Indoor cat is outside and won't come in!

[betsygee]

I've been following this thread. So very happy he's back inside and I'm hoping the best for good news from the vet.

 

[Meowmee]

HE'S INSIDE!!!

We first gave up early last night because of loud thunder and lightning.

Then around midnight one of our cats started crying at the window. We saw him outside and the rain and slowed down a bit. So we got the cats back into the bedroom and opened the back door again. With the camera sat up, I watched the video to see if he'd come in to eat. We kept the bowls of food like 2 feet away where they were yesterday when he ate. We figured as long as he ate, we'd be happy, and weren't worry about trying to catch him.

Around 2am he came in! And he sat down and ate for a while. Then instead of leaving, he jumped up on the cat tree! I couldn't believe it. I quietly left the front door of the apartment and started walking around to the back door slowly, watching the camera on my phone. He didn't run out of the office. I got to the door and he was sitting up high on a bookshelf staring at me. I went in quickly and closed the door! He's home!!

19 days!! He's in the bathroom now in quarantine and I'm going to take him to the vet this morning so they can check him for ticks, fleas, worms etc. They're expecting this and will be so happy he's home!

I am SO happy to hear this Welcome home sweet boy your parents have been frantic with worry about you, don’t ever go out again!
I would think of ways to proof your home from letting him escape again.
You did it

 

[Meowmee]

Well, maybe we were too quick to celebrate. We got his bloodwork tested bc he's not eating well and he lost 3 pounds while he was outside (he was 14 and is now 11). His WBC is VERY elevated. The vet is worried he caught FeLV or FIP. There's only one outside male he could have fought with and the vet could not find any wounds on him.

They're running FIP and FeLV tests. We're so upset.

Oh no sending And hoping he is is ok and it is not felv/ fip etc. fiv would be the best outcome if it is something like that, my Wizard had that when I rescued him and he lived to 20-21 or so. The felv test should test for fiv at the same time.

 

[profcat]

Oh no sending And hoping he is is ok and it is not felv/ fip etc. fiv would be the best outcome if it is something like that, my Wizard had that when I rescued him and he lived to 20-21 or so. The felv test should test for fiv at the same time.

Yeah, we wouldn't even care if it was FIV since we have 2 who are FIV positive. FeLV is really the big worry. I would hate for him to have that as we would not be able to isolate him from our other cats.

 

[profcat]

Sending you Mega Health Vibes for your sweet cat, that his tests come back normal.

It is a lot of weight to lose in such a short span of time, but perhaps his WBC is very elevated because of that drastic drop in calories...and that he caught some sort of URI,...and not FIP, FiV, or FeLV.

Since no deep wounds were found on your guy, then there may be other reasons for the high WBC.
Sending Thoughts of Strength, 'get back to eating well', and Health for your cat.
(If he was hunting, too, then he might just be more used to this type of food, and will need more time to build back his usual eating habits.)

Were his Liver enzymes okay?
and a urine analysis, fecal sample, done?

All his other blood work was ok. No pancreatitis or anything like that. He did have protein in his urine which can be a sign of a UTI so maybe that's an infection he's dealing with. And that along with stress has created the high WBC. They have him on an antibiotic so hopefully that will help.

I don't think he's much of a hunter, so he likely pretty much starved during the time he was outside.

I really believe-- knowing what a shy and skittish cat he is-- that he made himself sick. Stress creates inflammation and both raise WBCs. On top of that he's had UTIs before and likely wasn't drinking a lot of water.

We're crossing our fingers!!

 

[Meowmee]

Yeah, we wouldn't even care if it was FIV since we have 2 who are FIV positive. FeLV is really the big worry. I would hate for him to have that as we would not be able to isolate him from our other cats.

If you don’t have felv in your area it is very unlikely, fingers crossed it is nothing serious

 

[cat nap]

Yeah, we wouldn't even care if it was FIV since we have 2 who are FIV positive. FeLV is really the big worry. I would hate for him to have that as we would not be able to isolate him from our other cats.

I don't think you have to isolate, unless he were a 'biter'...or liked to fight with the other cats.

(I did take in a kitten way back in 2011, who was both felv+ and fiv+,..he just showed up outside in the winter, in november. He was the sweetest kitten and cat that I've ever had. He was around my other cat, who was about 11 yrs, at the time, and they got along really well. Sadly, my Sparky, died at age 2 yrs 3mts, from complications of his positive status, but it never transferred over to my other cat. My one Vet, did warn me about it, at the time, but the other Vet, said as long as the older cat was vaccinated, then it should be okay.)

