Sick cat - NO money

[susiestar]

Our little black cat is very sick. There is simply no way we can take her to the vet. She is up on all vaccines, for what that is worth.

She is terribly terribly skinny. husband thought that our other cat was not letting her eat, so we put food in our bathroom so Morgan could not get it and she could.

This morning she is having a hard time with getting her hips to work so she can walk.

I am really scared. Have put her on wet food in addition to dry and will cook some chicken for her at lunch. She is staying in my bathroom where we can get to her if she needs us. Otherwise she will hide in our closet and I cannot get to her there.

I am so worried, but it is a choice of taking her to the vet or paying COBRA so the four of us have health insurance. Not much of a choice, we HAVE to keep health insurance on us.

ANY home remedies or advice or ways to maybe help her get some weight on would be appreciated.

Thanks.

 

[crazymama30]

how old is the cat? If she is dehydtrated try giving her diluted gatorade thru a syringe. About 5o 50 with water. Fluids will be more important than food.

 

[hearts and roses]

Susie, it sounds like she could have some type of feline leukemia or some type of digestive disorder. Is she pooping and peeing okay?

There are several good websites with natural remedies, but I highly recommend seeking advice at the www.iVillage.com board. They have a board specific to animal care and perhaps someone could better advise you where to either take kitty or what's going on. There is a vet who runs the board and I've found it to be very helpful in the past.

Hugs and best of luck.

 

[susiestar]

Thanks. She is about 4 years old. Looking at her reminds me of how one of the cats I lost to FIP died. With that disease they either dry up and become emaciated or they puff up with fluid and have that stress. I am praying it is not that, esp as we have two cats.

Neither cat has been further outside than on our porch, and even that has only happened 1-2 times. We have had no other animals in the house, not even my bro's flea bitten dog. So I have no idea where she would have gotten a disease from. But anything is possible. We cannot be sure about the peeing and pooping because we have 2 cats. As of this am Gracie is confined to my room and bathroom until she is better. This way we will know if she is peeing and pooping.

Thanks for the website, I am headed over there now.

 

[AnnieO]

Another way to hydrate a cat is to give them a bath. Weasel is only 4 lbs., never has weighed much, and occasionally gets hairballs so bad she gets dehydrated. I cannot afford $200 to have them give her subcutaneous fluid injections every couple of months - so we give her a bath. Water only. Towel dry enough so they aren't SOAKING and let them lick off the rest - they will.

If she is not pooping, feed her Vaseline. This was recommended by my vet. But not much, like a finger ful. You MAY have to wipe it on the roof of her mouth.

IF you can afford meat-flavored baby food (like chicken, turkey, beef - with or without rice) - that's a good way to get stuff in that they can digest. Just be careful - it's very, very rich.

The hips - does sound like dehydration.

Rattling kitty beads.

 

[CrazyinVA]

My cat got that way when he had what we believed to be cancer (did x-rays, but didn't want to pay for a more expensive testing than that or treatment.. but he had a mass on his kidneys). He simply stopped eating, and starved himself to death, it was very difficult. At the time, the vet suggested trying to feed him baby food, the meat kind .. I still have a little jar of turkey baby food in my pantry Feeding with a syringe is also a good idea, you could dilute the baby food with some water and try that. I will say that when I had to put my kitty down, my vet was very kind and agreed to bill me for it, when I told them I couldn't afford to pay them.

I'm so sorry.. it's SO difficult to watch our pets suffer.

 

[tiredmommy]

We give our Pookie Dechra brand cat lax regularly for hairballs. We also let her lick ice cubes if she seems to be dehydrating.

 

[gcvmom]

If it's Feline leukemia virus, she could have been born with the virus and it's been dormant until now. If it's FIP, I've also read that it can lie dormant for months or even years in household cats. Some cats can be carriers and you never know it.

