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dthrckbaint48

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I have a year old kitten who used to be feral but has become very loving and attentive to me if not other members of the family. A few weeks ago she became very ill, thin and withdrawn, and refused to come when I called her for breakfast in the morning. She seemed to rally after I gave her roundworm medicine a week ago and was back to eating five times a day (I indulged her because there were days she wouldn't eat) and now we're back to the same behavior. Hides, sleeps in full sunlight when it's 90 degrees in the shade (me and my mother looked for her for hours before we found her--she's not very vocal and she still scares easily) and she ran into our woods. I left water but she refuses to let me touch her. I can see both third eyelids. We gave her some tapeworm medicine we got over the counter about a week ago and she threw it up although it didn't seem to hurt her, as she started eating voraciously after that until yesterday when she came to breakfast but wouldn't let me hold her like usual. I didn't see her the rest of the day or this morning until my mom went looking and found her on our deck. I went outside to call her off the deck and she ran pausing to look at me before disappearing for five hours.

I don't know what's wrong. My vet is cut rate. I go to him as a last resort since he really doesn't seem to care about my animals except for a paycheck and because we are two ladies on social security and don't have all the money in the world. I would like to know if someone knows what this is? She's getting thinner despite the meals she was eating and I don't know what to do. Like I said, she was a formerly feral kitten that I tamed by hand and there is no question of her coming inside since it scares her badly and she is claustrophobic. That's another reason I'd like to avoid the vet.

We never find her feces anywhere. She's very meticulous about that but my mom accidentally came across some in the garden yesterday that didn't seem to have worms or be diarrhea. If that helps. I could have sworn I saw a small maggot come out of her anus a few weeks ago but that might have been fear. Since then, nothing else.

Could someone help me understand what's happening to my baby? Like I said, the vet is a definite possibility but with her fear of places, indoors, and people I don't know. I can't even get around her. This is all so very sad and so very hopeless.

C.
 

Daisy6

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No matter how much money you have or how scary it is, you MUST take her to an animal-friendly vet. Nobody on this forum is allowed to give you medical advice that is specific to her condition. None of us are veterinarians who can see her personally. In this situation all we can do is offer ideas to help her feel more comfortable during the time you are looking for an ER vet.
 

silkenpaw

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I second @Daisy6’s recommendation. This sort of long-distance diagnosis doesn’t work for professionals, much less for amateurs like you and me. You have to find a way to take this cat to the vet to be properly examined and have the appropriate tests done. If you don’t like your vet, try to find another. In the meanwhile, all you can do for your kitty is make sure she has plenty of food and water and some shelter from the weather. Good luck.
 

neely

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Welcome to TCS! :wave3: Thank you for looking after and caring for this one year old kitty. Your commitment and concern shows a lot of effort on your part. :hugs: I tend to agree with the above members that it is in your girl's best interest to bring her to a vet or low cost clinic if finances are a problem. I wanted to offer my support and thought this Article about financial help for veterinary care might be helpful:
No Money For Vet Care? How To Find Help And Save Your Cat's Life

Fingers crossed in the hope that you can seek veterinary treatment for your cat. :crossfingers: Please keep us posted.
 
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dthrckbaint48

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My vet IS low cost. He's just not very good. I don't have a lot of money and what you people don't understand is THIS IS A WILD CAT. She's little, orange, and scared. I can't get around her when she's sick. AT ALL. What part of I CAN'T CATCH HER TO TAKE HER TO THE VET DO YOU NOT UNDERSTAND? It seems you're all a bunch of elitists. My whole life is not my cat. I didn't even WANT a cat when she showed up but I stood up and I did the right thing and, yes, I came to love her. Now she's dying and I'm being made to look like a villain. I don't have all the money in the world, I'm mentally ill, I don't have lot in my life and the fact that my cat's dying is tearing me up inside. I search for help and you people jump down my throat. Then I find out that I can't delete my post and that I can't leave the forum. I would like to be completely removed from your little cult. Kitty's special but I DON'T LIKE MOST CATS. I can't keep her inside, I can't have her to the vet every two seconds, so does that make me a bad person? Leave me alone. People are crap. I should know better to reach out my hand for help. That's somewhere me and kitty connect. People let you down. She's TERRIFIED OF PEOPLE. I am too. The fact she's sick and the fact she suffered trauma when we took her to the vet to have her neutered in the fall and she was a wreck for over a week makes me think she probably wouldn't survive a trip to the vet. I guess my cat's going to die. Oh well. I hope you all feel good about yourselves. I'm sticking to dogs which I understand. My little kindred soul is going to be gone and I'm destroyed.
 

susan denning

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Could you find a vet that makes house calls in your area (that doesn't charge extra for them)? And maybe steer her to an area outside where they could get a look at her. Could you talk to the vet's office that saw her and see what they advise (maybe have a fecal sample done, if they think it sounds like a parasite issue)? Would she take a (vet prescribed) sedative in her food (that might be one way for someone to examine her if they need to do a hands on exam)? Those might be some possible work arounds dealing with her fear.
 
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Daisy6

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Calm down. We all DO understand feral cats and not having enough money. But we, as members of a message board, also know what you asked for was a diagnosis. I just wanted to let you know TCS rules prohibit that.
 

