# My adopted kitty has a respiratory infection!



## kimmy.j (Dec 28, 2009)

Hi everyone,

I'm just looking for some advice from cat lovers. I adopted Jeeves (my beautiful 5 year old male domestic shorthair) a little over a week ago from the Humane Society. 

When I had first met Jeeves, his eyes were very goopy and he was sneezing a lot (sometimes even sneezing blood, as I live in a very dry climate). The vet at the humane society told me that it was nothing to worry about (that a lot of the cats at the shelter get infected), they had put him on something called Orbax that is supposed to make him better. I had to feed him a pill every morning up until today.

He has been on some sort of medicine for his cold since December 18th. They changed his medicine to the Orbax on the 20th (the day I adopted him). If it makes any difference, he was neutered on the 12th. 

His 8 days of medicine ran out, and he's still very sneezy and snotty!!

I took him to the vet the day after I got him and they checked him out. The doctor said everything is normal aside from his respiratory thing going on. They suggested that I have him tested for Feline Leukemia, which I denied at the time. He's 6 pounds, but the vet said he was a normal weight. He's eating and drinking very well and going to the bathroom regularly. 

I am a bit worried because he meows excessively (begs) whenever my husband or I go into the kitchen. I can't figure out what he wants. 

Anyway, back to the kitty cold; Do you think he needs more medicine? He seems to have gotten a little better, but he was coughing (kind of dry heaving) throughout the night. You can hear when he is coughing...a little mucus comes up and he swallows it back down (gross, I know). Aside from the snotty nose, he seems very happy and healthy. His eyes have cleared up completely aside from a tiny booger every once in a while. We run a humidifier in our bedroom at night to help him get better, and we move it to the main room when we leave for work. 

Any tips or advice is welcome. Do you think he will continue to get better without more medicine, or should I stress him out some more and take him back to the vet already? 

PS- Another thing that should be noted is that on his first trip to the vet, they wouldn't vaccinate him because of his cold. I don't know if that's a good reason (I'm assuming it is), but I got the feeling from this vet that all they wanted was as much money as they could get out of me, and didn't care much about the well being of my kitty. I'm taking him somewhere else for his vaccinations.


----------



## weebeasties (Jul 19, 2008)

Feline herpes virus, which is the most common cause of upper respiratory infections, is pretty common in shelter cats, from what I've been told. Our Othello came to us with the virus from the shelter; he's had one full-on "kitty cold" flare-up in the almost two years we've had him. That was treated with a combination of antibiotic pills (to protect against any secondary bacterial infections - antibiotics don't do anything to viruses) and an L-Lysine amino acid supplement to help his immune system fight the virus. We found that the L-Lysine really helped him a lot; he was back to his usual tearing-around-the-house self within a couple of days.

What kind of medicine is Orbax - I'm guessing an antibiotic? As noted, that won't do anything to kill the virus that's probably causing the URI, but antibiotics can help if a bacterial infection is taking advantage and causing other problems. The humidifier is a good idea; you can also get the bathroom good and steamy with the shower and bring him in there. It's a good sign that he is still eating, drinking, and using the litter box regularly. If you haven't already, it would be a good idea to increase the proportion of wet food in his diet, to help him stay hydrated. Is he pretty active, or does he still seem kind of depressed or lethargic? I'd use his energy level and mood as a big indicator of whether he seems to be on the upswing or is still struggling and needs to go back to the vet - hopefully one you feel more comfortable with.


----------



## mindymoon (Mar 3, 2009)

Coincidentally I came to the forum to post about a cat with an upper respiratory infection. I'll post my stuff elsewhere, but I strongly recommend that you take your cat back to the vet and get more antibiotics. At that visit, you should also allow the tests for feline leukemia and feline HIV. The stray I took in about a month ago had a severe upper respiratory infection that he's having difficulty recovering from, and I found out at the second vet visit that he has feline AIDS. His immune system is shot, and that's why he is having so much difficulty fighting off the infection, even with antibiotics. I would check around and find a new vet, since you're unhappy with the one you have. And no, they will not vaccinate while your kitty is sick - too much stress on the system. Good luck.


----------



## hoofmaiden (Sep 28, 2009)

kimmy.j said:


> They suggested that I have him tested for Feline Leukemia, which I denied at the time.


Um . . . why?? The shelter should have had him tested for FeLV (leukemia) as well as FIV. If for some reason they did not, you do need to do it. Seriously. FIV cats can live long, happy lives, and although FeLV is a nastier thing, there ARE things you can do to keep an FeLV + cat healthy longer. But this is info you do need to have.


> He's 6 pounds, but the vet said he was a normal weight.


