My cat is sick what do you think I should do?

Question

ok I got my two kittens out of a litter of four beautiful girls all the same just different shades, they all seemed to have a cold in there eyes but i took two of the kittens any ways. well to weeks ago the ones I did not pick died and then one of the ones I did pick died last week, I have one left she is sneezing and appears to have a cold in her eyes (so did all of the others) I don't have the money for the vet and I don't wont to loose another kitten. Is there any home remedies I can do to help her that is safe, and also is it possible that she could infect another cat?

Answer 1

A vet is the only answer.  People here are not qualified to give medical advice.

Take your kitten to a vet and explain your situation.  Many vets are more than happy to help and will work out payment plans.

Good Luck!

Answer 2

I am so sorry to tell you this, but upper respiratory infections in cats can be very serious, as you now know. It's even possible all the kittens had distemper. Is there anyone who can help you with money for the vet, or is there a low-cost clinic nearby? Yes, respiratory ailments can be very infectious to other animals. I hope you are able to save her; this must be so hard for you.

Answer 3

Antibiotics are needed. If you don't have money for the vet, you don't have money to keep your cats healthy either.  No home remedy will get rid of a URI in cats, and these are especially dangerous in kittens.

Answer 4

This kitten needs medication and needs to be seen by a Vet. I understand that you love them, but what about annual wellness exams, vaccinations and spay/neutering? Owning a cat means going to a vet which costs money.   If you got two kittens and don't have the money to go to a vet, then you ARE an irresponsible pet owner.  

Answer 5

Many cats get viral upper respiratory infections, if the kitten were very young, malnourished or had feline leukemia or fiv (contagious immune diseases) they would be very susceptible to secondary bacterial infections, possibly even pneumonia.  There are no good home remedies for very serious infections, but you can try taking the kitten into a bathroom with the shower running so it is steamy sit with the kitten for about 15 minutes three or four times a day.  Make sure the kitten is eating, offer warm wet food as cats won't eat what they cannot smell.  Your best bet is to get kitty to a vet, if you don't have enough money for a vet take the kitty to a rescue!!! Please be responsible and don't take on an animal if you cannot afford to care for it when it needs to go to the doctor.  Hope your kitty gets better!

Edit:    Upper respiratory infections can be contagious to other kitties so make sure to keep your kitten isolated from other pets and wash your hands before and after touching the kitten.

Answer 6

Since cat flu is viral, it cannot be cured; rather, the cat's body must fight off the infection, which takes around 3-14 days. However, there are a number of supportive treatments which may help the cat fight the infection and which can certainly make the cat feel more comfortable

i lost my 15 year old cat a week today,she died from the flu,i started off with a few herbal remedies which didn't work,and I'm sorry to say took her to the vets too late..please take your kitten to the vets,beg steal or borrow the money,but please don't leave it too late like i did trying to save a few pounds.

Answer 7

i think that you should go to some one you know that wont charge you for them looking at your cat maybe they can help. my cat had a litter of kittens and they all died because they were premature. maybe thats the problem  and if so i dont think you can do anything about it but if that kitten that is still alive and it dies then dont feel bad it would have been worse if it stayed alive cause its bones or something could of not worked so then you would have probably had to go to the vet anyway but i think that you'll figure something out

Answer 8

Bring your kitten to an animal shelter or call a shelter, explain that you have no money, what is wrong with your kitten and see if they can help; the fact that the other kittens have died does not sound good.  You will probably get the best advice from them for what to do than from anyone here on Answers; hopefully you can bring your kitten to the shelter and they will see that she gets the proper care.  I hope your kitten gets well soon - Best of Luck.

Edit:

Some upper respiratory infections are mild and self-limiting.  Once nasal discharge develops, if your kitten stops eating and drinking then your kitten needs to be seen and treated by a veterinarian as soon as possible.  Encourage her appetite and thirst by offering canned food and flavouring the water if needed with a small amount of tuna juice or milk.

Some shelters offer low cost or income based clinics and some veterinary clinics will do payment plans - and some shelters have vets that volunteer their time, so there may be no charge at all.  Get on the phone and call as many places as you can; I am sure that someone will be willing to help because no one likes to see an animal suffer - especially a little kitten.

