Sick cat won't eat and refuses to drink but sits by bowl

twckittenmom

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One of my fosters I took in is sick with a kitty cold. I have her on antibiotics. Which seemed to have somewhat helped. But she's drooling and refusing to eat or drink. I have to syringe feed her water. She sits at the water bowl wanting water but won't touch it. Her stomach is bloated but she seems prego. Vet said she could be but without a sonogram they can't tell me much. Sonogram was to much for my thin pockets. But I did manage to afford antibiotics so yay. Her pee was bloody. But since the antibiotics it's cleared back up. She has a horrible cough and runny nose and eyes from her cold. I think she might have mouth sores but I can't get her to let me look so I'm not sure. Any ideas what it could be. And how often should I be giving her water and how much. I've been doing it basically anytime she looks at the bowl
 
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twckittenmom

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I only ask about the water because I'm not sure how much she needs to stay hydrated. But I can't stand her sitting at the bowl pitiful looking so I give her 4 tablespoons of water each time I catch her at the bowl. Sometimes more depending on if she spits it out or actually shallows it.
 

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I am not sure if you have tried any of these things but I am going to put them out there.

How old is your cat? How long has she had the URI (cold)?  How long and which antibiotic is she on?  When was the last time she ate? Is the water you have been syringe feeding staying down?  Sorry for the questions but this information would be helpful to other members to provide advice.

You mentioned the water being spit out.  Is she vomiting the water?  If she is vomiting then she may need medicine from the vet for nausea.  A cat will not eat from nausea.  One of my cats was throwing up and would not eat.  I took her to the vet and they gave her an injection to stop the nausea and vomiting.  She went back to eating on her own within a few hours of receiving the injection.  

Have you tried leaving a faucet running on low so water drips out of it? Some cats like running water more and this may help encourage her to drink on her own.

I have never dealt with mouth sores in any of my cats so I can't offer any advice about that.

Here are some idea's to try for food.  If you can get meat flavored baby food without onions or garlic in it you can water it down to be syringe fed.  You could also try fancy feast pate style classics.  This can be mixed with water so it can be syringe fed.  

Have you spoken to the vet about the cold (URI)?  This could be a reason she is not eating.  Some cats will stop eating if they can not smell their food from a bad cold (URI). The cough, runny nose and eyes are definitely symptoms of a URI.  If the vet has already seen her and is aware of the URI perhaps you can call and ask for antibiotics for the URI.  The previous antibiotic may not have been the right one to treat a URI. One of my cats had a bad URI as a kitten that need 2 rounds of 2 different antibiotics to clear it up.  

You mention runny eyes above.  What color is the discharge?  If it is green or yellow that could also indicate an eye infection.  She may need antibiotic eye drops for this.  If the discharge is clear you can wipe it off with a damp, soft, warm wash cloth.

One thing you can try at home until you can reach your vet is steam treatments.  Run the shower in your bath room as hot as you can.  Steam up your bathroom and sit in the steamy bathroom with your cat for about 15-20 minutes.  I was doing this 2-3 times a day on work days.  When I was not working I was taking Starbuck in the bathroom every 4 hours.  This may help break up the congestion so she she can smell her food again.  If nothing else it will help her feel more comfortable.

The injection for the nausea and the antibiotic eye drops I had to use for the eye infection were not expensive.  If the price of the medicines is an issue for you then talk to your vet about using human generic medicines that are safe for cats and can be picked up at a human pharmacy.  This may help save you some money.  One of my friend's had cat that was diabetic.  Her vet wrote her a prescription for a human generic medicine and it only cost her $4.00 a month.  It would have been triple the price for that medicine through her vets office.
 
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twckittenmom

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Added info because I didn't add much I realized. I took her in because she was a stray and looked to have nappies but not from a recent birth but maybe pregnancy. She acted fine and was a typical I'll sit on your bed and sleep type of cat. Her pee and poo was clean and normal. I took her to vet they assumed her pregnant and deformed her. I brought her home she caught a cold I brought her back in for the cold got antibiotics. She had urine in her pee same day but later that day before I gAve her the antibiotic. Her urine was mainly pee. I know this because she missed the box. But after the antibiotics her urine cleared up and I haven't seen blog since. She also pooed yesterday though I haven't seen her eat anything in two days. I was going to take her back for the blood in the urine and possible uti. But after go ogling her antibiotics they say they are for uti's and uri's so I'm guessing they are what we need either way. But again the drooling started with the cold the vet said it was from mouth breathing. But even so that doesn't explain why she won't drink water. And stares at the water.
 
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twckittenmom

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Oh and she's not puking,just coughing. It's not a deep cough. It's more like a hairball cough gag thing. But SHE IS DROOLING like a bulldog. Right now she's not which I'm not sure why other than I rinsed her mouth out with water wiped her off and fed her water and wiped her off again. So maybe it's just the right wetness that she's not drooling?
 
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twckittenmom

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Eyes are clear. Just moist. My husband keeps saying "she's crying" I have antibiotic oinment. I actually have quite a bit of topical unopened antibiotics stored for things like that. But it's clear so I haven't used it. It's not even staining her fur. Her runny nose is clear asswell. She won't eat any food. Wet, baby food, heck I tried beef jerky which even the sickest of kitten fought me to get some of that usually so I'm again worrying about mouth or throat ulcers. But even if it is, they can't be treated they are viral so my vet said it was a waste of a visit unless I was looking to get her pain meds. Which with the bloody urine a few days ago I don't want to stress her kidneys with any pain meds
 

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Have you tried steaming her int he bathroom to help open up her nasal passages?  If she can't smell, she won't eat.  Also, try offering smelly canned food such as Fancy Feast.  Elevate the bowl up on a box or stack of books. 
 
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twckittenmom

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She lays by the bowl. Not stands. She won't stand or sit unless she is forced to. Also she's in one room, she has never left that room and refuses to let me take her into another room. I will definitely try it. Also I noticed her nose is not always clogged. It seems to only happen if she's drooling. Which I still can't figure out the sign of
 
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twckittenmom

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She's getting up and moving from place to place. More of finding a quiet spot to lay. She's not hiding. I found her on the couch stretched out today. She's in the closet now because I sat next to her and apparently my Company was not wanted lol. Well I do force water and antibiotics down her mouth so I guess a tiny grudge is understandable.
 

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Drooling is indicative of pain, animals will drool when in severe pain. It's good that you're giving her water in a syringe, that's what they need the most. You might want to try to do the same with with some chicken broth, also I just stumbled onto a product of the internet, Fancy Feast broth for cats! You might be able to give her some of that in a syringe  and it will give her all the nutrition of whole food! This would be great for any sick cat!
 
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twckittenmom

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New symptom smells of food makes her gag. But after a second she will lay her face by it. I'm going to try and water it down and syringe some into her mouth. Hopefully it helps.
 
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twckittenmom

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She is pregnant! Help help help! I need her eating asap. I was worried it was her move too cancer,or ect.but if shes pregnant she NEEDS to eat! He babies are wiggly and she's very not comfy with them (I'm 36 weeks I completely understand that feeling)the steam didn't help much the stress just made her more upset. She didn't like leaving the room.

On a side note: kittens felt large. She doesn't appear to be producing milk yet. Should I prepare to bottle feed if she goes into labor. For her health and there's being that milk production takes alot and her having a cold isn't good for the kittens.

On a side note I do have a queen coming in soon who's about to give birth. If anything I could let her take the kittens if needed.
 

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Did your vet test for anything, other than just telling you it is a cold?  I am worried if you have another queen ready to give birth that something might be transmitted between the two or to the new kittens of the other mother.

If it is viral, it probably is contagious and you need to take precautions.  A virus that puts an adult cat down will quickly be fatal to a litter of newborns. 

If you can't go to the vet again, I would highly recommend keeping them all separated and tons of handwashing in between visits with the two moms to be.
 
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twckittenmom

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Low blood sugar? I was thinking kittens and it hit me when weak kittens won't eat we rub sugar water on there lips maybe her blood sugar got low somehow? How much sugar water would a full grown cat need though hmmm
 

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Did your vet mention that she might have feline herpes? If so, the mouth ulcers can be causing those symptoms. My vet has recommended L-lysine (you will need to dissolve it in water), also you could try to find a holistic vet who could advise you on using Slippery Elm Tea, possibly coconut oil (has anti-viral properties), and marshmallow root to soothe the tummy and help heal any irritated mucus membranes, whether oral, nasal, or intestinal, etc (marshmallow root also helps humans with bladder & digestive tract issues). Sometimes vitamin E capsules can help sooth those mouth sores. 

And bless you
for taking in that poor girl - to be sick and Pregnant 
  I wish that there were more people like you in this world! Prayers & vibes that your kitty improves soon!
 
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twckittenmom

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Did your vet mention that she might have feline herpes? If so, the mouth ulcers can be causing those symptoms. My vet has recommended L-lysine (you will need to dissolve it in water), also you could try to find a holistic vet who could advise you on using Slippery Elm Tea, possibly coconut oil (has anti-viral properties), and marshmallow root to soothe the tummy and help heal any irritated mucus membranes, whether oral, nasal, or intestinal, etc (marshmallow root also helps humans with bladder & digestive tract issues). Sometimes vitamin E capsules can help sooth those mouth sores. 

And bless you :angel: for taking in that poor girl - to be sick and Pregnant :alright:   I wish that there were more people like you in this world! Prayers & vibes that your kitty improves soon!:vibes:
Vet didn't give me much info on what virus. I have been doing coconut oil and lysine. As a precaution. I gave her wet food mixed with watered down raw honey(she actually liked it enough she tried to lick up what she drooled out) I think the honey is boosting her blood sugar. But she's now being a brat and hiding under the couch. She is either on the couch ot under it. And I AM to pregnant to yank her pregnant but out so I have to wait until she crawls out to potty. She's usually to lazy to go back under. I think she's nesting maybe? But I'm just happy she has the energy to move about. But I'm worried she's not getting enough water between the hours I can't get to her. I give her 4 tbsp every 20 mins or so. She. She's out and try and get a quarter can of food in her
 
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twckittenmom

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I'm just so sad when animals are sick and you have no clue what's going on because they can't speak.
 
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