Please Can Anyone Tell Me If Their Cat Ever Went Back To Normal After A Steroid Injection

I see a lot of people on here having the same problem I am having with my cat after a steroid injection. It has been exactly one week since he got it. He was injected with a long lasting one called triamcinolone that was done just for a couple rash spots from allergies. He also got all his vaccines updated the same day, but most tell me his issues are most likely from the steroids. He only sleeps and eats. He used to follow me everywhere, like to cuddle, and played hard for an hour each day and used to beg me to play. Now he just looks at the toy and doesn't care. He doesn't run around the house, just slowly saunters around. He's eating but not drinking water, which might be because I changed his food from dry to wet because he has also been constipated. He is urinating though. Just yesterday he started sneezing all day and still is this morning and he keeps stretching his mouth open especially after eating. He was so healthy and active before this awful visit to the vet that I regret so much.

I see so many say the same on here, but none ever follow up to say if they returned to normal or what happened. I want to know if anyone who has went through this can tell me if their cat went back to normal once the steroid subsides or if this is permanent or perhaps he is ill and needs to return to vet??? I did take him back to vet that did this four days ago but she is trying to say he shouldn't have any side effects from what she did and told me he is fine. I can't take him back there. Just please, can anyone give me any info that has been through this and what they did and how it all turned out?

Hi. I hope you get some insight from other members soon! In the meantime, did you at least call the vet and ask how long the steroid is expected to last? I know your vet doesn't think the steroid is causing your cat's lethargy, so don't ask from that perspective - just ask how long it will take for the steroids effects to wear off.

I still think it would be prudent for you to get a second opinion from a different vet practice in terms of the shots he received and the side effects he is experiencing. You can obtain copies of all his records to give to another vet to help minimize redundant testing/costs.

Yes, I have had cats who have been given injection of a long lasting (4-6 weeks) steroid. It was Depo-Medol which is not the same as Triamcinolone, but a steroid nontheless. They all returned to normal shortly with little or no side effects. BUT they ONLY received the steroid injection...not vaccines at the same time.

I have also had cats who were given vaccines, JUST vaccines...nothing else, but had awful side effects, especially as they got older. It took a long time for them to get back to normal and I was very worried.

In your cat's case, he was given a double whammy..vaccines AND steroid injection at same time. I am not a vet, but many vets do not and will not give vaccines and steroids at same time...too much risk of negative side effects.

The other issue is that ANY steroid injection has the potential to induce heart failure in a cat with a weak heart or undiagnosed heart disease.

You might want to have him seen by another vet for a second opinion, especially since he continues to be so lethargic.

I feel like he gets worse every time I put him through the awful experience of taking him to the vet. I've done it three times in last two weeks. It is especially bad because twice I took him to a vet that is 35 mins away so the drive, I have learned, is just too long for that kind of panic he goes through. I only have one vet close to me that I've had multiple bad experiences with, but I might just have to go back there since it's just down the street. I did talk to the vet that gave him these shots again today and she absolutely says steroids do not have side effects and neither do vaccines, but all I see everywhere all over the internet is opposite information. It's so strange she thinks this. I don't understand. He's going through such a rough time and she acts like I am overacting. It's just so frustrating when your cat is so happy, healthy, and active for ten years and in a matter of two hours he's like a dying animal and I paid 430 dollars to do this to him. I just want someone to tell me it's OK and he will come back. I'm so sick over this.

FeebysOwner said:

Hi. I hope you get some insight from other members soon! In the meantime, did you at least call the vet and ask how long the steroid is expected to last? I know your vet doesn't think the steroid is causing your cat's lethargy, so don't ask from that perspective - just ask how long it will take for the steroids effects to wear off.

I still think it would be prudent for you to get a second opinion from a different vet practice in terms of the shots he received and the side effects he is experiencing. You can obtain copies of all his records to give to another vet to help minimize redundant testing/costs.

Click to expand...

I did ask her about the duration of the steroid, but she is not being honest with me so not sure of anything she says. She tells me it's a short acting steroid, two weeks tops, but all over the internet says triamcinolone is a strong long acting steroid.

I honestly don't trust vets anymore. I am at this weird place where I feel like vets are only out for money and not caring about my cat. I'm honestly afraid to take him to the vet

Another recent thread of your mentions that your cat received both a rabies vaccination and FVCRP vaccination the same day as the steroid injection. The rabies and FVCRP vaccinations alone causes many cats to be lethargic for a day or two afterwards. The steroid injection didn't help.

