Kitten worries

The Animal communicator I use is located in Colorado.  We do it strictly over the phone.  I just email her a picture ahead of time.  She is quite amazing in her skills.  She has helped me so much with my ferals.  Many times I had hoped her knowledge was wrong, but in the end she was usually correct.  I have lost a few ferals throughout the years and it is always hard. 

I bet Aashka will come back.  She was frightened, but I bet she will show up again.  Do you leave food out for her or just wait until you see her? 

Ferals are so hard since we have no control over them and no idea where they go.  My last feral ( he was actually most likely a stray) was with me for about 5 months.  During the holidays I was gone for 2 days.  I had someone to come and feed all the cats 2x a day.  He was finally adjusting and even using one of the shelters under the deck each night.  When I was gone, a bully cat from nearby got out and went after Cisco.  He disappeared for over a week.  I was so worried about him.  I have surveillance cameras on my property and even one under my deck so I saw what happened to him.  He has only been her 3x since then.  Well, I take that back, he has only been here 3x for food.  He comes occasionally during the middle of the night, but then just leaves.  I can tell he is well fed and I never see him when it is bitter cold.  I believe he found a home or went back to his previous home.  I can tell he is staying inside as he shows up on warmer nights, but never comes for food or shelter.  It just makes me sick that the cat was missing for 5 months and no one responded to any of my signs, posters or neighborhood emails.  I neutered him and ear tipped him.  You would think someone would wonder what happened to him.  I guess he could still be living outside and someone else is feeding him, but it just seems odd that he never is here when it's cold out.  It's as though he stays inside and is then let out when it's warmer.  I just wish I could get inside his head and find out what happened.  In my next Animal Communication session I will have to ask.

I hope the vet visits works out well. 

Aashka's back! Mum went down for me today (I have fibromyalgia and the stress of the last few weeks of cat taming has knocked me out...it would be sooo much easier if they were around my house instead of at the yard), and Aashka was there, meowing like crazy - and hissing whenever mum got close or moved fast of course - and stayed round where we feed her the whole time. She ate two pouches of food and a big bowl of kibble. I'm so relieved she's back. When I've recovered better I'll go and start trying to rebuild her trust...If that's even possible after what I did.

Anyway, Asha's doing well. She was really sweet with the vet, and let her check her over...even inside her mouth and in her ears The bruising is gone, the paw is infection and scab free, her colour's better, one of the mysterious lumps has shrunk...the hope is they will both disappear over time...and the best news is that she's gained half a kg She started out at 2.5kg, and they think she should be 4kg for her present size, more if she grows. The vet who originally thought Asha was a year old said she looks younger today, and, I think, agrees with my estimate of 8-9 months ish. Once they have adult teeth it's so much harder to age them, but she doesn't feel like an adult to me. Hope that makes sense. The bad news is that they want to wait a month before spaying her. She was in such a state that they want to be sure she'll handle the operation ok. There's no urgency at one level - she's not pregnant, she's indoor only, and the only other cat is neutered. Do you still think I should wait until after the op to start intros? I really am tempted to (as a first step) have her in my room without the other animals - just to show a different bit of the house, and maybe let Shadow explore her space a bit. Mum reorganised while we were at the vets (she's given Asha her office for the duration :bow: ) so Asha's got a bit more space now. ..and I hopefully won't be stepping on any more paws :anon:

It sounds like you had a rough time with Cisco. It's awful when one cat scares another off like that. I can't believe that anyone could lose a cat for months and not appear to care. Some people baffle (and disgust ) me :slant: I'm glad he's ok.

Asha's past baffles me. She really doesn't act feral, but I know she did. She was at the yard from before Christmas. Mum remembers seeing a black flash disappearing from the cupboard we used to leave food out on back down to Asha's cellar. You couldn't get near her. Sometimes around Christmas /new year mum was told that she had to stop leaving food out (at that time we were trying to feed Pushkin there...she was fed on my exmoor 's stable wall, but we were asked to move stables and the new one didn't have a place for Pushkin. We tried to settle her in the feed area before she settled in the tack barn). Asha just wasn't seen after that. No one knew she was there. She's a very efficient hunter, but it looks like she was too scared or too bullied to get enough food. She poked her head up after I'd been feeding and meowing to Aashka for a couple of weeks. She was clearly scared of Aashka, and moved like a feral - creeping, jumpy, low to ground, tense. Do you think it's possible that she isa semi feral, but was so scared and desperate and starving that trusting humans was her only option? I'm certain she's at least part bombay or burmese . She looks right, for a bombay a high shine coat is part of the breed description (and I can't think how else her coat could be so shiny when she was so malnourished...its even shinier now ) , and her character seems right - soft spoken but *very* vocal, very clingy 'velcro ' cat, very trusting and affectionate nature. If I'm right about breeding (though obviously not pedigree), that could also explain why she's been so amenable since I met her.

