Feral Cat 10 months Diarrhea

Hi, so I am am guessing I need to take him to the vet but I am so maxed out on vet visits and cat stuff that I am trying to avoid.

One of my outdoor cats has diarrhea. I have a shed with their shelters and noticed it in there and saw him using the litter box today and was like water. I am pretty sure he has had for over a week now. He seems to be eating and drinking otherwise, but seems under the weather and not eating as much. It is also very hot here so that could be another reason he seems under the weather.

My indoor cat who sometimes hangs out supervised outside had this same thing, which I am pretty sure she got from outside. The vet did a million test, all negative for feline leukemia, aids etc. No worms or parisites. I did all the test hoping she would be a marker for the other cats. She got antibiotics and it evently passed but took a long time to get better. She had a fever when she was brought in.

Previously another outdor cat was showing his third eye. I brought him to the vet were they gave him a shot of antibiotics and he got better. Guessing he started the whole thing. It also seemed liked another one got sick and then better, he had a little red around his eye.

Is it possible that the little guy can overcome this without antibiotics. Anyone have a similar story?

I am concerned he will start to lose weight and be dehydrated if he isn't already. The fact that he seems alittle under the weather makes me upset.

I am extremely tapped out with vet bills, and really want to avoid the stress of traping and taking him in. I know this is probably the inevitable but maybe someone has any advice.

Stressed :/

Lesliel76 said:

Hi, so I am am guessing I need to take him to the vet but I am so maxed out on vet visits and cat stuff that I am trying to avoid.

One of my outdoor cats has diarrhea. I have a shed with their shelters and noticed it in there and saw him using the litter box today and was like water. I am pretty sure he has had for over a week now. He seems to be eating and drinking otherwise, but seems under the weather and not eating as much. It is also very hot here so that could be another reason he seems under the weather.

My indoor cat who sometimes hangs out supervised outside had this same thing, which I am pretty sure she got from outside. The vet did a million test, all negative for feline leukemia, aids etc. No worms or parisites. I did all the test hoping she would be a marker for the other cats. She got antibiotics and it evently passed but took a long time to get better. She had a fever when she was brought in.

Previously another outdor cat was showing his third eye. I brought him to the vet were they gave him a shot of antibiotics and he got better. Guessing he started the whole thing. It also seemed liked another one got sick and then better, he had a little red around his eye.

Is it possible that the little guy can overcome this without antibiotics. Anyone have a similar story?

I am concerned he will start to lose weight and be dehydrated if he isn't already. The fact that he seems alittle under the weather makes me upset.

I am extremely tapped out with vet bills, and really want to avoid the stress of traping and taking him in. I know this is probably the inevitable but maybe someone has any advice.

Stressed :/

Click to expand...

You shall give him pedialyte.  Home made or some bought type.   does he accept if you help him, forcefeeding if so is?   Otherwise,  just give a cheap homemade pedialyte as his drinking water.   He loses not only water, but also electrolytes, this alone is more then enough to make him look under the weather.

I dont have clear ideas for what to do medically.  Especially as it seems to be somehting going, and your test cat were at the vets, with all tests done...  A guest its some parasite anyway, they dont always shows on tests. 

Anyways,  pedialyte is if not THE solution, so at least, an essential part of the solution...

I participated the other day in a tread for pedialyte for kittens, I think.  The tread should be visible.

Here is it, the pedialyte tread.   http://www.thecatsite.com/t/301213/pedialyte-question-6-week-old-kitten#post_3778057

Thank you for these advice! I got some this morning right away.

He does not let me handle or touch him so it's not easy to give it to him. Plus there's three other outdoor cats. I got some in his food this morning made a mixture with the juice from the can and he licked it up. I am not sure that was enough though, and he isn't eating a lot. I also put out in their water which he hasn't drank yet. The other cats seems to think it tasted ok bc they drank.

He had very watery diarrhea immediately after eating the little that he did. I am so worried. His brother is playfuy and having fun and he is just moping.

I am prepping to take him in going to make an appointment, get the trap etc. If he makessome strides by tomorrow I'll cancle the appointment.

I am scared I am waiting too long too to take him in. If he is still eating he should be ok at least till tomorrow?

