On 24 Jan, 18:19, dragon wrote:
On Jan 24, 5:36 pm, "Buddy's Mom" wrote:



Please take your kitty to the vet today - a good one, not the one you
previously went to. Anytime there is blood, you should not question
going to the vet - go!!!
Sharon

On Jan 24, 10:07�am, dragon wrote:

On Jan 24, 2:35 pm, honeybunch wrote:

On Jan 24, 7:02 am, dragon wrote:

I havea 4 year old neutered female cat who is otherwise �healthy. �On
Sunday morning she was caught under my kitchen table starting to try
and eat a blackbird. � I removed the bird. �Later in the day �she
seemed a little lacklustre �and on Monday morning she did not go out
as she normally would when I open the door (both my cats go and patrol
the gardens �first thing) � �instead �she lay on the bed and I
returned and she stayed with me for a while. �Then she went to her
tray and seemed to produce some pretty soft and messy faeces. �She
seemed very lifeless �and it was very wet and messy around her anus.
I tried to wipe it with some kitchen towel but she was not
enthusiastic and would not let me. �She tried to clean herself up by
licking it �(yuk)
She spent the day lazing about and sleeping and ate almost nothing..
But in the evening she had made a small bit of progress. �On tuesday
morning she wentoutside for some time, ansd was brighter, and indeed
very keen to eat. � Although she was brighter she did not appear to be
much interested in grooming. �I decided to take her to a vet. �Near me
is a practice that is very basic and charges a small fee and have a
walk in hour �(no appointment needed) � �I �took her there and was
first in (thus avoiding a long wait with barking dog patients)

The vet examined and said he could find no abnormality �and he said he
would gu=ive her his pick me up. �I asked �what it wass and he said it
would be vitamins �and antibiotics. � I refused the antibiotics as on
a previous occasion �the intramuscular injection caused my other cat
not to be able to walk properly for over a day
and because it was far from clear after only a 24 hr or so illness
that infection was evident. � Nonetheless �the vitamin injection
seemed �also to be applied the painful intramuscular way �(large
needle �into front shoulder area. �) � �The �cat screamed, and �when I
got her home rapidly �developed �shaking and trembling and staggering
about �and clingy. �After half an hour she was more competant on her
feet and steadily ambled to the bedroom where �she jumpted onto the
bed and curled up for a sleep. �I decided after some frantic �phone
calls not to take her �back to the vet �(or �the other vets I use)
and instead let her rest �and closely observe her. �In the evening she
joined us in the living room and rested �quietly, then spent the night
on my bed with me, as usual.

I think that vet hates cats �and is disrespectful of dogs. �Other
people have told me that he has been brutal towards �clients
animals. �Thats another �story but I thought his injection came close
to killing my cat and its only �since that trauma �that the tiny red
blood �spots/mucus appeared in the litter tray

On Wednesday morning she was keen to go out and more normal, �ate
plenty etc. �But in the afternoon I noticed �that on the litter tray
surface was some muvus �and blood �(the very tiniest amount.
Probably not enough to paint a �fingernail. � And �about 3 �hours
later I observed her do it again �This time a little bit of faeces in
which was a tiny bit of blood and mucus.

Then at bedtime she left �the bed used �the litter tray and �this
morning I could another �small example. � So several hours seem to be
between attempts to defecate

This morning �(Thursday) � she has �gone out, �ate �etc �but I �think
she is lethargic �and quiet �(as �throughout most of the last days)
So it seemed to have started dramatically on Monday �and all her
elimination until wednesday 5pm seemed just softer than normal, �now
there are tiny bright red spots/flecks of blood

I observe also a tendency to strain a bit �at the litterbox � �She has
like a spasm does not cry out but it looks as though he colon thinks
there is something ti eliminate but there isnt.

So now �the dilemma. �A trip to the vets today ? � �A bright eyed
otherwise lacklustre creature �that is eating.drinking and spending
some time outside as well as not hiding away inside. �Should I rush to
a vet ? � � It will involve a �real struggle to get her into the
carrier � (can take 5 minutes �of fighting ) � �Or �shoukld I watch
and wait for another �24/48 hours.