Sorry...you know what it's like with a new addition that you know nothing about ; )

The animal communicator does fascinate me. I'm so wary though...There are so many scammed out there. ..I've met one in the horse world already. I'm a combination of skeptical and spooked I guess. I've been taken advantage of do often that I'm very wary of getting into that kind of thing myself.

Sorry for rambling a bit. You must be getting used to that with me by now; )

What great news you received today!! 

I am thrilled to know that Aashka's back and doing well.  Hopefully soon she will learn to trust again. 

What great news on Asha gaining weight and getting a clean bill of health for the most part.  Waiting on the spay is best for her since you want her to be as healthy as possible.

Since the spay won't be for a month, you might want to go ahead and see how it goes.  Just be careful about the scent Asha will bring home after the spay.  If the cats would happen to be doing well and then she goes off to the vet and brings lots of unwanted smells, it may cause Shadow to be upset.  A tip I learned is to rub each cat down with a clean sock or wash cloth.  Put the sock or wash cloth in a zip lock bag.  Before you allow the cats to see each other, rub Asha down with Shadow's scent and rub Shadow down with Asha's scent (pre surgery).  I have also heard you can get a cotton ball and saturate it in vanilla extract.  Then rub some on each cat.  They will then smell the same. 

That's a good tip. Shadow's never reacted previously when we've brought an animal home from the vet... and 1st dog was ip 3 times, Pixie's been ip 4 or 5 times, Leah's been ip once, and at the end Cali was going up there every 48hrs! (Only cat I've ever known who finds a vet visit with injections less stressful than taking a tablet :lol3

To be honest, none of them seem to freak at 'vet smell'. I think it's because the vets are only a 5 min drive away and they're all fantastic with the animals. Cali actually liked the vet he saw the most, and used to purr for her!(we called her his personal vet...she's the one who saw Asha the day I caught her, and the one I wanted to see today, but we saw the vet who'd treated her the following day instead). Do you think the smell will be an issue because it's Asha?

Couldn't resist...Asha right now!

My resident cat never cared when our dog went to the vet at all.  It was just when Marvin entered the picture.  Since the cats are still so new with each other, it's better to be safe than sorry.  Once they know each other better, you can decide if it's necessary.

I still do the sock/wash cloth trick as I just don't want Jake and Marvin to find a reason to be upset with each other.  I actually prefer taking them to the vet at the same time for that reason.  I hate vet trips with both and both are due for shots and Jake needs his teeth cleaned.  Ugh...

I also have a dog, Misty.  She is a 10 year old Samoyed.  Last year she was diagnosed with cancer of the urethra.  It was devastating.  We did radiation with her and since last May she has been or oral chemotherapy.  She went into remission on July and has been doing very well.  Yet it's always a constant worry.  She goes in for a check up with her oncologist on Monday. 

Asha is just so sweet.  I am so glad you rescued her.   You can tell that she just knows she has it good. 

Marvin has been sleeping on our bed off and on since last June.  It is just amazing that he is the same cat who lived outside and beat up my Shadow and then came inside and beat up Jake.  He is the sweetest lap kitty and snuggly cat. 

Good to know about vet smell issues. I'll definitely take your advice. It just hadn't ever occurred to me before.

I'm so sorry to hear about Misty. Cancer is devastating. It's great that she's in remission now. I hope the oncologist visit goes well
I lost my first lab, Brandy, to a rare and untreatable cancer. I forget what it was called....something to do with fat cells.

It's amazing how animals can sort themselves out given time. Pixie originally was convinced that cats were for chasing...now Shadow sits on the arm of the sofa and plays 'catch the tail' when Pixie (or Leah for that matter ) is stood on the floor next to the sofa! It's like watching grandmothers footsteps..he freezes every time they look round :lol3:

Thanks for the compliments about Asha. I can only imagine how good she'll look when she's fully healthy again. She's obsessed with cuddles now, and gets really cross if I don't spend the entire afternoon in one position so she can have her favourite bed...me! She shouted and shouted at me this evening because I'd dared to spend a couple of hours doing other things and, to add insult to injury, took her to the vet. Some cats sulk, she complains! She has a soft voice, but it's insistent. Definitely some asian of some sort in her...I've never known such a vocal cat

So...I went in to give Asha her breakfast this morning. She'd had liquid diarrhoea in the night/early morning. It looked bad. It was all over the litter, on both ends of the box and on the vetbed. I even had to get some fragrance free baby wipes and clean her bum (baby wipes are ok to use, right? I just grabbed them without thinking).