This is very small for an adult cat. I had a very tiny-boned female cat once who was good at 7 pounds. I very much doubt that 6 pounds is a good weight for an adult male cat. 


> I am a bit worried because he meows excessively (begs) whenever my husband or I go into the kitchen. I can't figure out what he wants.


What are you feeding him? Dry or canned? Brand? How often and how much? Being extremely hungry but not gaining weight can mean diabetes or hyperthyroidism. 


> PS- Another thing that should be noted is that on his first trip to the vet, they wouldn't vaccinate him because of his cold. I don't know if that's a good reason (I'm assuming it is), but I got the feeling from this vet that all they wanted was as much money as they could get out of me, and didn't care much about the well being of my kitty. I'm taking him somewhere else for his vaccinations.


No reputable vet will vaccinate a sick cat. This is partly b/c a cat w/ an already stressed immune system doesn't need more immune system stressors, and partly b/c if the cat has an elevated temp, that will negate the vaccine entirely (i.e., it won't work).

I do not vaccinate indoor cats due to the risks of vaccine-associated sarcoma and other vaccinosis issues. But if you choose to, you should ONLY vaccinate healthy cats. Your vet knew what he was talking about!


----------



## kimmy.j (Dec 28, 2009)

Thank you for your replies! 




hoofmaiden said:


> Um . . . why?? The shelter should have had him tested for FeLV (leukemia) as well as FIV. If for some reason they did not, you do need to do it. Seriously. FIV cats can live long, happy lives, and although FeLV is a nastier thing, there ARE things you can do to keep an FeLV + cat healthy longer. But this is info you do need to have.


I denied the testing for kitty diseases at the time because I was unsure if he had already been tested. I adopted him from the Humane Society and he came with paperwork that showed his vet visit and when he had been neutered, but didn't show anything else. I also did not trust the vet that I was at, and didn't want to give him any more money, because I wanted to do more research on my own. I was thinking the Humane Society may automatically test cats when they bring them in, just to see if they are adoptable...but I could be wrong.

As far as food, I feed him a dry Purina brand cat food, and fancy feast canned cat food. I wasn't aware there was any problem with feeding cats dry food, as I have a 15 year old male who only eats dry food, and Oliver lived to be 18 on only dry food. Since doing more research I learned that it's probably not the best thing for him and I am going to make smarter decisions for my boy in the future. I added water to his dry food to help with hydration. I change out the dry food twice a day (dump the bit that he hasn't eaten, wash his bowl and refill), and he gets 1/2 a can in the evening. Maybe I'm not feeding him enough? He always has dry food available if he wants it.



weebeasties said:


> What kind of medicine is Orbax - I'm guessing an antibiotic?


The Humane Society told me it was a very strong anti-biotic. The length of time it is taking him to recover is worrying me that it may be something more serious such as feline leukemia and feline HIV. I plan on having him tested when I get him his rabies vaccine. I honestly don't think that a week will hurt him...

After all, if the shelter hadn't have picked him up, he would still be a stray and it's only 15 degrees today.

As far as his weight: When I first got him home, I weighed him on my bathroom scale and he was only 5.7 pounds (of course, the scale probably isn't totally accurate). If that was the case though, he gained .3 pounds in just one day of being in our home! I will find out if he has gained any more weight when I have him back in the vet on Saturday and I hope he has gained a little weight. To me, 6 pounds seemed MIGHTY small for an adult male cat, as well, but it was reassuring when the vet told me he was perfectly normal.










Here's a picture of him the day he came home. His eyes look much better now! I think he could add a few ounces to his bones to make him a bit healthier.


----------



## hoofmaiden (Sep 28, 2009)

kimmy.j said:


> I denied the testing for kitty diseases at the time because I was unsure if he had already been tested. I adopted him from the Humane Society and he came with paperwork that showed his vet visit and when he had been neutered, but didn't show anything else. I also did not trust the vet that I was at, and didn't want to give him any more money, because I wanted to do more research on my own. I was thinking the Humane Society may automatically test cats when they bring them in, just to see if they are adoptable...but I could be wrong.


Well, it's unlikely they DID test him b/c if they had, they would have made that clear. But it's easily cleared up w/ a phone call.  Find out, and if they didn't do a SNAP combo test for FIV/FeLV, get it done. You will have one less thing to worry about if he's neg/neg.


