Update: Rest in peace sweet Leonard. Vets or anyone : fever/anorexia in 5 month old kitten

[CindyCRNA]

Hi All. My thread about Leonard being a picky cat has turned more dire. I took him to the vet yesterday because he has been barely picking at food. He has a temp pf 103.5. We ran a CBC (normal) lytes (normal) globbulin level (thank God, normal). I thought he was cold as he was always shivering if he wasn’t on his heating pad.

Background/symptoms:

Shelter kitty from high end shelter. We have had him one month.
Was eating science diet but I changed him to high end canned for 2 weeks then Stella and Chewys dehydrated raw (each batch is tested and this is touted as safe raw)

Started eating less and less maybe 2-3 weeks ago. I thought he was picky. Then his coat stated looking poor so we went to the vet yesterday. Labs drawn for viral stuff. Given Covenia (long acting antibiotic) and Onsior (NSAID which helped the most, staying on over the weekend)

He has not gained 1 oz since we got him. Lives with a 13 week old who is thriving and well.

Have tried feeding him by himself. Still only takes a few bites then walks away or doesn’t eat at all. Wants to eat as he goes into the back room and acts like he wants to eat.

No diarrhea, drinking well but not excessive.

Won’t drink KMR, won’t eat anything canned really, WON’T EAT MEOW MIX! What cat won’t eat meow mix! I have purchased 12 different foods and he is nibbling on Blue Wilderness dry.

He doesn’t play with his brother. He basically lays there. Hoping for results from the viral study but will take him to the big emergency clinic if needed this weekend.

I cannot have a medically uncomplicated pet!

[Louise]

I’m glad your vet is going to keep an eye on him over the weekend. I will keep my fingers crossed that they find a cause, and that he recovers uneventfully.

[horsenut_8700]

Has he been FELV/FIV tested? What about FIP?

From the Cornell website:
n cats that develop FIP, the symptoms can appear to be sudden since cats have an amazing ability to mask disease until they are in a crisis state. Once symptoms develop, often there is increasing severity over the course of several weeks, ending in death. Generally, these cats first develop nonspecific symptoms such as loss of appetite, weight loss, depression, rough hair coat, and fever.

[CindyCRNA]

Waiting for coronovirus to come back but most cats are positive . His globbulin levels are normal so not FIP. FIV/FLV negative.

[horsenut_8700]

Hmmm…I’m out of ideas then. I hope you can figure it out!

[Callista17]

Hmm. Strange. Does he pee? I mean, maybe something there getting stuck/inflamed something?

Wonder if hes nauseous?..

[Simkie]

I’d still try pepcid and perhaps cerenia to rule out ulcers/nausea. He’s been through a lot…

[CindyCRNA]

[QUOTE=Simkie;8999600]
I’d still try pepcid and perhaps cerenia to rule out ulcers/nausea. He’s been through a lot…[/QUOTE]

Vet sent me home with some. 1/4 tab every 24 hours. I crushed it and put in a syringe in his mouth. It must be very bitter as he drooled them promptly threw it up. Then he hated me. He acts like he wants to eat then smells it and walks off no matter what it is. Salmon juice, baby food, meow mix (kitty crack). He is eating a few bites here and there.

[CindyCRNA]

[QUOTE=Callista17;8999592]
Hmm. Strange. Does he pee? I mean, maybe something there getting stuck/inflamed something?

Wonder if hes nauseous?..[/QUOTE]

He does. I’ve seen him pee. It looks normal.

[JBD]

Poor baby kitty. His symptoms sound a lot like my dog that was in kidney failure. Wanting to eat but turning away and throwing up everything. But if his bloodwork is normal, I guess that is ruled out.
I hope he takes a turn for the better soon.

[shea_smom]

Jingles. I rescue cats and kittens from the shelter. Some just don’t thrive. I hope he turns around.

[Zu_Zu]

I still say subq fluid -

Jingles & AO full force !

Come on Leonard !!!

[Horsegal984]

Normal globulins doesn’t rule out FIP. There are some cats who have died from FIP with negative Corona titles.

[Zu_Zu]

*this must be done carefully ~ tiny bit at a time

make a soupy mixture - teaspoon (of his favorite or the last kind he ate) wet food
syringe into his mouth - use warm water to make the gruel

the idea to get a bit down him to settle his stomach

Jingles & AO for dear Leonard ~ ((hugs)) for his mom ~

[RedMare01]

Have you cleaned your carpet recently? A long time ago, I had a cat stop eating for basically two months after walking on just-cleaned carpet. His bloodwork was fine. The other two cats were fine. He would eat bites of wet food and we syringed water into him. He eventually came around and is a healthy old kitty now.

[Zu_Zu]

no new house plants … correct ?

what’s his temp today ?

your good notes are - he’s eating a bit - wants to eat - walking around - drinking and peeing and no diarrhea …

chin up - keep pushing on

• I’d not hesitate tomorrow to have him seen again by vet or E clinic - maybe a different set of eyes = different ideas

You should have a copy of all dates of shots - meds - blood work hard copy to take along if you decide to visit a different vet or E clinic .

Stanley Vet - has a wonderful vet in Dr. Kathleen Claussen.

COME ON LEONARD !!!

FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT !!!

JINGLE JINGLE. JINGLE !!!

AO ~ AO ~ AO

Always Optimistic !

’

[TC3200]

Jingles for Leonard! Poor baby. I hope the vets can find a way to help him.

[Altermyne]

I’d ask for an injection of Cerenia. When my boy dog had garbage gut, he quit eating, then quit drinking and had diarrhea. He couldn’t keep anything down, so I asked for the injection and that turned him around in about 12 hours. Once that injection wore off he didn’t want to eat again, so he got very small amounts of real food (meat) or canned food by the spoonful. Once he had some food for 36ish hours, he did better. It was almost like his gut bacteria was so out of wack, he was nauseous if he ate.

[DrBeckett]

We see a ton of cats/kittens with FUO - fever of unknown origin. It ends up being unknown because most people don’t want to spend a ton of money trying to figure it out. Sometimes it’s Babesia, other blood-borne pathogens. Sometimes we just don’t know. I’ve treated many symptomatically by admitting to hospital for IV fluids, anti-pyretics, antibiotics, and they do well.

[Simkie]

Regarding dosing Cerenia: wrap the quarter in a small piece of pill pocket and pill him.

Showing interest in food and walking away is classic nausea behavior.

Zofran can also be useful. Dose like cerenia above, though. Also very bitter, even if compounded into a flavored liquid.