5/6 month old kitten lost his spark

[Jyotsna_indu]

Over the past three days, my cat has been acting under the weather. Today, he's worse. He refuses to play, which is incredibly unusual for him.

About a week ago, I noticed that his appetite was a little less than desirable, meaning I'd usually find over half of his bowl still full. Now, however, despite his illness, he's eating a full bowl of food (over the course of a few hours, like it used to be). I can't figure it out!

He's walking with his tail down, all he does is sleep, he only gets up to eat, drink, or use the litter box. Like I said, he also refuses to play. It looks like he has a hard time closing his second or third eyelids as well (I don't know how many lids they have).

His medical history has been somewhat frustrating (for me, at least). He's had an eye infection, ear mites, and a yeast infection in the ear. He's been to the vet's four times for all of those, and has gotten two doses of anti-mite medication over the past two months. He's had all of his booster shots and vaccinations as well. Oh, and, he's an indoor cat with exposure to an outdoor cat, and occasionally I'll take him to the park on a harness (I've never had an indoor cat and feel awful for restricting him to one house for his whole life).

Please, tell me what you think could be happening to him!! I haven't taken him to the vet yet ONLY because I want to make sure it's not something completely trivial... I can't afford going to the veterinarian this often, but I will if I have to.

-Laura

[moosmom]

The third eyelid showing is a sign that the cat may be sick. I'd give the vet a call and see what he thinks. He may need a visit to the vet. Whenever I think one of my cats is sick, I get them to the vet and forgo paying a bill. It's part of being a responsible pet owner.

As cats age, they become less active. I've got 5 couch potatoes myself so it's easy to tell when one of them needs a visit to the white coats.

As long as he's eating, drinking, using the litterbox, and he's not lethargic, just keep an eye on him. The third eyelid is what has me concerned.

[kb2yjx]

The " all he does is sleep " concerns me. Especially since he is so young. Has he been tested for distemper, feline leukemia/aids, is he neutered? Also, NEVER feel bad about keeping a cat INSIDE!!! The cat inside is less exposed to all the dangers of outside? Is that outside cat that he was exposed to, healthy??? Did the vet draw any bloodwork? Good luck with your wee boy!!!

[Medusa]

I'm big on trusting your instincts. Even if your kitty isn't exhibiting specific symptoms, the title of your thread says it all to me. A kitten that young should not lose its spark. Your instincts are telling you that something is wrong. Get your kitty to a vet and tell him/her exactly what you posted here. Cats are magical when it comes to hiding symptoms until it's too late. Your decision to keep him indoors is a wise one; cats live much longer, healthier lives indoors but if he isn't thriving, you owe it to him and to yourself to have him thoroughly checked out by your vet. Many prayers going out to you. Please keep us posted. :)

[Jyotsna_indu]

I took Marcel to the vet today, and they couldn't place a specific disease or illness to him. They treated him for a fever and for mild dehydration ( his temperature was 105).

The thing is, he SHOULDN'T have FIV, leukemia, FIP, distemper, or anything of the sort. He was vaccinated against all of those about a month ago. And yes, he was neutered before I got him.

The cat that Marcel is exposed to is the picture of health (excluding the few scratches he gets from his escapades in the world outside). He does eat some birds here and there, but he doesn't go to the bathroom in the house, vomit in the house, breathe on Marcel, or anything. He comes in to eat real food and to cuddle.

I couldn't afford to do the blood work this time, but if Marcel gets sick again within the next two months, I'm going to get his blood tested. The vet suggested an X-ray, but she didn't make it seem like it was important. She basically just mentioned it, waved her hand, and moved on to the next round of suggestions. I asked her what seemed to be the most important thing to do, which was giving him fluids, and giving him anti-fever medication. That's what I went with. For now, all I need to do, is give him the medication twice a day for seven days, and give him nothing but wet food to keep him properly hydrated. He has a nasty bump on his shoulder from the fluids, I can't wait to see his shoulder go back to normal! (the shot was under the skin, not in the veins) It's just so WIERD looking, I can't even stand to touch it. I happen to have a paranoia about things under the skin, haha.

The poor thing, he's so sad looking... He reminds me of someone with a really bad cold. If he's not getting any better over the next few days, I'm taking him back. Thanks for your help guys, Marcel sure is a mystery when it comes to health.

Oh, and he tried to play once or twice today, but couldn't work up the energy to keep at it. It's an improvement compared to yesterday, that's for sure.

[Karen]

Glad to hear he's ben to the vet, and gladder that he is showing some signs of improvement. Keep us updated, okay? Poor kitty!

[cristy]

It's good that you took Marcel to the vet...dehydration happens so fast in kitties. You can tell if he is dehydrated by pinching the fur on the back of his neck...if it snaps back in place he is hydrated...if it stays humped up then he probably needs more fluids.

The thing that worries me is the fact that you have one inside cat and one outside cat. The inside cat has a tremendous chance of catching something from the outside cat if they have contact at all...vaccine or not. The first thing 2 cats do to greet each other is sniff noses...bingo, you have contact! If you can, I would try keeping them both inside only. I know that it is hard to see your kitties cry to go outside, but they will get over it eventually and you are being much kinder in the long run by protecting them from other animals, other humans, cars and disease.

By the way, welcome to PT!!:D

[Catty1]

I hope the fever medication helps! I wonder if adding B vitamins to his diet would help.

If Marcel eats wet food, you can mix it with some warm water to help get more fluids into him.

Also - is there another vet where you can get a second opinion? All vets are good, but sometimes one will see something that perhaps the other one didn't.

Prayers for Marcel.:):love:

[Jyotsna_indu]

Trust me, I've tried to keep Buster inside before. It's impossible. (My Mom has a weak spot for letting him out). He found us as a stray, at about 1 1/2 or two years old, and had been living off of wildlife for quite a while (we guessed...when we brought him in, he attacked my old cat's toy mouse and nearly swallowed it. When we gave him some of our other cat's food, he nearly choked himself because he wasn't chewing), and, nine years later, it's still the lifestyle he chooses. He stays in during most of the winter, which is nice.

Marcel, on the other hand, is just a few months old and has been indoors for about 5/6th of his life. He's used to it. He enjoys it. It was easy to keep him indoors. Sure, he gets jealous of Buster, and tried to run out a few times, but he knows the rules now.

And thanks! I love the forum so far! ^_^

Oh, and, Catty1, the vet told me to give Marcel a little bit of fresh garlic and some oregano to help boost his immune system. Apparently garlic is only poisonous in large doses (no surprise there) but small doses are healthy.

[Medusa]

I'm glad that Marcel is doing better. It's scary when a cat so young becomes dehydrated. If possible, though, I too feel that you should get a second opinion. I have two vet clinics that I work with and, Catty1 is right, one vet sometimes misses something that another vet can readily see. At any rate, at least Marcel is doing better for now. Welcome to PT and we hope to see more of you and perhaps some pix of Marcel and Buster. :)

[Jyotsna_indu]

My mom had to take Marcel to the vet while I was at work, and she ordered blood tests for me... He has leukemia. Life expantancy is two years, but that's with tumors, illness, and infections left and right.

What the hell?!?! First Jasmine, my best friend of 9 years, then a couple months later, marcel?f! what. the. hell. i've had him for barely even three months!!! This is ridiculous!!!!

The vet told me I should probably put him down... I will in a day or two.

Thanks, guys, your help meant a lot to me.

[Moesha]

Oh dear! That is sad news. I'm so sorry for all that you've been through with your kits. Could the outside cat be infected and be transferring it? Has he been vaccinated? If not, then has he been exposed to Marcel?

[Jyotsna_indu]

No, Marcel had his leukemia vaccination...It's most likely from his mother. Buster is vaccinated as well.