> As far as food, I feed him a dry Purina brand cat food, and fancy feast canned cat food. I wasn't aware there was any problem with feeding cats dry food, as I have a 15 year old male who only eats dry food, and Oliver lived to be 18 on only dry food. Since doing more research I learned that it's probably not the best thing for him and I am going to make smarter decisions for my boy in the future. I added water to his dry food to help with hydration. I change out the dry food twice a day (dump the bit that he hasn't eaten, wash his bowl and refill), and he gets 1/2 a can in the evening. Maybe I'm not feeding him enough? He always has dry food available if he wants it.


The photo shows (IMO) a thin cat. He's jowly like a long-unneutered tom, but his body is thin. Again, ruling out FIV/FeLV will help you here, and I would get a complete blood panel done on him while they are pulling blood for the SNAP test. Get a CBC (complete blood count) and blood chemistry. If there is any underlying disease that needs treatment, you may be able to find it that way.

There are many problems with dry food (see sticky at top of this forum), and rehydrating it isn't the answer. IMO there are also many problems w/ free-feeding, chief among them that you really cannot be sure how much the kitty is eating. With meal feeding (2X a day), you know EXACTLY how much he is eating, and if he eats less suddenly, you are way ahead of the free-feeders in terms of getting him to the vet. 

I recommend that you toss the dry food and get a high-quality grain-free canned food, such as EVO 95% meat ( http://evopet.com/products/default.asp?id=1663 )or Wellness CORE ( http://www.wellnesspetfood.com/cat_well ... icken.html ). Feed him what he will eat in 15-20 minutes -- and I would start by feeding him 3X a day to get his weight up. He looks like he should be a 10# cat to me. 

Really, though, IMO he needs a blood workup first, b/c you need to be sure you're not dealing w/ an underlying disease as a reason for the respiratory problem and the weight loss.  


> I plan on having him tested when I get him his rabies vaccine. I honestly don't think that a week will hurt him...


Well, he can't be vaccinated until he's completely clear of the respiratory infection, and you are better off (if you really do wish to vaccinate him) waiting until he has also gained some weight. IMO you need to do the testing and the bloodwork now to make sure he has no underlying problem, and until you are sure of that, I would not do anything to further stress his immune system. Hope this helps!


----------



## wea (Dec 26, 2009)

I agree with what has been said above: get him tested and do not vaccinate him untill he is completely cured. vaccination asks a lot of an even healthy cat.

2 of my cats also came from the shelter with URI. But the stress with the move to a new home made that it only cured very slowly. Both of my cats needed 2 to 3 courses of different antibiotics and that still did not cure it completely. It's a virus and the AB just treats the secondary infections. Eventually it went away as they relaxed and adapted to the new home and also because they got good food and both of them gained weight again.


----------



## kimmy.j (Dec 28, 2009)

I really have to wait until my next paycheck until I can take him to the vet for all of those things. (This month is really hard on me because of all the holidays -- I don't get paid for holidays until I have been at my job for a year, so I'm losing out on A LOT of hours right now). How much should I expect to pay for the blood work? I'm really terrified of them finding something majorly wrong with my baby.

His last day of medicine was yesterday, so there was no pills for him this morning. I had vicks vaporizer in the humidifier last night, and he never woke me up with a sneeze. He's not completely cured, but he's still coughing a lot, so I think I better get him more antibiotics today.

Last night he peed again in the exact same place he had peed the first time (about 3 inches over). Both times he did it right in front of me. It's hard to tell if he has done it any other times though. I used a black light to find the spots where he had urinated, and cleaned them with Simple Solution. I woke up this morning to PEE IN THE LITTER BOX!! yay!

As far as the feeding goes, I do know how much he's eating. I don't have one of those feeding bowls that continues to feed into the bowl. I give him 1/2 cup of dry food at a time...one in the morning, 1/2 a can after work, and one cup dry before bed. Should I take away his food if he doesn't eat it after 20 minutes?

Perhaps you are right and he does have an eating disorder. I don't know how much a cat is supposed to eat. He only eats when me and my husband are in the room with him (his food/water dishes are in between the kitchen and the dining room). I give him his night time food while we are getting ready for bed. He only nibbles on it, and then comes to bed with us, and I always wake up to at least half of the food left in the bowl.

Although, I still think the vet would have mentioned that he were underweight if he thought it was a problem. My cat is very small, he has a tiny little head, and little bones. He's thin, but you can feel meat on his ribs and he doesn't have bones protruding. However, after I see our friends 12 year old female tabby cat who weighs at least 17 pounds and is very overweight....Jeeves seems very tiny. How do you find a good vet?? I don't want to spend a lot of money *trying* to find the right vet. I'm asking around on a forum for my city, so hopefully I can come up with something good. 