Answer 9

POSSIBLE CAUSE:  

It sounds like your kittens may have Feline Herpes that causes an upper respiratory infection (URI).  This is a very common condition, especially in households/areas with multiple cats (even animal shelters).  Their mother may have given it to them or another cat in their household.  Since all of the kittens had these symptoms, a URI is highly probable since it is very contagious.    

SYMPTOMS:

Symptoms include sneezing, runny nose, red and/or runny nose, lack of appetite, decreased energy, or sores on the tongue, lips or nose.   Moderate to severe congestion as well as nausea and vomiting may indicate a bacterial infection and will require a trip to an affordable vet.

PROGNOSIS:

By itself, a URI is generally not fatal and is generally a fairly mild condition.  With proper nutrition and hydration, it lasts 7-14 days and usually clears up on its own.  However, the URI puts them at risk of death by three indirect causes: 1. they might develop an opportunistic/secondary bacterial infection due to their weakened immune system, 2. vomiting/diarrhea can cause dehydration or 3. very small/young kittens may die from dehydration because they lack energy/motivation to eat.  

TREATMENT:

Since it is a virus, there are not any medications to directly treat it (like the common cold in people).  Just like when people get a cold, a mild feline URI can be managed with supportive care and making the kitten comfortable.  Re-hydration fluids and antibiotics are given when the condition is moderate-severe.

Tips to make the kittens comfortable:

--isolate the sick kitten from other cats since URI’s are highly contagious

--provide a quiet, warm place to rest

--make sure the kitten is eating.  When cats get stuffy noses, they can’t smell their food very well & may not want to eat.  Offer smelly, wet food such as fish flavored canned cat food.  Warming the food often helps

--gently clean the kitten’s nose & eyes with a soft cloth moistened with warm water

--if the cat is very congested, put the cat in the bathroom & run hot water in the shower for a few minutes a couple times a day.  Moderate to severe congestion is often a sign of a secondary bacterial infection and may necessitate a trip to the vet.

SEEKING CARE FROM A VET:

Does the kitten experience any vomiting or diarrhea?  Is it really thin, or losing any weight?  Does it appear weak and lack energy?  Does it not play often or at all?  Is the kitten not eating very often?  If yes to one of these, you need to find an affordable vet.  (To put it in perspective, healthy kittens sleep a lot, but when they awake from naps they are very active/hyper/curious.  Kittens also eat frequent, small meals.)

Call your local animal shelter or humane society to recommend vets that might offer a discount or reduced fees for a newly adopted kitten.  They might have vets of their own who will be willing/able to help you as well.  Call any recommended vets and ask for their baseline vet. fee, tell them the kittens symptoms and ask for a general price quote to make sure it is affordable.  If it is not affordable, tell them about your financial situation and ask if there are any payment plans available or if they can recommend another vet.

POTENTIAL COSTS & MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE:

When I adopted my kitten from an animal shelter she had watery eyes, sneezing, diarrhea, and vomiting.  She was underweight (1.5 lbs at 3 months) and she might have died without proper treatment and nutrition.  

Here is a breakdown of the costs for my visit:

1. Vet fee $15-$45.  This is the baseline price for the vet to examine your kitten.  This cost varies by city and area.  If you don’t get a good recommendation from the humane society or animal control center, call up vets in lower income areas for price quotes.  They often have cheaper vet fees than vets in more affluent neighborhoods.

2. Antibiotic - $14.  My vet prescribed an antibiotic given 2 times a day for a couple of days ($3.50 per pill).  If you get an antibiotic, make sure to follow all directions and don't skip any doses.

3. Re-hydration fluids - $20 (it’s given as a shot).  This can *really* save the kitten's life.

4. Fecal exam ($30) If the kitten has vomiting/diarrhea, the vet might want to do a fecal exam (i.e. look at its poo under a microscope to check for bacteria), but this will just be an extra, potentially unnecessary cost.  The vet should be able to prescribe the antibiotic without the fecal exam because 1. antibiotics are commonly given for URI to prevent infections, and 2. if the kitten has vomiting/diarrhea, it most likely does have a bacterial infection.  Be prepared to say no to this extra procedure if you cannot afford it.

I can tell that you are an animal lover and that you meant well by adopting the kittens.  But from what you have told us so far, you may want to consider giving the kitten up for adoption (Craigslist maybe) if you cannot afford vaccinations or spay/neut