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Liz | 5 years ago
4 Days Ago My Cat Began Acting Really Lethargic. She Has Been Sleeping All Day And Won…

4 days ago my cat began acting really lethargic. She has been sleeping all day and won’t move. I offered her canned food on day 2 and she scarfed it down as well and drank water. Over the last 48 house she has declined severely. She is eey weak and has lost and extreme amount if weight despite my efforts. I have been syringe feeding her, stimulating her, administered Pedialyte as well as tried to maintain her hydration. I began subcutaneous fluids yesterday and she is still of a deep decline. I’m afraid I will lose her. She was fine the day before this started. None of my other cats are sick not have any symptoms at alll. She is 6 months old. Her name is Honey.

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  1. Sarah

    Good morning. So sorry about your cat. Have you been in to see your vet?

  2. Laura

    What did your vet say when you took her in? You DID take her in the day this started, right? If not it’s beyond emergent now…

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Aimee | 5 years ago
We Brought A Re-homed Cat Home To Our House One Week Ago. She Is 4 Years Old, …

We brought a re-homed cat home to our house one week ago. She is 4 years old, spayed, up to date on shots and healthy. She came from a multi-cat and dog house to our single-dog house. Her previous owner says she had no problem standing up for herself against other cats and the dog (reports the other cats are much more willing to come out of hiding since she has been removed). We have noticed that she is shy and skittish, but eating and drinking. She spends most of her day hiding under a bed.

Unfortunately she refuses to use her litter box (so far preferring kids closets and under desks). We’ve taken a step back and confined her to a single room. She has a clean litter box. Food, toys and bed are at the opposite side of the room. We’ve also confined the dog to a separate part of the house

None of this is ideal. We have few doors, so keeping them apart also keeps the humans apart. I can put food or litter in another part of the house, but the cat is more likely to encounter the dog if I do that.

Thoughts?

1 Response

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    In general I take the ridiculously slow and gradual approach to new cats joining the family. I do the following. I place a big cage with a little box in it and place that in a room by itself. The new cat is kept there with a big blanket covering as much of the big cage as needed until everything is calm and happy. This means the new cat is coming to you and purring. Using the litter box and eating normally. It can take weeks. We let them get used to their own new place before expecting them to adapt to ours. After they are doing well we open rhe big cache and let them acclimate to their own room. Now they can sniff the other animals under the door until that is also calm and peaceful. No hissing at others under the door. If that goes well so short small supervised visits with others housemates. If any thing doesn’t go well go back to bases. Ideally the cage and box stay accessible until the new cat is using the community boxes. If all else fails go back to small and safe. Cats need time and patience and they don’t always adapt well. Also super important to talk to your vet and rule out any issues. Think about different litter and litter boxes. Let you cat decide which they like. Hope that this helps.

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Chrystal | 5 years ago
I Rescued A Kitten Several Weeks Ago. He Was Said To Be A Female And To …

I rescued a kitten several weeks ago. He was said to be a female and to be 4 /5 weeks old. Took him to vet next day and she turned out to be a boy around 3 weeks old. Was very sick and had fleas really bad. He is healthy now but very aggressive. I have an 8 year old cat who has never been with any other cats. The kitten attacks him to the point he cries and I can’t get him to stop attacking my adult cat. Please help

4 Responses

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  1. Sarah

    Good morning- keeping the kitten confined may help. I am confused as to how a kitten so small can have the ability to be attacking a full grown cat though. As far as introducing them, I would keep visits monitored , and go slowly.