As far as vaccinations. I'm only getting him his rabies, because it is the law in the state that I live in (although I doubt anyone is going to come breaking down my door because my kitty isn't up to date on his rabies vaccine). He is an only indoor cat (in a 3rd story condo), so I don't think I have to worry about any other vaccinations. I really hope that whoever (if there was anyone) owned him before me, took good care to be sure he wouldn't catch anything fatal. 

This is all way more confusing than I ever expected it to be (I've had cats all my life and never spent time worrying about whether they had FeLV or FIV. My cats were always indoor/outdoor cats and coyotes were my biggest worry). I'm completely overwhelmed. Of course I want the best for my cat, but I also can't spend a ton of money. I can not throw away food that I bought for him, unless it is making him ill. 

Right now I'm waiting for a call back from where I adopted him to see if they know whether he is infected with FIV or FeLV. I will get him tested, but I can't afford it right now. I've already spent hundreds of dollars on him. Don't get me wrong, it's not that I'm not willing to spend the money. I just don't see this as an emergency.

By the way, I bathed Jeeves last night! I was told not to do it until at least 2 weeks after his neuter, and it had been two weeks. He was a stinky boy (he liked to lay in his litter box in the shelter), and he still smelled like urine. He looks and smells SO GOOD! I love my kitty!


----------



## hoofmaiden (Sep 28, 2009)

kimmy.j said:


> How much should I expect to pay for the blood work? I'm really terrified of them finding something majorly wrong with my baby.


This varies a great deal depending on location, etc. I pay $120 or so for a CBC/chemistry/urinalysis, and the SNAP test is $40 or so. If I were you, though, I would call the vet and find out precisely so you know ahead of time. 


> Last night he peed again in the exact same place he had peed the first time (about 3 inches over). Both times he did it right in front of me. It's hard to tell if he has done it any other times though. I used a black light to find the spots where he had urinated, and cleaned them with Simple Solution. I woke up this morning to PEE IN THE LITTER BOX!! yay!


OK -- I wasn't aware he was peeing outside the box. Did you mention this to the vet? Did the vet do a urinalysis when you were in? B/c this sounds like a UTI and that can be VERY dangerous and a fairly urgent situation. The abios you are giving for the URI may not be the best thing for a UTI so be sure to mention this to the vet. . .



> As far as the feeding goes, I do know how much he's eating. I don't have one of those feeding bowls that continues to feed into the bowl. I give him 1/2 cup of dry food at a time...one in the morning, 1/2 a can after work, and one cup dry before bed. Should I take away his food if he doesn't eat it after 20 minutes?


Again, I recommend that you feed him a high-quality grain-free food, and offer it 3X a day since he's sick and underweight. If he doesn't take to it right away mix it w/ some dry to get him to eat it (but don't leave it out).


> Perhaps you are right and he does have an eating disorder. I don't know how much a cat is supposed to eat. He only eats when me and my husband are in the room with him (his food/water dishes are in between the kitchen and the dining room). I give him his night time food while we are getting ready for bed. He only nibbles on it, and then comes to bed with us, and I always wake up to at least half of the food left in the bowl.


I didn't say he had an "eating disorder." Cats who are free-fed DO nibble b/c they aren't as hungry as they would be if meal-fed. You need to get calories into him and they should be USEFUL calories -- dry food is full of carbs, which cats cannot use and have no use for. Cats fed only dry food are also borderline dehydrated -- they are supposed to get their moisture from their food, not from drinking from bowls. Given that he's sick, he VERY much needs moisture, and I would even add a little extra warm water to his canned food to increase his intake.


> Although, I still think the vet would have mentioned that he were underweight if he thought it was a problem. My cat is very small, he has a tiny little head, and little bones. He's thin, but you can feel meat on his ribs and he doesn't have bones protruding. However, after I see our friends 12 year old female tabby cat who weighs at least 17 pounds and is very overweight....Jeeves seems very tiny.


I'm just telling you what I see. He looks thin to me and I can't say I've ever seen an adult male cat who was in good weight at 6#.


> How do you find a good vet?? I don't want to spend a lot of money *trying* to find the right vet. I'm asking around on a forum for my city, so hopefully I can come up with something good.


Well, your vet may be fine. The problem may be, actually, that your vet is in an area where people are often not willing to DO testing, etc. My former vet was, and it took me a few visits to drum it into her head that I was NOT LIKE THAT. If there is something that needs to be done, TELL ME about it and I'll decide. My current vet is in a higher-end area of town and automatically recommends bloodwork, etc. Vets in areas where people refuse recommended treatments often stop bothering. That vet may be less expensive overall, but then it's your job to educate yourself about what tests should be done or make it clear to the vet that you DO want to be told. 