Lethargy is a common side effect of Triamcinolone Cat Skin Rash Treatment with Triamcinolone The side effects shouldn't last more than a week. All medicines and vaccinations have potential side effects and adverse reactions.

LTS3 said:

Another recent thread of your mentions that your cat received both a rabies vaccination and FVCRP vaccination the same day as the steroid injection. The rabies and FVCRP vaccinations alone causes many cats to be lethargic for a day or two afterwards. The steroid injection didn't help.

Lethargy is a common side effect of Triamcinolone Cat Skin Rash Treatment with Triamcinolone The side effects shouldn't last more than a week. All medicines and vaccinations have potential side effects and adverse reactions.

Click to expand...

Yeah, he is just having so many symptoms and it has been a week today already since he got them and hasn't recovered at all. He started sneezing and coughing Saturday and today he was laying half way off the couch with his eyes half closed and making a continuous weird guttural noise and totally unresponsive to me shaking him and yelling his name. He came to a minute later but I seriously thought he went into a coma. I just made an appointment for him. He's going back to vet today. I hate to do that to him, but I think he needs a vet not involved with the shots he received to take an unbiased look at him.

Might be worth it to look for a cat vet in your area. I hope there is one for your cat's sake.

MayBinky said:

I just made an appointment for him. He's going back to vet today. I hate to do that to him, but I think he needs a vet not involved with the shots he received to take an unbiased look at him.

Click to expand...

I know you hate to make him go the vet's again, but I think it is for the best. I hope the vet you are taking him to is NOT in the same practice as the previous vet. That way, you are more likely to get an unbiased second opinion - as opposed to a vet that works side by side with the one who gave him the steroid and vaccinations.

Also, probably too late for you to do, but if you could get a copy of his records from the current vet, that would go a long way in helping out the new vet and would likely reduce your costs because perhaps the new vet wouldn't have to run duplicate tests.

FeebysOwner said:

I know you hate to make him go the vet's again, but I think it is for the best. I hope the vet you are taking him to is NOT in the same practice as the previous vet. That way, you are more likely to get an unbiased second opinion - as opposed to a vet that works side by side with the one who gave him the steroid and vaccinations.

Also, probably too late for you to do, but if you could get a copy of his records from the current vet, that would go a long way in helping out the new vet and would likely reduce your costs because perhaps the new vet wouldn't have to run duplicate tests.

Click to expand...

I got all the papers of everything he got done that day, even the results of his bloodwork, I have them in paper form ready to go. I am taking him to the vet closest to me that is not the one that gave him the shots. I am just so bad getting him in his carrier that last time I just put the carrier in my car and carried him to my car in hopes he would be scared enough to get in the carrier himself, but I still had to force him in. I hate this

Glad you have his records - that is wonderful! Maybe this vet will be more helpful and you won't have to take him to the vet's again for a long while!!!

Good luck - hoping for some good news!!

I guess I just need to leave him be and let the effects wear off. My cat now distrusts me, running from me after ten years of being so close because of all the vet visits that do not turn out to help anything. The vet just did what the last one did, took his temp and checked his gums and teeth. Said he will either get better or worse. Hmmm I probably already knew that. All the vets seem to think he shouldn't have such a reaction so drastic and they all seem speculative about it but none seem concerned.

MayBinky , I am so sorry you are going through this. And it's hard to see our cats act so opposite of what we are used to! I'm just going to pitch in my two cents though and say that I really hope you do not give up on the cat specialist vet (I read in another post that that's the one who wanted to update his rabies and FRCVP vacs). I've had some great experiences with cat-only vets and although I know my experiences aren't universal, it does seem to me that you shouldn't give up on taking your cat back to that vet should you notice ANY further signs that worry you. Cats can have a variety of reactions to vaccines and to meds--from none, mild, moderate, to severe-- and sometimes you really have to keep a close eye on them for several weeks. I am not a vet but I think that if he was having more severe reactions to the vaccines, they might show up within the first few days?
This shows some variations in allergic reactions to vaccines for cats,
Allergic Reaction to Vaccines in Cats - Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, Treatment, Recovery, Management, Cost

You'll see that he may have had some mild symptoms from the vaccines already (soreness, sneezing, lower activity), so definitely keep watching him for the more severe issues POSSIBLY cropping up, and contact that cat-only vet to go back for a visit IF they do appear. (I'm not saying they will, and the vets may not know yet either... it can be a waiting game, just keeping a close watch.)