[Catty1]

Jyotsna - read this thread first. Some cats can survive well with feline leukemia (FeLv), even though their immune systems will always be compromised.

Please feel free to send a message to anyone on this thread.

http://petoftheday.com/talk/showthread.php?t=105921&highlight=Leukemia

Hug to you - and hope that perhaps Marcel can enjoy some good time with you yet.

[Jyotsna_indu]

Putting him down is the LAST thing I want to do. I can't take away his life at such a young age... I had just come home from work, and my parents told me it was that, or vet bills, which I definately can't afford. I might look into the steroid shot though, thanks!!

I got another opinion from someone else, and they told me that some people or shelters adopt and specialize in cats with leukemia. If I can, this might be the best route for me. He'll still be alive, I can visit him (maybe)... Ugh I don't know. I'm hoping that he doesn't have it and that their lab test failed at life....

On the other hand, I can't imagine poor Marcel being this MISERABLE all the time!! I know what it's like to be constantly sick, and it's awful!! (I had a really stressful job at one time and was sick for two months straight).

I'm going to let him get better, hopefully he will... Then I'll be forced to make the decision I suppose. Ugh.

I didn't mention that the only reason why my mom took him to the vet without my knowledge was because he was having an extremely difficult time breathing and was trying to meow at mom but couldn't even catch his breath... He's sicker than we thought.

[Medusa]

I'm so sorry. Perhaps talk to your vet about your options. S/he may have suggested having Marcel PTS because of his breathing issues and there may be other complications of which you're unaware. I'm sure your head is spinning right now and you don't want to make a rash decision. I surely can understand that. I do know that, as Catty1 said, cats w/leukemia can live for quite some time under the right conditions and maybe when you're not in shock you can do some research and see what your vet has to say. Whatever your decision, you've come to the right place for help and encouragement. Little Marcel is lucky to have found you and your mom. He at least will get the best care no matter the outcome. (((HUGS))) to you and your mom and gentle pets to Marcel.

[kb2yjx]

I am so sorry to read about Marcel having feline leukemia! We just lost Baby Annie on August 5th to feline leukemia. Annie was about 5 weeks old and only weighed 8 ounces. She was so sweet and so much fun!! It was such a hard decision to put her to sleep, but we thought about Annie and how she would have suffered! Our vet was very supportive of our decision. BUT, you have to do what is best for Marcel. Whatever YOU decide, it will be the right decision. The decision will be made out of love for Marcel....you are very angry right now, and you have the right to feel that way. It is as if you(like us)are being cheated by finding out that Marcel is so sick. Take a deep breathe. It is so unfortunate that the ones we love, cannot stay with us forever....there is a great poem, Lend Me a Kitten....it might be of some comfort to you right now....Take care, Sandra

[Jyotsna_indu]

Excellent news, kinda. It turns out that I don't have to euthanize Marcel!! I called the adoption clinic (Angels with Paws) and left a message about his newfound disease. I was worried about the kittens he lived with before I adopted him. I got a call from them today saying that they would be more than glad to take him back and care for him!! Angels with Paws is the best place... they never euthanize unless it's truly necessary, the cats are all incredibly well looked after...

So, they have a special room upstairs for leukemia cats. There are three other cats up there right now, so Marcel will have some friends. And a lady comes in every day just to play with all of them and love them. I'm so happy and yet I'm still completely upset over losing him.

They're going to re-test him just to make sure before putting him in that room. I hope it turns out negative and he miraculously heals because I love that kiddo!!!!

I'll be allowed to visit any time I want (during business hours) and I might even sign up to volunteer on thursdays.

[Moesha]

That is wonderful news, kinda. (to borrow your expression.) It sounds like it is the best situation considering the circumstances. I'm so happy for Marcel to be able to have friends and people that will be able to care for him.

