20 year old feral colony cats sick for first time ever.....

supermax1943

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It started about two months ago with an awful light brown horrible smelling diarrhea from two cats. Now it has hit everyone in the colony of 50 cats. It seems to stop and start, I really don't know what to do. Is there a colony caretaker here who has gone through this? If so, what was the solution? I realize I could take one to the vet, to determine what it is and what medication is needed, but then how will I medicate all 50? I started trying to save a little money this year by feeding 2 or 3 cats from one paper plate rather than individual paper containers for each cat. I am guessing that is what has caused the problem, but I can't be sure. At wit's end. Any ideas or suggestions would be so appreciated! Thanks in advance. Sally
 
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supermax1943

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It is me again! I just read the article on Giardia and that must be what I am dealing with. I remember years ago taking in a kitten from the colony who was sick and having really bad diarrhea. I isolated her because she was so sick and I remember now that her diagnosis was Giardia. Wonder what the heck I will do with all 50 cats for treatment?? I did check out the probiotic everyone is talking about..but it needs to be given twice a day,(or so it says on the website). Holy cow, a pill twice a day for all 50???? Not to mention the disinfecting I am facing...prayers will be needed.
 
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supermax1943

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Well, it is me again! I got ammonia today for cleaning but I am really wondering why it is best for Giardia. All the information I read online said the FDA doesn't even consider ammonia to be a disinfectant. So, why is it better than using Clorox which is the best disinfectant. Does anyone know the answer to that? I really prefer using clorox since it is something I always have on hand.
 

FeebysOwner

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Hi. If I were you I would collect a sample of the stool (preferably as quickly as possible) bag it and take it to a vet for testing. As long as you get the stool fairly quickly, you can actually bag it and refrigerate it for a number of hours before getting to the vet without it losing its testing viability. Most vets will accept a stool sample without actually seeing the cat - just check to make sure yours will. The vet can use the stool to test for basic bacteria as well as parasites, and once you know what you are dealing with, you can discuss with the vet the way to administer the necessary meds to that many cats. Hopefully, they will have an idea!
 

fionasmom

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That is the only solution I can think of as well. If he accepts a sample, it saves you one step and you can proceed from there.
 

Willowy

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Giardia is a parasite not a bacteria, which is probably why ammonia is more effective than an antibacterial cleaner.

It's spread through dirty water. Do you know where the cats drink from?

Many animals can recover from giardia without treatment as long as their water is no longer contaminated. So try to figure out the water thing, then see which cats recover spontaneously and which still need treatment.
 
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supermax1943

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Hi everyone! thanks for your replies! I had decided to take a sample just before getting your email. I'll be doing that tomorrow...thanks so much. As for the water, the colony is located in an open space adjacent to the ocean and a river bed surrounded by marshes. So, they can get water from almost anywhere. I am diligent about giving fresh bowls of water every day, but, of course, I can't prevent them from drinking where they want.

The colony is also part of a population of skunks and racoons. This morning I discovered a large mound of diarrhea inside one of the outdoor shelters. Too big a pile to be from a cat and since I saw a raccoon in there a few nights ago I suspect it was from the raccoon. So, it is the chicken or the egg problem. Did the cats get it from the raccoons, or did the raccoons get it from the cats, or the skunks??? And, if I get the cats healed will they get it again from the other animals???

Sometimes I wish this was easier!!! Hopefully, the vet will have a good answer. Thanks again for your replies.
Sally
 

moxiewild

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It’s very common for other animals to pick up Giardia from raccoons if they share a water bowl.

I feel for you. I’m having an outbreak in fairly large home with 16 cats I can’t isolate for various reasons. Most are immunecompromised in some way and I have no clue how we’re going to get ahead of it - there are simply not enough hours in the day to deep clean, disinfect, and steam clean the entire house day after day.

I actually found someone to take in my dogs relatively quickly because I was afraid of the dogs spreading it outdoors to our colony, and grappling with the same issue as you.

Fingers crossed for the test results!
 
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supermax1943

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Well good news. I had a little (other) crisis which kept me from getting to the vet when I planned to go. Because of that I was rummaging through all of my cat meds and found da da!!! "DocRoy's GI Synbiotics Granules" which I bought about a year ago for one of the feral cats who had diarrhea on and off again. I decided to give it to everyone at the night feeding when they get wet food. I couldn't believe it, but the next day it looked like something had changed. No signs of flat patties of diarrhea! By the second day, no signs at all of anyone having it, but did find evidence in the inside shelter where I had found a huge pile of diarrhea two days before which I am pretty sure is from a racoon.

So, I didn't go to the Vet since I had such good results. I am thrilled!!! Moxiewild, I hope you will try it for your crew. It is possible, of course, that this covered up whatever was going on, but, I feel pretty confident this has worked. I am now on the third day and still no diarrhea.

You can find this at Revival Animal Health, or just "Google" "DocRoy's GI Synbiotics Granules" and it will come up. Right now it is selling for about $27. It is a very large tub of 454 grams of product. If I don't check in in a few days it means it is still working.

The first night I didn't even measure how much I was putting in each dish, but I was using a teaspoon and I guess I used about a 1/2 a teaspoon for each dish with one 5.5 oz can of wet food. And, I have been sprinkling some on the dry food in the morning.I am going to continue through 5 days of treatment just to be sure they are getting enough, and then I will stop doing it daily.

However, since this seems to have been such a help with their GI track I am thinking this might be a good idea to feed once a week.
Sally
 
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