mouth/throat.      If that doesnt improve in a week on its own they might have to examine his mouth.

I anticipated that enema joke.... haha  I figured he would be screaming and whining like he did during the normal exam and that would give him a sore throat..  I think he's a little dehydrated like you said because he sounds better after he eats..  He has never drank much water directly from a water dish.  Its always a point of discussion around here anytime somebody spots him drinking water. So  I've been adding it to his food. 

I saw him go to his box this morning.  not much came out and what did was runny, he seemed happy with it and trotted away.  I can't afford Rad Cat but I've bought it before and will now if it will help him recover. 

Whats the best can food?  I've been using Wellness brand... I think is the name.  Its not organic but sold at the healthstore and says no grain.  I've bought organix brand and I think that is mostly organic.,..  anyways... whats the general consensus on the best can food?  

they gave me a liquid painkiller also.  I have not gave him any of that yet.  do cat painkillers cause constipation like human kind?  will it help with pain if that stool softener is able to get those little bone fragments? 

He still seems a little tired but he looks alert and laying all sprawled out in the open and not hiding in corner anymore.  Finally I think I can get a good rest not worrying so much. 

oh yeah, and I was still thinking about the pedialyte.... what do you think is better -- the homemade or storebrand? 

the homemade looks easy and I have all that stuff to make it. 

Moosedog said:

 
oh yeah, and I was still thinking about the pedialyte.... what do you think is better -- the homemade or storebrand? 

the homemade looks easy and I have all that stuff to make it. 

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I have to admit not really understanding this thread. Your cat seems quite ill but the discussion seems to be about food and stool softeners and not about treating your cat for what seems to be a not fully diagnosed illness. Am I missing something?

And what kind of pain medication? If a narcotic like Buprenorphine then yes it can cause constipation.

What don't you understand?  How do I know it it's a fully diagnosed illness or not?   all I know is the vet examined him yesterday and gave him this medicine.  one is a stool softener and the other is a pain killer.  I'm following the vets instructions, if they don't make sense then please tell me why you think that.

Now I want to know what is the best food to give him?   I want him to recover as soon as possible. 

The pain medicine is Buprenex. 

Moosedog said:

 
What don't you understand?  How do I know it it's a fully diagnosed illness or not?   all I know is the vet examined him yesterday and gave him this medicine.  one is a stool softener and the other is a pain killer.  I'm following the vets instructions, if they don't make sense then please tell me why you think that.

Now I want to know what is the best food to give him?   I want him to recover as soon as possible. 

The pain medicine is Buprenex. 

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Buprenex is the brand name for Buprenorphine and yes it can cause constipation.  All i was really trying to say is that it is hard to follow the medical aspects of this thread because so many people are talking about foods and stool softeners and its feeling like its going off topic.  Maybe you could start again and list current symptoms along with tests performed, treatments prescribed and diagnoses (possible or definitive) discussed.

I would strongly suggest using the Buprenex as the vet recommended.   It will help him relax if there is something painful to pass.   I wouldnt worry about a constipation side-effect as he`s got diahrea right now.   I imagine the vet only gave you like a week supply anyway so it wont be long term anyway.   You really should be using it.   The intent is to make him comfortable - not start dosing him if he cries out in pain.

Like @StephenQ  said lets get him healthy first then worry about food later.   just stay away from any dry food - the other is fine.

The pedialyte replaces electrolytes lost thru vomiting and diahrea.   You might be able to mix it in with his food otherwise syringe it in his mouth.  Is he still vomiting? 

Did the vet say he looks dehydrated?   This would show up on a blood panel.

I see what ya mean,   I ask lots of questions, I'll try to stay more focused.  

Current symptoms are inaudible meow and diarrhea.   The vet did not say he was dehydrated though he is rarely seen ever drinking water.  I have been adding some water to his wet food.  After eating his meow has some sound but it is strained and scratchy sounding.  

I just tried to give him his medicine and he is gagging and trying to puke it up.  could it have gone down the wrong pipe?  he looks a little freaked out.

could this have gone into his lungs? ..... he dont look to good