My cat hasn't had anything to eat in almost 3 days after seeing the vet

I am very worried about my cat Libby.  I took her to a reputable vet's office on the 17th, which was three days ago.  Libby needed a rabies vaccination and also something for fleas and ear mites. 

Here's what happened:

First of all, I could not get her into her carrier.  Libby is a very "healthy" cat if you know what I mean. That made it more difficult than normal to get her in her carrier.  I was running out of time, so I put her in a cardboard box that was plenty big.  She was fighting to get out of that box the whole time we were driving to the vet's office.  When we were called into one of the examination rooms, she got out of the box and right away the vet tech could tell that Libby had used or expressed her anal glands.  She said it was probably because of the stressful ride in the cardboard box.  

Second, after a physical exam of my cat, the veterinarian and his assistant told me that Libby had a really bad ear mite problem.  I wasn't surprised.  I had tried Frontline Plus for Libby's flea problem but to no avail.  So I told the doctor that I wanted something stronger for the fleas.  First, he gave Libby a rabies vaccination.  Then, he and the assistant took Libby into a different room and performed treatment on the ear mites.  They cleaned out the ear mites and they also applied Milbemite Otic Solution in each ear.  I can't remember their exact words, but they basically told us that cleaning out the ear mites was quite an ordeal.  Libby's ears were very pink and red afterwards.  Then, after informing me of my options, the doctor gave Libby a Capstar blue tab 11.4mg.  He also applied a dose of  Revolution Feline > 15lbs.

So that's one vaccination and three different meds that they gave Libby.  Don't get me wrong.  This veterinarian and his assistant were very knowledgeable, courteous, and professional.  

The ride home was just as terrible as the ride to the office.  When we got home, I opened the box and let Libby out.  She took off running but something was very, very wrong.  I thought she had a cramp. She couldn't walk straight.  It was so painful to watch.  She was so pitiful.  I immediately called the vet's office and told them which leg was bothering her.  The doctor told me that he had administered the rabies vaccination in that leg that was giving Libby problems.  So that answered that question.  She was also panting 100 miles an hour.  I had never seen anything like it.  At first she wouldn't let me or my brother get near her without making an ungodly sound.  She looked dazed.  After several hours she finally started breathing normally again.  The next day she could walk normally.  However, whenever she shakes her head she falls over because she's still so unstable, physically speaking. That is still happening.

The thing that has me and my brother worried the most is that Libby hasn't eaten anything since 3pm on the 17th except a couple of very tiny bites of canned food.  She tried to eat a piece of her dry food but she just spit the crumbs out.  She normally eats dry food but I bought some canned food hoping that would make her salivate and increase her appetite.  It's like she has really really dry mouth.  She drank several sips of water about 10 hours ago.  I was elated.  That's the first water that she's had since about 3pm on the 17th. Today is the 20th.

Today is a Sunday, so if I call the vet's office I will get the answering service.  I have a feeling that if I tell them what's going on, they'll probably page the doctor.  I will probably call in a little while, but I'm hoping to gain some knowledge or hear from someone in this forum who has had a similar experience.  Libby will get into the position to eat or drink, and she'll lean over the food or water, but that's where it stops.  

Can someone tell me when she might eat and drink again?  When will she regain her physical stability?

Any advice, information, or sharing will be greatly appreciated.

Thank you! 

This sounds like she's had a nasty reaction to either the rabies vaccine or one of the medications she was given. I think she should been seen today, she must be slightly dehydrated in addition to whatever originally caused her to feel ill.  It is important that she eats especially since she is a large cat. Not eating, will get a cat very sick. Have you tried canned tuna fish or anything extra yummy? 

I do not know if she will be as she was before this because usually this sort of reaction is treated very quickly, now three days have passed. Its hard to say. None of mine have ever had any of the symptoms you've described after them having received any vaccine, flea topical or ear miticide. Only once did one cat have a reaction to Advantage but he had a skin irritation and loose stool. The rest only felt sleepy, but still ate and acted fine. Please let us know how it goes and what the Vet says about Libby.

Oh no...  I really don't like the sound of that.  I bought some canned cat food if that's what you mean by "canned tuna fish."  I can't bear to carry her back up there.  Maybe if I get a bigger carrier, but I can't put her back in that cardboard box.  

   I think she should been seen today

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They're closed today.  I'm about to call them.  If this is some kind of permanent damage, is there anything I can do, legally speaking?  

dpepper73 said:

 
They're closed today.  I'm about to call them.  If this is some kind of permanent damage, is there anything I can do, legally speaking?  

