Even if you hate me....

[Patryn]

I'm not religious in the least, but nothing else seems to be working, and I'm literally in tears here. Here's what's going on....

Dec 5 I adopted a kitten from our local animal shelter. I couldn't pick him up when I wanted to because he was on medication for kennel cough. For those of you who don't know what it is, it's more often that dogs get it...maybe you saw it and don't know what it was. It more or less makes a dog, and in this case a cat, "cough" like they're trying to bring up a hairball. They get a stuffy, runny nose, too. In dogs it usually goes away on its own. It can be really bad in cats.

So anyway, I took the little guy to the vet the day I got him because they give you a free physical when you adopt a new pet. He still was sick, so they continued his medication. I decided to name the little guy Darwin, and he spent the rest of the night asleep in the chair next to me. He seemed worse about 4 days later, so I took him back. They switched him to a different antibiotic, and he seemed to be getting better until Friday. His nose nose, though still stuffy, has dried up, but he's coughing worse than he has been since I started him on the new medication.

I plan to take him back to the vet tomorrow and see what she has to say. When she last saw him, she gave him a 90% chance of survival, because he's otherwise healthy and acts like a normal kitten. Maybe it's just my pessimistic attitude, but I don't have a good feeling about it. With him getting worse and all....

My friends have told me that no matter what, love him until he can barely stand it, and if he gets better, he'll be my companion for the rest of his life, and if he doesn't, at least he'll pass away with someone loving him...but I can't even stand to think about that.

I just feel so terrible. I love him so damn much and I can't help him. I think losing him right now would kill me. Even if you hate me, please, can you pray for him? Whatever you think I've done, he hasn't done anything and deserves to have a long, healthy happy life, which I would gladly give him, but he's got to get well. I'd do anything right now to wake up tomorrow and find him better, literally almost anything....

 

[CreamyLady]

Tempt his appetite (if he's eating, he's not considering dying). Play with him -- nothing is more curious than a kitten and let him rip. Try a little catnip toy.

By all means take him back to the vet, and keep an eye on him, but remember that sometimes a good meal and sleep can do more than antibiotics. Make sure he has plenty of clean water. Cats are peculiar about that; I've put out the freshest, cleanest water and JP will still prefer the water from the bathtub tap. Go figure.

Love him and don't worry so much. Really . . . 90% is damn good odds, and sometimes things sound worse before they are better.

 

[Stormystarr]

I love kitties and hate to see them get sick. So you have my prayers patryn. I am sorry he's not well yet, and I hope he gets better soon.

 

[Passionnee]

I know how you feel. I got a cat too her name is Velocity she is still a baby (7 months) and when got her she had a eye infection, and I thought it was the end of the world. And you lil one seems more sick then mine.

Will say a prayer for Darwin.

I know this sounds corny, but think positive, will bring positive things.

Let us know what the vet says.

*hugs to you Patryn*

 

[Nobody Special]

It might be a Misdiagnoses... It might be pnemonia that the cat has... Check into a vet hospital... and make sure the Kitten eats and drinks regularly, it will help it out...

I hope it gets better but if you would like to talk some more feel free to Email me or the Wife... (The wife is very good with animals) Best Wishes and Best of Luck

E

 

[Patryn]

Thanks guys...I've been trying to think positive but it's not easy when he sounds so awful.

He's eating like a horse...he's gained almost 2 lbs since I got him. He loves to play with just about anything, a laser pointer, fake mouse, my feet....LOL and he's a 100% normal kitten except for his illness.

Even if it were pneumonia, the antibiotics he's been on should have prevented that when he first got sick, and what he's on now should certainly knock it out of him. The last time the vet listened to his lungs, she heard just a tiny bit of fluid, so I doubt it's that. My vet is actually a cat specialist, so I would assume she knows what she's talking about. Or at least I hope.

The thing that really sucks is that, like many pure white cats, he's deaf, so he can't even hear me tell him I love him more than just about anything in the world. I hope he knows, whether or not he gets better.

 

[Slut_boy]

Patryn, I love the title "even if you hate me....". I'll tell you who I did hate - it was your fucking alter ego 'Fake Name'. I haven't forgotten the shit that you gave me. Anyway back to the title of this thread.....

 

[Stormystarr]

Not to get off the subject here, but I once had an all white cat, he had long hair, and he to was deaf. He had the funniest meow, it sounded like he was in pain. And even after he passed away, he was old, I could still hear him meow late at night for about a year. He was more loving than any other cat I've ever had, he was always under my feet, and even used to come sit in the bathroom while I took a bath and meow at me. I miss him, his name was George.

 

[SeXy ReDHeD]

Oh Patryn!

I feel so bad for you, I know how you feel. I'd feel so awful if anything happened to your kitty.

I really don't know what to say to help him out, but I will certainly pray!

Good Luck... and let us know how everything goes!

 

[Juliangel]

Here is a pretty good site to look at if you think it might be something else. It is also just a very good site with a lot of information.

http://www.peteducation.com/cats/catdiseases.htm

 

[Slut_boy]

I can feel that its gonna happen soon - someone is about to shit on me and tell me that I wasn't being very constructive with that last comment. And that person would be right - sorry (it's just that I am struggling to hide my true feelings with euphasism).