    1. Chrystal Post author

      We are already past the introduction and at first they were fine and all was well. The healthier the kitten gets the more aggressive he gets. My adult cat will not return the aggression. I honestly don’t understand it either

  2. Krista Magnifico

    Hello!
    Here’s what has worked for me in the past. We set very strict schedules and regiments to help define acceptable behavior and safe times and zones. I think that the other very Important item to talk about is cats don’t think like us. They usually like and need the opposite of what we think they want. So. For cases like this we define individual and community zones. All cats get their own space where no one can bother or harass them. If needed cages are used. At the clinic with all of the cats coming and going we cage them at night and it reinforces a safe me only zone. It also reduces intercat aggression. Things like toys, Feliway and games help. Cats with too much energy are given toys to keep busy and burn off excess steam. Things like hunting for food (my way of scattering dry kibble instead of getting it given to you without working for it. I also use catnip, catnip toys, laser pointers and neutering ASAP. In some cases we have used harness training to let cats go outside on chaperoned walks.
    It’s important to say that you cannot reprimand a cat. They are not trainable like dogs. Reprimand will only cause fear and heighten aggression. If all else fails sometimes finding a kitten to play with your kitten helps. They can correct each other and exhaust each other. I hope this helps.

    1. Chrystal Post author

      Thank you for the advice. They did well last night and Koba, my adult cat actually layed with me for an hour like he did before Stinky Pete, the kitten came. The vet said he can’t be neutered until May so that will have to wait. I say a lot that I will send Stinky Pete packing but I honestly would never do that. He is with us til I pass and at that point one of my kids will take them then.

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zeta rose id | 5 years ago
Hi There, I’ve Been Feeding Some Stray Cats Near My Work Place And Recently I …

Hi there, I’ve been feeding some stray cats near my work place and recently I noticed one of the male cats has crusty lesions on several places of its body like on the nose, the cheeks, the balls. I googled some pics online and his condition seems to match feline herpes virus. I tried to trap him for a vet visit but he just won’t let me. I asked some vets in my area but they insist on me to bring in the cat. So I think that option is pretty much impossible. Is there any kind of human antibiotics or supplements I can give to the cat? Something I can sneak inside his food? Thank you!

1 Response

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    Have you reached out to any of the local rescues around you? There are really few medications that cats can get and fewer that are for humans. So it isn’t really safe to do that. Also I would think this cat will need more care like rabies vaccine? Spay/neuter. Etc. Also some dermatology conditions can be treated with a topical or injectable option which is far better and safer for these cats. Please call and ask for help. In our area there are multiple cat rescues who will help with trapping and caring for ferals. I hope there is someone near you.

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Kelly | 5 years ago
It Has Been About 3 Weeks Since My Stray Cat Snow Had Her Stomatitis Flare Up Again, …

It has been about 3 weeks since my stray cat Snow had her stomatitis flare up again, she will eat periodically if I cut up deli meat very small or mash Max cat venison canned food for her, the randomness of her eating isn’t likely enough to sustain her but as I mentioned before she won’t let me trap her for a vet visit. Is there something over the counter I can add to the food that I manage to get in her to reduce inflammation and is there a normal time frame that inflammation will subside on it’s own?

1 Response

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    I haven’t had much luck with anything long term over the counter. In most cases the only way to get long term relief is with a full mouth extraction of all of the teeth. This should be done by a veterinarian who is proficient and comfortable with this. And unfortunately that can be expensive. I have tried steroids, antibiotics, cold laser therapy and even 1-TDC (available on line). Please ask your vet if any of these might help. I wish you the best. This disease is such a terrible one.

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Christy | 5 years ago
I Have A Question Directly For Dr. Magnifico. I Reached Out Through Jarrettsville Vet, And They …

I have a question directly for Dr. Magnifico. I reached out through Jarrettsville Vet, and they directed me to Pawbly to reach Dr. Magnifico more directly:

I am reaching out after watching your YouTube videos on nasopharyngeal polyp removal. My cat Fitzgerald has all of the symptoms of this (and has for multiple years). A couple of years ago, he had a full-mouth tooth extraction due to stomatitis at University of Georgia. (I live in Atlanta.) They suspected his wheezing, occasional sneezing, snoring, and other symptoms could be due to a polyp, but, as a vet school, they refuse to check without putting him under and doing $3500 in scans. They would then have him come back in to be put under again, taken to the pet hospital, and then would extract the polyp as a costly surgery. They are not alone in the high costs of treatment in the Atlanta area.

