Sick cat . . .ideas?

Question

I posted this question earlier this morning and got some great responses (thank you!), but I wanted to post it again to see if I got any more ideas.

This is an outdoor barn cat. She is not my cat, and the owners are not going to put any money into her cuz she is just a rat catcher. I know "call the vet" is the advice you're going to give me, but that's not an option, so please give me other suggestions. Thanks.

Monday night 9PM the cat was running around, totally normal. Tuesday morning 5AM she's laying around, lethargic, seems to have a fever, not eating. I gave her water from a syringe several times throughout the morning to keep her hydrated. She disappeared around 1PM and didn't show back up until around 8PM. She ate a little bit of food and was walking a little bit, seemed somewhat better. I put her in the house overnight. Don't know whether or not she ate and drank. This morning (Weds) she is lethargic again, not standing, still feels hot, not eating. I gave her water in the syringe again and someone suggested vaseline on her nose so she would l**k it off and help lubricate her system a little bit. I have not seen her go to the bathroom at all, but like I said, she was missing for 7 hours yesterday, so I don't know if she did anything. What else can I do? What do you do to get rid of a fever in a cat? I know nothing about cats - I'm a horse person, so even basic advice is welcome.

And I'm not sure exactly what happened to her- she doesn't have any visible bites or anything like that, so I'm thinking she ate a frog or skink or something. Help?

Thanks :)

She is fixed, so no kittens thank goodness! And I don't think she's dehydrated. She has good color in her gums and her skin snaps right back when I pinch it. She does seem a little uncomfortable the I mess with her belly, but she lets me do it.

And here's a link to the earlier question if you want to see those responses :) http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AiL6q4JQx1AS7UQdxa2efzLsy6IX;_ylv=3?qid=20080903070629AA6CsK6

Answer 1

Cats don't usually get fevers without a serious illness. They don't get any diseases that are like human flu or anything, not that work the same way at least. DO the owners get her vaccinated? My guess is she either got into some poison or she has some contagious disease like feline leukemia or fip. In that case there is not a whole lot to be done at home, she needs a vet.

But if you won't take her (can't you just take her to a low cost vet and not tell your neighbors? the local shelter should have names of vets) then at least try to get her some food and water. Canned food or meat baby food are good, also a little bit of pedialyte might help if she's dehydrated. Also, if she isn't eating maybe try kitten milk from the pet store or one of these recipes for kitten milk.

http://www.hdw-inc.com/glop.htm

I think either she will get better or she won't though, my guess is she doesn't have an illness that would be helped by feeding her or bringing down her fever.

Answer 2

Thanks for caring

Being dehydrated can be from many reasons so I cannot tell you what is wrong. for hydration, pull up the hair by the nape of the neck and let it drop. if it doesn't go back quickly into place then he is dehydrated.

well you already did this lol

Check the gums for yellowing and moisture. Yellowing means liver disease and Needs immediate vet attention. Totally reversible but can be lethal if not caught right away

Please canned foods no gravy, stay away from dry especially for a dehydrated cat  Best of luck

Answer 3

I can only advise you to give her an aspirin for the fever. Aspirin works the same in animals as in humans. I don't know why taking her to the vet isn't an option (unless you live 300 miles from the closest vet), but the aspirin should bring down the fever.

Answer 4

Outdoor cats are exposed to so many things, it's hard to say what could be the matter with her. Fever is a sign of infection. She could very well have a bite wound that has become infected. Some bite wounds abscess, the abscess is under the skin and not always visible. You can run your hands through her fur and see if you feel anything. If she has an infection, she will need antibiotics. Cats can take baby (aka "low dose") aspirin  (usually about 1/4 tablet, but it all depends on their weight) for fevers. Cats do not metabolize aspirin like humans or even as dogs do. Because of this, Aspirin should only be given to cats (and dogs) under a Vet's supervision. Although, since it sounds like this girl will never see a Vet and could only get worse, she really has nothing to lose by taking aspirin. At this point, try to be sure she's drinking. Keep her in a cool place (if possible) and offer her boiled chicken, baby food, stinky canned cat food etc...try to get her to eat. Vaseline will do nothing. Sometimes veggie oil in food can aide in lubricating things, can be helpful with constipation. It wouldn't hurt to alert the owners to her condition, a exam is fairly inexpensive. Thanks for at least trying to help her, that's more than some would do. Good luck!

Answer 5

My advice - she needs a vet.

You asked - I answered.