Hi there, I rescued a homeless kitten who we had been feeding for a couple of weeks. We've posted all over looking for his home (if he has one) and are taking him to get checked for a microchip tomorrow. In the meantime he is in our bathroom since the temperature is dropping dramatically outside. We noticed that one side of his mouth or face is newly swollen (within the past few days, definitely new this week). He is also drinking a lot of water. I will take him to a vet but it is Sunday and they are all closed. I am wondering if anyone has any ideas in the meantime. He appears to have been living outside for a while, on his own, not part of a colony. He is a kitten, maybe about 6-7 months old. We had an older cat die of oral cancer a few years ago so I am worried about the little guy.
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Worried About Young Rescue With Multiple Health Problems
- Thread starter Janie834
- Start Date
Hi. So, this swelling happened after he's been in your home for a while? Does he act feral at all - could he have hurt himself trying to get out? Is he eating OK? As long as he is eating OK and doesn't appear to be in pain, I'd get him to a vet tomorrow - for more than just a chip check.
If he will let you touch him, you might try taking a look at where the swelling is, if there is any blood, even inside his mouth, and if it is sore to the touch.
It is not impossible, but highly unlikely that you are dealing with cancer in such a young cat/kitten. But I wouldn't waste any more time about getting him checked out by a vet.
If he will let you touch him, you might try taking a look at where the swelling is, if there is any blood, even inside his mouth, and if it is sore to the touch.
It is not impossible, but highly unlikely that you are dealing with cancer in such a young cat/kitten. But I wouldn't waste any more time about getting him checked out by a vet.
I would be suspicious of an abcess or broken tooth. Is the lump warm to the touch? Any oozing or smell?
It likely isn't cancer in an animal that young and abscesses can pop up within a couple hours. If it is an abscess it will remain painful until treated with antibiotics and lancing. The longer an abscess festers the worse it becomes.
It likely isn't cancer in an animal that young and abscesses can pop up within a couple hours. If it is an abscess it will remain painful until treated with antibiotics and lancing. The longer an abscess festers the worse it becomes.
Hi
J
Janie834
and a warm welcome to the forum! So warm and sweet to hear your story 
First off, it would be astonishingly rare for such a young kitten to have developed an oral cancer...so, highly unlikely.
If he's eating, urinating and defecating, and, if his behaviour is normal (and without major change over the two weeks you've had him) I wouldn't say there's any need for emergency care, either. Now, if that changes (as in 'withdrawal', squinty eyes, huddling, zero/little movement), then YES, off to the ER he should go.
If you're feeding only dry meals, he'd really benefit from some wet foods....now and ongoing.
Do you have other cats...and, is that why he's isolated?
Oh, and, I'd be remiss if I didn't bring up the.......ah, issue.........of the ah,............kitty tax that's expected here! Must I explain?
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First off, it would be astonishingly rare for such a young kitten to have developed an oral cancer...so, highly unlikely.
If he's eating, urinating and defecating, and, if his behaviour is normal (and without major change over the two weeks you've had him) I wouldn't say there's any need for emergency care, either. Now, if that changes (as in 'withdrawal', squinty eyes, huddling, zero/little movement), then YES, off to the ER he should go.
If you're feeding only dry meals, he'd really benefit from some wet foods....now and ongoing.
Do you have other cats...and, is that why he's isolated?
Oh, and, I'd be remiss if I didn't bring up the.......ah, issue.........of the ah,............kitty tax that's expected here! Must I explain?
.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #5
Hello, thank you for your replies! We took him into our home last night as a temporary measure while we wait for a vet to open tomorrow. I'll take him to get checked for a microchip and then I have a rescue organization lined up to hopefully put him in a foster home. He is in my bathroom because I do have a senior rescue kitty with health issues already and I do not want to expose him to anything unnecessarily. I would love to adopt or foster the kitten myself but sadly that is not an option for me, for other reasons. He is awfully weet though and I am happy that he may now avoid a winter outside.
The swelling appeared about two days ago (so before he came inside). I think he has been living outside for some time so it could be any number of things I guess. I just can't help but worry for him, that it is something serious.
He is eating okay and drinking tons (too much I think) of water. He had a loose bowel movement today. I guess that could be stress, or maybe due to the change in food (I don't know what if anything he was eating before we started feeding him). It could also be a sign of illness I think.