MoochNNoodles

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I am sorry your cat is so sick. With the symptoms you have described; I do not see any other option than a vet visit. We simply cannot help like you would like us to. Many of us have "been there." No one is making you out to be a villain; people have simply given you honest advice. Site rules do prevent us from giving diagnosis online. We can share experience; but we are not vets and we cannot see her for ourselves. It would be dangerous and irresponsible for us to try. Our collective experience is saying that this is something requiring more than home-treatment.
 

msaimee

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From my own personal experience, I have found that when cats have a serious parasite problem, they often need an antibiotic. Parasites can lead to infections, which will cause lethargy, weight loss, loss of appetite and diarrhea. It's very possible that if you call the vet who spayed her, if she's been seen by him in the past 6 months, he might prescribe her medicine without requiring another vet visit if you explain to him what is going on. At least, this has been my experience with some veterinarians, especially in the case of ferals. If your kitty is still eating, you can mix the antibiotics in her food (if an antibiotic is neefed) -most come in liquid form. Is the cat still eating? If she is still eating, then there is a very good chance that she is not seriously ill and can recover, so go ahead and call the vet. Also, it would be good if you could get a stool sample from her. Place it in a plastic baggie and get it to the vet, that way they could diagnose exactly what parasite she has. I have had a few cats who had severe parasite infections and they recovered after getting a dewormer and round of antibiotics, so there is much hope for your cat.
 

kittychick

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I too am so sorry this kitty you care for is sick - - -and he does indeed sound sick. I don't think anyone who commented above meant to upset you and no one is in any way trying to paint you as a villain. I think everyone understands that this is a scary, upsetting, terrifying and frustrating situation that you just desperately want some help finding a solution. I hope your frustration won't make you feel you can't turn to this forum/site. It's far from filled with elitists - - -it's filled with people who want to help you help her AND to offer what we can.

I do think the responses that say a vet visit is by far the best option, and the one most of us would suggest, largely because it is. But also because you do mention in your opening that while a year ago she was completely feral, that she's become very loving to you, if not other family members. And you end the opening post with the fact that - while you're less than thrilled with your current vet and your income is limited - that a vet visit is definitely an option. So while I think most of us would have said regardless that she really needs to be seen by a vet if at all possible -- I think we all (again - sorry to sound like I'm speaking for everyone) pushed that route even further since you said that was an option.

Please know SO many of us on this site (particularly in this forum) have gone through - often over and over again - - the panic of dealing with a sick kitty you dearly love -- and we COMPLETELY sympathize with how it's even scarier when the furry being you're worried about is feral or semi-feral, making a vet visit a less-than-easy proposition. Many of us on this forum care for multiple feral/semi-feral kitties (myself included) - sometimes very large or multiple colonies, often in addition to our "socialized indoor kitties" (myself included), and often on limited - or close to it - incomes (again - I'd throw myself into that ring). And many of us do have dogs too.

If you can't afford at all to get her to a vet - - -or at this point you feel you want to give up on her (which I think we all hope you don't) - - please at least consider calling a local humane organization -- or even your original vet. Some humane organizations (and not just cat groups - - - things from humane societies to private organizations) will actually come get (trapping if they need to) a cat in that kind of distress, and take her in and treat her. You might need to give her over to the organization - - -but it sounds as though you care for this little one's life, and it it means giving her up to save her life, that you might bee able to do that. Or if they can't do it - they can often recommend a group that very likely might be able to (in some cases around here - even if the group can't "officially" get her and take her in, they'll have someone in the organization who might be willing to do it on their own). That would just mean a few phone calls -- and might be her best chance at survival.

I (and I'm sure everyone here) hopes that you're able to find a way to help this furry being. You've obviously cared greatly for her in the past --- and saving her life would be the greatest act of care you could give.
 

kmbishop111

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First off I would like to say thank you for caring about this little cat and looking after her well being! A lot of people would just look the other way, but you didn't! I'm sorry also for the situation your in but believe me when I say, I understand COMPLETELY where your coming from. Most all folks on this forum do as well. We've all been there at one point or another. I do without a lot of things in my life just so that my cats are taken care of. It's tough, what's even tougher for me can be swallowing my pride and reaching out for help. :alright:

There are, like a couple others have mentioned, other options here to consider. The first I would do would be call the Vet you used for the spay, maybe speak to his/her tech and explain how you have no means or can't bring her in. Some will go ahead and fill an antibiotic or worm medicine that you can just pick up at the clinic and mix in with her food. I know you said you only saw her feces once so getting a stool sample for a fecal sounds far fetched. Antibiotics and wormer are usually pretty cheap. I think my vet charges $11 for Amoxi and wormer is $5-$10.

If you don't want to deal with the Vet at all, maybe reach out to an animal rescue group in your area and see if they can help. If you can get across to them exactly what you have told us here, maybe they can help you with this kitty.

Also if you have a shelter or humane society, sometimes they will have info on people in your area that are "cat people" that would love to step in and do whatever they can to help.

I wish you and your kitty the very best and I'm so sorry your going thru what you are, just know your not alone. And again, thank you for caring. :hearthrob::redheartpump:
 

maggiedemi

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Hi. Did you give her the tapeworm medicine in her food? That might be why she threw it up, that pill is very bitter, it needs to be given with a pill gun. Also, roundworm medicine has to be given a second dose 2 or 3 weeks later to get the eggs that hatch. Msaimee is right, she might need an antibiotic too, like Amoxicillin. It shouldn't be too expensive for the de-worming and antibiotics, maybe $100. I always email my vet to ask prices first.
 

msaimee

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It would actually be a lot less than that if the vet doesn't require that he examine the cat again. Most dewormers are very inexpensive, around $10, and antibiotics are the same. I sent the OP a PM offering to help out with the costs. I hope she will respond, but if not, I think we've done as much as we can.
 

maggiedemi

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You're right Msaimee, I was thinking with the cost of the vet visit, it was $100 for Demi to get de-worming and antibiotics. But of course it would probably be less if she already had a check-up recently. dthrckbaint48-- I hope you will come back sometime.
 
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