Emergency! Sick kitten! Cannot see a Vet!

[kskatt]

indie-n-button, PLEASE, don't fatten Sparrow up! She is probably a hair over perfect right now, although it doesn't hurt to be a hair over while growing. lol  Every chart I have ever seen (charts for cats, dogs, horses and yes, even people!) say you should be able to feel ribs with a firm stroke, not see the ribs but, yes, feel them.

Sparrow is in great shape.

Instead of laughing I feel sad when I see the "funny" pics and videos of obese cats. Those cats are at risk of so many health problems, early arthritis, and early death. I feel that those pics and videos promote, well abuse when it gets that bad. I feel horrible for those cats! I allowed one cat to get "that" big and ended up spending lots of time and MONEY, on his Diabetes. With a lot of work we got his weight to where he is in remission, and I'm still working to keep it that way!

Yes, cats are really good at begging, they are really good at the "I'm so hungry" look. Which is a great time to distract them with some playtime!

Sparrow is beautiful and you are trying so hard for her to be healthy, don't mess that up with feeling sorry for her.

 

[stewball]

Also, here's a picture of her from yesterday :-)

GEDC2428.JPG

• indie-n-button
• Jun 6, 2016

Och sweetheart. She's lovely and white.

 

[stewball]

Don't give her pure fat yuk. She doesn't need it. She's perfect as she is. You don't want a fat cat. I take it we're not going to the vet. What about spaying her. It's time isn't it? She weights more than 2 lbs tight?

I had an Indian meal yesterday. Yum.

 

[kittylove53]

Sparrow is absolutely beautiful,and she looks about the right weight. Keep up the great work you have been doing with her.Please keep updating on her progress, and let us see more pics of her.

 

[indie-n-button]

 
She looks a lot bigger.  Perhaps she is skinny because she is growing and all her food is going to muscles and not fattening her up. Most kittens don't fatten up until 8 months to a year.

Have you seen this chart?

http://www.wsava.org/sites/default/files/Body%20condition%20...

This link goes to the site but not the chart.  I googled cat body fat chart and it came up with a PDF chart showing the view of the cat from the top.  It should be on this site some where. . .  You will enjoy this website I think.

Yes I saw a chart like that when I was concerned about Indie's weight! It's all really weird for me because I'm so used to seeing really chubby cats and when I look at mine they're nowhere near as fat as all the cat's I'm used to seeing! Even the cats I had back in England used to be fat and podgy, but my babies are really slim and don't poop as much as the fat one's I've seen? I'm not sure if this is a good thing or not :/

The only thing I can think of is that all the grains etc. that are in commercial cat food is what makes cat's so prone to getting fat?? Because I generally see that all the cats who are on cat food seem to be a lot bigger than the ones that are on raw?

 
indie-n-button, PLEASE, don't fatten Sparrow up! She is probably a hair over perfect right now, although it doesn't hurt to be a hair over while growing. lol  Every chart I have ever seen (charts for cats, dogs, horses and yes, even people!) say you should be able to feel ribs with a firm stroke, not see the ribs but, yes, feel them.

Sparrow is in great shape.

Instead of laughing I feel sad when I see the "funny" pics and videos of obese cats. Those cats are at risk of so many health problems, early arthritis, and early death. I feel that those pics and videos promote, well abuse when it gets that bad. I feel horrible for those cats! I allowed one cat to get "that" big and ended up spending lots of time and MONEY, on his Diabetes. With a lot of work we got his weight to where he is in remission, and I'm still working to keep it that way!

Yes, cats are really good at begging, they are really good at the "I'm so hungry" look. Which is a great time to distract them with some playtime!

Sparrow is beautiful and you are trying so hard for her to be healthy, don't mess that up with feeling sorry for her.

Ooh okay, I'll cut out the fat. What about honey? Is that safe for her or will it cause her blood-sugar to get too high (is that dangerous in cats??) I have some honey in my tea every now and then and as soon as she see's the honey tub she'll yell at me until I give her a little!

Yeah I can't see her ribs, the only bones I can really see are her hip bones, but I can see the hip-bones of my other two as well so?? I hope it's nothing to be too concerned about, maybe she's just going to be a lean cat like Indie? Button was VERY chubby when he was a baby, though again he was fed on kibble during the first few weeks of his life, so I'm not sure if that could be why?? They all have a really good appetite though and eat about 3-4 times a day depending on their mood and how warm it is (when it's really warm they mostly sleep and then eat a really big meal once a day)

 

[indie-n-button]

Oh and no, Mum's still not budging about taking her in, I think she's partly a little scared that Sparrow might catch something if we DO take her in (rabies and stuff is pretty common over here, plus none of our cats are vaccinated, either) which could cause the others to get sick too. She seems to be improving though, so I'm not too worried about her ear anymore. Her hair is coming back too and she isn't scratching so I guess the infection has finally gone.

As for spaying, I'm not sure what Mum wants to do about that? We'll probably go to the University for that, but we still need to do a bit more research

 

[talkingpeanut]

I think a bit of honey is fine, and a bit of fat is probably fine in moderation, too.  You just don't need to fatten anyone up.  