I'll bring him to the vet tomorrow and get him checked out. Fingers crossed that he is not so sick as to not be adoptable, so he gets a happy ending.
The swelling appeared about two days ago (so before he came inside). I think he has been living outside for some time so it could be any number of things I guess. I just can't help but worry for him, that it is something serious.
He is eating okay and drinking tons (too much I think) of water. He had a loose bowel movement today. I guess that could be stress, or maybe due to the change in food (I don't know what if anything he was eating before we started feeding him). It could also be a sign of illness I think.
I'll bring him to the vet tomorrow and get him checked out. Fingers crossed that he is not so sick as to not be adoptable, so he gets a happy ending.
Since he was still outside when the swelling began, it could a whole host of issues. Let us know how the vet visit goes. Thank you for taking care of this little one.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #7
Hello, thought I would update in case anyone is following. I took the kitten to the vet today. He has an infection in his mouth which is being treated with antibiotics. He tested negative for FLV/FIV. 
The vet seemed concerned about potential rabies (???!!!!) because he has two little scars on his ear which suggest he was bitten at some point. Otherwise he is in good health! I may try to foster him (or maybe even adopt him) myself but am concerned about this rabies thing since I have young children and another cat.
The vet seemed concerned about potential rabies (???!!!!) because he has two little scars on his ear which suggest he was bitten at some point. Otherwise he is in good health! I may try to foster him (or maybe even adopt him) myself but am concerned about this rabies thing since I have young children and another cat.
Thanks for the update! Sorry about the infection, but glad it is being treated and that he is on the mend.
Although rabies could be a possibility, the general incubation period is 4-6 weeks, but it can vary. I would think it is a positive thing that IF he was bitten on the ear, there might be a lesser chance of it spreading to major blood vessels. And the rabies virus isn't always present in the saliva in infected animals. You might want to ask the vet about that aspect.
If your other cat receives rabies vaccinations, the odds are slim to contract it from another animal. I wish I knew what to tell you about your young children. You might ask their pediatrician about that.
Although rabies could be a possibility, the general incubation period is 4-6 weeks, but it can vary. I would think it is a positive thing that IF he was bitten on the ear, there might be a lesser chance of it spreading to major blood vessels. And the rabies virus isn't always present in the saliva in infected animals. You might want to ask the vet about that aspect.
If your other cat receives rabies vaccinations, the odds are slim to contract it from another animal. I wish I knew what to tell you about your young children. You might ask their pediatrician about that.
Did the vet test him for rabies or titer to see if he has vaccine antibodies?
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Rabies? Ok. Well, if the vet is concerned about it then they must have their reasons. I have seen many cats with bite wounds and I have never had a vet bring up rabies.
Anyway, you could always quarantine him at home in a cage, keeping your children away until quarantine is up. I know where I am a rabies quarantine is 10 days. That was a while ago. Maybe things have changed. Perhaps you could ask your vet when they last saw a case of rabies in a domestic cat in your area.
Bottom line though is that, as you know, your kids, you, and your other cats health and safety are most important.
Thank you for helping this little guy.
Anyway, you could always quarantine him at home in a cage, keeping your children away until quarantine is up. I know where I am a rabies quarantine is 10 days. That was a while ago. Maybe things have changed. Perhaps you could ask your vet when they last saw a case of rabies in a domestic cat in your area.
Bottom line though is that, as you know, your kids, you, and your other cats health and safety are most important.
Thank you for helping this little guy.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #11
He likely has parasites (high basophils) and we are waiting for the stool test results to address that. Once we deal with the parasite if any, and he has recovered from his surgery, we are hoping to slowly (carefully, gradually) introduce him to our 12.5 year old rescue, and welcome him as part of our family. He is quite skittish, having been outside for quite a while I think, but he is so sweet.