All his other blood work was ok. No pancreatitis or anything like that. He did have protein in his urine which can be a sign of a UTI so maybe that's an infection he's dealing with. And that along with stress has created the high WBC. They have him on an antibiotic so hopefully that will help.

I don't think he's much of a hunter, so he likely pretty much starved during the time he was outside.

I really believe-- knowing what a shy and skittish cat he is-- that he made himself sick. Stress creates inflammation and both raise WBCs. On top of that he's had UTIs before and likely wasn't drinking a lot of water.

We're crossing our fingers!!

I actually thought that maybe he was going over to one of your neighbours...and sneaking some food over there, too.
Even if going far, maybe there is some person, there, who puts out food for outdoor cats, too.

But I do think he did hunt, since if he did not eat, then he'd be in 'fatty liver' danger, already.
Losing 3 pounds in almost 3 weeks is a lot, but as long as his Liver enzymes are good, then that is a relief.

Whew. I'm glad that his Liver values are okay.
I don't know much about UTI's...but really Hope your guy makes a full recovery, and that the antibiotics clear out any infection.
Hopefully, with getting proper food, and fluids, plus the antibiotics,...that his WBC's come down, and his system gets back into Balance.

The good thing, is that he came home, and now is getting proper care.
I'm glad that he's home, and on his way to recover.

All of us, here, will be rooting for your gorgeous guy.
Sending Mega Health Vibes, Thoughts and Prayers...for a speedy recovery.

 

[Meowmee]

I don't think you have to isolate, unless he were a 'biter'...or liked to fight with the other cats.

(I did take in a kitten way back in 2011, who was both felv+ and fiv+,..he just showed up outside in the winter, in november. He was the sweetest kitten and cat that I've ever had. He was around my other cat, who was about 11 yrs, at the time, and they got along really well. Sadly, my Sparky, died at age 2 yrs 3mts, from complications of his positive status, but it never transferred over to my other cat. My one Vet, did warn me about it, at the time, but the other Vet, said as long as the older cat was vaccinated, then it should be okay.)

I actually thought that maybe he was going over to one of your neighbours...and sneaking some food over there, too.
Even if going far, maybe there is some person, there, who puts out food for outdoor cats, too.

But I do think he did hunt, since if he did not eat, then he'd be in 'fatty liver' danger, already.
Losing 3 pounds in almost 3 weeks is a lot, but as long as his Liver enzymes are good, then that is a relief.

Whew. I'm glad that his Liver values are okay.
I don't know much about UTI's...but really Hope your guy makes a full recovery, and that the antibiotics clear out any infection.
Hopefully, with getting proper food, and fluids, plus the antibiotics,...that his WBC's come down, and his system gets back into Balance.

The good thing, is that he came home, and now is getting proper care.
I'm glad that he's home, and on his way to recover.

All of us, here, will be rooting for your gorgeous guy.
Sending Mega Health Vibes, Thoughts and Prayers...for a speedy recovery.

I was reading at best friends site that some people do keep felv plus and neg cats together without transmission and like you said yearly vaccination is recommended to protect the neg cats.

 

[Mamanyt1953]

Well, another one lit for his health!

And that done, he's better inside, regardless! Whatever it is can be, to some extent, managed now that he's back in again. Still celebrating, just a bit more quietly, as the candle burns!

 

[profcat]

Another update about Fozzie (we call him The Fozz): He's still at the vet and eating better but still freaked out. FIV/FeLV was negative which is great. And the vet inspected him a bit closer and found he has an abscess near his butt. Probably from tussling with the male cat outside. He was infected so she's going to drain it, stitch it up, and give him another antibiotic, but she thought that would absolutely shoot his WBC high. They're also giving him fluids. We're going to see how he is tomorrow and maybe bring him home as she thinks he'll eat better at home.

We will have to isolate him in our bathroom for 3 weeks as she'd like to repeat the FeLV test and a CBC to see if his WBC goes down. That'll be a pain, but at least he'll be home.

 

[fionasmom]

You are doing a great job of helping your boy. Don't let the isolation throw you. I have done it many times, for various reasons, and it is not in any way unkind or mean, even if Fozzie tells you it is.

 

[Willowy]

Ah yeah that's probably it. Abscesses are nasty things. for quick healing!