[Medusa]

I know what you mean; it's kind of a "good news, bad news" scenario. Life seems to hand us our share of them, huh? Well, either way, you'll get to see your sweet kitty Marcel and know that he's being well taken care of. :love:

[Catty1]

{{{{hugs}}}}

This is good news as in Marcel will have a chance to live. :) Did the people say anything about a steroid shot or other things?

You have done well by Marcel...another owner might not have even explored this option.

[Jyotsna_indu]

They didn't mention anything about treatments they were going to give him. Not quite yet, at least. They're re-testing him just to make sure.. Pray that it'll come back negative and I can get a healthy kitty back!!!!!

I went to visit him today, and the lady that was closing (I wasn't paying attention to names, I wanted Marcel) told me that she pulled some of his serum which is derived from the blood. She said that normal serum is pretty clear but Marcel's is yellow. Maybe has an illness that mimics leukemia on the charts (but not in symptoms...*glares warningly at the mimic illness*)? What if it's something with the glands?

http://DevYani.deviantart.com/art/Marcel-100224562 Oh and here's a picture of him if any of you want to see it...

[Moesha]

He sure is a beauty!

[Medusa]

Aw, what a sweet looking boy. I sure do hope that you get the happy ending that you want.

[Catty1]

Prayers that the tests will show something treatable..and even if he has leukemia, he can still likely get some treatment and enjoy life.

He sure is a pretty cat! He seems to have fluffy fur, not short fur.

PT Prayers for you and Marcel. :)

[Catlady711]

They didn't mention anything about treatments they were going to give him. Not quite yet, at least. They're re-testing him just to make sure.. Pray that it'll come back negative and I can get a healthy kitty back!!!!!

I went to visit him today, and the lady that was closing (I wasn't paying attention to names, I wanted Marcel) told me that she pulled some of his serum which is derived from the blood. She said that normal serum is pretty clear but Marcel's is yellow. Maybe has an illness that mimics leukemia on the charts (but not in symptoms...*glares warningly at the mimic illness*)? What if it's something with the glands?

http://DevYani.deviantart.com/art/Marcel-100224562 Oh and here's a picture of him if any of you want to see it...

Sorry to hear about your kitty. I do hope they had a false positive the first time.

The serum should be a clearish almost peach or flesh colored stuff. (kinda hard to describe a color you know?) A perfectly crystal clear serum is usually from animals that have not eaten in several days, and redish serums sometimes come when we have a hard time drawing blood. Very cloudy globby serums is fat in the blood (usually from animals that are overweight or have just eaten before the test). Outright yellow serums can be a sign of jaundice (very pale yellowish clear is sorta normal).

I found a webpage that shows a picture of a separator tube with the serum in it. However it's on a page about drawing chicken blood so I don't know if that explains the color or not since I don't know anything about chickens. If that was blood we see at work it would be called hemolysed (sp?). Anyways it will give you an idea of what the samples look like just before testing.

http://ohioline.osu.edu/vme-fact/images/0023_17.jpg

[Jyotsna_indu]

Sorry to hear about your kitty. I do hope they had a false positive the first time.

The serum should be a clearish almost peach or flesh colored stuff. (kinda hard to describe a color you know?) A perfectly crystal clear serum is usually from animals that have not eaten in several days, and redish serums sometimes come when we have a hard time drawing blood. Very cloudy globby serums is fat in the blood (usually from animals that are overweight or have just eaten before the test). Outright yellow serums can be a sign of jaundice (very pale yellowish clear is sorta normal).

I found a webpage that shows a picture of a separator tube with the serum in it. However it's on a page about drawing chicken blood so I don't know if that explains the color or not since I don't know anything about chickens. If that was blood we see at work it would be called hemolysed (sp?). Anyways it will give you an idea of what the samples look like just before testing.

http://ohioline.osu.edu/vme-fact/images/0023_17.jpg



Oooh!! I'll have to tell them about this!! I hope they aren't annoyed with my attempts to remain involved... haha