Keeping a close eye on Socks

[les26]

Our BIG guy Socks, 35 pounds orange and white has been sick the last two days, throwing up a lot and coming into the kitchen by the food bowls but just laying down not eating, so we are keeping an eye on him. Deb was a bit concerned because this morning she said there was some green foam when he threw up but I know that can happen and also in people if they throw up a lot, but she remembers Simon threw up green when he had stomach cancer but that was not foam it was a LOT of green liquid, so I don't think too much of that. But we are really watching him and if he is not better soon we will take him to the vet, he's a big boy but a gentle giant, it is so hard to see them sick!

And there is a stomach bug going around here, Deb and I both had it, so who knows maybe they are picking that up too?

 

[FeebysOwner]

Hi. The general thought process is that colds/flu are not typically passed between cat and humans. However, I am sure if you search long enough you will find cases that put that thought process into question. The green foam is bile, used to process/break down food in the stomach, but if the stomach is empty it causes irritation and provokes vomiting like your cat is doing. Is he eating anything and keeping it down? You also need to watch out for dehydration as well. After two days of this, a vet visit is in order sooner than later. Even if it is something like a stomach bug, he can be given meds to help him settle his stomach and get him back to eating.

 

[les26]

Hi. The general thought process is that colds/flu are not typically passed between cat and humans. However, I am sure if you search long enough you will find cases that put that thought process into question. The green foam is bile, used to process/break down food in the stomach, but if the stomach is empty it causes irritation and provokes vomiting like your cat is doing. Is he eating anything and keeping it down? You also need to watch out for dehydration as well. After two days of this, a vet visit is in order sooner than later. Even if it is something like a stomach bug, he can be given meds to help him settle his stomach and get him back to eating.

We don't know if he is eating when we are at work, like I said Deb saw him come in and look at the bowls and just lay down so I am thinking not. I'll see what happens tonight when I feed them.

Thank you

 

[will2002]

Don't delay the vet visit too long. It seems to me that our cats can get in trouble, as far as health goes, before we realize how sick they may be. Hope things work out well for Socks and you.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Is there less in the bowl when you get home from work than there was when you left? If there isn't, he is not eating. If there is some gone, how much compared to 'normal'? And, how much vomit are you finding? That would be your indicators as to whether or not he is eating at all and if he is throwing up all that he might be eating. He can go downhill very fast without adequate nutrients.

 

[doomsdave]

les26 :

Get Socks to the docs, pronto. Better a false alarm than a real one.

At 35 pounds he sounds enormously heavy, unless he's a mega-Maine-Coon. I suspect that if he is obese, that could contribute.

Hope he's okay, please advise.

 

[les26]

les26 :

Get Socks to the docs, pronto. Better a false alarm than a real one.

At 35 pounds he sounds enormously heavy, unless he's a mega-Maine-Coon. I suspect that if he is obese, that could contribute.

Hope he's okay, please advise.

He's a big cat all around, looks like a mountain lion with a head as big as a softball so he's not just a fat cat, he's about 3 cats in one compared to the others!

 

[doomsdave]

He's a big cat all around, looks like a mountain lion with a head as big as a softball so he's not just a fat cat, he's about 3 cats in one compared to the others!

how about a picture?

 

[Twylasmom]

If he has already gone a day or two without eating, also not with the vomiting, he needs to go to the vet ASAP.

 

[les26]

Well I ended up taking him tonight, when I came home he did come out to eat and did eat but threw it up about 10 minutes later so I called and talked to a nurse at the vet's and she talked to me that he probably would be okay but we didn't know and maybe it would be better to have him checked out just to make sure so I was able to get him and into a carrier much easier than Sylvester and they checked him out, his temp was normal, she gave him a shot for nausea, said his teeth were bad and of course talked about surgery for them, did bloodwork and will call with the results when they come in, but she thought he was okay otherwise and said to watch him. He is 29 pounds, not 35 like I thought, still big though, and he was so well behaved there. And he ate right away when he got home so that is good!

Now Sylvester is hiding, he freaked out when he heard the carrier, came out when I was gone but ran and hid when Socks came home again!

 

[les26]

Last night Deb said Socks had terrible diarrhea, probably from what he has and the shot and the stress but she said she must've cleaned up vomit 8 times last night, she said 4 or 5 of the others have it now too!

 

[FeebysOwner]

I would call the vet and tell them that 4 of the 5 cats are sick with the same/similar symptoms as Socks, and also let them know he has severe diarrhea and is still vomiting. See if the shot they gave him could cause both, or if it will just take longer for the shot to kick in. Also, ask about what else could be checked to determine what might be making them all ill. I think that something more than just an anti-nausea shot might be in order. Repeated diarrhea and vomiting are going to cause an issue with dehydration. Check Socks for dehydration and if he is dehydrated, please let the vet know. You can gently lift the skin on the back of Socks' neck or between the shoulder blades, and unless he is seriously overweight (or very thin), his skin should immediately return to a normal position. If he is lacking in fluids, the lifted skin may not quickly return to normal. A lot of times a cat is dehydrated and their skin will still pop back to normal, so this test might not work unless he is getting really badly dehydrated.

As far as Sylvester, his behavior/reaction to Socks could be from Socks smelling differently after being at the vets. You can take a towel or cloth and rub it on Sylvester and then rub it on Socks to transfer his smell and help more quickly dissipate the smells from the vet's office.

 

[les26]

I would call the vet and tell them that 4 of the 5 cats are sick with the same/similar symptoms as Socks, and also let them know he has severe diarrhea and is still vomiting. See if the shot they gave him could cause both, or if it will just take longer for the shot to kick in. Also, ask about what else could be checked to determine what might be making them all ill. I think that something more than just an anti-nausea shot might be in order. Repeated diarrhea and vomiting are going to cause an issue with dehydration. Check Socks for dehydration and if he is dehydrated, please let the vet know. You can gently lift the skin on the back of Socks' neck or between the shoulder blades, and unless he is seriously overweight (or very thin), his skin should immediately return to a normal position. If he is lacking in fluids, the lifted skin may not quickly return to normal. A lot of times a cat is dehydrated and their skin will still pop back to normal, so this test might not work unless he is getting really badly dehydrated.

As far as Sylvester, his behavior/reaction to Socks could be from Socks smelling differently after being at the vets. You can take a towel or cloth and rub it on Sylvester and then rub it on Socks to transfer his smell and help more quickly dissipate the smells from the vet's office.

Thanks for the response. Socks isn't throwing up anymore, and he was drinking this morning so I think he is okay.

Sylvester freaked out when he heard the carrier when I left Socks out when he came home, that's all. He thinks he is going to be going to the same vet to get his haircut but he already got it October 21st so he is good until April but he doesn't believe me I guess lol!

 

[FeebysOwner]

LOL about Sylvester!!! But, glad to hear Socks is doing better!!!

 

[les26]

LOL about Sylvester!!! But, glad to hear Socks is doing better!!!

Yeah he's a character! He goes twice a year to get his tuxedo trimmed, the vet last night was the woman who saw him in October so she knows of him.

Funny thing is he LOVES his haircuts, he gets his "tuxittude" on when he gets them but he can't stand being put into the carrier and taken there lol! He's nuts like his father, me!