 

[CreamyLady]

He'll know you love him, Patryn. Does he wash your face first thing in the morning? Does he come to you when he wants to snuggle? Is your lap his target at naptime?

He knows.

He will probably be fine. If he's eating and gaining weight, he may just outgrow what's wrong with him. They can certainly be pigs. JP can smell chicken from the end of the block, and races us home to make sure he gets his fair share (breast meat; not fond of the dark).

It's a lot like having a kid. You worry about everything, and one day realize the little terrorist is a healthy, happy being with a personality and attitude all his or her own. In the meantime, you've lost sleep, and weight, and hair from worry.

Kittens are tougher, though. Really.

 

[teresafannin]

Hi Patryn, I am sorry Darwin is sick. My cat is my baby now, so I can totally understand how worried you are. Even though he can't hear you, when you cuddle him & play with him, he knows he is loved. I hope he gets better, I am a wreck when my cat is sick. She is 14 years old, but for hte most part she is really healthy & at this moment is trying to sit on the keyboard. Take care of Darwin, I hope everything works out. Hugs to you & Darwin from Teresa & Secret

 

[Silverlily]

Every human and kitty at my house is pulling for Darwin. (It's been a rough week for kitties, I'm afraid.)

 

[Bigdog]

Hi Patryn, sorry to hear your new kitty isn't feeling well. I commend you for sticking with the adoption even though the kitten has health problems. My wife is a volunteer at the local SPCA and so many times has seen people bring animals back because they weren't "perfect."

It sounds to me like he is being treated for pneumonia, due to antibiotics being prescribed. Kennel cough is a canine-only disease caused by a virus, antibiotics are only used when it progresses to pneumonia.

Since you are seeing the vet tomorrow, ask if a humidifier would be helpful for soothing the cat's airways. Also, limit his exposure to irritants such as cigarette or fireplace smoke and household cleaners, especially those with ammonia. Finally, give him lots and lots of love.

Best wishes to the Cat, from the Bigdog.

 

[Sonora]

OH Patryn, I know how you're feeling. My kitty got sick three years ago. I didn't think that he would live thorugh Christmas. He just laid around and wouldn't eat. The vet had to stick a tube up his nose to get food in him. He lost a lot of weight. It took about 6 months of love and care before he started to get back to normal. Now he's gained as much wieght back as he will (he's still kind of thin in the muscle department-but I'll take it).

What I'm saying is that his continuing to eat is a good thing. And even though you think the kitty is not hearing you tell him that you love him, I'm sure he knows. He can probably feel the vibration of your voice. Kitties are pretty determined little creatures it seems. Keep loving him and playing with him. I find myself talking to mine a lot more than I did before and I think that it helped a lot.

Please keep us updated on the little guys progress. They are so much fun to have around.

 

[ShyGuy68]

Patryn

I really hope that your kitten will get better soon. I know how much a pet can mean to a person!

 

[Patryn]

Thank you all so much. Uh...Slut Boy, I'm not even 100% sure I was on the boards at the time. Anyway, e-mail would have been better, or saying nothing at all. That's all I'm going to say about that, this isn't really the thread for ripping into you, which isn't something I feel like doing anyway.

Nope, it's kennel cough, as far as I know. That's what the vet said, and I didn't know cats could get it until she told me. Here's an article I found, but I'll check out the peteducation.com one as well.

http://www.firerose.net/Info/Bordetella.html

I'm talking him back in tomorrow....I'll keep you all posted. Thanks again. I'm sure Darwin would thank you too, if he knew.

 

[Patryn]

Well, I ended up taking him to the vet today instead. They didn't have anything else open until Thursday, so it was today or nothing. Ended up late to work, oh well, for him I'll do it.

Here's what they're going to do...he's off all his medication as of this morning. Thursday I have to take him in in the morning and they're going to knock him out and do a nasal wash. They don't know what the heck he's got any more than I do, so hopefully they can culture it and figure out what's going to work against it.

His sinuses are stuffy as hell, but his lungs sounded mostly clear, so they don't think he's in any immediate danger. Keep your fingers crossed. I know I will be.

 

[Angelique]

You'll be in my thoughts...good luck hon!

 

[teresafannin]

Hi Patryn, I hope things go well with him. Secret is crossing her paws, she has been on my lap since I got home, so I am stuck to the computer desk. Good luck at the vet on Thursday.

 

[TonyG]

It might be a Misdiagnoses... It might be pnemonia that the cat has... Check into a vet hospital... and make sure the Kitten eats and drinks regularly, it will help it out...

You may want to consider a second opinion. Sometimes another doctor has had experience with a sickness unfamiliar to your doctor. Usually a vet hospital can take you pretty quickly especially if you state how concerned you are feeling.

I also have a cat and I wish everything good for Darwin.

 

[Passionnee]

How is Darwin doing? Are you still going to the vet tomorrow? Please keep us informed.

*hugs*

 

[Dixon Carter Lee]

Best wishes for the little thing.

 

[Earthmuffin]

Good Luck Patryn

The munchykins added Darwin to their nightly prayers.

I had a g/f once who adopted a runt and actually gave mouth to kitty resuscitation 3 times before he made it to the ripe old age of 1 year. Last I saw him he was the meanest baddest 17 1/2 pound Tom cat to walk the block.