cat

[tielan]

My cat hasn't been eating much for the last few days. She's eaten and drunk almost nothing in the last 24 hours.

I'm supposed to be taking her in to the vet in four hours' time (first appointment I could get since the vet is presently in surgery). But now I'm fretting because I've read sites that say that when they stop eating and drinking, organ failure can follow very fast.

She's shrunk a lot in the last few days. And her appetite's been off for a while - we thought it was the heat, but then she started refusing to eat anything.

And I can't reach my parents, who might be able to get her to another vet sooner.

eta: Got cat to vet okay. She had a little to drink when I got home, but the vet's going to keep her overnight to monitor her and get an IV drip with some glucose and liquid into her. She's lost about 0.5kg, but she was only 3.5 to begin with. *is a little anxious*

Thanks to all the people who sent well-wishes. They were really appreciated.

Comments

[thothmes]

This has, of course reached you after the time of that vet's appointment I suspect, so I'm probably bringing comfort and closing the barn door after the horse is back in the stall, but remember that there are case after case that one can find of cats who end up in shipping containers or other odd and terrible places, where the cats survive for astounding and horrifyingly long times with neither food nor water.

I suspect that those sites are reflecting the fact that a cat that is ill with something deadly (like our cat that developed a fatal case of extreme old age at 21, or another that had diabetes which we chose not to medicate because this was just not the right cat for a daily injection regime) will, as death approaches, stop eating and drinking, and then die soon thereafter.

If your cat just feels simply awful because of kitty tummy bug or whatever, she may simply be avoiding adding fuel to the fire, and not have the learned response of "I must eat/drink to keep my strength up" that humans have.

I hope that the causes are benign, and that the vet will be able to fix all. The animals in our lives are important people, and when they are suffering, it colors our whole world.

*a hug for you, and a gentle rub to that area of the mouth corner that cats so like to have rubbed to her*

Icon is in case your cat reads better than any of ours.

[tielan]

Thank you! We've got the news back and while it's not terrible (ie. she's dying and there's no hope for her), it's not great, either (ie. easily fixed).

It's particularly stressful because she's never been sick like this before - she's been an incredibly healthy cat for a rescue kitty.

[thothmes]

I'm glad it wasn't awful news, so you can take a moment to breathe and recover for yourself.

I wish it had been better news (feed her one of these horse pills a day, and by the time your scratches are all gone, she'll be totally recovered).

For our kids and our pets, there is a limit to what we can do. Life happens to us all. The good thing is that you know you are providing her with a good life and good care, and comfort and attention. It is all we can really do.

Hmmmm. Seems I still need a kitty icon.

[rhianona]

I'm really sorry. I hope things work out.

[tielan]

Thank you! Me, too!

[zillah975]

*hugs so much* Time stamps foil me. Have you been to the appointment yet? If not, can you go ahead and take her to the vet and get a vet tech to look her over? Either way, I'm sending all best healingest thoughts y'all's way. *hugs more and more*

[tielan]

I saw your message just before I went to the appointment - thanks!

She's okay, although there are liver issues and she's staying at the vet over the weekend.