My question is this. He has been with us for almost 2 weeks. Until today I had not noticed any upper respiratory symptoms other than very occasional sneezes (like one a day), which did not concern the vet. He is sneezing more today though. I am now thinking he might have a virus. Based on my reading it seems likely to be either herpes or calicivirus? I am not sure. Anyway, my concern relates to my other cat. I so want to adopt this little guy (and my children's hearts are set on it now), but I don't want to expose my other guy to something serious. The "kitten" so far seems to just have a sneeze. He will be isolated for at least another week while he heals and while we await the results of the stool test and then treat whatever he has going on there (if anything). After that though, would you hesitate to adopt him and let him slowly meet the other cat? The other cat is older (12.5 years) and has urinary tract issues. He was not up to date on shots but was vaccinated for everything last Wednesday. It would be at least 2 weeks post his shots before they meet.
I guess I'm just looking for reassurance that we can still welcome this sweet little guy into our home without worrying too much about our other precious rescue boy. Thanks so much for any advice.
My question is this. He has been with us for almost 2 weeks. Until today I had not noticed any upper respiratory symptoms other than very occasional sneezes (like one a day), which did not concern the vet. He is sneezing more today though. I am now thinking he might have a virus. Based on my reading it seems likely to be either herpes or calicivirus? I am not sure. Anyway, my concern relates to my other cat. I so want to adopt this little guy (and my children's hearts are set on it now), but I don't want to expose my other guy to something serious. The "kitten" so far seems to just have a sneeze. He will be isolated for at least another week while he heals and while we await the results of the stool test and then treat whatever he has going on there (if anything). After that though, would you hesitate to adopt him and let him slowly meet the other cat? The other cat is older (12.5 years) and has urinary tract issues. He was not up to date on shots but was vaccinated for everything last Wednesday. It would be at least 2 weeks post his shots before they meet.
I guess I'm just looking for reassurance that we can still welcome this sweet little guy into our home without worrying too much about our other precious rescue boy. Thanks so much for any advice.
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It's very common for kitties in new situations to get an upper respiratory infection from the stress of a change in places, people, smells, sounds, and routine. Your vet should be able to provide some medication to clear up the URI. I would let the new guy decompress a bit longer, especially since he's skittish and work on the gradual introduction once he's over his URI. In the meantime, keep an eye on your older kitty for signs of URI or urinary tract infection as the stress of an intruder can cause either of those. I'm not saying it's going to happen, but it's possible.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #13
He has had a never ending series of health issues since. I'm worried about his physical health but also his mental health and his ability to trust us, which seems to have been adversely affected by all the treatment. Here is what he's dealt with in his two weeks indoors:
- he had an awful open wound in his mouth which was heavily infected. His entire right side of his face was swollen, poor guy. He was given a antibiotic shot (convenia) which really helped, but he is still not fully healed;
- he tested negative for FIV/FLV thankfully;
- he was treated with revolution;
- he was vaccinated a few days after his first antibiotic shot;
- then he was neutered this past Thursday. He was put in a cone which was so traumatic for him. He was scared by it and so sad;
- his pre-neuter bloodwork showed high basophils which made the vet suspicious for parasites. We did a still sample which showed positive for giardia antigens (but not eggs or cysts (can't remember which). The vet said it could have been treated (by that point he had been on convenia for 2 weeks) but wanted to treat it with another antibiotic just in case;
- I saw tapeworm segments in his stool so he was treated for that too;
- they also gave him another convenia shot because his mouth is not fully healed and his lymph node is swollen on that side still, indicating an ongoing infeciton;
- to top it off the little guy now has a URI which seems to have maybe been triggered by stress. He's sneezing and coughing and shaking his head.
The giardia antibiotic must taste so awful, he foams at the mouth (!!) and gags when I give it to him.
I have been giving him breaks from the silly cone but then I have to keep putting it back on him which scars him too.
At this point I am worried he hates me and thinks I am doing all of this to hurt him.
We're still keeping him in my bathroom, poor thing, since we do have another cat and I'd like to see his health issues resolve first. The vet said he can come into another room like a bedroom 48 hours after starting the giardia antibiotic but I am skeptical and holding off.
Anyway. I am worried about him. He's had so much going on medically on top of the stress of being brought inside for what I suspect is the first time in at least several months.
I bring my laptop into the bathroom and sit with him for hours every day, I work beside him. He's still affecitonate but now seems scared of me sometimes, I think he thinks I'm always going to be sticking a cone on him or shoving a terrible tasting substance into his mouth.
I hope he feels better soon, and before he loses faith in us and being inside.
