Need some insight on kitty

[Littleum]

Normally I would not bother anyone with this, but I'm very concerned about Kitty and could use some insight from folks more experienced with kitty sickness. She's due to go back to the vet in a few hours and I'd like to go armed with "the right questions" Sorry if this is long, I want to give all the info the first time.

Kitty is 10 years old, 6lbs (very tiny), strictly indoors, very active and up to date on everything. This weekend she developed a somewhat weepy left eye. No puss, just weepy and squinty. A little sniffly but no hacking, wheezing or sneezing. She was totally normal other then that. When the eye didn't resolve I took her to the vet yesterday.

Vet said the eyelid/eye membrane was very inflamed but otherwise she looked fine. Best guess was a virus. Put her on a neomycin eyedrop and Clovomax oral suspension to control any potential secondary infection, considering her age.

Last night, about 3 hours after her first dose of the suspension she started vomitting and we kept that up all night (at least 3 times). This morning was (expectadly) peekid. I would feel the same way! Vet said not to give her the oral antibiotic and to restart on Saturday.

Kitty improved through the day and was pretty much her old self. Finally wanted to eat something. She did not eat more then a few bites (normal for her- she's very dainty, LOL!) and 15 minutes later promptly threw up. Vet's office agrees this is concerning and the antibiotic is probably not the culprit 18 hours later. Wants me to bring her back this evening if she still can't keep food down.

The eye, by the way, looks much improved.

Anyone have any insights? Anything I should look for or ask about?

 

[ChrystalPaths]

Have they drawn blood, xrayed her tummy and intestines and checked for FLV?

 

[tifflunn]

How is your kitty doing?

 

[RainSong]

Ugh... seems that I've got the worst luck with meeting cats with eye issues. One cat that is living with my mother (Whom we argue who's he is) was the only survivor of his litter. They all came down with something (heaven knows what), and I spent awhile forcing water into him, while my mother did Penicillian injections... eventually he got better, but did have to have the inner eyelid cut by a vet- he's not FELV+, and has been healthy ever since. I saw another kitten (outdoor type cat, partly feral) at a friend's farm a little over a year ago who had it worse- he was older than my mother's cat, though, which may be why he was able to survive with it. Anyways, most the cats had weepy eyes- sticky noses, etc- heaven only knows what it is (again), but this time... it caused this poor kitten's eyeball to pop out.

I was horrified. And sickened- I'd already told her what could be done to help, but...

It could easily have been an upper respiratory infection from what I gleaned from TV recently- in both cases. Apparently they can get some nasty buildup of fluids and junk that can cause all sorts of god awful stuff to happen.

I'm glad your kitty's eye is better- but HEAVENS, I hope she's off getting sick soon!!

Check your houseplants, too. My recently-given away (*Sob*) cat, Mathias, got sick fairly often while we had him at our old apartment. We tried different foods, hairball remedies, etc- the Vet said it was probably just hair issues, since he was a longhair. Well, we brought him with us for a week after we moved, even though we could have gotten in trouble. I left all the houseplants outside on the porch, and Mathias was strictly indoor... and he didn't get sick AT ALL while he was here. He also apparently tried to make a snack of his new caretaker's spider plant after she took him!! Seems he was snacking on my houseplants! Alot more then I realized, too- either that or one of them was very nasty. He did leave damaged leaves, but there wasn't enough damage for it to be clear how much he was possibly chomping on. There'd be a few shredded leaves but nothing worse.

 

[Littleum]

Kitty is much improved today- eating, drinking, running from room to room eyeballing the birds that roost on the ledge just above the windows, meowing for attention, trying to convince me she can't possibly eat cat food and must have more warmed boneless chicken breast instead. :lol:

Her eye responded to the drops very quickly and looks normal. Just as well- she's a holy terror to medicate! Two person job to hold down a 6lb cat.

:

We can only speculate she just didn't clear the Clovomax from her system as quickly as "normal".

Glad to know her vet deserves her high recommendations- have to say, she and the staff were very responsive and concerned about Tally. Good vets are hard to find!