A few more questions?

okay I have male cat, an orange tabby who is almost two years old. My roommates mother brought him home when she rescued him from a trailer park. He seemed to be perfectly healthy except for knots under his skin. My roommates mother, said that she was told that neighbor kids shot him with a pellet gun so we figured that they had become lodged under his skin. When he broke his leg about 7 months ago we asked the vet about them, he said that he couldn't feel the lumps under his skin, the very noticeable knots that anyone can feel just by petting him. So I didn't bother asking the doctor anymore about them. Also for most of his 2 years, Stinky (my cat), has been extremely thin, he looks emaciated even though he is well fed, and seems to be hungry most of the time. We thought he was infested with worms, well we knew he was we've seen them come out of him, but he has been wormed numerous times and each time they appear to go away for awhile. My question is, could his thinness and the mysterious knots be linked in anyway? Also the knots have not got any larger or smaller so I wouldn't think they are tumors. If the knots are not the cause of him being so thin but the worms are, what can I do about them? Neither of my vets seem to care that he is so thin, and they have both wormed him themselves.

Thanks or any help you can offer,
DADDYOF6 (GRANDADOF3)

Has he been wormed by the vet? If not, are you trained to know the difference between the different worms that can infect cats? Are you getting the dewormer from your vet, or from Hartz? Depending on the answers to these questions, you may not be doing anything that has an effect on the worm load in his system.

As far as the knots go, the only way I know that they could be affecting his metabolism is if they were cancerous, in which case they would be growing and/or causing the surrounding tissue to deteriorate. After two years and no treatment, he would probably be dead, too. So, are you certain they are always the same knots, or are they knots that are going away and then being replaced by new ones? If they are not the same ones, they could be insect bites, hair mats, even small self-healing abcesses. It would be easier to pinpoint if his environment, habits, and hair type were known, as well as where the knots were.

The neighbors thinking they were BBs may be attributed to the fact that burst abcesses are described by many people as looking like a BB shot wound.

I don't want to make it sound like I think you are really dumb, it's just that I don't know your experience level - but are you sure they are knots, and not normal parts of his body? If the vet couldn't identify them, maybe you're just feeling the normal bony processes on his vertebra or something like that.

I vaguely remember in another post that you were loathe to go to the vet, but I don't remember if it was finances or mistrust of the vet's competency level and there was not another one in a reasonable distance.

If you don't like your vet, but he's the only one, your best bet would be to use him, but arm yourself with as much information as possible via the internet before you go and after you get back.

Unfortunately, only your vet can perform the diagnostic tests and prescribe the proper medication, so you are going to have to use him, whether or not you like him. Just arm yourself as much as possible with all the knowledge you can find on your own.

Well, I know you don't think I'm stupid, and I have cats all my life, just never six at a time, now I notice some things about one cat that the others don't have and I get worried. Stinky has been wormed by the vet himself, and I have gotten a pill from the vet that is used to combat an array of worms. Also I have gotten Hartz worming medication from the store which I have given him and nothing seems to help. I was told by several people that he has tapeworms, is there anything particular that I can use too get rid of them? Also the knots are knots, they have stayed in the same place for two years, never gotten bigger or smaller, and if they were bone he would have bones in some inappropriate places, like on his thigh, shoulder, and legs.

Also why I'm here, should my mother cat ,Miss Kitty, be so rough with her kittens? Most of the time she just lays and lets them feed, or bathes them, but on some occasions, when I'm in the room, she grabs them and bites their heads and faces, or starts kicking them for no reason. I was thinking maybe she was annoyed with them or she is trying to play with them since she and the babies are shut away from the other cats for fear of the others hurting the babies. What is your opinion?

Thanks,
DADDYOF6

I'm trying to remember how old your kittens are. I was wondering how they were doing. My mother cats always play with their babies, once they get to be 5 or 6 weeks old. I think she is teaching them how to defend themselves. That's why kittens wrestle each other too. I know that sometimes I thought Mommy was being too rough and I raised my voice, but I have never seen a mother cat harm a kitten. I think we are the hyper ones.

Thanks, your explantation makes sense. My kittens are about 3 weeks old they were born an May 26/27, and they are just now starting to "run" around. I'mm gonna have to start kitten proofing the house.

Thanks for the input,
Daddyof6

Did you mean APRIL 26 instead of May? Assuming that, they're a bit young for Mommy to be rough. They don't usually need discipline or rough play quite that young. Just keep your eyes open. If she's been a good mother, she'll probably continue to be one. If she's grabbing them by the neck, that is to calm them down and stop whatever they're doing. It looks frightening though.

Dear Daddy of 6:

Has Stinky been tested for feluk/FIV? I understand the thing about the BB's. I had a cat that was full of BB pellet. They eventually came to the skin and came out on their own. However, if he has BB's in som major organs it could be the cause of his thin build. Do have him tested for the feluk/FIV. What does he eat? Is he eating mostly can or vice versa? Is he eating something he really likes and eats a lot of it?

About mama, why did she have kittens. Was this an accident or a planned birth? I kind of remembering someone talking about babies before so I may have asked you this already. Are you planning on having her spayed in a few weeks? I have to ask everyone that talks about litters this question because I do rescue work and am so mindful of the animal overpopulation problem and the need for people to spay and neuter their pets. By the way is Stinky neutered?

I like to continue talking to you about Stinky until you get his problem resolved. Good Luck

Patsy

I'm glad you've taken an interest in Stinky and Miss Kitty. In answer to your questions, no Stink has not been tested for neither FIV or Feline Lukemia. Neither vet he has seen mentioned anything about his startling appearance but my friends who own cats or know alot about them, (one worked in a vet's office) attribute his weight problems to worms. Also, I forgot to mention that at some times he experiences labored breathing especially when he lays on his back.

On a different note. Miss Kitty and Samantha, became pregnant near the same time, both by accident. Samantha had two healthy little kittens a couple of days ago. Anyway, they both became pregnant by accident. The reason being, I only had 4 cats, Stinky and Sam, indoor boys who I never bothered to have neutered because they didn't go out to get anyone pregnant. Princess, my 6 year old himalayan/persian mix who was spayed years ago, and Precious who was too young to get spayed. Now Miss Kitty came to more door extremely thin, and absolutely adorable, so I took her in, and Samantha (Sam's sister) soon became homeless since her owner wasn't allowed pets. As soon as I could I called the vet to schedule appointments for spay and neutering, unfortunately the wait was 3 months. I tried to keep the boys away from the girls, but obviously that task proved easier said than done. Since then Stink and Sam have been neutered, and appointments have been made for Miss Kitty and Precious. Also, nice homes have been chosen for the kittens, but if for some reason plans change they have a safe and loving home here with me until better arrangements can be made.

Hope this explains my situation,
DADDYOF6 (GRANDADOF5)

Thanks for your reply. It is important that you have Stink tested for these diseases. If he had worms that made him that thin he would have non stop diarrhea and vomiting. Do you know how old he is? You didn't mention what he eats. Also, does he have normal bowel movements?

Do you use frontline or advantage on them for fleas? If it is tapeworms your vet can sell you the pill(s) to treat him. However I do not think he's that thin from worms. I feed over 100 stray/feral cats. They are never that thin unless they are seriously ill with Feluk or Aids. These diseases are very contagious and if he's infected and mated with the female, he most probably infected her and she will have in fact passed it on to the babies. The other posibility is that he has heartworms. That would explain the labored breathing. He should also be tested for that.

You have me really worried now, so please, please have him tested soon. The feluk/aids combo test should be $36 or so, depending on your vet.

FYI and anyone who tries to tell you otherwise, cats can be spayed and neutered as young as 8 weeks old. This old "they are too young crap" is why thousands of kittens are being born because people don't realize they can get pregnant and make babies as young as 4 months of age.

Good Luck and keep me informed of Stink's condition.