This was more of a vent than a question I guess. Thanks for reading. Please say a prayer for him or send positive thoughts his way. He is such a sweet little guy. I want to give him his forever home.
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- he had an awful open wound in his mouth which was heavily infected. His entire right side of his face was swollen, poor guy. He was given a antibiotic shot (convenia) which really helped, but he is still not fully healed;
- he tested negative for FIV/FLV thankfully;
- he was treated with revolution;
- he was vaccinated a few days after his first antibiotic shot;
- then he was neutered this past Thursday. He was put in a cone which was so traumatic for him. He was scared by it and so sad;
- his pre-neuter bloodwork showed high basophils which made the vet suspicious for parasites. We did a still sample which showed positive for giardia antigens (but not eggs or cysts (can't remember which). The vet said it could have been treated (by that point he had been on convenia for 2 weeks) but wanted to treat it with another antibiotic just in case;
- I saw tapeworm segments in his stool so he was treated for that too;
- they also gave him another convenia shot because his mouth is not fully healed and his lymph node is swollen on that side still, indicating an ongoing infeciton;
- to top it off the little guy now has a URI which seems to have maybe been triggered by stress. He's sneezing and coughing and shaking his head.
The giardia antibiotic must taste so awful, he foams at the mouth (!!) and gags when I give it to him.
I have been giving him breaks from the silly cone but then I have to keep putting it back on him which scars him too.
At this point I am worried he hates me and thinks I am doing all of this to hurt him.
We're still keeping him in my bathroom, poor thing, since we do have another cat and I'd like to see his health issues resolve first. The vet said he can come into another room like a bedroom 48 hours after starting the giardia antibiotic but I am skeptical and holding off.
Anyway. I am worried about him. He's had so much going on medically on top of the stress of being brought inside for what I suspect is the first time in at least several months.
I bring my laptop into the bathroom and sit with him for hours every day, I work beside him. He's still affecitonate but now seems scared of me sometimes, I think he thinks I'm always going to be sticking a cone on him or shoving a terrible tasting substance into his mouth.
I hope he feels better soon, and before he loses faith in us and being inside.
This was more of a vent than a question I guess. Thanks for reading. Please say a prayer for him or send positive thoughts his way. He is such a sweet little guy. I want to give him his forever home.
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Bless you for taking this little cat in and caring for him. 
Bringing your laptop into the bathroom to sit with him and work beside him is an EXCELLENT idea and gets him used to your presence without having to directly interact with him if he's still a little unsure sometimes. If he's still affectionate, this is a good sign and IMO you're doing everything right despite having to treat him for his problems. That won't be forever, at least!
Is he most scared of you when you make a sudden movement?
I'm not sure if you've tried playing calming cat music on your laptop while you work in a separate tab, but YouTube has a lot of videos you could play for him as you work. (They are very relaxing to humans, too!)
When you do have to pill him or give him some type of treatment, try to be as calm and matter of fact about it as you can. They do pick up on what we're feeling, and if you can remind yourself that this is a temporary thing until he's well, that will help you both.
Does he like treats, or any kind of special canned food? If so, treat him or feed him that favorite food AFTER you have to do anything you both find unpleasant. You could try different treats or types of food to see what he prefers the most.
My 15 1/2 year old cat is on a pill for life, and I put the pill into wet food and reward her with the rest of the can when she gets the pill down (sometimes it takes a few tries!)
I found my little tortie as a very, very sick kitten. Her early life was full of vet visits, pills, powders, eye drops and being placed on a scale. 9 years later, she's an incredibly affectionate and sweet (yet very silly) little cat. It didn't affect our relationship at all.
Bringing your laptop into the bathroom to sit with him and work beside him is an EXCELLENT idea and gets him used to your presence without having to directly interact with him if he's still a little unsure sometimes. If he's still affectionate, this is a good sign and IMO you're doing everything right despite having to treat him for his problems. That won't be forever, at least!
Is he most scared of you when you make a sudden movement?
I'm not sure if you've tried playing calming cat music on your laptop while you work in a separate tab, but YouTube has a lot of videos you could play for him as you work. (They are very relaxing to humans, too!)
When you do have to pill him or give him some type of treatment, try to be as calm and matter of fact about it as you can. They do pick up on what we're feeling, and if you can remind yourself that this is a temporary thing until he's well, that will help you both.