She seemed keen for me to lie �down on the bed �and snuggle on my
chest. Last night for 2 hours in mid �evening. �I think that might be
that any soreness from colitus may be soothed by the warmth. �Like
putting a hot �water bottle on the tummy when poorly

Both my �cats are insured, and so cost is not an issue

My reading indicates �the greatest liklihood �is �colitis, unlikely to
be parasite related in the adult �cat. �More likely other causes./

I really wonder about that dead �bird.

Any advice would be appreciated

Its a bit odd that you have decided to take a sick cat to a vet who is
conviently near to your house but has a bad reputation and doesnt even
know how to properly dispense medications to animals. �Very odd
especially since money is no object. �You'd better take that cat the
best vet you can find. �We all know it is dangerous to allow our cats
to go outside at will where there are all kinds of dangers lurking:
virus, poison, larger carniverous animals, cruel people, fleas,
poison, etc. �My cat came in from the cold, so to speak. �He was a
stray and I dont have the heart to deny him his daily visits outside..
He insists on doing his business outside and rarely uses the litter
box. �If your cat is suddenly started to use the litter box, please
take the cat to a competent vet immediately. �You seem very fond of
her and will be very unhappy when she dies.

Thanks for the reply., � But I need to make some responses,

Initially I should point out that the cat uses the litterbox sometimes
anyway, and other times she goes �outside. � �I keep both my cats
inside from dusk onwards and so the litterbox is always available to
them.

1. �This cat was hardly "ill" �within the sense of needingto be taken
to a vet �at all. �She had about a 24hr �bout of being out of sorts
and with somewhat soft faeces./ �She had not been sick. � I was being
vigilant even though the cat was at the time 50 to 70 per cent better.

2. �I did not �suit corners in the sense you think. � The vet has an
asistant who almost always takes the cases. � That assistant �is
clearly �competent and compassionate � �It was unusual that the
principal �himself �saw my cat this time. � Additionally, that
practice is convenient in that it is possible to arrange ones visit so
that no other clients �are there �(with their barking dogs �etc)

3. � � My 2 �cats. �Both were rescued by me. �Neighbours �did not
want �them,. failed to care for them properly etc. � �Like you I
allow �them to maintain their outdoor lifestyle as the road here is
very quiet (on a housing �estate) �and the
gardens are very cat friendly. � �I agree �indoors only is the safest
and kindest one �from the viewpoint of preventing physical
suffering. � I think however that outdoor cats should continue to be
allowed that freedom except in such cases as where there is a
substantial risk of harm such as from a main road etc.

Thanks �for the reply- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Thank you for the reply. Today its a bit late to arrange it but on
the positive front. At the time of writing I can confirm the cat is
sleeping cozily on the settee, she has eaten, and spent 2 hours
outside. During the night (and since she has been inside today for 6
hours now) nothing has been defacated. Additionally, she lies
comfortably and does not hunch or flinch when handled. She looks
quite calm ar the moment, and I will not hesitate to act swiftly
should anything change this evening.

If you recall, my post described a very traumatic vets trip on
tuesday. Only since then was any blood noted and you might discover
when reading that stressful events can themselves cause such
disruption to the colon mucosa. In this case that mucosa was probably
already inflamed as the history suggests. Now, does anyone really
want me to whip my cat from the settee on the basis of a so far
entirely isolated and potentially explained spot (for thats what it
was) of blood. To fight to get into the carrier and then have it
waiting at a vets with lots of dogs barking for perhaps up to half
an hour ?

I think a isolated case of a few tiny specks of bright red blood
( less than 0.2 cm in diameter at most against the history of an
acute bowel upset are not so serious as obviously
...

read more »

Friday morning Now. After a nice quiet night with no visits to the
litter tray she woke up and joined me for a half hour snuggle,
then she stretched and went for some food and later water, then
seemed prepared to engage in a short but most vigorous play this
week, more like normal. Now she has gone outside with, I noticed,
more of a spring in her step.

So, whatever troubled her digestion has now not produced any "output"
for 22 hours (the time since she was last outside. Presumably,
thats progress as Mon Tu Weds it was 3 to 5 times per 24 hours.