Think I just messed things up with new adopted cat

[Ocean Planet]

Last week I adopted a new cat and he has been housed in a bedroom all week. This morning I grabbed his food bowl and went to open the food bag to scoop some food into it. After I was done, I was pulling the bowl away from the bag and the cat ran up to it excited at the same time and I bopped him with the bowl on either the nose or chin. He let out a yelp and went cowaring away Total accident.

Now he is hesitant of me and won't eat at all, where he had a great appetite. Not sure if he hurts or if it has just been a shock to him. I'm supposed to give him oral medication later but now I'm scared to do it thinking he is in pain. Not sure if this warrants an emergency vet visit? I don't see any bleeding or swelling that I can see....

My stress levels are through the roof and I have noone else to talk to on this.... any first thoughts after you read this? It's been about 3 hours since it happened. He still comes to me for petting and purrs, but seems a little sensitive around his chin....

 

[Ocean Planet]

Well, being Sunday, all vets are closed of course. The emergency vet has a 6 hour wait. I may just monitor him more during the day and see what happens. He is still hiding. May try the oral medication he needs and see if he yelps at all. I have wet food to reward him after if he will eat... It was an accident

 

[silent meowlook]

Was it a plastic scoop? How hard did you hit him? I am sure it will be fine. Just don't worry to much about it if you can at all help it. These things happen.

 

[verna davies]

I suggest you change the bowl for now in case he associates it's something that hurt him, you can reintroduce it later. Can you touch the area, does it seem to hurt if touched? Offer him wet food by hand to build back the trust and just keep an eye on him. I'm sure you will know if he needs a vet.

 

[Ocean Planet]

Thanks for your replies! It was a ceramic pet food bowl. I was holding it up close to the bag while I was putting a scoop into it. When I finished I was pulling the bowl away back towards me and he ran up under my arm and smacked his nose/chin into it as I was bringing the bowl back towards me. Felt like no more than a bump at most but it happened so quick it may have been a good smack from his angle.

Good call on changing out the bowls. I'll switch out the food and water bowls since they look the same for now. He's gone up to food but just sniffs and walks away.

I'm no vet but I can't really see any sort of bleeding or swelling. I try to pet around his chin and while he doesn't cry, he pulls away kind of quick. I think I'll just wait and give it time to rebuild his trust. I just hope he eats soon. That is the main thing. He went from playful to hiding away and its such a sad contrast. Crossing my fingers!

 

[verna davies]

He was surprised and doesnt understand what happened. You will build the trust again so try not to worry. Sit and talk quietly to him, offer a soft treat, a piece of chicken, some tuna.

 

[Ocean Planet]

He is still hiding and afraid 6 hours later (not even a bathroom break), which I understand. But now I don't know if to give him his oral medication tonight or not. It would surely keep things ugly on the trust level, but it's for parasites so he kind of needs it....

Would you try if it were your kitty?

 

[verna davies]

As long as he doesn't get too stressed I would try. Have a treat ready. Have you been in the same room as him all along, if so leave him on his own to come out of hiding and hopefully eat something.

 

[Ocean Planet]

Thanks V verna davies . I'm leaning toward giving it a try. He has mostly been sleeping in a corner all day so I've mostly left him to that. I'd go in now and then to give him some scratches on the head for a few minutes and talk soft to him. Since he is so sleepy during the day I've mostly left him to do that.

I'll try in about an hour and see....

 

[verna davies]

Keep us updated.

 

[Ocean Planet]

Some slight progress this evening. I have a camera in his room that I watch him on and noticed he started waking up after his afternoon sleep. He went #1 in the litter box and still passed up his dry food.

So after a bit of time I went in to pet him for a few. He accepted and purred. I went ahead and tried the meds and he took it like he usually does without any yells, etc. I then opened a small can of wet food and he ate about about 30% of it after that. Tried to get him to play with a few toys which he would bat at a couple times and loose interest.

He still walks around the room slow and cautious and still won't eat very much, so need to keep an eye on the eating thing. When I think about it, when he got his face bonked by the bowl was at feeding time. So he probably thinks I punished him for being hungry

Just hope he snaps out of that, as a kitty not eating isn't good. But he is sleeping again so I'll let him do that for now. He'll have a great life here if we can get through this! I told him that but not sure he understands yet.

See how things go tomorrow....

 

[silent meowlook]

What is he on the meds for?

 

[Ocean Planet]

He is on meds for parasites that they found from his litter sample last week. Giardia is the organism that he has I believe. He has one more dose to go Monday night and that should be it.

I may call the vet in the morning to see if they have any openings to get him checked out Monday. He came out for some petting and even played a little bit late Sunday. He is opening back up some and overall ate about 2 ounces of wet food but still won't touch dry food or water. Hoping I didn't bop a tooth loose or something but I think I need to check since he is so hesitant to eat. Leaving a fresh wet food out for him while I get some sleep this evening and see how much he has had in the morning...

 

[verna davies]

Try using a paper plate to feed him on but it sounds like he's making slow but steady progress, your doing a good job.

 

[Ocean Planet]

Took my buddy to my regular vet today during lunch break. The Dr. checked him out and looked over his mouth and nose. She didn't see anything alarming, no damaged or missing teeth, no bleeding or swelling anywhere, all his regular vitals were perfect. Said physically that he looked pretty good.

So the whole situation is more of a psychological shock to him then something pain related. They gave him an appetite stimulant to try to get his brain going towards food again. I brought him home and gave him left out a can of wet food which he gobbled down. Still not touching the dry food yet.

Good news that there is no physical damage but a bummer that one accident like this hurt his association with dry food (maybe there is a bruise where it slightly hurts). She said it could take a few days. So I'll just keep on the wet food for now for food and hydration and keep giving him positive vibes and pettings and hopefully he'll eventually get back to how he was.

Appreciate everyone who gave advice! Hoping that in a week or two all will get back to normal for him. I'm trying to look at it as a new home, new owner is pretty scary stuff for them.

 

[verna davies]

Maybe the area is tender and eating dry is a little sore. Its great that there is no physical damage.

 

[Ocean Planet]

Exactly. That is what I'm thinking. Like we get a bump on us and it bruises and is mildly sore for a couple of days.

 

[silent meowlook]

It’s better for him to only eat canned anyway.

 

[verna davies]

Yes it is, you wont have to worry if he doesn't drink much, he should get all the moisture from wet food plus better ingredients.

 

[Ocean Planet]

I agree on the wet food! I fed him another small 3 ounce can and he gulped it down. I'm thinking he never had wet food before and now he is done with dry food. ha!

I was visiting with him and laying on my back watching a video on a laptop and he came and sat on my stomach for petting and purred a lot. Trauma has been reduced, think I'm forgiven Woot!