# Sick kitty! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 9, 2011, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sick-kitty/595764 "2011-09-09T23:02:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2011, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sick-kitty/595764/1 "2011-09-09T23:02:27Z")
Disclaimer: I’ve already cleared this thread with Tubadiva. Some time ago, a female kitty was dumped on us after a friend moved from our neighborhood in Northern Virginia to somewhere in Maryland. The kitty had not been fixed, went into heat, and started spraying in my bedroom. So we got her spayed. Surgery went fine but when she was done with her round of painkillers, she stopped eating. The vet found she was very constipated and gave her an enema. This was Wednesday afternoon and she’s still not eating. I went to the vet’s website and left a message for them to call when they open in the morning. The last vet visit already put us behind on the condo fee for this month. I don’t know what we’re going to do if they keep charging us to see her for the same problem. Is there a kind MAD Doper who can take in a sick kitty if getting her well again is too much for our finances? [Here she is during a better time.](http://www.flickr.com/photos/9587066@N08/6130970095/in/photostream) ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2011, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sick-kitty/595764/2 "2011-09-10T00:05:11Z")
Ignore the date in the link. A.C. needs to change her camera settings. ---
**Author:** ![Toucanna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3bc359/32.png) [@Toucanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Toucanna)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2011, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sick-kitty/595764/3 "2011-09-10T02:44:05Z")
Have you mentioned your financial concerns to the vet? There’s a financing service called “[CareCredit](http://www.carecredit.com/vetmed/)” that can help you make payments. Disclosure: I do not have a financial interest in this company nor in any of the products or services that may be advertised on its website. Spaying is major surgery and an invasive procedure. The cat may have scar tissue forming that is causing her pain. She may have had a bowel nicked. Did the vet accidentally leave a sponge (or a clamp:eek:) inside her? Can you afford an ultrasound exam? Is there a veterinary school near you where you can get a consultation? Best wishes for your kitty’s speedy return to health. ---
**Author:** ![flatlined](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/eb9ed0/32.png) [@flatlined](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flatlined)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2011, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sick-kitty/595764/4 "2011-09-10T02:44:48Z")
What a pretty lady. You are half way across the country from me, the logistics would be hard. I did a quick google search on cat rescues in your area and found a couple of promising ones. [Tabby’s place](http://www.tabbysplace.org/index.html?gclid=CKD0gYrRkasCFWk0Qgod_HjVuA#) seems willing to help cats with health issues. [Friends of Homeless Animals](http://www.foha.org/) seem to have a good mission statement. What have you offered her to eat? Cats are teh strange, when they go off their feed, they need to be jumpstarted to start eating again. I would suggest offering up some stinky food. Tuna or mackeral is good. All meat baby food is often a favorite. Was there anything she begged for before? Again, cats are teh strange, if she likes cantalope and you have some in the fridge, try that. Be sure she has clean water that she can get to easily, if she’s not feeling well, she won’t want to jump on the washing machine for a drink. Once she starts eating again, offer her canned food and mix some canned pumpkin in it. Most cats seem to like it and it helps with their poop issues. I really hope everything works out for all of you. ---
**Author:** ![beachbetch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@beachbetch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beachbetch)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2011, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sick-kitty/595764/5 "2011-09-10T12:19:36Z")
What did the vet say Thursday when you spoke? What meds is she on now? Did she start eating again? Hoping for a complete recovery. Spay surgery shouldn’t be that hard on her. I very rarely see complications. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2011, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sick-kitty/595764/6 "2011-09-10T13:39:20Z")
She’s going back to the vet today to see if they can get her stool moving. They took four x-rays last visit and only charged us for one; nothing out of the ordinary except for the constipation. Shouldn’t be more than 75 bucks for this visit. We’ll ask about the baby food. ETA: she’s only on some drops for a yeast infection in her left ear that her prevous Human ignored for months. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2011, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sick-kitty/595764/7 "2011-09-10T13:46:17Z")
If anyone wants to make a donation, I’ve set up A.C. with a PayPal account. I hope that one doesn’t get frozen like mine. ---
**Author:** ![lisacurl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/41988e/32.png) [@lisacurl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lisacurl)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2011, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sick-kitty/595764/8 "2011-09-10T14:18:59Z")
If your kitty continues to have problems, the vet might consider a low-residue diet and/or daily small doses of a laxative. Both were very inexpensive for our cat with similar issues. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2011, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sick-kitty/595764/9 "2011-09-10T15:21:05Z")
I wasn’t at this vet vist but I think she does have a kitty laxative now. The vet also suggested chicken & rice baby food which we’ll try as well. ---
**Author:** ![beachbetch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@beachbetch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beachbetch)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2011, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sick-kitty/595764/10 "2011-09-11T15:07:55Z")
So she hasn’t eaten in more than a week now? Has the vet tried an appetite stimulant? Are her bloodwork values normal? She could possibly have some underlying infection or a viral disease causing the inappetance. Or it could all be related to the constipation. Pain meds are notorious for causing constipation in cats. Has she gotten SC or IV fluids yet? Worried about your kitty, hoping she does better soon. Kitties livers get VERY angry when they stop eating. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2011, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sick-kitty/595764/11 "2011-09-11T16:00:50Z")
Not eating on her own, no. Vet said to try force feeding her the baby food mixed with some mineral oil. And she does have a kitty laxative now. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2011, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sick-kitty/595764/12 "2011-09-11T23:45:21Z")
She is showing interest in food now. We had a can of collard greens with dinner and she investigated the sound of the can opener. Both cats get the water out of tuna cans. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2011, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sick-kitty/595764/13 "2011-09-12T03:01:23Z")
She’s might be eating some dry food. ---
**Author:** ![beachbetch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@beachbetch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beachbetch)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2011, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sick-kitty/595764/14 "2011-09-12T13:02:55Z")
Hoping for continued improvement!!! I hope she’s pooping now too! ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2011, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sick-kitty/595764/15 "2011-09-12T14:23:31Z")
> [@beachbetch](#): > > I hope she’s pooping now too! Still haven’t seen any. She’s now limping on the paw where the vet took a blood sample. We’ve decided that [having this rescue group](http://www.foha.org/) (thanks, **flatlined** ) step in would be best for everyone. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2011, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sick-kitty/595764/16 "2011-09-13T12:32:31Z")
I was afraid this would happen. Forget donations, could someone please _lend_ us $30 so we can at least keep our bank account in the black? ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2011, 11:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sick-kitty/595764/17 "2011-09-16T11:01:11Z")
Just wanted to thank everyone who participated in this thread and sent PMs. Looks like everything’s good for now. Any mod who passes by may close this thread. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2011, 11:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sick-kitty/595764/18 "2011-09-20T11:41:31Z")
Being as this thread is still open… Word is that the local animal welfare group, which served as the go-between for us and the rescue group, wants to track down Butterfly’s previous human and prosecute him for animal cruelty. Least of which is never taking her to a vet to get that ear infection treated. ---
**Author:** ![6ImpossibleThingsB4Breakfast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/6/e19adc/32.png) [@6ImpossibleThingsB4Breakfast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/6ImpossibleThingsB4Breakfast)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2011, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sick-kitty/595764/19 "2011-09-20T15:04:11Z")
I hope they can. And that it serves you and Butterfly in some way. Best of luck. ---
**Author:** ![beachbetch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@beachbetch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beachbetch)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2011, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sick-kitty/595764/20 "2011-09-20T22:21:58Z")
Any word on how she’s doing? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sick-kitty/595764.md?page=2)