No idea what caused the problem. Her first movement yesterday was solid but ending loose/liquid and her second one was absolutely normal. I don't know what to do...did I do something wrong? :confuse3: All she's been getting is high quality cat food with the odd bit of poached chicken for a treat (High quality = nature's menu pouches...I'm interested in raw but a little scared of it). http://www.naturesmenu.co.uk/category-pouches.aspx

Could it be the stress from the vet visit, or is it something I'm feeding? She did have a different flavour for her last feed...beef with something. The beef was the only new meat to her in that brand.but she's also had some Lily's Kitchen trays and some of them contain beef which she had with no problems.

1. http://www.lilyskitchen.co.uk/products/cat/wet-cat-food

I'm sticking with nature's menu in general now because it's just as high quality, if not higher, and is better value too.

What should I do? She's absolutely herself in every other respect. I'm just worried about my baby! ara3:

Did she get any vaccines or other meds at the vet yesterday?  Has she been dewormed? 

Using baby wipes is fine.

I would keep her away from beef.  My cats don't do well on anything with beef in it.  To settle her tummy, you might give plain cooked chicken.  Some people mix it with a bit of rice.  Make sure she is drinking to stay hydrated.  You can put a bit of chicken broth into her water if you need her to drink more.

I bet it's the beef food and stress from the vet.  Try the plain cooked chicken and see how she does. 

If it continues, you will need to call the vet.

She had no meds etc yesterday. She was wormed the day I brought her home. She finished a course of antibiotics on Monday.

Thanks for the advice. There's a ton of poached chicken in the fridge along with the poaching water. That sounds ideal from what you say. (The chicken was for Pixie, but he refused to eat yesterday and has decided that he doesn't want to eat chicken anymore. He really is impossible to feed. He eventually ate some of Asha's food last night, and again this morning. His tummy doesn't like it, but that's all he'll eat right now )

Thanks for your help. Of course I'll call the vet if need be, but I'm hoping it's just a stress reaction. Pixie's seeing the vet tomorrow. If she hasn't settled by then Asha can come too. They're pretty good about that sort of thing.

How is Asha today?

I'm not sure. She was extra hungry last night after not being so interested in food at dinner (she gets a final feed at around 10pm). She perked up around that time too and demanded a game. I was really hopeful that she'd be better today.Bowel movements haven't firmed up much, if at all, but its not sticking to her fur anymore and the motions have been smaller. She's been a little quieter than usual so far today, but very eager for food. She's burping a lot after eating, and is tending to snuggle next to me instead of on top of me, which isn't like her. The BMs have gone from reddish to more brown in colour (sorry for graphic details!), which suggests that the beef is out of her system now. I'm concerned that there's no sign of things getting firmer. She is drinking well, and peeing like crazy. I'm hoping that that's because I've been getting a lot of fluid into her meals. Yesterday she had poached chicken breast with the poaching water added to it, along with a little goat's yogurt in the hopes that the probiotics will settle things down a bit. Most of yesterday she was more interested in the yogurt and broth than the actual meat.

For breakfast this morning she had more chicken, broth and yogurt. She demanded a mid morning feed and I'd run out of chicken, so I gave her half a pouch of the nature's menu kitten food (which is just chicken and broth, but is a mix of the different meats from the chicken instead of just the breast) along with a little more yogurt. I was also concerned about a malnourished cat getting only unbalanced food for any length of time. I hope I'm doing the right things. No BMs today apart form the one I found from overnight. I don't know if that's good or bad.I'm going to give her a little bit longer to see if she has a poo, but if she doesn't go in the next half hour or so I'm going to call the vet and see if she can tag along to Pixie's appointment at 2pm. I'm concerned she might have IBD. I know how messed up the digestive system can get from malnutrition / starvation .
I just hope I'm doing the right things. It's crazy - I've had cats all my life and this little girl is freaking me out just because she's got a tummy upset!Thanks for asking how she's doing. I hadn't posted because I didn't know what to say. I just hope she's better soon.