Lesliel76 said:

Thank you for these advice! I got some this morning right away.

He does not let me handle or touch him so it's not easy to give it to him. Plus there's three other outdoor cats. I got some in his food this morning made a mixture with the juice from the can and he licked it up. I am not sure that was enough though, and he isn't eating a lot. I also put out in their water which he hasn't drank yet. The other cats seems to think it tasted ok bc they drank.

He had very watery diarrhea immediately after eating the little that he did. I am so worried. His brother is playfuy and having fun and he is just moping.

I am prepping to take him in going to make an appointment, get the trap etc. If he makessome strides by tomorrow I'll cancle the appointment.

I am scared I am waiting too long too to take him in. If he is still eating he should be ok at least till tomorrow?

Click to expand...

Lets hope so.   A guess it may be coccidia or giardia wandering around.  These arent always visible in quick testes.

So I spoke to the vet. I was going to bring him in, but he said not to. He thinks he is going to need amoxcillian or metronidazole, not the antibodic shot convenia. Both things are something administered by mouth which I cant do. He gave me some chicken flavor metronidazole to put in his food hoping I can get him to eat it. On my eay home to try :/.If he goes downhill where he isnt responding I will take him to emergency. Hoping he is ok.

Well I got him to eat it with some tuna, but then half hour later he threw it up. So I tried again and pretty sure he got most of it down. Not sure if he kept it down, it started to rain and got dark out.

Hoping it was enough to start getting him on the right track. He seemed the same tonight, lethargic, but still ok. The fact that he is trying to eat makes me feel comfortable. Right after eating though he had super watery diarrhea.

I cleaned their litter box outside real good, Hoping the rest stay healthy now. Not sure if once they get it they build an immunity to it?

It's so frustrating taking care of these strays in New York because the reality is that there are just so many feral cats. It feels impossible to keep the colony I have healthy all the time, since I have no idea what they get into or who they interact with at night or where they venture off to.

It also seems like there are so many diseases that are highly contagious with cats, and where the population is big and in close quarters it feels overwhelming for sure.

Ok so I feel like crazy cat lady talking to myself but in case it helps anyone going through what I am. He seems better today, a little more hop back into his step and less sleepy. Wondering if he had a fever and it broke last night.

Since he was feeling better it was hard to get him to stay at his bowel with medicine in it. He got some in, but not all of it. Hoping it was enough.

He still has watery diarrhea right after eating but I guess I cant expect that to go away with one dose.

He went and climbed a tree when he was done eating and then went who knows where. Yesterday he just went back to bed so it looks better to me, but hard to tell after only a night.

I will keep hoping that it will turn out and the others continue to stay healthy. :sun:

  If you're a crazy cat lady, we're all crazy cat people...

It's great to keep a record of things here.. it does help others, and people here can keep up with what's going on.

things continue to improve.

Haha well thanks for the support. These forums have been lifesafers for me. Have been reading religiously since starting taking care of these ferels.

Things seem to be going good. I have been putting small amounts of the medicine in treats so I know he is getting it. Hes feeling better for sure. I am not sure about the diarrhea. I didnt notice him running to the litter box when he was done eating. But I also have been busy so didnt spend super much time watching. He is back to being more playful and alert. I feel good about it and expect him to be ok.

Last night my indoor cat that was sick threw up. Then this morning another one of my indoors also threw. They seem fine otherwise, but I am on high alert. Seems weird they both threw up.

I am doing my best to keep things clean, leaving my shoes outside when I come in after feeding, washing hands feet etc. Hoping whatwhatever it is stays under control. Not sure I can handle a large outbreak. Kind of at my last rope. Need a break for a while.

Just an update. Everyone seems to be doing good and Casper the little one that real sick is definitely feeling better.

He is back to big time playing with his brother.

I want to watch the mother closely for a few days. She seems like she might not be a 100 percent. So annoying how contagious this thing is. I am hoping she will be ok but if not i will need one more dose of antibiotics to treat her. Ughh.

My indoor kitties seem good. The one that was sick seems to still have lose stool. But back to her normals self.

Excellent.. You are doing a wonderful job looking after these kitties.