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Thread: Need advice on Sammi

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Dec 2012
    Location
    Tallahassee FL USA
    Posts
    3

    Need advice on Sammi

    My kitten is 8 months old. He was a rescue but not from a rescue shelter. He was a lone kitten left after the others in the litter were killed. He has grown a lot since we got him but he was diagnosed with a heart murmur when he was first seen by the vet 6 months ago. Now he is having coughing fits and his appetite is not good all of a sudden. He drinks water well and does not seem to have any issues with that, but when he eats if he will today it seems the food does not settle and he throws up almost in a couple minutes. Since I am not an experience cat owner and have not had a lot of knowledge on their care and tendencies, I am asking for any help I can get. Does he need to be taken in to the vet? He likes his vet and they are very kind to him so this is not an issue, but I do not want to be wasting their time if this is not a concern. I will have to admit to being a bit panicked but I love this little guy to pieces and it is hard to watch this.

    Thank you all in advance for any help you can give me. If you want to tell me I am being over worried and to stop it that will be okay. I would rather have someone tell me I am being silly than not ask and find out it was serious and I was not being concerned enough.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jun 2000
    Location
    Windham, Vermont, USA
    Posts
    40,827
    Definitely take him to the vet. It could be a lot of different things, some of them more serious than others. It's not worth an emergency vet trip tonight, but I'd call the vet's office when it opens, and ask if they can see him that day! It's not uncommon for a kitten to have a heart murmur and lots outgrow it, but the coughing and lack of appetite are cause for concern.
    I've Been Frosted

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Location
    Methuen, MA; USA
    Posts
    17,105
    The coughing fit and loss of appetite require he see the vet.

    Throwing up soon after eating "could" be caused by eating too fast. My RB Chestnut would inhale food like a vacuum, when he threw up it came up whole, not chewed at all. I had to feed him small amounts at a time, wait 10 minutes, give him more. Then he did OK. Chestnut was a foundling, and had to struggle for food for a time when he was a baby, so he had not learned to temper his intake; it was "get it while it is there before it disappears!"

    But be sure to mention this issue to the vet as well, in case this is related to the coughing and loss of appetite. I have one cat with a minor heart murmur since a kitten, 6 years later it is still not a big deal. The coughing can be part of a 'kitty cold,' an upper respiratory infection, and nothing to do with the murmur, so the vet needs to see the kitten to sort this out.
    .

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Dec 2012
    Location
    Tallahassee FL USA
    Posts
    3

    Thanks for the advice

    Thank you both for the advice. I did call the after hours service and he has an appointment for Friday morning as the vet will be out of the office tomorrow. He ate a bit of food and I did cut the amount back that he was given and it seems to be helping. The cough is still very present so I will let the Dr. know about all the issues he has been having. You have calmed my nerves though and I thank you.
    Take time for the small joys life has to offer for they will allow your soul to sing.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jun 2000
    Location
    Windham, Vermont, USA
    Posts
    40,827
    Oh, good! Do keep an eye on the litter box as well, make sure what he does eat is "moving on through" like normal! Just think, every day he's teaching you more about being a cat person!
    I've Been Frosted

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Location
    Methuen, MA; USA
    Posts
    17,105
    Good job getting the appt, AND getting him to eat and keep it down!
    .

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