Hello, this is my first post I have been reading this forum since last week while preparing to welcome my new kitty who arrived home yesterday morning. I really like it so far and I plan on contribuating and posting on here.
I hope someone can help me about this little issue that I have with her, I would really appreciate it. Sorry if this is really long, but I don't know the cat much since I only got her yesterday so I feel I should put you into context and tell you everything I do know about her.
So to put you into context, I adopted her on saturday from the SPCA but couldn't bring her home because she had to be spayed. The SPCA vet spayed her on monday and she was ready to be picked up by monday night but I couldn't go (I work an evening shift) so I went first thing in the morning on tuesday (I didn't sleep all night, I was so excited thinking about welcoming her ). The vet told me she hadn't eaten yet and gave me tips about taking care of her for the next 48 hours to let her recover from the operation. Basically, she was supposed to eat only half of her first meal and go back on her regular schedule for the evening meal. I am feeding her the food they suggested at SPCA which is Royal Canin Indoor Adult 27. Her file said that she is around 1 year old and the reason for being abandoned was "no money". For a one year old kitty, she is VERY TINY and I suspect that the previous owners didn't feed her properly or that they just lied about her age. I figured that feeding her a little less than half a cup twice a day would be appropriate. On tuesday, she wouldn't eat at all. She wouldn't even approach the food and the water bowls and she seemed scared whenever I pointed them to her. I tried to feed her directly from my hands, giving her one piece of food at a time and tried it very often. Sometimes she took them, sometimes she didn't even if I put it at the entrance of her mouth and encouraged her to open it but she ignored it and closed her eyes. So yesterday, she had about 10-15 little pieces of dried food. Then before bedtime she started sneezing. The SPCA told me that cats often get cat flu once they get out of there so I was kind of expecting it.
Same thing today, she doesn't eat from the bowl (she did it only once yesterday, so I know she can do it even if the elisabethan collar might obstruct her way a little. It is technically possible). It is now 5pm and she had about 10-15 pieces of dry food since early morning. But at least I know she CAN eat when she wants to, it's just that she doesn't most of the time. I do know that lost of appetite is a symptom of cat flu, but I am worried about the fact that she didn't touch her water yesterday nor today. It is extremely hot and humid here in Montreal, 41 degrees celsius. I tried everything, from leading her to the bowl of water, trying to make her drink from the bathtub faucet and trying to drip water into her mouth from a damp cloth but she just doesn't want to know anything about it. So for two days, she barely ate and didn't drink at all. And I know that on monday night at the SPCA clinic she only had a small portion of food and a tiny bit of water because she had just gotten operated.
The SPCA said that there is no need to bring her back if she starts getting the flu as this is common, but I am worried that the flu combined with the recovery from the operation and the possible dehydration from not drinking when the temperature hot might be dangerous. Other than that, she is adapting well to me and my boyfriend and acting "normal", at least for a cat that got into a loving home for the first time of her life. It is calm, spacious and she cuddled a lot yesterday. She sleeps a lot and hangs out in cool spots under furniture but doesn't mind getting picked up and petted (she purrs like crazy). She came by herself to sit on my lap a couple of times. One last thing, she only went to her litter once for a teeny tiny pee-pee.
Sorry if this is so long! I would like to get your opinions. I am ready to go through the door and buy a feeding bottle to hydrate her myself. What else could I do? Should I call to SPCA and bring her in to their clinic to get her checked (they have a 30 day "warranty") even if they told me not to if it's just a flu?
Thanks in advance
I hope someone can help me about this little issue that I have with her, I would really appreciate it. Sorry if this is really long, but I don't know the cat much since I only got her yesterday so I feel I should put you into context and tell you everything I do know about her.
So to put you into context, I adopted her on saturday from the SPCA but couldn't bring her home because she had to be spayed. The SPCA vet spayed her on monday and she was ready to be picked up by monday night but I couldn't go (I work an evening shift) so I went first thing in the morning on tuesday (I didn't sleep all night, I was so excited thinking about welcoming her ). The vet told me she hadn't eaten yet and gave me tips about taking care of her for the next 48 hours to let her recover from the operation. Basically, she was supposed to eat only half of her first meal and go back on her regular schedule for the evening meal. I am feeding her the food they suggested at SPCA which is Royal Canin Indoor Adult 27. Her file said that she is around 1 year old and the reason for being abandoned was "no money". For a one year old kitty, she is VERY TINY and I suspect that the previous owners didn't feed her properly or that they just lied about her age. I figured that feeding her a little less than half a cup twice a day would be appropriate. On tuesday, she wouldn't eat at all. She wouldn't even approach the food and the water bowls and she seemed scared whenever I pointed them to her. I tried to feed her directly from my hands, giving her one piece of food at a time and tried it very often. Sometimes she took them, sometimes she didn't even if I put it at the entrance of her mouth and encouraged her to open it but she ignored it and closed her eyes. So yesterday, she had about 10-15 little pieces of dried food. Then before bedtime she started sneezing. The SPCA told me that cats often get cat flu once they get out of there so I was kind of expecting it.
Same thing today, she doesn't eat from the bowl (she did it only once yesterday, so I know she can do it even if the elisabethan collar might obstruct her way a little. It is technically possible). It is now 5pm and she had about 10-15 pieces of dry food since early morning. But at least I know she CAN eat when she wants to, it's just that she doesn't most of the time. I do know that lost of appetite is a symptom of cat flu, but I am worried about the fact that she didn't touch her water yesterday nor today. It is extremely hot and humid here in Montreal, 41 degrees celsius. I tried everything, from leading her to the bowl of water, trying to make her drink from the bathtub faucet and trying to drip water into her mouth from a damp cloth but she just doesn't want to know anything about it. So for two days, she barely ate and didn't drink at all. And I know that on monday night at the SPCA clinic she only had a small portion of food and a tiny bit of water because she had just gotten operated.
The SPCA said that there is no need to bring her back if she starts getting the flu as this is common, but I am worried that the flu combined with the recovery from the operation and the possible dehydration from not drinking when the temperature hot might be dangerous. Other than that, she is adapting well to me and my boyfriend and acting "normal", at least for a cat that got into a loving home for the first time of her life. It is calm, spacious and she cuddled a lot yesterday. She sleeps a lot and hangs out in cool spots under furniture but doesn't mind getting picked up and petted (she purrs like crazy). She came by herself to sit on my lap a couple of times. One last thing, she only went to her litter once for a teeny tiny pee-pee.
Sorry if this is so long! I would like to get your opinions. I am ready to go through the door and buy a feeding bottle to hydrate her myself. What else could I do? Should I call to SPCA and bring her in to their clinic to get her checked (they have a 30 day "warranty") even if they told me not to if it's just a flu?
Thanks in advance