> As far as vaccinations. I'm only getting him his rabies, because it is the law in the state that I live in (although I doubt anyone is going to come breaking down my door because my kitty isn't up to date on his rabies vaccine).


Well, first, no one would know. The law is in case your cat bites someone -- that's it. Second, it's probably a 3-year law in your state, regardless of what you've been told. 



> This is all way more confusing than I ever expected it to be (I've had cats all my life and never spent time worrying about whether they had FeLV or FIV.


Well, he was a stray. The shelter SHOULD NOT (IMHO) be adopting out untested cats. If they did NOT test him, I'd sure as heck tell them what I think of THAT. 



> I will get him tested, but I can't afford it right now. I've already spent hundreds of dollars on him. Don't get me wrong, it's not that I'm not willing to spend the money. I just don't see this as an emergency.


Perhaps not, but the UTI IS potentially an emergency.


----------



## kimmy.j (Dec 28, 2009)

Sounds good. I just got off the phone with the Humane Society. 

He has had no testing whatsoever.

He was neutered, and that's all.

I asked for more AB to keep his respiratory infection from getting worse, and I was told I needed to wait until the 2nd since the vet is out of town.

He had not peed outside the litter box at the time of our vet visit last week (we had only had him for 2 days at the time) and the peeing outside the litter box started only yesterday morning.

I'm trying to find a vet that can squeeze him in today because the more I'm learning, the more worried I am getting.

I don't know if this could have anything to do with it, but when I got him, he had two pieces of litter stuck to the neuter incision site. I was able to pull one of them off with tweezers without causing him too much pain, but the other one was STUCK! 

The next day was his vet visit, the vet also tried to get it off. He said that he got it all, but to me, it still looked like there was a piece of it still stuck to him. He told me to watch it close to be sure it doesn't get infected. When I got home from work yesterday, it was completely gone. The litter was stuck to him from the time we met him at the shelter the Saturday before last. So it was stuck for quite awhile. 

I just want to be sure I'm not leaving anything out.


----------



## hoofmaiden (Sep 28, 2009)

The main thing you can do right now is get moisture into him. Go get some grain-free canned food, add a little warm water, and get him eating that. UTIs occur mostly in dry food fed cats and if he actually has one now he really really really needs to be taking in water.


----------



## kimmy.j (Dec 28, 2009)

Thanks.

I bought him a kitty drinking fountain last night. He is drinking his still water from the bowl (but only one bowl full a day-- I don't know how much he needs to be drinking)...I just thought getting a fountain could promote more drinking (I have also been adding water to his food already)...

He hasn't touched the fountain. I think he's scared of it. When I put him near it he hides under a chair. It could also have to do with the fact that I gave him a bath and he wasn't so happy with me for it (for a minute, after I dried him off, he came and curled up in my lap).

Thank you again for all your advice. I can't thank you enough. I'm researching a better diet for Jeeves and hopefully my husband will approve. He's never been a fan of cats, never owned a cat, never wanted a cat...and still has the mentality that "a cat is just a cat...and if he was fine as a stray...he's much better off in our home".

I know he IS much better off in our home, but it doesn't mean we can neglect him and not get him the care he needs (if he does need it).


----------



## hoofmaiden (Sep 28, 2009)

OK. Well, honestly, you would be much better off giving him high-quality canned food than spending money on a fountain. He's a cat -- he does not have a high thirst drive. Trying to make a cat drink more is, IMO, counterproductive. Give them moisture as God intended -- in their food. So much simpler.


----------



## kimmy.j (Dec 28, 2009)

I am feeding him fancy feast gourmet.

I don't know how good it is. It comes in a plastic container (and not the metal ones that most canned food comes in)...I got it in a trial pack thing.

It looks like shredded meat when you open the pack, shredded meat with a little broth-like stuff. It almost looks like I could eat it.

I honestly didn't do much research when shopping for cat food, but I thought this stuff looked good. Next time I will pay more attention to quality.

I've been writing down cat food brands to look for so that when I go shopping next I can get him food that is more healthy. 

If my cat has a UTI, he definitely needs to see the vet today, right?


----------



## hoofmaiden (Sep 28, 2009)

kimmy.j said:


> I am feeding him fancy feast gourmet.
> 
> I don't know how good it is. It comes in a plastic container (and not the metal ones that most canned food comes in)...I got it in a trial pack thing.


Well, it's crap, but at least it's WET crap, LOL. To get better food you will need a good local speciality store, or order from petfooddirect.com. You cannot get anything I would recommend at the grocery store or, IMO at least, from PetSmart, etc. 


> If my cat has a UTI, he definitely needs to see the vet today, right?


