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Question
skin (fur) on bones, spine, ribs, in front of back legs torso appears 'caved in', bones very prominent.
stray has been in my house for 10 hours. april 2, 2011
has water, drinks when prompted
has wet food and kibble, does not eat, very troubling
has been sleeping all 10 hours
has urinated twice, pale yellow colour and clear
very lethargic, i can hold him like a baby, while holding him, i can pick up a front paw and he just lets it drop when i release it
he is having trouble standing or having trouble with balance
i am worried that if he will not eat, he is not going to survive much longer
Hi Susan,
Sometimes severely emaciated cats won't eat because they're too weak. I would recommend getting some stage 1 chicken baby food and trying to feed him that with a syringe until you can get him to the vet for subcutaneous or IV fluids, which I suspect he will need at the least. The fluids have electrolytes, and dextrose (a sugar) can be added if warranted to help strengthen him. If you have an emergency vet service in your area, I would highly recommend getting him seen today. The vet can also provide you with a high calorie diet that will help him put on weight, if deemed appropriate.
However, it's possible this kitty has a disease that causes a wasting body condition, such as the feline leukemia or feline AIDS viruses, cancer, or chronic renal failure. The pale urine makes me wonder if kidney issues are to blame. Cat urine is usually quite concentrated, and kidney failure causes it to be diluted. A vet can run tests to determine if this is the case. It's best to put cats to sleep when kidney failure reaches this stage (stage IV), as it's extremely uncomfortable, progressive, and patients rarely stabilize. If he tests positive for leukemia or AIDS, it would also suggest that he's in the end stages of these diseases, which are terminal.
I hope he is only under the weather from being a stray and going without food for too long, however, and that he will make a quick recovery!
Jessica
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| Rating(1-10) | Knowledgeability = 10 | Clarity of Response = 10 | Politeness = 10 |
| Comment | Hi Jessica, thank you very much for your attention to detail and your quick response to my inquiry regarding the stray cat. i did take the cat in to the emergency vet clinic in our area. i live in a winter city in Canada. this is important because the lady that looked at him suggested that the cat had gotten into some antifreeze, that could explain several of the symptoms the he was displaying. i left the cat with them. the vet assistant said that each animal brought to the shelter, as a stray, was guaranteed a battery of tests for blood and organ functions. euthanasia was never the first option. euthanasia was the solution when they had determined that continued survival would only be prolonging suffering. if i believed i could have helped him with food and shelter and comfort, i would not have surrendered him. but after spending a day with the stray, i was convinced that more needed to be done than i could provide. i am sad for not having the resources to help further. thank you again for your time and expert advice. susan | ||
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Answers by Expert:
Jessica
Expertise
The areas in which I have gained the most experience are cat health and feral cat management/rescue. I provide supportive care to chronically ill cats, hospice care to terminally ill cats and also am involved in trap-neuter-return efforts. My specialities lie in taming feral cats and in the allopathic treatment of cats with illnesses or special needs. I also have owned Siamese, Himalayans, Abyssinians, Russian Blues, Savannahs, Bengals, Peterbalds, Don Sphynx and Oriental Shorthairs and am well-versed in cat breeds as well as cat behavior and nutrition.
Experience
I have 15 years of extensive experience with cats ranging from breeding to medical care. My daily routine consists of caring for cats with diabetes, thyroid disease, kidney failure, feline leukemia, feline AIDS as well as feral cats. I have experience with liver patients, heart patients, feline infectious peritonitis, cancer, recovery from amputation and trauma, congenital deformities and most every disease in between. I have assisted cats giving birth and hand-nursed kittens who were neglected by their mother from 2 days old through weaning.
Education/Credentials
15 years' hands-on experience
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