Purrs In Our Hearts - Cat Forum UK

Cat Health & Behaviour => Health & Behaviour General => Topic started by: lilja4ever on September 27, 2009, 18:28:02 PM

Title: Kitten not eating (and being sick)
Post by: lilja4ever on September 27, 2009, 18:28:02 PM
Hugo has hardly eaten anything since Friday night... He did eat some dry food and a bit of his wet food (which I keep replacing, changing the flavour in case he's just being picky) this afternoon, so we were relieved. But then he was sick 10 minutes ago! Only a little bit, and it was milky-coloured, which was weird.

Apart from that he is behaving normally - playing, purring, sleeping as normal.

So I'm wondering what to do... I wanted to call the out of hours vet but my boyfriend pointed out it might be a rash decision as he doesn't seem in any kind of pain and is acting normally. Obviously I will take him to the vet tomorrow, but is there anything I can do in the meantime? Should I ring the out of hours vet?
Title: Re: Kitten not eating (and being sick)
Post by: nutzy on September 27, 2009, 18:38:37 PM
Our kitten seems to go on a fast for one day a week, where he eats virtually nothing all day but I was also alarmed the other day when he puked on the carpet, but found that he had swallowed a feather from one of his toys which had caused him to bring it up.  I'd keep a watchful eye on him this evening, and if nothing untoward happens he should be ok, but if the vomiting persists and is regular, then I'd get him to the vet without delay. 
Title: Re: Kitten not eating (and being sick)
Post by: Gill (sneakiefeline) on September 27, 2009, 18:47:55 PM
Thats 2 days since he has eaten then, how old and if very young I think a chat to the vets maybe a good idea.

If they are very young they go downhill very quickly...are you feeding him what he had where he was living previously?
Title: Re: Kitten not eating (and being sick)
Post by: lilja4ever on September 27, 2009, 18:58:36 PM
He'll be 10 weeks tomorrow. I have been feeding him the same thing as he was used to before, and for a week (that's how long we've had him) he was fine.

I will keep an eye on him and call the vet tomorrow. Thanks for the answers.
Title: Re: Kitten not eating (and being sick)
Post by: Lottie (Team Svartalfheim's) on September 27, 2009, 19:25:14 PM
I'd be giving the on call vets a phone asap.

They might say not to worry and just go to your normal vet tomorow but equally they may say they want to see him. 2 days is a long time for any cat to go without eating let alone such a very young kitten. Cats can get nasty liver problems from not eating which you definately don't want to risk.
Title: Re: Kitten not eating (and being sick)
Post by: Philip on September 27, 2009, 19:43:25 PM
I agree.

Small kittens can deteriorate quickly due to dehydration.

At least a telephone call to the vets would be useful.

Title: Re: Kitten not eating (and being sick)
Post by: sheryl on September 27, 2009, 20:05:08 PM
Definately call the vets - a kitten that young can literally go downhill in a matter of hours
Title: Re: Kitten not eating (and being sick)
Post by: Janeyk on September 27, 2009, 21:20:08 PM
Yep, definitely call vets always best to be on safe side  :hug:
Title: Re: Kitten not eating (and being sick)
Post by: lilja4ever on September 27, 2009, 22:28:17 PM
Thank you all. I called the out of hours vet and he told me it didn't look like an emergency, that I should wait til morning. Hugo ate another few mouthfuls tonight, so it's looking better... I'll take him in tomorrow though.
Title: Re: Kitten not eating (and being sick)
Post by: Bazsmum on September 28, 2009, 04:50:11 AM
Id also mention to the vet that when he arrived he had fleas, so if he has'nt been wormed yet they could cause his sickness!  ;)

Best of luck at the vets!  :hug:
Title: Re: Kitten not eating (and being sick)
Post by: lilja4ever on September 28, 2009, 15:56:33 PM
Quick update:

I took Hugo to the vet's this afternoon, and she couldn't figure out what the problem was. He is "very bright" according to her words, but his weight (it was 1.3kg before, now he's down to below 1kg) worried her a bit. He had been wormed at 5 weeks so was due another worming. She gave him his first dose, I'll have to do it again tomorrow and the day after. She said that worms usually make cats hungrier, so that might not be the cause of his loss of appetite.

She added that that reactions to injections are quite rare, but it could be a reason.

She said his tummy felt a bit thick in some areas, so if he isn't better in 2 days we'll xray him.

She also gave him an injection of steroids...

Hopefully he'll start eating properly again soon!

(can I just add how typical it is, that I had to go to the vet's today, when his insurance only kicks in tomorrow?  :shify:)
Title: Re: Kitten not eating (and being sick)
Post by: Gill (sneakiefeline) on September 28, 2009, 15:59:36 PM
Oh noooooooooo, bloomin heck what bad timing.

Hope that Hugo improves and that loss of weight is hopefully because he has not been eating and if he will start quickly he will put it on in no time.

Sending lots of good wishes for Hugo  :hug: :hug:
Title: Re: Kitten not eating (and being sick)
Post by: Janeyk on September 28, 2009, 16:13:28 PM
Hope that the meds help your poor little one  :hug:
Title: Re: Kitten not eating (and being sick)
Post by: Bazsmum on September 28, 2009, 23:34:21 PM
Hope that the meds help your poor little one  :hug:

Me too!  :crossed:
Title: Re: Kitten not eating (and being sick)
Post by: lilja4ever on September 29, 2009, 09:01:56 AM
Thanks for the good wishes people!

Hugo is still acting normally, but his eating has only improved ever so slightly. I worry even more now that I've gone to the vet's... I worry about how skinny he is; you can feel his ribs and all his bones!  :'(

I'm at work today, it is the first time since I've had him that I'm away all day. I only have 40 minutes at lunch (and with teaching you can't drag your lunch hour!), but I'll try to go home to check on him.
Title: Re: Kitten not eating (and being sick)
Post by: Gill (sneakiefeline) on September 29, 2009, 11:29:53 AM
It takes far longer for them to put on weight than loose it and he has lost a lot of weight and if he is not eating properly and drinking to compensate back to vets tomorrow cos he will just waste away and do himself harm.

I would aslo ask the vet for a can of Hills AD which is highly concentrated food for cats recovering, most cats love it cos it smells and tastes good to them.

You need to get to the bottom of this very quickly now  :hug: :hug: