Feral Cat In Coma - Need House Remedies Advise

[mr Worried]

Years now we feed the cats of the neighborhood. Eventually they formed a colony in our backyard.

One of them (female, abt 3 ys old, skinny, mother of two 3 month kittens) became very lethargic before 3 days. She wouldn't eat more than a bit , and I noticed she was even skinnier.
Yesterday I found her immobilized and lying to her side. She was breathing and from time to time she was briefly waking up to cry of pain.

At first I managed to feed her some bits: I brought the chunk near her nose, she would snif and like more from reflex than a choice she would momentarily snap out of it to take the bite.

After a couple of hours she wouldn't even do that. Still in the same position. Finally I decided that hydration is more important than food and I prepared house made electrolyte (water, honey, salt, sugar) which I give her every couple of hours - abt 20-50 ml each time her willingness to take it down is erratic. Also I don't know how much is going into her and how much is spilled over cause she is sucking without raizing her head. I half force the bottle tip to her mouth and she just sucks it while her head is lying to the side.

Apart from the electrolyte solution I gave her milk as I read that in these cases vitamin B may be crucial. I also read that the juice from a canned tuna might be good, so I gave her once a solution with some of it.

Anyways, 30-40 hours now she is still in the same situation. She hasn't died (which I expected) but she isn't improving either.

Might it be better to let her go? Is this a situation that there is some chance of coming through? My mother who tended her before (she is on vacation now) told me she had this happen again with the same cat but she made it out of it. But it was only a coma like stupor for a few hours. This time we come close to the 2nd day.

Vet is not an option for me here, if there is any house remedy advice I would be thankful.

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

Something serious is obviously wrong, but not knowing WHAT makes it awfully difficult to advise you on what to do. Giving her the homemade solution of electrolytes is a good start, but probably not enough. Can you try to syringe some pureed food into her as well? Or you could try PLAIN meat baby food (no spices of any kind), but that's not nutritionally complete. It might be easier to syringe into her though. Of course, you have to be very careful not to cause her to aspirate, but it sounds like you know what you are doing if you are already syringing the fluids.

I'm not sure I'd be giving her any cow's milk, but certainly raw goats milk is ok. I've never read that the juice from canned tuna is actually good for them...they usually love it, but not sure it's really good for them.

 

[mr Worried]

Thanks for the advice. I know that tuna is not nutritious for cats and it is dangerous to rely their diet on it and that they can be addicted to it. I read that the juice contained some short of (phosphorous?) that could be good.

She is still alive and immobile but still eating from the bottle. I substituted cow milk with kitten powder in the electrolyte solution. Good thing is that she steadily drinks at least 30 ml each hour.

What exactly is pureed food? I tried to mix in water some soft cat food, but I couldn't completely disolve the chunks in the water and she has an issue with chewing.

I think that if it is a virus she will maybe ride it out. If it is kidney or liver failure she will probably pass in the following hours.

 

[mewcatmew]

Do you notice anything else wrong? A fever? Jaundice? Any open wounds/sores? Has the cat had any urinary or bowel movements and do they look normal? Are the cats eyes responding to light? Do they look dilated?

Is there a free clinic in your area to take the cat to?

 

[mr Worried]

She had minor defecations, hard and dark (I guess that means dehydrated and liver issue?) Her eye (she is one-eyed) is constantly open, pupil dilated. Regarding injuries, she doesn't seem to have any. I don't know if her destroyed eye (its from when she was a kitten) can cause problems.

 

[ginny]

It sounds like you are doing everything you possibly could do for this poor kitty. Is there no way to get her to a vet? She really needs to go

 

[mewcatmew]

The cat is not in good shape and really needs a vet if possible. Does the cat seem to have a fever or seem cold? This could be anything from eating something toxic to a stroke. Most cats are lactose intolerant, so giving milk is probably not the best idea. There is nutri-cal gel that is sold at most petco/petsmart stores that is a high calorie-vitamin dense supplement. There are also specially-formulated liquid diets like clinicare.

Where are you located? Try googling low cost/free vet clinics in your area

Are You Having Trouble Affording Your Pet? : The Humane Society of the United States

 

[mr Worried]

No, I am in Greece. As I said a vet is not an option for me. I know that they are lactose intolerant but I thought that they only had issues with dairy products (cheese etc) not milk by it self. Also I read that in crisis situations some foods that normally are not for cats (eg egg's white) might do more good than bad. Have I been misled?
Should I revert to a water based electrolyte?
Found out via google some spots I can get this gel. Shops are closed right now, If she still is fighting tomorrow I will try to get her some. Ty for the tip.

 

[mr Worried]

PS: I must remind that she is more feral than domesticated. Even when I tend to her I am sure she is afraid of me. The times I tried to slightly move her over a towel she howled and tried to bite (she again snaps out for a moment), either from fear or pain.

