Help! Some can help me, maybe

Hi, I have a 4 year old cat I rescued abaondoned outside a grocery store when he was very very little... he's been a great cat so far, but suddenly out of nowhere he started to act very sick, with a weird sort of noise when he breaths... and he stopped eating and drinking water...

I took him to the vet and they gave him nutrients and fluids via injection, some antibiotics to give him to see if they clear it up, and some nutrient-gel stuff.

He is responsive, just very very lethargic, and he's anorexic. (Total refusal at any food or water, sniffs it.. nothing.. been giving water with a clean dropper)

Does anyone have any experience that can offer me knowledge what it might be? The vet offered to do a blood-work but it was expensive (For me, currently.. I just don't have it.. going there cost so much already.. i feel so bad) I couldn't do it..

So anyone, can you help me?

Thanks,
Oea

 

Other than trying to get food and water down him, making sure he stays warm theres not that much you can do without finding out what the cause is.
There are so many things that can cause loss of appetite and lethargy, it could be anything from maybe he just ate something that didnt agree with him to trauma from being hit by a car to getting into a poison.
Is he going to the bathroom okay? Any vomiting? Is he strictly an indoor cat or does he go outside?
I totally understand the money situation, are there any organizations in your area that can help you out?

 

a complete blood panel around here costs about $60 (and that's on a dog)...this could very well prove to be lifesaving for your cat. Yes I understand the $$ situation as I'm usually there with a geriatric dog and 3 cats of my own, but my vet is kind enough to let me pay something weekly when I have a vet bill out of my reach. Ask your vet if you can make the same arrangments. It's virtually impossible to treat a sick cat if you don't know what you are treating for..if he's so ill he won't eat no amount of forcefeeding is going to make him better. He might need antibiotics or fluids from the vet. My rule of thumb is letting any illness on a pet go and the pet is either going to pass from the lack of treatment or just continue to get worse and the vet bill will be higher when it becomes an emergency. And yes...I've been there done that. See if your vet will let you make payments so you can at least get a blood panel done, could be an infection somewhere which will be antibiotics to treat. And you won't be feeling guilty.

A good forcefeeding mixture is this - AD canned cat food (you have to get from your vet), mixed with Pedialyte to make it soupy, add NutraCal and some Karo corn syrup. You will have to get some plastic feeding syringes. Try to get at least 1/4 cup of this mixture into your cat everyday - yes it's messy as all get go but very nutritional.

 

My cat was doing that to last year but I found out that the problem was he is VERY picky about his food.

 

What antibiotic is he on?

Chloe, one of my cats, had an upper resp. infection - she was put on an antibiotic (I think it was Clavamox) and she turned anorexic off of it.

The vet told me that it's rare, but some cats are sort of allergic to the antibiotic.

We had to get her on new meds ASAP.

We had to teach her how to eat again. The vet told us that our cat probably wouldn't eat again unless we 'taught' her - forced her.

Get got really smelly tuna and also heated up canned food. Even then she wouldn't eat.

We used a syringe (with no needle) and forced a wet food/water gunk into her. We had to do it quite a bit. Finally, she responded and had some interest in her food.It sounds like you're doing something similar.
I hope it works out. honestly, if your cat turned anorexic after the antibiotic and you haven't addressed it to your vet, please ask about it. It could be the medicine that's the culprit. If so, get your cat on another antibiotic ASAP.

But, I agree with Mary, it could get much more costly if you don't address the problem now. See if you have low cost clinics around or if you could work out a payment plan.

I hope it works out... good luck

 

buster has that right now. he was on clavamox (i think) but that wasn't working so he got put on something stronger. i don't remember the name, but i'll look on the box for you. (some kind of brown, bitter stuff, but it works) it's really helping him and he's started eating and drinking again and he's looking better.he has swollen tonsils (don't know if that has anything to do with it) you might want a different vet to give you a second opinon.