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I don't know. Usually on the release papers or on the receipt there are instructions to call them if the cat starts to act strangely such as refusing to eat, fever, moderate swelling on injection site, etc. 

dpepper73 said:

 
Oh no...  I really don't like the sound of that.  I bought some canned cat food if that's what you mean by "canned tuna fish."  I can't bear to carry her back up there.  Maybe if I get a bigger carrier, but I can't put her back in that cardboard box.  

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No, I mean the human canned kind like Bumblebee or Starkist, plain and in water. Will she allow you to pet her and to check the leg to see if its swelling?

Yes, she will allow me to pet her.  A few minutes ago I woke her up and brought her to her food and water bowls.  She really wanted to eat but for whatever reason, dry mouth maybe, she didn't.  She did drink some water though.  I called the vet's office and I'm waiting on someone to call me back.

nansiludie said:

 
I don't know. Usually on the release papers or on the receipt there are instructions to call them if the cat starts to act strangely such as refusing to eat, fever, moderate swelling on injection site, etc. 

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I'm looking at the papers that I was sent home with and it doesn't say anything about calling them if this or that happens.  I'm really upset about this.  Also, how long does it take to call someone?  ARGH!!

Hi, I hope Libby is feeling better.
From what I've read, this looks as an allergic reaction to any of the medicaments she was given or to the vaccination (is that the first time you got her vaccinated against rabies? Is it recommended even for housecats? From what I have gathered you live in New York (don't you?), presumably in an apartment; where could your cat get rabies from? I'm not suggesting that you should not get your cat vaccinated, because vaccinations are indeed useful to prevent deadly illnesses, but when you have to deal with adverse reactions like these, you (and your veterinarian) should analyze the benefit cost ratio. In Europe we generally tend to limit the number of immunizations according to the cat's life style and environment (which means that we give them just the trivalent vaccine- Herpes virus, Panleukopenia and Calicivirus- in case of housecats that never go out, Trivalent+ FeLV for cats that have access outdoor or that live in foster homes and are in contact with cats and kittens whose medical history is unknown or incomplete, etc... and rabies only for those cats living in areas where it's endemic. Others vaccinations such as those for Immunodeficiency or Feline Peritonitis are generally deemed ineffective and not administered). If you prefer to have your cat vaccinated against rabies, you should try to understand if she's perhaps allergic to some excipients (to give you an example, for two years in a row one of my cats developed a sort of lump after getting her shot against leukemia: I rushed to the vet because I was afraid of vaccine associated sarcoma (I use to be very optimistic) only to find out to my great relief that those lumps spontaneously disappeared in a couple of weeks or even sooner and that they didn't cause any inconvenience to the cat); however, scrolling her vaccination book, I discovered that this happened when she was given the Merial vaccine, whereas didn't occur when the vet used Virbac (and since the active principle/antigen is obviously the same, there must be a little difference in the eccipients and this is presumably what causes the lump).
In any case CALL THE VET if symptoms persist: they have to visit your cat again (and generally do it for free) especially if symptoms started after the cat was taken to their office to be vaccinated/treated. I don't know if they are liable (also because I don't live in the US), but certainly it's their duty to examine your cat. Don't they have an emergency number? (What if a cat has a stroke at 3am on a Saturday night?)

Don't force your cat to eat, especially if she's spontaneously getting some wet food; at times my cats lack appetite and eat very little (20 grams of canned food a day) just to return to their usual doses in a few days (this obviously happen more frequently when they had "traumatic experiences" such as a visit to the vet or when we take them to our second house in the countryside or any time they feel sick). Only get worried if Libby's not eating anything at all ( you coluld also try different kinds of food, including pieces of chicken, tuna, beef, lamb, etc... whatever is smelly and appealing for a cat). She has probably nausea (does she lick her lips?), but this should end soon.

Her Veterinarian can supply something that will likely stimulate her appetite.  You can just pick it up from there without her having to make the return trip with you.

MewtantMommy said:

 
Her Veterinarian can supply something that will likely stimulate her appetite.  You can just pick it up from there without her having to make the return trip with you.

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I didn't think of that.  I talked to the veterinarian and he wants to see her tomorrow (monday) if she's still not eating.  And of course it's a $36 fee.  Someone mentioned that they thought I must live in New York.  I wonder how they came to that conclusion.  I'm a good ol' boy from Alabama.

Anyway, what exactly could the vet do?  I've talked to him and told him everything.  He seems to think that Libby's appetite and behavior are linked to the stress she experienced on Thursday.  For those who don't know, I had to put her in a cardboard box because she would not go into her carrier.  

She's had a little water.  She will get into position to eat and she'll lean over and put her mouth on the food but that's as far as she goes.  When she does that I'm on the edge of my seat thinking, "Yes, be a good girl.  You can do it.  Come on."