I really do think you're running out of time with spaying her though.  It's becoming urgent.

 

[stewball]

I think a bit of honey is fine, and a bit of fat is probably fine in moderation, too.  You just don't need to fatten anyone up.  

I really do think you're running out of time with spaying her though.  It's becoming urgent.

I wanted to say that if you're not careful, and you can't watch 24 hours a day, she'll end up pregnant and you really don't want to do that to her.

 

[jennyr]

You could get all your cats vaccinated against rabies - I would do it ina country where it is endemic, even if it is not the law. Then it would be a lot less scary.

As for the weight, remember that you are used to seeing cats in Britain where the genetic shape is a lot fatter as it is a cold country and cats have evolved to protect themselves against the weather with a layer of fat. In Asia the normal cat is a lot leaner and taller, they don't need the fat. So Sparrow cannot be compared to the shapes of Western cats. She looks fine to me.

 

[stewball]

Please don't let her get pregnant. The 'lovemaking' is very painful for the female firstly. Secondly by having her spayed she won't get cancer of the mammary glands and other places. Thirdly she can get pregnant almost immediately after giving birth in which case she'll abandon her babies. You've two male unneutered Toms just waiting for a chance and if you think not then you're mistaken. Please do whatever it takes to get her to the vet and done. Soon. As my late dad would say immediately if not sooner. Please.

 

[kskatt]

I know you are working so very hard to do everything right for Sparrow. She's lucky to have you as a guardian!

Maybe you need to go to Mom, kinda **** your head to the side and say something like, "if we don't get busy, they're gonna get busy and we're gonna have babies" give Mom a wink, a sly grin and walk away.

 

[stewball]

I know you are working so very hard to do everything right for Sparrow. She's lucky to have you as a guardian!
Maybe you need to go to Mom, kinda **** your head to the side and say something like, "if we don't get busy, they're gonna get busy and we're gonna have babies" give Mom a wink, a sly grin and walk away.

I don't think the wink and the grin will work with this particular mother.

 

[kskatt]

I don't think the wink and the grin will work with this particular mother.

Good point. Maybe more like looking straight into mom's eyes and say something like "mom, we either get Sparrow fixed or we're going to have more cats" Simple and straightforward.

 

[stewball]

Good point. Maybe more like looking straight into mom's eyes and say something like "mom, we either get Sparrow fixed or we're going to have more cats" Simple and straightforward.

That's more like it.

 

[indie-n-button]

Sorry I've been gone so long! Sparrow's doing super fine, her ear infection is gone now and the 'lump' has completely gone now so I'm pretty sure she's 100% recovered :-) She has a little bit of a wax problem though, and her ear's get waxy, but I just wipe that away with a cotton bud and she's good to go!

No signs of being in heat yet, thank god :/ The boys are getting a little bored with her too, though Butty still loves to snuggle up to her and lick her face, she tolerates it for a while they swats him. She still isn't all cuddly with Indie though, she hisses VERY loudly as soon as he comes anywhere near her, so he just goes to sulk in a corner lmao.

And I'm around to watch them pretty much all day. I'm just gone for five hours every day, and during that time Sparrow's locked in another room. I think, even if she doesn't get spayed, it'll be alright, if I got through Indie's insistent yowling last year when he was on heat, I'm pretty sure I can get through anything :-)

And regarding the vaccination for rabies, I don't think it's really necessary for my cats? They don't EVER go outside (apart from the outside area place, but no other animals can go there) and have no contact to other dogs/cats that they can physically touch or have their mucus transferred through, so I think it's alright? Plus there aren't any family cats/dogs that come visit either.

 

[kskatt]

 
Sorry I've been gone so long! Sparrow's doing super fine, her ear infection is gone now and the 'lump' has completely gone now so I'm pretty sure she's 100% recovered :-) She has a little bit of a wax problem though, and her ear's get waxy, but I just wipe that away with a cotton bud and she's good to go!

No signs of being in heat yet, thank god :/ The boys are getting a little bored with her too, though Butty still loves to snuggle up to her and lick her face, she tolerates it for a while they swats him. She still isn't all cuddly with Indie though, she hisses VERY loudly as soon as he comes anywhere near her, so he just goes to sulk in a corner lmao.

And I'm around to watch them pretty much all day. I'm just gone for five hours every day, and during that time Sparrow's locked in another room. I think, even if she doesn't get spayed, it'll be alright, if I got through Indie's insistent yowling last year when he was on heat, I'm pretty sure I can get through anything :-)

And regarding the vaccination for rabies, I don't think it's really necessary for my cats? They don't EVER go outside (apart from the outside area place, but no other animals can go there) and have no contact to other dogs/cats that they can physically touch or have their mucus transferred through, so I think it's alright? Plus there aren't any family cats/dogs that come visit either.

How wonderful about Sparrow's infection being gone!

It is mind boggling how quickly cats can "get busy", and once started you will not be able to stop them. Isn't Indie a boy? Boy's don't go into heat.

My dogs are in a very secure pen, yet I have found Opossums and an Armadillo (dead) in the pen. I have no idea how any of them got in. If those animals can get in that pen, you can't count on fences. A male going after a female in heat can scale mountains.

