[RichardMEL]

Hi all,

My cat (14 m.o. DSH female, speyed) has had this cough for a few weeks now.. well it's half a cough/sneeze.... mostly I only heard it every few days (doesn't mean it didn't happen more often of course) and she'd convulse when she coughed/sneezed but nothing seemed to come out, and after 10-15 secs she was fine again and all good. I figured maybe she's trying to get rid of a furball or something since it was the end of our summer and she had been molting a lot of fur (and i've brushed even more off). So anyway she seemed pretty ok, eating and everything normally so decided not to panic too much, but to keep an eye on it.

Well today she doesn't seem so eager to eat and she threw up just before (now she seems fine, though she was snugging under the covers as though she was colder than usual, though it is a cool evening (no she didn't throw up under the covers thank god ! ). I ha djust opened a newish tin of wet food for her (sardines) which she normally loves... but that's about the only thing that has changed recently.

Anyway friends have said don't worry - cats throw up all the time and she will be fine, but I am concerned about the combination of the cough (she seemed to cough before it happened, though I did not see it), her not being so interested in food and of course throwing up (and possibly being cold). she's sitting on my lap right now and quite alert/normal.. but I don't know if I should drag her off to the vet or if perhaps I should observe over the next day or two and see what happens (ie: maybe she just had an upset tummy and is over it now that the grey/brown yuck is out of her system).

Comments are most welcome...

(oh, don't know if this is relevant, but when we got her from the shelter she was RECOVERING from cat flu, and has had all her shots)

 

[RichardMEL]

I'm a goof

sorry (blush) this should be in health and nutrition.. silly me
maybe a moderator or someone can move it please? SORRY!

 

[RichardMEL]

update:

During the night she was a frequent visitor to the litter box - which is unusual enough in itself and she coughed up more and this time some kind of drool or liquid came out (poor thing). Plus she isn't walking as gracefully as I know she can (she did in the end calm down and curl up and sleep in a ball for a few hours, aparently normally).

I'm going to call the vet in an hour or so (when they open) and arrange an appointment. i think it's time she got looked at - even if it is for my own peace of mind.

 

[RichardMEL]

Well just an update for anyone actually reading this misplaced thread... I took her to the vet this morning and the vet basically said she looked fine - was good weight for age and size etc.. heart and lungs all sounded good.. so gave her some antibiotics in a paste form (vibravet or something) that I have to administer over the next week to hopefully clear up anything going on.

When we got home Celeste was very droopy and basically curled up in a ball and didn't really want to be disturbed (you could tell she was feeling off colour). However this evening she bounded out and greeted me and seemed more normal and perky and affectionate.. so hopefully she is on the mend. I will of course keep up the treatment for the week.

Vet also said to only feed her dry food. I queried the problems with UI's and stuff but she said it is ok these days with the "compounds they put in the food" hmm... Still, she gave me a free sample of Hills so that's not so bad

 

[Lilly]

I am glad your kitty is feeling better! I would have been worried to, It was a good idea to take her to the vet.

I think sometimes it is hard to keep cats at shelters from getting little colds, kinda simalar to children in school, there are so many cats there from so many enviroments... it is a cold waighting to happen.

 

[Strawberries]

Glad Kitty is getting better. You were very wise to take her to the vet. She must have had some bug. Don't stop the antibiotics though, even if she seems 100% keep it going. Seems to be working. Poor little thing. Bet you feel better now too.

 

[RichardMEL]

Well, I felt better that the vet had checked for anything really obvious. However Celeste was again sick last night (she didn't throw up, but she did sneeze/cough and this yellowish/browinish *something* came out) - I kind of rate that as something different to vomit, but I suppose it's related (it didn't smell unlike when she threw up). I had changed her food to not only a different flavour (chicken) to a different brand (just in case) but she doesn't even seem to be eating much of it.

TO top it off she was VERY unahppy come medication time this morning. She accepted it well enough from the vet (it's a paste you squirt/inject in her mouth, or she can lick it off a finger or something). Well she was OK with the vet but with me she was like "keep that bloody evil thing away from me!" and she ran off and hid. I tried it on my finger but she wouldn't touch it. In the end I had to basically smear it around her mouth - which she then licked off. Totally NOT ideal I know. I guess the next dose (tonight) I will have to try and "corner" her and stick it in her mouth, but it's not something I really want to do. She has sharp claws!

So anyway will see how it goes. Obviously if she's still not very well after the course is up (assuming I can actually get her to take most of it!) then I'll take her back to the vet and I guess they will have to try something else to figure out what is going on with her.

It just distresses me to know she's not feeling well - even if it is just a minor thing. Still, she seems to forgive me pretty quickly for doing things like trying to give her medication or uprooting her and taking her to the vet so I hope she understands I only bug her with this stuff because I want her to be 100% happy

 

[Lilly]

Just an idea, when I have to give my cats hairball remedys I generally just smear it real good onto there front paw. As long as its on there pretty good they cant shake it off and they will lick it off. This usually eliminates the argument.

Hope she is feeling better soon,

 

[RichardMEL]

Well, I actually had thought of the paw option - and even tried it the first day with her, but she didn't lick it off her paw - well it was still there for a few hours, then disappeared... Last night though I managed to get most of it in her mouth though she must really hate me for it.

She seemed OK and I didn't hear any coughing but she was still very quiet and spent most of the evening curled up in a ball either on my lap or on her fave blankie. She joined me come sleep time (well sat in her usual spot sprawled on top of the covers ) and seemed happy enough though when I woke up I found several orange-brown surprises she'd obviously left during the night (outside the bedroom!) She also ate very little of her food

I had early meetings and stuff today so I quickly cleaned up the messes and then locked her in the bathroom (with her tray and food) - I feel awful doing that, but I don't want her having an accident on my bed or something when I'm not around to clean it up ASAP (guess who just washed everything yesterday? ). I felt so mean putting her in there and not being able to explain why

So now I don't know if I should call the vet back since she still seems to be unwell, and perhaps worse (?) or not since the vet said to wait out the week's treatment with the paste to see how she is. Having said that I don't want to be overworrying about something that may just be minor, not to mention the extra cost of getting the vet to look at her again when she already couldn't find anything wrong.

I know I seem pathetic but I almost want to rush home and let her out from the bathroom to see she is OK and hope she understands and forgives me!