It sounds like you are doing all of the right things.  The goat yogurt is a great idea.  The fact that she is eating is also good.  I have used canned pumpkin with my cats before.  It helps to bulk the stool.  I also use a product called Propectalin.  It is a flavored tablet that contains probiotic and kaopectate.  My vet gave some to me for my dog one time and I have had some on hand every since.  One of my indoor boys had a bad case of diarrhea (stress induced) last fall.  I used the pumpkin and Propectalin and cooked chicken.  It cleared up in a few days.

Definitely check with your vet.  I hope she is feeling better soon. 

Just come out of the vets. Decided against taking Asha in case stress was a factor. Vet said to stick to the chicken breast and yogurt for a few days and see how she goes. Sometimes semi ferals (as I'm sure you know) have difficulty adjusting to proper food after being forced (as Asha was) to live on 'rubbish'. There's an outside chance it could be IBD, but it's far too soon to make that call. She still hasn't pooed today, so I'm hoping that's a good sign


Thanks for all the advice. Canned pumpkin sounds good, but I can't get it easily in the UK!

Just been into my local pet shop. Found portion sized cans of complimentary cat food containing :-

Chicken breast
Pumpkin
Chicken broth
Rice (only 1%)

Perfect for Asha while she's not well.

That food sounds just perfect.  I'm sorry I forgot you were in the UK.  For some reason I had it in my mind you were in Canada.  Sorry about that. 

It sounds like you have a great vet who is very accommodating.  I wish my vet was that way.  She seems to be all about the money.  In fact a lot of the vets around here are so focused on how much they can charge for every little thing.  I really want to find a new vet when our dog is no longer around.  I would love to find one that does cats only.  Also one that knows something about ferals and is willing to help me when they need medical attention.

Hopefully she will be feeling much better in the next day or so. 

I don't expect you to remember where I live!

Our vets are pretty good, and cheaper than some. Technically there aren't any specialists, but each vet (there are 7 in the practice) naturally has a greater interest in certain types of animal. If I had to criticise, they - like a lot of vets - can be a little old fashioned in their approach to feeding. They push the standard range of royal canin, purina, etc..even whiskas and bakers (about the worst dog food on the planet! ). They do care about the animals though, and are very down to earth in their approach..necessary when you're dealing with farmers :lol3: We've used them for 18 years now. I'll never forget that, years ago, the TB I had at the time got injured. The vet had to drive past the stables on his way to the surgery, and stopped off every morning to give Dan his jab. I only got charged for the actual drugs!

I hope you're able to find a vet you're happier with. I know how bad they can be. Worst was when Amber ( one of my first pair of British shorthairs, and the first cat who was truly 'mine' - I was 6) got hit by a car as a kitten. It was a bad injury and he lost the top part of his femur. He came back from the emergency vet infested with fleas and (we think it was them) FIV positive. Never went there again!

*stopping rambling now*

Asha's a funny girl. She begged for food and then wanted a game. Once she'd caught her feather she went trotting purposefully to her crate with it, then went straight to her food bowl so she could 'eat her prey' :lol3: She's such a sweetie :rub:

Her tummy is slowly settling down Her poo is still soft but now has a bit of shape to it. She's perking up again too, and is climbing onto me for cuddles a bit more.

It's raining like crazy tonight. Asha's fascinated by it. She keeps staring up at the skylight as though she wants to pounce the raindrops!

I just love my sweet Asha-ji so much!
*shutting up now*

Hopefully Asha is feeling good as new today.  I'd love to see more pictures of her when you get a chance.

Yes thanks. Asha's back to her old self, though still a little tired. Her bm was normal today The pumpkin really seemed to help. I'm going to keep a stockpile of that food in for emergencies. It's just a pic the cans aren't bigger...the greyhound could do with it too, but he'd need three or four cans to make up a full meal!


Asha's not the easiest cat to get pictures of, but I'll see what I can do. I'd love more pictures of her too. I can't wait for all her fur to grow so she can look her best for the camera.

Sorry for raving about her last night. I was just sooo relieved that she was getting better. I was really scared she might have IBD.

Hope your menagerie are doing ok

Asha's got diarrhoea again I've no idea why. All she's had is the chicken and pumpkin food and goats yogurt. I don't understand what's going on with her :confuse3: I really thought she was over it. Getting scared that she might have IBD. Doubting everything I'm doing with/for her.