Urgent: Take Her To The Vet Or Wait

[weemomma]

I've been brushing Hariette out about twice a day since she's come home. I am still finding fleas on her. Not as many as before, but I take off maybe 4 or 5 at a time.

I...thought that this was over with. I'm super paranoid now. I have no idea where the fleas are coming from. She has a flea med on that is one week old. I have capstar just in case things get out of control. I have cleaned every single corner of this house. The house has been sprayed professionally. What on earth do I do?

 

[Mamanyt1953]

Good grief. You may have to resort to the Capstar. But you're in good company with the situation. This was my horror story, and there are LOTS of ideas there!

AAAARGGGGGGGGGGGG....it's FLEAS!!!!!!!

 

[orange&white]

Oh no. Nasty buggers! I brought a feral kitten into my house with my 2 domestic cats in the spring of 1994. Let me tell you, that was the most aggravating (flea-ridden) spring/summer of my life. I don't envy you.

Did the company who sprayed offer any guarantee? I did eventually hire a professional flea company with a guarantee. They came out every 2-3 weeks and sprayed. The final trip, the guy gave me a aerosol bottle of Precor 2000 Plus. He said that was what they used, in case I had more problems. That was the final trip though. The little blood suckers finally died and no more hatched.

A lot of us have been through the flea problem.

 

[weemomma]

Well, the exterminators are supposed to come back out in a week or so. It's two treatments with a 7 month residual effect. I figured that the fleas were hiding where she liked to climb under the bed. She is notorious for digging a hole in the box springs. I just went out and bought an organic powder that I have used in the past. I spread it on the living room floor, which has to stay there for three days, and I covered the inside of the box spring and taped it all up so she can't get inside anymore.

 

[weemomma]

I feel as if I'm being super paranoid. During Charie's play time last night, Hariette tried to get out in the house. Once she discovered the kitten was out, she started hissing. When I got back from the dog's walk, she was curled up in the other bed. We had a short time of snuggling in bed together before she left and when I found her, she was curled up under the blanket of the other bed. She is still cleared eyed and alert, but this is how her decline started the last time.

Please, cat! Make things easy on your worried momma!

 

[Mamanyt1953]

If I could choose one superpower, it would be the ability to talk to cats. Not so much other animals (maybe elephants and dolphins, though), but definitely cats. Then I wouldn't have to fret myself to flinders every time Hekitty does something not in her normal routine! I'm imagining that you are in touch with this right about now!

 

[weemomma]

Hariette has been responding beautifully to everything. She is eating like a champ! She is drinking like a fish! I discovered that her attempts to sleep in the other room are nothing more than an afternoon nap. She has a new favorite spot and she enjoys curling up there. She's also been exploring the house more, so I have the suspicion that the Feliway has been working. She isn't as nervous of the kitten. We're still not ready to meet face to face, but we're heading in the right direction.

 

[Mamanyt1953]

Best news EVER! I want to know how those introductions go, as well!

 

[weemomma]

I'm currently getting a massage from my happy girl. She has done her antibiotics beautifully. She is gaining weight. She is so much more confident.

Im wondering if she wasn't sick for longer than I realized. She no longer grumbles or hides when the kitten is making noise. She's pretty well back to normal. She doesn't want to MEET the kitten, but I fear he's too wild for her anyway. Baby steps!

I have Hariette on a little bit of wet food each day and about 1/2 a cup of kibble. She's at 8.6 lbs right now, which is still 3 ozs away from her top weight earlier this month. She's not bony anymore, which is the biggest thing!

 

[Mamanyt1953]

She'll get there with the kitten, although maybe not until he's older and a little more settled. Lord knows I tend to hide in the house when all the neighborhood kids are running amok, so I'm in touch with Hariette on this one! I can't begin to tell you how pleased I am that she is doing so well, and gaining her weight back again!

 

[BestBabyC]

I would not force feed her, that can go very wrong for a number of reasons. I understand the financial restraints, I'm a mess because of all the vet bills recently and it is about to get a lot worse so don't feel badly about that.

I can tell you that my cat lost a pound and it turned out to be something heinous. But that doesn't mean it is the same for your cat. I did take him in for fluids and anti nausea and he would eat again. Is there a humane society with better fees? He needs to see a dr. if you can find a more affordable place. Cats don't lose a pound after not eating a few days, it may seem that way but that is what the vet told me and he is right. Has your cat been vomiting? Any diarrhea before all this? He would have had to been sick for a month now so I don't think it is the flea treatment.

We are all going to have wild guesses but fatty liver is what is on my mind today as well for my cat. I'm so sorry. I wish vet care wasn't so outrageous. It is truly sickening how much animals suffer because of it, help is there, but they cant have it. I wish I had a million bucks to hand out to people who needed to take their baby to the dr or that we had a humane system.

Please keep us posted.

 

[weemomma]

So Hariette has kind of plateaued weight wise. She's sitting at 8.5/8.6 when she was at 8.9. She eats Royal Canin Sensitive Digestion with about 1/2 a cup of wet food a day (if she eats that much wet food). She is not as bony as she was but I would like to see her gain a little more. She's eating about as much as she can! Should I be concerned about that last few ounces or just let her be?!

 

[Mamanyt1953]

I'd just watch for now to make sure that she doesn't lose ground. I'm betting that those last few ounces will come back over a little time since she's a near ideal now.

 

[weemomma]

I'm going to try a mixture for her wet food. I added a little beef baby food and some Nutrical to it. She seemed super interested just now, so we'll see. She has never been a wet food girl, so I'm surprised she's eating it at all.

 

[Mamanyt1953]

LOL, just don't "helicopter" her into being a furry soccer ball, which is how I describe my portly kitteh.

 

[Mamanyt1953]

And whatever you do, DO NOT tell Hekitty I called her portly!

 

[weemomma]

I think I'm going to supplement with Nutrical in the morning and evening until she starts putting on some more weight. I'm super paranoid, probably, but I would feel better if she was back closer to 8.9.

 

[Mamanyt1953]

I do not disagree with that plan at all! LOL...when she hits 12 pounds, you've overdone it!

 

[weemomma]

Hariette has gained a few more ounces! We're fighting hard to get to her original weight. And she's almost finished with antibiotics.

The cat in the picture is my kitten, Charlie. He can see her under the door and he so desperately wants to play. I feel like we're getting closer to be able to be a happy cat family!

 

[Mamanyt1953]

YAY Hariette! And a Happy Belated Ginger Cat Day (Sept 1) to Charlie!