Does he like treats, or any kind of special canned food? If so, treat him or feed him that favorite food AFTER you have to do anything you both find unpleasant. You could try different treats or types of food to see what he prefers the most.
My 15 1/2 year old cat is on a pill for life, and I put the pill into wet food and reward her with the rest of the can when she gets the pill down (sometimes it takes a few tries!)
I found my little tortie as a very, very sick kitten. Her early life was full of vet visits, pills, powders, eye drops and being placed on a scale. 9 years later, she's an incredibly affectionate and sweet (yet very silly) little cat. It didn't affect our relationship at all.
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Prayers and special thoughts being sent your way.
Once he recovers he will understand you're only trying to help him and be forever grateful. That's exactly what happened with our last cat and I became her favorite human. I may have missed it but what did you name him? Best of luck, please keep us posted on his progress. 
That's a lot, but he can overcome it. If the uri is the type that's helped with humidity, running a steamy shower can be good and can keep him being able to smell food.
He doesn't. From what I'm reading in your description there's not one single hate molecule in his body
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That's a lot for his little body to deal with in a very short period of time. I would caution against another Convenia shot. Please read up on the side effects and then decide. Also, you're probably correct about him associating you with negative things so he's being fearful. To curb that, you might try to take yummy wet food or plain meat baby food (chicken or turkey) or some treats in for him so he'll associate you with good things, too.
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- #18
Thanks everyone. I do give him wet food after the giardia medicine. He still has a great appetite which is good. He had diarhea when he first arrived, but it resolved within 2 days (right after the first convenia shot).
stephanietx
I have just now read up on convenia a bit and almost wish I hadn't (since I had already followed the vet's advice and agreed to the two shots 2 weeks apart for his mouth infection). Hopefully he is okay and I did not cause harm by doing that.
I have decided that I am done forcing him to wear the cone. We are 6 days post-neuter. His incision looks perfect and while he does groom a bit he doesn't seem to be overdoing it. I think the stress it is causing him is harmful.
Thank you again! I will keep you posted.
neely
his name is Kuzma
stephanietx
I have just now read up on convenia a bit and almost wish I hadn't (since I had already followed the vet's advice and agreed to the two shots 2 weeks apart for his mouth infection). Hopefully he is okay and I did not cause harm by doing that. I have decided that I am done forcing him to wear the cone. We are 6 days post-neuter. His incision looks perfect and while he does groom a bit he doesn't seem to be overdoing it. I think the stress it is causing him is harmful.
Thank you again! I will keep you posted.
neely
his name is Kuzma
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J
Janie834
I've used Convenia a few times and I haven't had any bad side effects, short or long term, but I am very careful with it and only use it under certain circumstances. I'm sure your kitten will be fine but it's always good to read up on any medications they're getting.
My Mom and I have done TNR on ferals. We would trap, have them neutered and vaccinated, then let them recover in a cat proofed horse stall. No cones, no suits, and no way to check the incision as these cats were uapproachable. Best case scenario they can wear the cone but in his case, if he were mine I'd allow him to go without and keep an eye on him.
My dog wore a "spay suit" instead of a cone after her surgery, and she looked cute but she absolutely hated it. I made her wear it when I was sleeping or not home but after a week or so I let her go "nekkid" if I was around.
My Mom and I have done TNR on ferals. We would trap, have them neutered and vaccinated, then let them recover in a cat proofed horse stall. No cones, no suits, and no way to check the incision as these cats were uapproachable. Best case scenario they can wear the cone but in his case, if he were mine I'd allow him to go without and keep an eye on him.
My dog wore a "spay suit" instead of a cone after her surgery, and she looked cute but she absolutely hated it. I made her wear it when I was sleeping or not home but after a week or so I let her go "nekkid" if I was around.
Both my cats have had convenia in the past and it didn't affect them (except clearing up a nasty bladder infection or dental abscess)
I think the reality of any medication is it can be dangerous in certain cases depending on the individual but most are perfectly fine. And the odd side effect is outweighed by the beneffits provided.
I think the reality of any medication is it can be dangerous in certain cases depending on the individual but most are perfectly fine. And the odd side effect is outweighed by the beneffits provided.