If you think about it, he hasn't had exposure to the things in a rabies vaccine or FVRCP vaccines for a long time, so his body will really be working hard to build up the antibodies. Plus, he is a lot older now and even though he has been happy and healthy in behaviors all these years, you just never know what things are cropping up in the background as the cat is aging. And he has been through some of the same stresses of moving to another state that you have!


I haven't had experience with a cat having a steroid shot (any brand of steroid shot), but I have experience with giving a cat daily systemic steroids in pill form (Prednisolone pills). Steroids do tend to raise the blood glucose of the cat, making them hungry, thirstier, and sometimes lethargic. Since he's only had one shot, I expect any way he is acting because of the steroid will disappear over several weeks. But do remember that the steroids can affect several systems, and if a cat has any underlying issues (like developing diabetes, or any thyroid issues, or heart issues, or digestive issues, etc.) it can sometimes work against those. What is your kitty's regular diet? Canned food, or dry food? Just curious (as some foods affect blood sugar a lot too... I have to keep my cat away from foods with more carbs and stuff, since she is on steroids herself).

I think all of us go through the issues of gathering a cat up to go to a vet, and the aftermath of them being angry at us for a while. I know it's hard, and I am in no place to know for certain, but try to believe that this cat-only vet does have a lot of experience and isn't trying to harm your kitty or you! It's really hard when so many of us, you and me included, are so in tune with our cat's behaviors and absolutely hate it when things seem amiss and NOT RIGHT.

Giving you a lot of hugs

PushPurrCatPaws said:

I really hope you do not give up on the cat specialist vet

Click to expand...

Thanks so much for your reply. I didn't give up on the cat only vet she gave up on my cat. I have given her so many chances to help. I have spoken with her over the phone three times this week and took him all the way over there a second time just so she could do pretty much nothing. She got defensive with me today over the phone saying his problems did not come from anything she did when all I am trying to do is get her to communicate to me why this might be happening. It has to be from those shots because he was fine right before. Someone that cannot be honest with me is not worth my time at this point. She is worried too much about being blamed to help me. I found a mobile vet with great reviews that come straight to your door and can provide everything a vets office can. I am calling them tomorrow because I cannot just sit here and wait for his symptoms to get bad enough for people to finally want to care. I am going to tell them to redo his blood work.

That's a bummer about that vet, and I totally understand now why you are still seeking another vet at this point. Redoing his bloodwork is a great idea, and doing a senior panel, too.
Good luck and keep us updated, if you'd like!

So, good news, last night Binky started playing again and this morning he is acting 90% his old self. He followed me around when I got up and was making all his usual noises. He is back to grooming himself and looking for things to chew on (he loves to chew on stuff especially shoe strings). I did end up finding a mobile vet that is coming to my house to see him next week and do blood work, but she is the one that healed in. She told me to give him Thuja, it's an herbal remedy that has potential to reverse side effects from vaccines and it actually worked. I am so shocked. Gave it to him only twice and the effect was within the same day. She's a holistic vet and I am so thankful I found her. Will never go to another vet now. I'm still getting his heart checked too because of him passing out that one day, but I am hopeful he will have a full recovery.

I actually don't think it was the steroid shot after all. I could actually tell on day 8 that his steroid shot had run its course because he stopped being ravenous. He all the sudden went back to refusing to eat wet food and stopped begging for food every couple hours, but he was still very sick and continued to be sick after steroids left his system. Some cats can have a bad reaction to vaccines that can sometimes be fatal or do permanent damage if not treated. Just wanted everyone to know and also for anyone in the future frantically searching for answers when their cat gets sick from shots as I was that they can get better. I used Thuja, a little pellet that dissolves in water and your cat drinks it. I used the 30C strength which is the most potent strength. Make sure you stop giving it to him when he shows signs of improvement. It only works for vaccine reactions though and it also cleared his respiratory infection. Just want to put this information here because I have never heard of this remedy and because it is like a miracle and saved my cat.

Never heard of Thuja. I'll have to look into that. I'm glad your cat is doing better.

darg said:

Never heard of Thuja. I'll have to look into that. I'm glad your cat is doing better.

Click to expand...

Newton Homeopathics Thuja

It can be purchased here or at whole foods. Regular vets do not even seem to know about this. My cat could have been sick for months or permanently had I not found a homeopathic vet.

Thuja can be effective against viruses affecting the upper respiratory system: https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-1117/thuja

At the same time, the vast majority of homeopathic remedies have been proven ineffective by numerous peer-reviewed studies, so please be careful about choosing homeopathic remedies for yourself or your pets.

Also, from WebMD: "Thuja products can contain a chemical called thujone. Thujone can cause low blood pressure, asthma, seizures, and death."