Advice on a sick kitty, please.

creditcardfire

creditcardfire

Member
Sep 25, 2008
836
2
#1
I am looking after my parent's cat while they are on vacation overseas. A few hours before they left, the cat became sick (diarrhea, lethargy) and they left while I took her to the vet. She had a fever. The vet gave her a shot (anti-inflammatory) and she perked up for about 3 hours when I got her home, then got sick again. I have taken her to the vet 3 times now, each time she has given her a repeat shot, she has recovered for a short period, and has then gotten sick again. The vet, who knows my parents fairly well and who I have never liked (due to an incident with my dog, stapling a wound, and failing to use anaesthetic), is basically telling me she thinks the cat will be fine and we should wait for my parents to return (in 2 weeks!) and THEN let them decide what to do but...she's not eating/drinking, she has a fever and she has pooped in her bed numerous times - this is a very clean cat and NOT normal!

Should I take her to another vet? I don't want to cause trouble with this vet and my parents but this cat doesn't seem 'fine' or 'recovering' to me at all. Any advice from the cat people here (I am a dog person and not familiar with cats or their illnesses)? The cat is 1 year old and is an indoor/outdoor cat and up to date on shots etc.

Oh and my parents are in the middle of nowhere in Australia in I cannot contact them by phone or email for at least a week.
 
#2
Yes, find another vet pronto! Get a referral from a friend or search Yelp for a good recommendation. No good vet would say "wait 2 weeks".

There is no telling what might be wrong. The kitty could have eaten something bad while outside or could have some other illness. The big problem is that the kitty could become dehydrated very fast if she is not drinking. If she is dehydrated, you can't wait two weeks or even two days.

I'm not sure what state you live in, but maybe some PFers here can recommend a vet too. I would take the kitty to the vet today if possible.
 
#3
Definitely find a new vet! Any behavior that is not normal and continues for more than 1 day should be checked out. A clean cat pooping in her bed is not something that can wait.
 
#4
Take her to another vet. If she has a fever and isn't eating or drinking she NEEDS to see a vet. A real vet, not some crackpot. It sounds like she may have some type of infection that needs antibiotics.

Two weeks is too long to wait, and it sounds like that vet is a complete loon.
 
#5
i agree that you should just take her to another vet....2 weeks is way too long to let this go....the vet really seems to be quite incompetent in my opinion...
 
#9
I'm really sorry this happened to you. There are so many things that could be wrong, from minor infections to more serious viral diseases. Please stop bothering with this vet, who dosen't seem to care to do even the most basics diagnostics. Please keep us posted.
 
#10
OK, new vet will be seen tomorrow. I suspected that was what I should do. I can't believe the usual vet seems to be allowing personal feelings into this (I mentioned our mutual dislike of each other). Miss Kitty seems about the same, possibly SLIGHTLY improved. I used one of those syringes that are used to give liquid meds to pets to get some water into her. And she did not vomit it up.

I am in Montreal, btw, so if anyone here knows any good vets (and I need one who is fluent in English because I don't trust my French on importatn stuff like this) please PM me! I'm on the Plateau but will travel anywhere on the island.

Thanks for the support and advice, ladies.
 
#13
Agree with everyone else. One of our cats has had diarrhea for a few weeks now, and they immediately changed his food and since that hasn't worked are requesting stool samples from three consecutive days to be sent away and tested. I can't believe that tool of a vet you have. Can you not report him somehow, as he seems to be dangerous to many pets that could get help if treated properly?
 
#14
See another VET ASAP...

It sounds as if this cat has perhaps eaten something that is not good, or got into something outside...

She needs bloodwork done, and perhaps urine as well... No Vet should ever say "wait 2 weeks" with an animal that is clearly in distress and not responding as she should..

She could have an infection, a hematoma (wound inside her), have eaten something poisonous...

She needs help.. FAST..

Please keep us posted on how she is doing..

You do have another appointment with another Vet, right???
 
#15
OK, kitty went to another vet today, was blood tested and put on antibiotics. I think she was slightly improved before we went and she is MUCH perkier now. I am so relieved (although I know she's not out of the woods yet) - my Mom only recently adopted this cat, who began life in one of those crazy cat-hoarder situations.

As for the vet, let me just say ITA with all of you. The vet dislikes me. When one of my dogs was a puppy she cut her foot on some chicken wire and I took her to this vet, who has been our family's vet for years. She proceded to staple my dog's foot closed with a heavy duty stapler thing, and she didn't even ASK me if I wanted anaesthetic. My poor puppy cried as the wound was being stapled and I didn't even realize what had happened until a few seconds later. I started crying and was angry, it was a bit of an ugly scene and ever since then this vet has made no secret of the fact that she thinks I'm a neurotic, overprotective wimp. I will tell my parents all about this when they get back but unfortunately I think they'll stick with this vet, especially if the cat is fine. Urgh.
 
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