my cat is very sick

[ellenrr]

yesterday she started sticking her left hind leg out and meowing, like in pain.
Took her to vet who examines her intensively, nothing in her paw, no bones broke, ligaments ok, the vet checked out her back, seemed a very thorough exam.
We put the cat on the floor and she walked normally.

So I took her home, and as soon as she got out of the carrier, she started doing the same thing!
I don't get it.
She hasn't eaten since yesterday morning - a bad sign when a cat doesn't eat.
Now she is sleeping, doesn't SEEM to be in pain, but how would I know.
I've been sick now out of worry.
So today I'm giong to work, I only work 4 hours, and I don't want to miss.
When I come home I will call a friend who is a Sufi.

Once before when I thot my cat was going to die, this Sufi friend came over and did some kind of healing, I don't know what she did, she didn't touch the cat. But my cat got better right after this healing.

So I'll try that first. I hope she is available to come right over.

Other than that, the vets can only offer tests - lab x-rays blood etc, and I don't have the money for that.
Not that I have money and I want to spend it on something else, I plain don't have it.

Anyway my baby kitty was a stray that I took in, I didn't want a cat, cuz I knew I couldn't afford a cat, but there it is, and she's been with me for 11 years, so if the worst happens, she and I had 11 wonderful years together. Not that that makes me feel any better.

anyway, thanks for listening..

[peekaloo]

1. Good luck.

It could be a form of arthritis (yeah kitties get it too) which does, at times, affect their appetite.

:hug:

[Bertha Venation]

2. I will be thinking of you and your kitty.

:hug: and sending good vibes.

[stuntcat]

3. I hope she gets better.

I've taken in strays too, it's hard if you don't have extra money. She's lucky to have someone caring for her so much!

[TuxedoKat]

4. Sorry to hear this

Hopefully she is still drinking. If you have an eye dropper or an old empty syringe you can carefully try to get some water in her that way or use your fingerto drip it into her mouth. Water can perk up their appetite too. Chicken baby food and tuna fish sometimes tempt them when other things won't too. Good luck.

[Call Me Wesley]

5. Good vibes for your cat.

Hope it works out well.

[Locrian]

6. hmmmm

Our cat went thru the same thing. Took her to the vet - didn't find ANYTHING. In our case too, while AT the vet she wasn't limping etc. But at home, I guess the adrenalin wore off and she immediately started limping again.

In our case, the vet missed a tiny "bite" from another cat in her paw. Bite became infected and let to the licking, not eating, etc. Like I said - the vet (thorough examination etc too) totally missed the tiny bite.

Eventually the infection "broke" and showed up as a "wound". Took her to another vet and the "now obvious" wound was treated.

Vets make mistakes....

[hamsterjill]

8. I second this post!

Cat bites (from other cats) heal over very quickly. They can form an abscess that can create problems. Abscesses can form quickly, or they can take time to form. Normally, most vets will give a round of antibiotics for something like this (i.e., when there is no definitive diagnosis as to what is going on with the cat, and the owner doesn't have the option for expensive testing, etc.).

If you can closely examine your cat while she is relaxed, look for any place where her fur may appear "disturbed", however tiny. You might want to google the use of "fish mox" for use in cats for this type of situation. It is something that is sometimes used as a low dose antibiotic when resources are limited.

[myrna minx]

7. Could kitty be constipated?

My older boy gets backed up every other week, and he will yowl in frustrated pain and he'll lost his appetite until I give him some stool softener (Ah, the life of a fur mom). I'm sure your vet checked for that but it's just a thought. All of my best.

http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/cat-care/constipation.aspx

[ellenrr]

9. thank you for all your advice and co-feelings

as far as constip. no, I took care of that with psyllium.

as far as the cat bite, I will mention that to my vet. I'm bringing her back at 2 this afternoon.
thanks for yr good thoughts it really does help.
I decided I can't deal with this by myself so am off to find a friend hopefully who will go with me to the vet.
yes i was able to have her drink some milk, and i will get some baby food.
the vet had also mentioned the possiblity of arthrits, which isf it is that, I can treat that with some naturla method.
I just hope it isn't something neurological.
well i'll let you know how it goes.

thanks so much..

"The kindness of strangers.."