Here's more info: http://www.homevet.com/petcare/flnvrs.html

I'm so sorry your cat is sick and that you're in this financial situation. How incredibly heartbreaking. Are there any low cost clinics or teaching hospitals near you that might at least diagnosis your cat for free?

 

[susiestar]

Thanks all. I am going to try the bath. I may actually just use a washcloth to get her wet because I am afraid that if she got a chill it could make things worse. I know it is hot outside, but I still worry.

We actually have some cans of Newman's Own cat food that we got on clearance to use as cat treats. We are working with those for this morning and I will get the baby meat later today.

We are near a major vet school with a small animal clinic. Sadly they are actually MORE expensive than the other vets in town. Your pet is seen by two different students separately. Then the vet comes in and does a 3rd exam. The students present what they think it is and how best to treat it, then the vet either agrees with one and has him do the treatment or if they are both wrong the vet explains why. If both students are wrong they both do the treatment. For very minor things it is not too bad. For something like this where the exam would be hard on her, I am loathe to put her through that, even if I had the $$$.

Thanks to all of you. If you have more ideas, I am listening and very grateful.

 

[AnnieO]

Susie, cats tend to run a bit warmer than the average. Don't worry about her getting a chill - is there a sunny window she can sit in?

The washcloth won't give her enough water or penetrate to skin level. If you have a showerhead that detaches, a quick rinse from the neck to the tail works best.

Good luck sweetie.

 

[ML]

((((Susie)))) I know how you're feeling. I'm so sorry.

 

[SRL]

I'd go ahead and help hydrate her in the bath, if you can and I wouldn't worry about the chill. I used to have to bathe my tiny orphan kitten often and I'd dry him off in one towel and then wrap him in a fresh one and hold him close until I was sure he wasn't chilled. If she does feel chilled you can take her into a sun-heated car for a few minutes to warm her up (just came out of one--that's how I thought of that).

You can dilute the chicken baby food with infant rice cereal so it's not so rich.

Do you have an established vet that could at least run a stool sample for you without an appointment?

 

[svengandhi]

Google low cost pet care and see what you get. I found a place near me that does vaccines, spaying and treatment for dirt cheap. You have to be on unemployment or SSD to qualify for their services, so I sent the link to my friend. I don't qualify.

Also google her symptoms or go to a pet care site.

Good luck. My little black cat is also 4 years old and I adore her.

 

[TerryJ2]

I am so sorry.
You've gotten some GREAT ideas here.
I would never had thought up half of them.
Best of luck.

 

[KTMom91]

I was also thinking feline leukemia. Son #1's cat had similar symptoms. Do her gums look white?

 

[Star*]

Would the vet clinic consider selling you a few bags of ringers and a rig and showing you how it's done? I think you could give her an sq IV easily - I've done it on several dogs we've had near death before.

My other thought Susi* would be to get on Petfinders.com and find a local cattery or rescue. BEG them for help. Go DIRECTLY to a shelter and tell them you can't afford much but could you make a donation of $10 in exchange for some help or a test?

I am so sorry for your little furbaby - My only other concern is that if blackie is in pain with maybe kidney stones or something like that? I think that is fairly common in cats. Also as far as the bath goes? Couldn't you turn the vent off to one room? Open the windows, make a warm bath to soak him in - and then take him out, wrap him, and maybe just keep drying him off with fresh warm towels from the dryer? Maybe a heating pad to see if he GOES for the heat? or warm up soda bottles filled with water and microwaved water? then wrap with a towel? Pedialyte for children should get his electrolytes back up too. I'm not very cat-savvy, but I think a stool sample should be taken to the vets - That would probably cost $5.00 - to have checked for parasites. Hook worms in advanced stages would do this. They are horrible. Like I said I'm not sure what else could be ailing him.....kidney stones comes to mind again - but I would get his poop checked. If it IS parasites? Find out what medications you can give - then check www.fosters.com or the feed stores for cheap medications. OR again - ask the shelters for a one time dose and a repeater dose for the eggs.

if I can help at all - let me know.
hugs
Star