Lethargy but eating/drinking weakness, lack of much movement?

[movinintime]

We drove across country in Uhaul & w/ our 2 cats. The FiV pos. one seemed bad in motel last few wks. So on last Thur. took him to an all-cat vet while driving USA. They bld tested him (1st time since 12/'19). His creatinine is up from 2.4 then to 2.8 now. His SDMA kidney marker test is up too, from last Dec. at 16 to last wk at 19. I worry of kidney decline causing this lethargy. Vet on the road we took him to said, when you get settled in your new state see a vet who can follow him closely.

W/ his FiV status & eyes drainage/congested type mucous for yrs outside in AZ & way before we left this summer, & his light whistle sound, clicking snore, that he may be running down traveling & gotten somewhat weak. His eating is ok but his moving around (of course every other day, all day driving in truck & him in his carrier is restrictive to movement) may have caused stress or fatigue or atrophy? The on-the-road vet advised, it is hard to find causes as he is stressed & in motels/carriers, etc too. Also, he always had leg probs in AZ outside climbing walls in apt past yr at least.

So maybe humidity/rain back east vs AZ dry heat-- is so diff for him & maybe joint swelling too? Or the high protein foods of beef & sockeye salmon diet (in addition to Sheba & Weruva BFF cans) I give him often as he liked it & I want him retaining lbs on trip of over 2kws driving. A new vet will see him Wed. morn so please keep him in your thoughts/prayers. i'm worried sick I'm affecting him but he is at least -- no longer unsafe going outside thus I think he may be happy toh. Our old AZ vet tech says those numbers aren't fearfully high so it may be other things. The road vet last sub-q fluids him & he perked & walked out of bathroom in motel nite we got to motel after the fluids hrs before.

Ok, my worry; kidney decline, FiV affecting his breathing or eyes w/ a URI he can't fight off -- due to his feline aids -- or stress of trip or all of the above?

 

[di and bob]

If he perked up a little after the subQ fluids it may be due to dehydration, especially with his URI. That, and the stress, would cause his kidney values to be off too. So in the meantime try to get him to drink more and decrease his stress as much as you are able. My cats have Leukemia and get horrible URI's that bring them to the brink of death. We have even dug a grave before when the vet said there was no coming back. I started them all on DMG to try to build up their immune systems and gave the one that was close to death feline 'Nose Relief' I got on Amazon. It definitely helped. A few months later I got them on LifeGold for cats from Amazon too, it is for immune health and cancers. They are all eating well and energetic now a year later!
Right now just try to keep him going, get some Hartz Delectable Lickables in the stew from Walmart, and see if he will eat that, I give all my meds in it. Try to get him to drink more and after you reach your destination and he settles down and regains some sense of normalcy, then have him retested.
I will pray for that little boy, and for all of you, I know how hard this is, you just want what is best. Just take it one day at a time and love him for as long as you can. Don't let your heart start grieving yet, live in the present and cherish what time you have........

 

[movinintime]

TY so much! He sorta eats his Hills since Thurs. but today only would eat Sheba. So at least he ate ok. He is drinking bit more. Seems more alert & rested. Been here since Sat. midnite. Since last nite, he seemed he began perking/walking around bathroom. So I'm unsure if I need stress him out just 5-6days later now, since just last his appt. on the road? He is settling in/down so maybe watch him a few wks or so then re-eval?

 

[di and bob]

I wouldn't stress him out with another vet visit. You, yourself, know him better than anyone else. If there is any improvement, day by day, then I would monitor, as long as he isn't getting worse. Try some of that Nose Relief, or keep it on hand for the next time. Definitely get him started on something to build up his immune system. These little ones seem to pick up anything that comes by. Keep him strictly away from strange cats, they can be carrying all kinds of illnesses that our little ones just can't fight off. wash your hands if you pet a strange cat or dog too. I'm glad to hear he is perking up a little, I pray it continues!

 

[movinintime]

Todays so far his best in a wk or so. Ate, peed in box not outside, drank h2o. Even peeked/came out of bathrm to look round. But soon turned back into it to lie down on his pad, that we took from his kitty Tube Tube styaed in AZ as we had no room flying in plane to taae it) It is THE ONE PAD he used to liv in in AZ for 3 yrs.

He seems better today, even hissed his ol self at me, throwing a r. hand punch at me as I tried to get a food particle near him as he lay on his warming pad, which is stacked on a few bath towels for lift/height. His litter box is nearby in bathrm corner. Recall folks, this is short term rental of studio unit til we get time home hunt longterm. It isn't forever thus I need him in bath for both cats' safety, & our older 1 eyed girl in main room/liv/kitchenette area. It works for now, saves sum $ toward home buy costs, etc.

TY Di & Bob for ur kind words/concerns!