[MiddleFingerMom]

10. Health and healing vibes to your cat. I know from experience that while you're at work...

.
.
.
.
.
...you'll be pretty much focused on her.
.
.
.
.
It would be nice if she simply misses your Sufi friend and is just lobbying for another visit. :)
.
.
.

[theFrankFactor]

11. I Feel For You

If your kitty can walk without pain or a limp I wouldn't think it's arthritis (though it could be, I'm not a doctor). If it's the same leg and it occurs only when lying down this is hard to diagnose. Sometimes our kitties work through temporary injuries or illnesses and it's better if we don't over react and get them all cut up and drugged up.

Vets in my experience want money more than anything. One of our has a crooked tail and the first words out of the vets mouth "we can straighten that tail". Like I'm going to subject my cat to surgery for such a dim witted reason!

Anyway, patients and love, maybe the origin will become clear or it will pass.

[ellenrr]

12. yes I don't trust vets

anymore than I trust doctors.
I know there are some, many good ones of both. But generally their first inclination is to cut cut cut.
I'd rather be sick myself than my cat, at least I'd know what was going on.
it's so hard with an animal not to know if they are in pain.

well i'm off to the vet with a friend so I don't have to go thru this alone.

[Lynx]

13. milk?

I don't give it to cats, even if they meow for it. It loosens up their little striped bowels.

[david13]

14. Could be arthritis. Rheumatic heart fever. Failing heart. 11 years

is quite old for a kitty. And if this was a stray, she could have suffered something that appears later in life and shortens the life. Malformed organs or something.
Like humans, it's not unusual for a human to drop dead from a bad heart at 40 or 50 or so.
This is a time of solar flare activity, I think. It may just be something cosmic and temporary.
Like even a charley horse. I get those from time to time. Odd things and almost emotionally triggered.
Give it some time and see.
Those tests are cost prohibitive, and I have seen them produce no tangible problem in many cases.
dc

[ellenrr]

16. interesting about solar flares

Can you tell more?
I don't know anything about this, but I'm always interested in the "unseen", ie in somewhat mysterious and unexplicable connections.

To bring it up to date, I did return to the vet for the 2nd visit and learning nothing.
Just 'have an x-ray and solar panel to the tune of $774.'
AND "Even after all that we may not know nothing."
wtf?

Today my kitty is doing a litle bit better, she's cleaning herself and eating so that's 2 good signs.
Still sleeping a lot (which she does anyway, but is doing it even more than usual).
I'm pretty much letting her sleep except wake her to feed her.
I'm going to get some thuja which is a homeopathic remedy.
One time after a vaccine, she went into a semi-comotose state. She would just sit and stare and not move for days. So thuja was recommended, and it seemd to bring her out of it.
I haven't had her vaccinated since.

Another time after Frontline, (the flea stuff) which I was foolish to give to her, she also went into a similar - semi-comatose state. I thot I was going to lose her.

She is breathing unusally heavy, during the years she would do it occasionally, and then stop. I'm hoping that it will stop on her own. I also hope that she is not uncomfortable.
I think she does have some heart thing but yes - I have to accept I've not got unlimited funds to spend on kitty.

There should be free health care for all humans, cats, dogs and everything else that lives!!

[ellenrr]

17. btw I don't think 11 is old for cats, for dogs yes

My last cat lived to be 19 1/2 years,
never got vaccinated, never was sick, til the end when she got chronic renal failure.

It's not uncommon to hear of cats that live to be 18, 19, 20.

I've heard of cats that live to be 30 - that Is uncommon..

Acc to the vets's chart, 11 cat years corresponds to 60 in human years, I'm 63 and I'm certainly not old. :) :bounce:

[KT2000]

15. Hope everything turns out well

My vet missed a bite once and it only became obvious after it broke. Then I could treat it with hot packs and betadine. She perked up and started eating again.


I know how you feel about finances limiting your options but don't feel bad about it.

Just talked with a woman who had two feral cats in her yard. One lived 20 years and the other one 18 years - other than spay/neuter they never had shots or vet trips.
I have two ferals that I feed and shelter but I know other than the "getting fixed" there will not be money for vet trips. We do the best we can and it usually works out OK for the cat.