A bat got in and flew around my house, they can definitely cause rabies.  

 

[talkingpeanut]

 
Sorry I've been gone so long! Sparrow's doing super fine, her ear infection is gone now and the 'lump' has completely gone now so I'm pretty sure she's 100% recovered :-) She has a little bit of a wax problem though, and her ear's get waxy, but I just wipe that away with a cotton bud and she's good to go!

No signs of being in heat yet, thank god :/ The boys are getting a little bored with her too, though Butty still loves to snuggle up to her and lick her face, she tolerates it for a while they swats him. She still isn't all cuddly with Indie though, she hisses VERY loudly as soon as he comes anywhere near her, so he just goes to sulk in a corner lmao.

And I'm around to watch them pretty much all day. I'm just gone for five hours every day, and during that time Sparrow's locked in another room. I think, even if she doesn't get spayed, it'll be alright, if I got through Indie's insistent yowling last year when he was on heat, I'm pretty sure I can get through anything :-)

And regarding the vaccination for rabies, I don't think it's really necessary for my cats? They don't EVER go outside (apart from the outside area place, but no other animals can go there) and have no contact to other dogs/cats that they can physically touch or have their mucus transferred through, so I think it's alright? Plus there aren't any family cats/dogs that come visit either.

I'm glad to hear she's feeling so much better!

So, the way I see it with the spaying is that it's an ongoing issue.  For one, not spaying increases the risk of pyometria and reproductive cancers with every heat cycle, so that's obvious.  But then, there is the near constant reproduction.  One female can get pregnant 3 or 4 times per year.  She can get pregnant within a week of delivering her last litter.  What would you do with all of these cats?  You take such excellent care of your babies, and obviously can't trust friends or family to take comparable care, given what happened to Sparrow's family.  You've spoken at length about how cats are treated in your country.  

I just think you're sitting on a ticking time bomb here, and it won't be resolved if or when they mate once.  Then you will just have more kittens that are going to mate more.  It's a real problem with significant risks. 

Rabies is also a significant risk.

And yes, males don't have heat periods.  They are ready to go at any moment.

 

[Willowy]

If cats only had one or two heat periods per year like dogs, I'd say, sure, just keep 'em separated while she's in heat. But cats cycle quickly in and out of heat constantly until mated, and can get pregnant even when not in active heat. And cat mating only takes a few seconds. So the chances are very high that she'll either make you crazy or get pregnant a lot . I don't think I've ever known anyone who kept intact cats of both genders who didn't have a lot of kittens. It's so much easier with dogs, and even they can do some crazy things to get to a female in heat!

 

[jennyr]

If Indie was yowling for five months it was because HE was trying to get to a female in heat, that he could smell across a long distance. Males are ready to mate as soon as they sense a female in heat, and the two will do anything to get together. I once had a female cat who managed to get out of the open top two-inches of a window and jump down two stories to the yard below. When I got her back three days later she had a broken leg and was pregnant. It was awful for her and so annoying for me as she had to miss an appointment to be spayed the day after she got out. So several weeks and four kittens later, she was finally fixed.

 

[indie-n-button]

 
How wonderful about Sparrow's infection being gone!

It is mind boggling how quickly cats can "get busy", and once started you will not be able to stop them. Isn't Indie a boy? Boy's don't go into heat.

My dogs are in a very secure pen, yet I have found Opossums and an Armadillo (dead) in the pen. I have no idea how any of them got in. If those animals can get in that pen, you can't count on fences. A male going after a female in heat can scale mountains.

A bat got in and flew around my house, they can definitely cause rabies.  

It really is! She's doing super great now, and I'm finally happy with her weight! Her bones aren't sticking out at all anymore, in fact she's starting to get kinda  podgy so I'm trying to work around how much I should feed her. She asks for food ALL of the time, so I've limited her intake a lot, which she doesn't seem to mind too much. She's also SO energetic! Probably one of the most energetic kittens I've ever seen! She never ever runs out of energy, and loves to bully the other two boys.

Butty has started to try and mount her, but yet again she's just yelling at him and swatting at him and he learns his lesson and stops what he's doing. We're monitoring them constantly too, and whenever we hear her yelp we go and check to see if everything's alright.

And I don't think animals coming in is a real big problem at my place, everything is REALLY well closed off, like literally screwed down into bricks and concrete and everything. And the mesh that we've used is really strong. We don't have any possums or rats in our neighbour-hood either. The only animals that DO come in are sparrows, but that's only because we have the back door open and they fly through the bars and inside. The other day Indie actually managed to catch one but I saved it before he managed to kill it :-)

And I was pretty sure that cats have seasons?? Indie doesn't wail AT ALL during the winter, it's just as soon as the weather starts getting warmer when he starts howling? He also just mounts Butty during the summer too, during the winter he's generally really quiet and only meow's at us to tell us something or if he wants us to play with him, he's very talkative :-)

One thing that Mum talked about was an injection for cats? Like I have no idea why she won't just outright spay them, but she said that it's possible to get like some sort of hormone injection that takes them out of heat? But if cat's don't get into heat at all anyway, I don't see how that would really work :/