Well, as soon as possible. If he blocks, that's a REAL emergency.


----------



## kimmy.j (Dec 28, 2009)

Thank you for the link. Oddly enough, what I'm feeding my cat was picture on the first page under canned cat food. 

I see the EVO catfood that was suggested on there.

How many ounces of food should I feed him at each feeding? Keep in mind, he's just a little guy, but I know everyone (including me) wants to see him gain a pound or two. One can in the morning and one can in the evening? Or split it up in halves. I know there are different sized cans, too. Do I just need to feed him and SEE how much he will eat? I might be missing something. I have no idea how much to feed my poor cat!

Right now I'm only feeding him 1/2 a can in the evening and relying on the dry food for the rest of his meals. I'll cut the dry food, especially if it helps him to not get sick. 

I researched vets around here, and was recommended the same vet by three different people. It's not the closest, but it's within a 15 minute drive. They are doing his visit for free because I adopted him from the Humane Society. So, back to the vet we go tomorrow after work!

I'm going to ask them for more antibiotics for his respiratory infection and I'm going to ask them if all the coughing that he's doing is normal for a cat getting over an URI. I'm definitely going to ask about him peeing outside the litter box and see if they suggest a Urinalysis. After some research/help from you guys, I'm thinking he probably does have a UTI. He hasn't peed in the litter box since Christmas at my mother-in-law's...however, he still poops in it. 

I'm also getting him tested for FIV/FeLV and I will get a complete blood test if they think there could be an underlying condition. I'm so nervous that something major is going to come up. Everyone at work is telling me if he has FeLV that I should take him back to where I got him and get a new cat (although, then I know the fate of my Jeeves and I can't deal with that). I think I can give him a good life if it comes to that, but I don't want to think about it now, although I understand that it could become a reality.

Anyway, wish me luck!


----------



## hoofmaiden (Sep 28, 2009)

kimmy.j said:


> How many ounces of food should I feed him at each feeding? Keep in mind, he's just a little guy, but I know everyone (including me) wants to see him gain a pound or two. One can in the morning and one can in the evening? Or split it up in halves. I know there are different sized cans, too. Do I just need to feed him and SEE how much he will eat? I might be missing something. I have no idea how much to feed my poor cat!


You can't go by "1 can" or "1/2 can" b/c cans come in different sizes. It is MUCH more expensive to feed the tiny cans. Get the largest possible can of Evo, divide into thirds (for now) and try 1/3 can at each meal. Weigh him often. 



> After some research/help from you guys, I'm thinking he probably does have a UTI. He hasn't peed in the litter box since Christmas at my mother-in-law's...however, he still poops in it.


 8O Yes, sounds like he DOES. Be sure to get a good enzymatic cleaner to clean all your rugs, etc. b/c otherwise the whole house will smell like a litterbox (to him at least). 

Best of luck! Keep us posted.


----------



## kimmy.j (Dec 28, 2009)

hoofmaiden said:


> Be sure to get a good enzymatic cleaner to clean all your rugs, etc. b/c otherwise the whole house will smell like a litterbox (to him at least).


I've already done that!! I'm hoping it helps him go back in the litter box (if it was just a behavioral thing, which I'm starting to rule out). We'll see, if he pees outside the box again, I guess I'll just clean again!

I hope he's okay between now and tomorrow. I read that I could feed him pure cranberry juice to help the UTI. Since I trust you, could I ask your opinion on that?


----------



## hoofmaiden (Sep 28, 2009)

The idea behind the cranberry juice is that it acidifies the urine and that makes the urinary tract a less comfy place for bacteria. But (1) cranberry juice is a highly non-species appropriate food for cats, (2) IMO it's probably too late for that, and (3) you'd have a hard time getting it into him.

Plan to have a urinalysis done at the vet's and then ask the vet for an antibiotic that will get BOTH the URI and the UTI. Probably the URI is really not bacterial anyway, but viral.


----------



## kimmy.j (Dec 28, 2009)

Oh, I hope they have medicine for both! I didn't even think of that! I know that his URI is most likely viral, but is it true that he could easily get pneumonia without the antibiotics?

The URI has gotten SO MUCH better from when we took him home last Sunday, but he still sneezes occasionally (usually on my couch or on my husband-he hates snot-and therefore has renamed our cat 'Snot'). He's coughing a lot though. He'll cough for 30-45 seconds at a time, and just cough and cough. Then you hear a little squirt of mucus or something and he swallows it back down. 

I hope this isn't pneumonia, I don't think it is, but again, I'm very naive when it comes to indoor cats.


