Emergency care for my cat trapped for weeks

The3bears

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My 10yr old short hair domesticated cat got trapped at least a month maybe less under our trailer/home. My husband 2 days after working on our property heard a faint cry and discovered our sweet baby girl MewMew. She’s skin over bone severely almost dead, please I’m going to try calling a different vet for help but if it were you what would you do to help her live. I’ve called so many places and gone on sites but nobody will offer any advice without payment. Please someone just give your opinion without payment, I just wanna save her. She has eaten dry and wet food and drank water the first day, she’s having diarrhea since but goes to her litter box but 2nd day hasn’t eaten or drank as much. I have Pedialyte but what would you do
 

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Pedialyte is good. Also try wet food, the smelliest you can find. Sometimes cats won't eat if they can't smell the food for some reason. Paws crossed that this turns out well. Welcome to the Cat Site! More people will have suggestions.
 
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The3bears

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Pedialyte is good. Also try wet food, the smelliest you can find. Sometimes cats won't eat if they can't smell the food for some reason. Paws crossed that this turns out well. Welcome to the Cat Site! More people will have suggestions.
Thank you so very much I appreciate your help
 

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Once they go so long without food, they can get liver and kidney issues, and that can make eating feel bad for them. I would recommend force-feeding. You don't need to be too forceful, but at this point, going a day without eating is just unacceptable. You can scoop food on your finger and put it in the cat's mouth if you can do so safely. You can also make a puree and squirt it in with an oral syringe if you have one. Water is the most important thing, but if there is high moisture in the food and the cat is eating, water isn't as necessary. Slow and steady does it. I've fed up cats before, and they take forever to stop looking deathly thin, but as long as they're taking in some amount of food every day, you're on the right track.
 
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The3bears

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Once they go so long without food, they can get liver and kidney issues, and that can make eating feel bad for them. I would recommend force-feeding. You don't need to be too forceful, but at this point, going a day without eating is just unacceptable. You can scoop food on your finger and put it in the cat's mouth if you can do so safely. You can also make a puree and squirt it in with an oral syringe if you have one. Water is the most important thing, but if there is high moisture in the food and the cat is eating, water isn't as necessary. Slow and steady does it. I've fed up cats before, and they take forever to stop looking deathly thin, but as long as they're taking in some amount of food every day, you're on the right track.
Thank you so very much xoxo
 
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The3bears

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Once they go so long without food, they can get liver and kidney issues, and that can make eating feel bad for them. I would recommend force-feeding. You don't need to be too forceful, but at this point, going a day without eating is just unacceptable. You can scoop food on your finger and put it in the cat's mouth if you can do so safely. You can also make a puree and squirt it in with an oral syringe if you have one. Water is the most important thing, but if there is high moisture in the food and the cat is eating, water isn't as necessary. Slow and steady does it. I've fed up cats before, and they take forever to stop looking deathly thin, but as long as they're taking in some amount of food every day, you're on the right track.
Thank you for looking out for us xoxo
 

Mamanyt1953

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Force feeding sounds much more unpleasant than it is. Get a larger syringe, or if that isn't available, use a medicine dropper. Take pate food, the kind that has no clumps or shreds, and mix it with water, or the pedialyte until it forms a loose slurry, like a gravy. Feed by placing the tip between the cheek and gum, and slowing inserting small bites at a time, allowing plenty of time for your girl to swallow. Keep the meals very small, but every couple of hours. You can also purchase powdered KMR (kitten milk replacement) and mix her food with that. It is gentle for stressed tummies, and provides good nutrition.
 

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Can I ask how she is trapped? Getting here out is imperative. Maybe we can help to figure that out too? Clear pedialyte could help. Kitten glop might work too. It is specifically for malnourished kitties. KMR maybe? Appeal to every local vet and rescue group. Someone should care enough to help her! You can do a Google search in or your city, county, state and see if anyone will help. Animal control might. I know firefighters may not but worth calling them to beg for help. One call may lead to another for help. Even a local radio or TV station / newspaper can put out a call for help. Action pays off. Don’t hesitate to cry and beg. I would do that in a minute! Please keep us updated!
 

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You need to go very very slowly to avoid refeeding syndrome. This says to start at 25% of her caloric needs and increase slowly. And that it's better to have somethinhlg high fat and high protein. Chicken baby food is good. Pedialyte will be needed for the electrolytes.
Refeeding Syndrome

She has a much better chance under a vet's care. Try calling all the cat rescues in your area to see if any have vet funds.
 
