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Cats/my cat is hurting...

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Expert: - 9/3/2008


Question
I don't have any idea what is wrong with my cat! He has had Urinary Tract Infections before but we don't think that this is the same. He was fine this morning, but when we came home, there was vomit on the floor in several different places and he was no where to be found. When we searched for him, we found him on the top step to the attack in a dark corner. He hadn't eaten any of his food. For a bit we suspected a hairball, so I fed him a little bit of Vaseline, but he refused to eat any more. When I moved him to the living room to try to find out what was wrong with him, he started growling and meowing like it hurt badly. He is walking REALLY slowly and meows loudly whenever he moves. We thought that his front right foot was hurt, so I moved that and when I made it reach out forward he meowed loudly...which means that that hurt. His foot doesn't seem to hurt too badly though, because he jumped up onto my bed with no problem. We suspect his stomach or abdomen is hurt but we just don't know..can you help at all?

Answer
Anna,

You need to get your cat to the vet as soon as possible. Find a 24 hour vet or call your vet's after hours service. I am very concerned about the symptoms that you describe and I fear that your cat may become sicker or even die without prompt vet treatment. The prime suspects on my guess list would be kidney failure, poisoning or liver failure. I desperately hope that I'm wrong, but you need to get this cat prompt medical attention immediately to find out what's going on.

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Ali

Expertise

I am the proud guardian of 5 mixed breed cats ranging from 12 weeks to 13 years old and one purebred ragdoll. I have 20+ years experience working with mixed breed cats from a variety of different situations. I have fostered cats/kittens with special needs/behavioral issues. I have rescued/rehabilitated/re-homed a variety of stray/abused cats. I can offer advice on managing feral cat colonies, rehabilitating strays and finding them forever homes. I can help you to determine whether a cat is stray or feral, there IS a significant difference. Improperly introducing a new cat/kitten can result in aggression between newly introduced cats because cats are territorial by nature and they don't like sudden changes in their environment. To learn more about a peaceful way to introduce a new cat into a home with other cats please check out my previous answers on this subject. Proper nutrition for cats can be confusing, I recommend checking out catinfo.org which was created by a veterinarian (Dr. Lisa Pierson) who takes a common sense approach to explaining feline nutrition. Cat behavior and instincts are different from those of humans, I can help you understand your cat's needs so that you can meet them adequately and have a balanced, psychologically and physically sound kitty. Cats vary in personality, energy level and intelligence, different approaches may be required to achieve results in terms of training and interaction with your feline companion. An intelligent, high energy cat must be kept busy or they will make their own fun. I am NOT a licensed veterinarian and I can't offer medical advice. If your cat is ill/injured my advice is always the same: get prompt medical treatment provided by a veterinarian. If finances are an issue I will try to find resources in your area that can help with medical costs or make other choices to ensure the welfare of your cat.

Experience

I have fostered feral and stray cats, rehabilitated and homed cats that many people recommended euthanasia for. I am willing to make an effort to do the research and ask questions because I care enough to find solutions to behavioral problems rather than giving up. I have an interest in the use of alternative therapies to help provide the best possible care for all cats and I can say in all honesty that I've seen some incredible things happen for some incredible cats and their human caregivers when the right alternative therapeutic modality is used by a qualified veterinarian with expertise and experience in the field.

Education/Credentials
I've earned my diploma as a veterinary assistant with honors.

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