----------



## hoofmaiden (Sep 28, 2009)

kimmy.j said:


> Oh, I hope they have medicine for both! I didn't even think of that! I know that his URI is most likely viral, but is it true that he could easily get pneumonia without the antibiotics?


Not easily, no. It's possible, esp. b/c he seems to be somewhat debilitated anyway. That's why I'm pushing the FIV/FeLV testing. Those cats have much less resilience. If he's neg/neg than he will probably deal w/ it and get over it w/ supportive care. The abios are mostly a "just in case" thing in cases like that.


> The URI has gotten SO MUCH better from when we took him home last Sunday, but he still sneezes occasionally (usually on my couch or on my husband-he hates snot-and therefore has renamed our cat 'Snot'). He's coughing a lot though. He'll cough for 30-45 seconds at a time, and just cough and cough. Then you hear a little squirt of mucus or something and he swallows it back down.


It's possible he has bordetella -- "kennel cough" in dogs -- which IS bacterial. You get a rough cough w/ that.


----------



## kimmy.j (Dec 28, 2009)

I'll have the vet check for that as well! I'm so excited to get my boy healthy! This morning he was clawing the rug/door mat, which he had never done before, and I got so happy! 

Since I got him he hasn't played AT ALL! He's very affectionate and loves to rub on us, and even jump in our laps while we're eating dinner (this is not allowed, so I hope he learns that soon)...but the only toy I had any success at all was a cat tennis ball...which he batted ONCE lightly with his paw, and now won't go near it.

I think when he is feeling better he'll act more like a regular cat. *sigh* I pray that he doesn't have FeLV though. I'm assuming he doesn't, but it still scares that crap out of me.


----------



## weebeasties (Jul 19, 2008)

Glad you could get an appointment with a vet recommended by people you trust - and the free "adoption" visit is an excellent bonus!  I hope the vet is able to give you good answers and good drugs (as needed).

For comparison's sake, our two beasties each get just shy of 1/4 cup of Wellness dry food at breakfast time, and 3 oz of canned food (brand varies) at suppertime. But that is a "maintenance" diet for them, since they're both at healthy weights now. If Jeeves needs to put on some weight, obviously you'd want to increase it a little.

When Jeeves is feeling better, if you haven't tried a toy called "Da Bird" yet, you might have good success with it. It's a wand toy with a pair of flight feathers on a swivel at the end of a string, and makes the most tantalizing fluttering sound as you move it through the air. Even Desdemona, my confirmed couch-kitty, will get airborne for this thing!


----------



## kimmy.j (Dec 28, 2009)

Great news everyone!!

After I cleaned the floor with the special odor eliminating stuff where Jeeves was peeing on the floor (right next to the box), he stopped peeing there!

He's peed in the box FOUR times since yesterday (and he's never had a problem pooping outside the box). I checked his pee for a light color blood. I didn't SEE anything, but it was hard to tell with the litter box.

I also weighed him yesterday on my home scale - (weighed myself, and then myself holding him, and took the difference). The very first time I weighed him at home (10 days ago), he was 5.7 pounds. Last night he was 6.2 pounds!! He's gained 1/2 a pound since I got him!

After his canned food last night, he was still begging for more food, so I gave him a little dry food. He ate it up!

He wouldn't let us sleep last night, and we ended up frustrated and locked him out of our room. I felt so bad doing it, but it gave us some peace and quiet and he didn't seem to mind too much. He was SO excited to come back in our room this morning though. He was cooing and he sounded like a little bird. So cute!

He caught him playing for the first time this morning, too! He was under my bed while I was getting ready for work, and he comes tearing after my feet! I moved the bed skirt a little and watched him play with it. I'm so excited that my pumpkin is feeling and doing so much better!


----------



## hoofmaiden (Sep 28, 2009)

That's great!! Don't get blase about the possible UTI -- he peed outside the box before for a reason. And you wouldn't see blood unless things were VERY bad. Keep us posted! GO JEEVES!!


----------



## kimmy.j (Dec 28, 2009)

Definitely not. He's got an appointment with a new vet this afternoon. I REALLY hope my husband can get off work early enough to come to the vet with us because the snow has made the roads SO BAD, and his truck has 4wd. 

I'm excited to get him back to the vet. Last time we were there, the vet filled out a little form...everything was normal - heart, temperature, weight...and about 6 other things they checked...

But for his "overall condition" he was marked "needs improvement" out instead of "good" or "excellent" (could have been cause he sneezed blood all over the vet so he held a grudge - jk)

I KNOW he will check out better this time! He's improved so much since we adopted him!


----------



## kimmy.j (Dec 28, 2009)

Jeeves got to visit the veterinarian yesterday!