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The3bears

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Force feeding sounds much more unpleasant than it is. Get a larger syringe, or if that isn't available, use a medicine dropper. Take pate food, the kind that has no clumps or shreds, and mix it with water, or the pedialyte until it forms a loose slurry, like a gravy. Feed by placing the tip between the cheek and gum, and slowing inserting small bites at a time, allowing plenty of time for your girl to swallow. Keep the meals very small, but every couple of hours. You can also purchase powdered KMR (kitten milk replacement) and mix her food with that. It is gentle for stressed tummies, and provides good nutrition.
Thank you I was wondering if I could use the KMR and appreciate the words of advice
 
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The3bears

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Can I ask how she is trapped? Getting here out is imperative. Maybe we can help to figure that out too? Clear pedialyte could help. Kitten glop might work too. It is specifically for malnourished kitties. KMR maybe? Appeal to every local vet and rescue group. Someone should care enough to help her! You can do a Google search in or your city, county, state and see if anyone will help. Animal control might. I know firefighters may not but worth calling them to beg for help. One call may lead to another for help. Even a local radio or TV station / newspaper can put out a call for help. Action pays off. Don’t hesitate to cry and beg. I would do that in a minute! Please keep us updated!
My husband found where she got trapped and thankfully he got her out I’m now trying to save her but thank you for the advice
 
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The3bears

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You need to go very very slowly to avoid refeeding syndrome. This says to start at 25% of her caloric needs and increase slowly. And that it's better to have somethinhlg high fat and high protein. Chicken baby food is good. Pedialyte will be needed for the electrolytes.
Refeeding Syndrome

She has a much better chance under a vet's care. Try calling all the cat rescues in your area to see if any have vet funds.
Thank you so much I will look into that and thank you for your advice
 

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T The3bears To check how dehydrated MewMew is gently pinch up a fold of skin over her shoulders. It should go down promptly. If it stays up and only slowly goes back down it means MewMew is dehydrated and needs fluids.

Will she drink unflavored pedialyte on her own? If not, use a dropper to frequently and gently squirt a little at a time into her cheek. Use unflavored pedialyte to mix up powdered KMR.

You are doing your best. She knows that. And I have to believe that that helps both of you.
 

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If money is an issue in getting the cat to a vet TODAY, please immediately contact any & all animal rescues-they will either help you with money, or they will tell you how you can raise money. But cats have zero leeway, once they start to go downhill, so you need to get the cat checked by the vet. All vets have "Care credit" or something similar, so you can immediately get the cat seen, & then you can get money for the bill later. This is a living animal & money should not stand in the way.
 
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The3bears

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T The3bears To check how dehydrated MewMew is gently pinch up a fold of skin over her shoulders. It should go down promptly. If it stays up and only slowly goes back down it means MewMew is dehydrated and needs fluids.

Will she drink unflavored pedialyte on her own? If not, use a dropper to frequently and gently squirt a little at a time into her cheek. Use unflavored pedialyte to mix up powdered KMR.

You are doing your best. She knows that. And I have to believe that that helps both of you.
Honestly I can’t even pinch her skin because she is all bones I can feel every single bone. This is day 3 of her recovery she has been eating and drinking on her own and yes she’s drinking the unflavored pedialyte on her own. She is still wobbly when walking and falling over but from day 1 has been slowly improving. She is using her litter box on her own and she has had diarrhea from the start which I expected since she hadn’t eaten or drank but today’s poop was more of a pate consistency, which I took to be a good sign though I know we’re far from out of the woods yet. I have dry food and wet food down and I bought a salmon loin which she ate a little bit, my husband was going to buy her some chicken liver and cook and make a pate from it because when he watches his survivalist shows he said when you lose so much muscle and organs start shutting down he says they recommend eating organs of other animals to help replenish you that you’ll get the most nutrition and high calories from the fat. So I have her cosy with lots of carpet and cushions and super soft blankets so she’s not on hard surfaces, plus I have everything very close so she doesn’t have to exert so much energy though she is able to pull herself up on to things.
 
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The3bears

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Too much liver can cause vitamin A toxicity, and I guess I would worry about that in such a skinny cat.
I appreciate the information he hasn’t made any yet and I wasn’t going to give to much to her. I appreciate the people who have given advice on the care of my girl. I’m doing my best to care for her till I can get her to a vet, as crazy as it sounds we were turned away from a vet because we didn’t get there at a certain time and told I could make an appointment for next week even though they knew the extreme conditions she’s in 🤬 Needless to say I’ll not be returning to that place again
 

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Just keep pursuing a vet if at all possible. You’ve done an amazing job with her and your husband is a hero too. I am so relieved she is not trapped anymore! Some humane societies will help in these situations. While you sit with her, call any cat person with any experience in these situations that you can find. They may know of a vet who will help. If you were near me, I would know one to call so I expect that it is possible someone near you may know a loving vet too. Maybe someone you know who has cats? It won’t hurt to ask. Sending all healing vibes to Mewmew I can find! :vibes:❤ So glad she is back in your arms! I know she is greatly comforted by the love you are giving her.
 
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