Caring for a cat with stage 2 URI and possible FIV - Paw Talk

AeonHail · #1 08-09-2003, 05:07 PM

I adopted a kitty from the humane society on July 29, a week and a half ago. She came to me with URI in its second form (a kitty cold, complicated by a bacterial infection in the lungs). I brought her down to the vet, who prescribed antibiotics. Though I'm aware the medicine doesn't target the virus but rather prevents further infection, she doesn't seem to be getting over it. She still oozes mucus and sneezes from time to time. It takes the average URI patient 7-10 days to get over it, and it's been 11 days with no sign of improvement. To make matters worse, my kitty is anorexic and completely refuses to eat (cats rely heavily on their sense of smell for their appetite, and since she's congested she doesn't have that), so I've been force-feeding her all this time (by scraping pasty prescription food on the roof of her mouth). Her previous owner never saw her to a vet, and I'm fairly certain the kitty has contracted FIV, which is making it difficult for her to fight off the URI, this is my assumption.

Wahhh, I want my kitty to be healthy! What more can I do?! What I would like most is to see my kitty take a bite of food on her own for the first time! Thanks in advance to any help!

-- On a different note, here's a pic of my new kitty just 'cause I can't help it, from her profile at the humane society. She's a beautiful 6 year old girl. I'm not too fond of this pic though, I think it's a rather poor one of her. She looks evil in it, especially since it makes her pupils look green (they're a NORMAL black by the way). It does no justice to her cuteness in person I say!! I'll have to post a better, more recent one sometime.

Becki · #2 08-09-2003, 07:40 PM

She is beautiful! I'm no use here, but Capnsweets had to deal with the same thing a while back I believe. I'm sure she or someone else can help you out. I hope she gets better and starts eating on her own soon!

Pigsterz · #3 08-09-2003, 09:28 PM

Sorry I'm not an expert on this either. But I do wish kitty a speedy recovery and sending her love vibes. She is very pretty. What's her name?

SharonM · #4 08-09-2003, 10:07 PM

I SO hate to be negative here... but, OMG - it sounds like what I went through with my beloved kitty Spooky years ago ...

He died of FIP - did your vet make any mention of that ? Most often, the main syptom is a large amount of fluid in the abdomen, but with Spooky, it was in his lungs instead. It's a horrible disease, and is actually similiar to FIV. But in FIP, the immune system actually "feeds" the disease in trying to fight it off.

I hope to God it's not what your kitty has, but I thought I'd mention it so you can check it out. The worthless vet I took Spooky to did over $400 worth of bloodwork before she finally decided to check for FIP. The vet I use now said that a simple test done on the fluid in his lungs would have diagnosed it, and that's the first thing he would have checked for.

She's a very beautiful kitty, I hope she fights off whatever this is ... keep us updated !

AeonHail · #5 08-10-2003, 03:31 AM

Thanks for the well wishes! Her name is Ellie.

Oh my! Don't worry, I'm half-expecting and open to dark outlooks. I haven't heard of FIP, but a follow-up appointment will be at the end of this week, so I'll definitely be asking the vet about that.

Peace to your kitty Spooky, Sharon. $400?! I'm glad you found yourself a better vet, for you and your kitties!

So yeah, it'll be about a week before I post a follow-up on Ellie. I'm gonna continue getting antibiotics and good food into her system and giving her her love and comfort 'til her appointment and hope she gets better.

Deja · #6 08-10-2003, 07:19 AM

Aeon- oh that cat is gorgeous! I don't think her eyes look evil- they are strikingly beautiful and unique!

My daughter brought home a tiny stray June of last year. He was so sick with some kind of URI. He was just a mucous factory- from his eyes, nose - and sneezing it everywhere

He wouldn't eat at first - then we figured out he was probably never properly weaned. We started with warm wet baby food. He'd almost suck it off the spoon. We graduated from there....

The vet tested him for everything - sent us home with an antibiotic to ward off any bacterial infection - and we hoped for the best. Since he was so young and we had no idea when he'd been separated from his mother - we didn't even know his true age. Long story short... he recovered. It took a while though. To this day he still has watery eyes and projectile sneezes on occasion - yuck

I can't offer anything but positive thoughts and lots of healthy vibes... I hope she makes it through whatever it is that is making her so sick.

Do you know her age? Is she a young kitten?

Sounds like you are in a tough, stressful spot.

I really hope everything works out!

Good Luck- I'll be pulling for her!
Deja

***Dena*** · #7 08-10-2003, 11:20 AM

If she is sneezing and has mucous coming from her eyes and nose you might want to try giving her her antibiotics and an antibiotic eye ointment. If you think she is skinny check her stool and see if it is firm or runny and check to see if it is dark and possibly bloody. I would take a stool sample to your vet and have it checked. I am very suprised that the humane society did not test her for Feline Aids or Leukemia before adopting her out. If she is FIV positive (aids) she very well can live a long and happy life just remember that she must remain indoors for the rest of her life and you cannot bring in another cat that is NOT FIV positive. You can however bring in another FIV positive cat. If she is Felv (feline lukemia) positive than her outlook is not good. As far as FIP goes no one knows enough about it and even vets cannot detect it before the symptoms show up. If she feels anorexic then it most likely isn't FIP they blow up like balloons. FIP is also highly contageous to other cats. If this cat is positive for any of these than it is completely neglegant on the part of this shelter. They are required to have an isolation area and should test all cats before moving them into the main room. I know many ideas are changing about FIV that it cannot be transmitted except through a bite or an exchange of fluids but I know well enough that if there are no symptoms and you go and clean litter boxes with the same scooper how fast things can spread.

It sounds like she might have a parasite since she is so skinny and refuses to eat. So your first line of defense right now is a Felv/FIV test and a stool sample. Both should be easily done right at your vets office, most of them use snap tests which make results in 10 minutes. The stool they just need to look at through a microscope. Before doing this I would call the shelter you adopted her from and ask if they had tested her first so you don't have to pay the expense but I would definitely still bring a stool sample.

Hope this helps!

capnsweets · #8 08-10-2003, 11:38 AM

Try microwaving to warm up either cat food or baby food, not so it is hot but just so it is more aromatic. I know my cats would lick the food off of my fingers but not out of the bowl so try amd see what works. If your cat came fromt he Humane Soceity like this, ours has a health clinic and if you just adopted they and you take her back there, they will usually give all meds and care for free. They want to make sure you are happy with your adoption, they don't want tos ell you a sick pet!

SharonM · #9 08-10-2003, 12:54 PM

They don't neccessarily "blow up" with FIP. Spooky's fluid was all in his lungs - so it was thought he had some sort of cold ... he wasted away to nothing because he wouldn't eat anything.