I'm about to wake her up to see if she'll eat some canned tuna, from Starkist.  Please keep Libby in your thoughts and prayers.  She did not deserve this.  I'm trying not to blame myself.  It's just so freakin' mysterious.  I've never seen anything like this.  

MewtantMommy said:

 
Her Veterinarian can supply something that will likely stimulate her appetite.  You can just pick it up from there without her having to make the return trip with you.

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I meant to ask, do you know the names of any meds that will increase her appetite? 

Below follows some (recycled ) content I have posted elsewhere in this Forum.  The container type described might make for an easier type travel container for you and your kitty to use.  Always use a crate, improvised travel crate, something, to securely confine your kitty for trips to her Veterinarian.  Some kitties do not like going there, and they escape if they are able.

You might ask whether Cyproheptadine would be appropriate in her case.

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Translucent polypropylene storage tubs with latching lids -- of the Sterilite, etc. type -- can make excellent, safe (except for overheating danger), economical travel carriers for most smallish pets, and they can easily be draped for shading (Essential!) and to help prevent fly access. To drill (way too small for escape) ventilation holes in the lid and in (along) the upper walls of the container part, first brace the area to be drilled over a wooden board beneath it (stand on it to keep it braced over the board during drilling). Roughness about the ventilation holes can be sanded away with sandpaper or emery cloth.

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For draping material, you should use only white (for best sunlight reflection), fairly loosely-woven, all-cotton material. White cotton flour-sack type dishtowels are ideal for this use. If they are not large enough for your needs, you can sew some of them together to make larger (area) drapes of them. You can find them at those big discount department stores having names ending in the syllable "Mart."

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I just wanted to let everybody know that Libby finally ate something after about 80 hours without eating!! A fellow forum member and my vet recommended canned tuna.  So I bought 4 cans.  I had to wake Libby up because all she's been doing is sleeping these last three days.  I woke her up, brought her into the kitchen and opened up a can of tuna.  I wasn't expecting her to eat it.  I really wasn't.  I didn't think I'd ever see her eat again.  I thought she would just pass away during one of her long naps.  But she could not resist that tuna!!  At first, she just licked the water from the top then I chopped it up a little bit and I could see her eating big chunks of tuna!!  Oh, it did my heart good!  Thanks for the advice and well wishes!

Wonderful news!  Please do keep us up on her recovery.

You have done great work taking care of her.

Thank you!!  It sure has taken a lot out of me.  My brother too.  I'm a single guy with no children, and ever since all of this started I've been trying to imagine what it must be like to have a very sick child.  If worrying about a cat that I've had for 13 months causes this much anxiety, I can't fathom what some parents go through when one of their children is diagnosed with cancer, leukemia, or some other terminal disease.  

Life is so precious and so fragile.  

Libby is your baby.

Sometimes prayer is answered this way, the way for which we hope so hard. 

I have one more suggestion -- that you continue with wet (canned) foods and see if she is willing to give up her dry cat food or transition to only wet foods.  For at least the near future, though, do keep her on only wet foods, for better hydration.

dpepper73 said:

 
Life is so precious and so fragile.  

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Indeed.

I'm the one who guessed (wrongly!) that you were from New York: I simply read that your vet's office was located on the 17th street and I decided straight away that it had to be in New York city. I beg your pardon: I'm from Italy and didn't consider that there must be a 17th street almost in every American city (how silly!).
Anyway, I'm glad that Libby finally managed to eat something: continue to feed her tuna (the one she likes most and little by little try to introduce new varieties of food or to get her back to what she used to eat before; personally I'm not against dry food as long as it has moderate levels of calcium, magnesium and phosphorus to preserve the health of kidneys and urinary system and I feed my cats both wet and dry food, but this is a personal choice. I know people who feed only dry, others who just give wet food to their cats and others who, like me, feed them both).
If I were you I'd also ask the vet if this lethargy (you said she's sleeping more than usual; right?) could signify a liver/kidney involvement and if he recommends a specific diet for the next days (I'm a worrier, so don't take anything I say as gospel: I'm sure your cat is fine and will only get better from now on). I don't agree with the vet that all of this just happened because of the stress the cat suffered from being put in a cardboard box; for every cat being forcefully put  and locked in a carrier is stressful and a visit, a shot or anything else at the vet's is even more so (whenever we take her to the vet, one of my cats hisses, growls and screams- yes, she does scream- all the time, at times she even poops- with my great embarrassment- but she's fine and she behaves normally as soon as I bring her back home and she never spent three days without touching food after an injection): I'm pretty sure this has been an adverse reaction to some of the drugs the vet gave her or to the vaccine.