Is He Sick Or Just picky About Food?

So one of my ferals, Ash, seems to be under the weather. I don't understand why every few months one of them gets sick is this normal in the feral community?

For a few days...I guess almost a week he seems to be turning his nose up to the food. So I haves been trying different favors. Usually what I put out he doesn't want and then I'll come back out again with another flavor and he will eat some of it. He usually gets down some both morning and night but not his normal amount. He shows up like he's hungry but doesn't really eat.

He seems a little down, not playing, and even letting me pet his head. Seems to be sleeping more also.

He's a year and half old. I've been feeding him for about 8 months. He's fixed. He is very small in stature, and never seems to put on weight. Not sure what his life was before but possibly he was undernourished and didn't grow big, or isn't a big cat.

One of his good buddies went missing a couple months back, maybe he is depressed? There are still two other cats out there he is friendly withnthat so not sure that is the case. He was extra close with his friend Spot that is gone now.

I am worried for sure but can't see any other signs of illness. No diarehea or anything visible signs on the outside. His eyes look ok, and when he was sick in the past he showed his third eyelid. One thing he did do was cough they either day like he was going to throw up but didn't. Did he eat a mouse or something that didn't diges well? Could the fall weather be giving him allergies or something? His breathing might be a bit fast but I compared to my other cat and was horrible. I can't really tell.

Any advise appreciated, going to give tuna tonight...if he poo poos that then I know something is wrong.

Thanks

I also want to mention my neighbors have a bee hive they get honey from. Ive seen all my ferals chase and swat them. If he ate one how much damage would that cause could that be the culprit?

If he doesn't eat the next few days, can you get him to the vet? It's hard to tell what's wrong at this point. He wouldn't be depressed to the point of not eating because his buddy left a few months ago--cats are resilient with a strong sense of survival instinct so his lack of appetite is most likely due to something medical and not emotional.

Hi Thanks for the fast response.

I can get him to the vet.  I have done it in the past, which require trapping.  The problem is when I get there they are not able to do a physical exam without sedation.  He gets really aggressive in the trap.  Sedation requires he stays there a certain period of time, and that cost money.  Since its not an emergency yet not sure its necessary yet. 

He is till eating some, I would say half of what he normally does.  I feed both morning and night so he is getting an ok amount.

I will keep monitoring him.  Of course if he stops eating all together for a long time I will take him in immediately.

Ill try tonight with the tuna when I get home from work and see what happens.  Hoping he at least eats that up.

Cats sometimes have less of an appetite in hot weather. It's also very possible someone else is feeding him. If he isn't losing weight, then that is likely the case.   

So he defiantly ate the tuna. In fact he was still eating after the other cats walked away. So he got it down.

It seems like his throat is bothering him. I watched him eat and its like he has a sore throat, or something stuck in it. Not sure how I can look at it.

A little over a month ago he had a sore on his throat on the outside. I was able to rub some neosporne on it with a qtip. It healed and got better, but wondering if there was something internal with that sore. He was eating fine with the sore, but maybe it got infected on the inside? Not sure.

I think the tuna might be good for a couple days. It's oily so if he does have a bone or something stuck might help it go down. I know tuna is not great for cats over a long period of times so will switch him back after a day or so.

Hoping it's something simple and clears up. I hate when there's something wrong with any of them. I just want happy healthy cats!

Ughhh so he is definitely not well. Thinking ill take him in tomorrow if he doesnt show improvement. He ate this morning tuna and even some crunchies.

He went to sleep immediately. I just checked on him and he is curled ina ball sleeping under a bush. He looks like he might be having trouble breathing. Like his stomach is twtiching.

If he was easier to trap I would bring him in today, plus i think the stress of going in isnt always good for a sick kitty.

He sneezed this morning could it be upper respiratory?

Im so worried now and dont want to go to work but have to.

I would get him to a vet as soon as possible. Yes, it will be stressful for him--all of my cats, even the completely domesticated ones--get upset and stressed during vet trips. One of them always pees the carrier, and they all yowl the entire trip. This is a cat thing. They all hate carriers and car rides and vets poking and prodding them. But they do  get over it quickly and the next day forget all about it. You likely won't have peace of mind until you take him. None of us can tell you what might be wrong with him because it's just not clear from what you've described what's going on. If he's fatigued and sleeping under a bush, perhaps you could just bring a carrier out and pick him up and put him in it. Keep us posted. Sending a prayer your way.     

Well I came home early from work to check on him. Got some of the fancy feast broth. He liked the juices of the tuna thought he might like this. He licked up a pretty good amount and even ate some of the chunks.

He seems in better spirits then when I left this morning. His breathing normal, was head butting some of the others. Maybe the norishment of the tuna helped?

I have a trap ready to go if he needs to go to the vet. For now going to keep an eye on him. Will stick around tonight to watch him.

I am totally willing to take him in the vet I just dont want to go through the stress for both of us if its not necessary. I have one vet willing to work with ferals but I know they will want to sedate him to get an examine and that requires overnight. They will want to do blood test and xrays I am sure which of course also sound costly. Willing to pay but want to make sure its necessary. I also dont have a car so the ride there and back are always hard. I have had aome taxis turn me away with that trap.

Hes a little pic. Was trying to take videos of his breathing and not eating for the vet.

Well to my surprise things keep getting better! This morning I thought he was in desperate need of medical attention and now he seems ok. I really am at a loss.

I feed everyone two dinners, one at 5 and one now at around 10. He ate both times a lot!

I don't get how he went from lethargic scary don't feel well for over a week to all of a sudden better. Is it possible that he did have something stuck in his throat and all the oily tuna type stuff made it slide down?

My only other thing that I have found in my research is Asthma. Does he have Asthma and had some attacks that made him feel not great? That would explain the stomach twitching and a hard breathing.

Whatever it is I'll take it. Hope he continues on this upward spiral, I am happy and can sleep well tonight!

Thanks for the support will let you know if anything happens.

Just watching in the background as I didn't have any advice to offer, but I'm so pleased he's looking better.

Thanks Mani

He seems ok. I fed them three times today, just to keep his nourishment up. He ate well at all three times.

Not sure what was wrong with him but whatever it was it seemed to have worked out.

He seems to be back to his normal self, fingers crossed. I'll keep watching but for now things seem to be in the clear.