New to forum daughter just brought home sweet but very skinny kitty!

[marilynsmom]

Hi everyone I just needed some advice on this sweet kitty my 10 year old daughter brought home with her. He is very friendly but extremely thin you can literally see every bone in his body! He eats voraciously and burys the food he doesn't finish. I feed him canned kitten food to get his weight up mixed with senior because I can tell he's very old. I'm taking him to the vet tomorrow. He doesn't groom himself at all and is very dirty covered in fleas how would you bathe him?

 

[marilynsmom]

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• marilynsmom
• Sep 16, 2014

 

[cocheezie]

He could have worms which would explain the eating and the skinny. I'd suggest taking a stool sample in to the vet. Do not use flea shampoo that you buy at the pet store. Most brands are questionable and can be very harmful to cats, especially cats with health issues and sensitivities. You do not yet know what you are dealing with. In the meantime, you could try using just a wet cloth  for the dirt. Also a flea comb used outside. But you need to get flea meds from the vet. They are the only ones that work. Good luck tomorrow at the vet, and thank you for taking in the cat.

Hopefully, someone with tremendous knowledge of ferals and strays will be online shortly.

 

[twotabbies]

He sounds like my Frodo, who had hyperthyroidism - he ate voraciously but was skinny as a rail. He was also beige like the kitty in the photo you posted. He did pass from the disease at age 11, we needed to put him down. Since your kitty was feral though, he may just have worms, and/or is used to having to fight to eat (hence burying the food for "later.")

Glad you are taking him to the vet - they can probably do a flea dip, diagnose what his issues may be. Good luck!

 

[alyssam]

Poor guy, hopefully the trip to the vet goes well. Try a cup of hot water with dawn dish soap in it. Comb kitty with flea comb, after each pass dunk the comb in the soapy water. This will kill any flea the comb pulls off of him, but will not do anything for larvae or eggs already on his fur. Thank your daughter for being brave enough to bring this cat home, and thank you for taking care of it!

 

[catpack]

If you can afford it, I suggest having a full "senior" blood panel done on this baby. The "senior" panel is the most thorough with getting an idea of kidney/liver function, and will give you a good baseline. (We have run this panel on seriously ill kittens, so not just for mature cats.)

I'd also suggest a fecal be done and I'd have kitty tested for FIV/leukemia.

As for a bath, if he seems docile enough, you could bathe him using Original blue Dawn. But, I also suggest flea coming him and using a damp rag to get the dirt off.

 

[marilynsmom]

Thank you to everyone I will get the full senior panel done for him and whatever else he needs. We've already fallen in love with the poor guy and my daughter named him Oppie. Wish us luck tomorrow!

 

[marilynsmom]

Ironically enough I'm a fish person with about six large aquariums and three small ones!

 

[catpack]

Oppie is so lucky to have found such a loving family! Please keep us updated on him. =)

 

[bluebird gal]

Thank you for allowing this sweet, stray soul into your lives.  Oppie is a cool name that your daughter picked out.   Good luck with the vet visit! 

 

[marilynsmom]

He came into ours when we needed him too. Thank you

 

[cocheezie]

Good luck today. Please let us know how it goes.

 

[marilynsmom]

Well, Oppie made it to the vet! He has feline leukemia and he needed to be medicated for worms. They also did a complete blood work up on him so I should be hearing back. They estimate his age to be anywhere between 14 and 16 and they suspect thyroid issues possibly kidney. They gave him subqu fluids he was still dehydrated so he will be going back as soon as his results come in. They kept telling marilyn my daughter how nice she is for taking him in and she says " I love him" it's soo cute!

 

[marilynsmom]

P.S. My husband about had kidney failure when he saw the vet bill! Lol

 

[alyssam]

Aww just a poor old man... someone probably dumped him not wanting to deal with the senior problems. Thank your daughter again, that poor.old soul probably would not have made it much longer if it weren't for her.

I only have one suggestion. Prepare her for when he passes on. A cat of that age with all of the health issues he appears to have you never know. He could live another 5 happy years with your family, or he could pass away next week. I remember being a 10 year old girl when my first kitty died. It was very difficult for me. Just let her know despite all that she has done to help him, he still might not make it much longer.

I hope all goes well for Oppie!

 

[vbcatparent]

Calvin and Hobbes once did a storyline where Calvin rescued an injured animal and then it died in his garage. Might be worth reading with your daughter.

 

[karissima]

Perhaps, too, look into pet insurance, since a cat of this age is more likely to need expensive care soon. (Then again, they may not cover him because of "pre existing illnesses", so read and compare and weigh what you think is best.)

Sweet little fellow! Your daughter is a kind-hearted hero; we need more people like your family in the world.

 

[alyssam]

Any news on the old guy?