Agh! Why does this happen to me? Cats.

Willowy

Not again! If anyone remembers, I found 3 little kittens earlier this year, I kept them for a month so they could get big enough to be adopted, and then I took them to the Humane Society. They were all adopted, no problem.

Now, a little calico kitten has wandered into my mom's garage (she has 2 indoor/outdoor cats, and keeps a dish of food in the garage for them to snack on). She's soooo skinny, and a bit dehydrated. Nothing that would warrant a trip to the emergency vet, but she definitely needs some TLC. I suspect she was a farm kitten that took a little ride on the farm truck. She's skittish, but friendly once you get your hands on her. I can't take her to the Humane Society. Earlier, when I brought the other kittens in to them, they only had 26 cats in the adoption kennels, so I knew the kitties had a decent chance at adoption. Now, they're full up on cats (over 80!), and I can't risk her life like that. I'll probably end up keeping her......I'm a sucker for calicos. Not that I need another cat---she'll make 8. Hopefully she'll test negative for FeLV and is healthy besides being skinny.

Plus, I always keep a bowl of cat food out on my porch. This of course attracts strays----that's the point. I hate to see cats eating out of the garbage in the cold while my cats sit inside, fat and warm. So I put a small dog house out, and the cat food. So far, I haven't had TOO many strays. 3 of them I adopted and brought inside. Some are feral and can't be captured. Some come for a week or 2 and then move on. Right now I have a young gray-and-white tomcat that is very handsome, but is also very feral, I may have to get the trap out so I can have him neutered. He's been around for a while. The other one that has been around for longer than a couple of weeks is a black-and-white cat, the poor thing is absolutely terrified---won't even let me look out the window while he/she is eating without running away. I'm pretty sure he/she is altered, because this cat has the little tummy that altered cats get. Unfortunately, I think he/she is also de-clawed.....I can usually tell by the way they walk and use their paws, if I watch carefully. Sigh. I wish, if people are going to be so dead-set on disabling their cats, that they would at least be responsible enough not to dump them.

Ugh. Just a rant. TOO MANY CATS!!!!! If anyone wonders why I push everyone to spay and neuter their cats, they can come to my house and find out just exactly why I don't want any more cats coming into this world . Maybe take a few cats off my hands while they're at it.

Patt

Geez your story sounds very familar. We do the same around here. There is food out most of the time. Recently we have started to pick it up late in the evening b/c the raccoons love to stop by and you just can't fill them up. So they usually eat ALL the food and the cats are left with nothing.

We live on a country road. When we first moved here, cats and dogs were being dumped all the time. That seem to stop for a few years. But, now people have discovered our little paradise and have decided to start moving in. I'm sure more new cats will be roaming. It seems city people think when you live in the country that means all animals can roam free and you don't have to worry about them.....WRONG!! So my new rule is TNR any new cat that that takes up residence on my property..... I've also had a few declawed kitties and they are great hunters, no claws doesn't stop them.


Spay and neuter, it makes them cuter.

Willowy

I'm not worried about this cat hunting....she (I've decided it's probably female, her face is not as boofy as a males, even if neutered) basically doesn't leave my porch, she's just terrified, so all she's eating is my cat food. No, I'm worried that she'll be killed by dogs/coyotes/etc. My uncle's (de-clawed) cat was killed by free-roaming dogs.....she tried to climb a tree to get away but couldn't . And it's happened to a few other de-clawed cats I've known. Even though some de-clawed cats can re-learn to climb trees, they'll never be able to do it fast enough to escape from dogs or coyotes. I wish I could catch this kitty and bring her in.

Patt

I'm sorry about your uncle's cat. Yeah, I know what you mean about coyotes... Unfortunately there is no way to confine the ferals they go wherever they want. Both the declawed kitty's here didnt stray off the property and led long lives.

Willowy

And the kitten has bad diarrhea. I know most kittens have some loose stools from new food, new surroundings, etc. , but this seems excessive. I gave her some dewormer yesterday, no improvement. What are the chances it's Giardia? If it is, how hard is it to eradicate? I'll be taking her to the vet tomorrow, if he can fit us in, or Tuesday.

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Patt

In all the years (and that's a lot) that we have been on this property I have never had a problem with Giardia with my cats or dogs. Gracie came with it last year, a bland diet and antibiotics got her through it. We are on well water and have many wild critters coming and going.

Possibly your kitten has something else, maybe a URI. I would not have dewormed her without a fecal test first, JMO though. I would tell the vet you need to get her in on Monday, as they dehydrate fast with diarrhea.

http://www.sniksnak.com/cathealth/giardiasis.html

http://www.vetinfo4cats.com/cgiardia.html

Good luck and keep us posted.

Willowy

She doesn't seem to have an upper respiratory infection---she's not sniffling or sneezing, and doesn't have goopy eyes or a runny nose. All 7 of my cats caught a "cold" last winter.....that was no fun! So I'm familiar with the symptoms.

She seems pretty healthy altogether, just the runny poops. And the "diarrhea" is not watery, it's more of a pudding-like consistency (ewww!). And she doesn't go any more frequently than normal, just when she does go, it's not solid. I didn't think the de-wormer would hurt anything---it's just Piperazine, and my vet gives it out like candy. He's never done a fecal before giving it.

I dunno, farm kittens are always sick, and I know someone who took in a farm kitten last year that had Giardia. I don't know if it's common or if that was an isolated experience. I don't generally take in farm kittens---most of the time they never adjust to being a housecat---but of course having her just show up in the garage kind of eliminates the choice factor .

Willowy

I took her to the vet today (I couldn't get in earlier because Doc was out vaccinating cows or whatever a farm vet does), and he said she's very healthy. She tested negative for FeLV and got her first combo shot. Also a dose of Revolution for ear mites. Doc says that if she still has goopy poop in a week, to let him know and he'll prescribe some Metronidazole for her. He says she can be spayed next month, when she gets her booster shot......not! I'll take her in for the shot first and schedule the spay at that time, I don't like to vaccinate at the same time as spaying.

How hard is Metronidazole on the system? If she needs it, should I wait a certain amount of time before spaying her? I'd hate to stress her more than necessary.

Criosphynx

not familiar with its affects in cats. But it is frequently used on very stressed reptiles with great results. Some people claim its an appetite stimulant, don't know if thats bull tho...

My SO was given Flagyl for his "beaver fever" aside from the taste, he didn't fell bad/sick/stressed from it...

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