How do I know if she has fever?

Also I have my cat, in the house, and I am constantly in fear that I will pass some sickness to her. Whenever I come back home from tending the sick cat I wash hands, hope this is enough.

 

[kashmir64]

Check her for ticks. There are some ticks that cause paralysis when they latch on.

 

[ginny]

Check her for ticks. There are some ticks that cause paralysis when they latch on.

Don't you have to be careful how you remove a tic (if found)? Or else it could do more harm?

 

[kashmir64]

Don't you have to be careful how you remove a tic (if found)? Or else it could do more harm?

You have to make sure to get the head or the body can grow back. Use your fingernails or tweezers at the head and pull it out.

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

"What exactly is pureed food? I tried to mix in water some soft cat food, but I couldn't completely disolve the chunks in the water and she has an issue with chewing."

Pureed means to mix the food and water in a blender until it is completely smooth so you can suck it up into your syringe, so you were on the right track.

Using kitten powder is a good idea too. There are certainly more nutrients in that than in water. Poor girl. It's just curious that this happened before. Wonder if it's something genetic

 

[mewcatmew]

Usually a temperature is a thermometer in the rear. A normal temp is anywhere from 100-102. If that is too difficult, feel ears and the body. Does he feel very cold or hot compared to how your other cats feel? That is far from accurate, but it might give you a sense of the direction whether he could be fighting some sort of virus/bacteria. Does he have pale gums? Pale gums would be suggestive of anemia (pale as in, very light pink to white.). Is there any vomiting? I assume there is no yellow around the whites of his eyes/gums suggesting a liver issue. Possibly post some pictures/video for us to see?

That was also a great suggestion to look for ticks or other bites.

 

[StefanZ]

Re cow milk; its actually the opposite; dairy products as cheese and yoghurt are more or less OK, its the cow milk as such with is less good. Especielly pasturized. Raw cow milk is probably less bad, as there are some lactose reducing enzymes in raw full fat cow milk.

You gave her some kmr for kittens - its a good idea. Raw goats milk if you can get it, may be even better - it has some edge in some situations.

This homemade pedialyte you give is good.

Be sure she is warm - an active warming source may be necessary. if its very hot in your place - help her to cool down instead...

Massage her - its useful here. With hand or with a toothbrush.

You do excellently, and you have got good advices. Being an semiferale, we know she has healing meat above average. Lets hope she pulls this through. She is a survivor, she should.

 

[StefanZ]

ps. If she survives, I expect she will be easy to foster and socialize - when they are sick, they know the are sick and they get help and they know they got help - the Window of easy socialization opens up again.

Sometimes it goes surpprising easy.

No, I am in Greece. As I said a vet is not an option for me. I know that they are lactose intolerant but I thought that they only had issues with dairy products (cheese etc) not milk by it self. Also I read that in crisis situations some foods that normally are not for cats (eg egg's white) might do more good than bad. Have I been misled?
Should I revert to a water based electrolyte?
Found out via google some spots I can get this gel. Shops are closed right now, If she still is fighting tomorrow I will try to get her some. Ty for the tip.

 

[StefanZ]

Re temp taking. If you wish, you can take the temp in the armpit of the foreleg. Its lower there than in the behind.
In behing -typically about 102F -but 99 in the armpit. Or 38,5Celsius - and 37,5 in the armpit.

Train some on your resident cats. Pretend its a funny new play.

 

[mr Worried]

Yes i gave some pureed cat food, but it seemed that unless completely liquid she wont take it down.
After my last visit couple of mins before she couldn't come to swallow. I fear its anytime now.

Edit: ok got abt how to check temp. I am going to check asap.

Edit II: Yes I massage her each time I visit. No ticks or bugs where I can see. She is resting on her side I can't turn her over, whenever I try to even slightly move her she gets seizures of pain.
Any advice regarding frequency of feeding?

 

[StefanZ]

If you think its the end nearing, continue just with pedialyte; water, honey, salts. Give even some extra honey so its sweetish.

When dying the digestion stops. But glucose sugar in honey doesnt need to be digested, it goes straight into blood.

It wont save her if she is dying for real, but it may buy you time for the healing process to come.

Yes i gave some pureed cat food, but it seemed that unless completely liquid she wont take it down.
After my last visit couple of mins before she couldn't come to swallow. I fear its anytime now.

Edit: ok got abt how to check temp. I am going to check asap.

 

[mr Worried]

I don't think she has fever. Her ears and paws are cool to the touch.
She had peed last time I checked, so I guess she keeps digesting ergo she is not yet spiraling?

Again any advice if I can lax the feeding schedule? Maybe I go to often?