He's neg/neg for FIV/FeLV!! Best news, ever! He also weighed in at 6.5 pounds (gained 1/2 pound in 9 days -- I'd say that's pretty good).

She said he was doing well enough to NOT need more antibiotics for his URI. I think he only sneezed about five times (around me) last night. It's a huge improvement!

She also said he could use a little more meat on his bones. At this rate, I think we'll be alright! Yesterday he started playing!! I mean actually REALLY REALLY PLAYING!! I'm so excited about this. He loves the tennis balls that I've been trying to get him to play with, too! LOVES IT!! He jumps up to get it and everything!

He's acting like a normal cat =)

For the second night in a row, though, we've had to make him sleep outside our room. He just wants to keep us up all night, and I've got a nasty cold (probably from lack of sleep). I wish he could sleep with us though. I miss him through the night!

The vet didn't seem so worried about him peeing outside the box. She said that a UTI is something we definitely should be keeping an eye on, but if he continues to pee in the box, like he has been, and doesn't show any more signs, that he is a healthy cat and he should be alright. Anything at all more and I'm taking him straight back to her!


----------



## hoofmaiden (Sep 28, 2009)

kimmy.j said:


> He's neg/neg for FIV/FeLV!! Best news, ever! He also weighed in at 6.5 pounds (gained 1/2 pound in 9 days -- I'd say that's pretty good).


YAY!!!!!!  I'm SOOOO happy to hear it. Whew!



> She also said he could use a little more meat on his bones. At this rate, I think we'll be alright! Yesterday he started playing!! I mean actually REALLY REALLY PLAYING!! I'm so excited about this. He loves the tennis balls that I've been trying to get him to play with, too! LOVES IT!! He jumps up to get it and everything!
> 
> He's acting like a normal cat =)


Super! 


> For the second night in a row, though, we've had to make him sleep outside our room. He just wants to keep us up all night, and I've got a nasty cold (probably from lack of sleep). I wish he could sleep with us though. I miss him through the night!


Well, try it again later. It really is important, IMHO, esp for a single cat. Assuming you guys work during the day, he's already lonely and then he's shut out at night, too. I understand needing sleep. Hopefully he'll get used to living with you, realize he's safe and doesn't have to worry, and if you play w/ him and give him a meal before bed, he'll be ready to rest. 


> The vet didn't seem so worried about him peeing outside the box. She said that a UTI is something we definitely should be keeping an eye on, but if he continues to pee in the box, like he has been, and doesn't show any more signs, that he is a healthy cat and he should be alright. Anything at all more and I'm taking him straight back to her!


Hopefully he just did that b/c he was feeling sick and stressed-out. But do keep an eye on him. Hopefully you are feeding him canned food only now? High-quality grain-free? That will certainly help prevent urinary tract issues going forward. 

I'm really glad to hear all this! I suspect he'll look great at 9.5-10 pounds, and on a good diet his coat will improve, too. CONGRATS to you both!


----------



## kimmy.j (Dec 28, 2009)

I'm still feeding him his fancy feast until it's gone. It's grain-free "no filler", but I don't know how high quality it is...it was expensive...so he needs to eat it. I only have a few cans left and then I'll go find the good stuff.

I really wish we didn't have to lock him out at night. We always let him come to bed with us, but the rule is - if he wakes us up more than 3 times in an hour, he goes out. We have an 'early' alarm clock that goes off about 1/2 hour before we actually need to get out of bed...so I let him back in our room then so he can snuggle....but last night he got kicked out before 1am -- so he had 6 hours of "sitting outside our bedroom door" time. Lucky Jeeves!

We do work all day (both of us work 8-5pm, but my husband comes home for an hour lunch to spend with him). I don't blame him for wanting to stay up with us all night -- I mean, we're pretty fun to hang out with 

Especially last night after the vet we had to go grocery shopping and then took down our Christmas Tree. We had a few glass bulbs break that we couldn't vacuum up right away so we had to lock him in the bedroom until they were cleaned up (which was only like 15 minutes) and he's TERRIFIED of the vacuum, so we put him in our room when we were running it as well.

The first time we ran the vacuum he hid under the couch (which is only about 4 inches high) and put his ears down, and his eyes were so big! I felt so bad.


----------



## hoofmaiden (Sep 28, 2009)

kimmy.j said:


> I'm still feeding him his fancy feast until it's gone. It's grain-free "no filler", but I don't know how high quality it is...it was expensive...so he needs to eat it. I only have a few cans left and then I'll go find the good stuff.


Well, it's crappy but at least it's canned!


----------



## wea (Dec 26, 2009)

Good to hear he's doing so well!!!


----------