I have seen your expertise and candidness regarding this simple diagnosis, actual procedure, and the lower cost and would like to bring my cat to your clinic. Fitzgerald has been on longer car rides in the past, so I’m sure it would be okay. I am a graduate student living on a small stipend in the city. $3500+ is not possible for me, which is why I am willing to drive 10 hours. It’s the only way I can afford to take care of Fitz’s polyp.

Please let me know how I may proceed with scheduling this. I am eager to do so as early as this month. I appreciate your time.

Best,
Christy Kinney
(and Fitzgerald)

1 Response

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    I think that in older cats an oronasal-pharyngeal polyp is less likely than in younger cats. I also think that it is hard for me to fathom why so many vets are afraid or reluctant to look for them. If you would like me to look we have to arrange the trip as you are so far away. This can be done by calling the clinic and asking for the office manager to arrange this.
    I always tell people to call every rescue and shelter around you and see if someone local has experience with this.
    In almost all cases of older cats with suspected polyps it has turned out to be a nasal cavity mass or chronic rhinitis. So I am worried you will make a long trip for an inconclusive exam. I hope this helps.

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Joanne Tweit | 5 years ago
7 MONTHS LATER MY CAT IS SLOWLY CHOKING TO DEATH ! I Posted This 7 Months Ago : My Rescue …

7 MONTHS LATER MY CAT IS SLOWLY CHOKING TO DEATH !
I posted this 7 months ago : My rescue cat of 5 years is showing all the symptoms of Nasopharyngeal Polyp. He is my everything!
OH please I am begging for help here ! I am disabled and he is the center of world . I am on the south west coast of Washington State, my rescue cat Kiki presents with all these symptoms ( I come from a family of RN and Bachelor in Nursing ) I have called vest around here and ALL of them say they do not do this surgery because they dont have the scope, or they will not even discuss possible price or treatment without me coming in and the vet seeing them. They say they will diagnose and refer me to a specialty clinic not far away . The specialty clinic gave me a quote of $3,500-$5,000 !! If this is even what is wrong with him . I am devastated that no one will even discuss this with me without paying for a vet visit. It looks like i could spend hundreds in visits before i can find someone who is even willing to think about this surgery without referral to the very expensive specialty place . PLEASE HELP I CANNOT AFFORD THAT MUCH !! Meanwhile my poor sweet Kiki is slowly getting worse. I dont know what to do anymore !!!!!!!!

UPDATE : PLEASE PLEASE I AM ONCE AGAIN BEGGING FOR HELP !! My cat displays all the symptoms of this I do not have a lot of money . i can come up with a few hundred dollars but no where does this surgery without a scope or it being a specialist . I keep being quoted THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS to have it removed ! I have called and called and called vets around here and either they dont know what I am talking about or they will only refer me to a very very expensive specialist ! I asked for help months ago and finally chatted with you and all you told me was keep calling vets in my area and asking . I have over and over , I am watching my cat slowly choke to death more and more each day ! this is a nightmare ! I dont have $3,500-$5,000 that they are telling me it will cost ! Why can you do this for so little and no one else can ? PLEASE I AM BEGGING YOU !!! ANYONE PLEASEEEEEEEEE HELP !!!!!! He is choking to death !

3 Responses

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  1. Sarah

    Hello- I am sorry that no one is willing it seems to even discuss this with you. I would call your local animal shelter to see if one of their vets might be able to help or even another local rescue that might be able to assist you. Social media may help you as well- if you post your situation and enough people see it, someone may step up. Other than that, I would fight with my vet. If you’ve been having this issue for this long and your vet isn’t apparently listening to you, I think a serious conversation with them is in order. Tell them, I have “x” dollars and euthanasia is not an option. Tell them again the symptoms and your suspicions. I’m sorry I cannot offer you any other help. Hopefully you will get somewhere with your vet….

    1. Joanne Tweit Post author

      thank you and yes i have been through all that . i keep getting apology after apology ” sorry thats all we can do ” ” I can refer you to a specialist “

  2. Bones

    I am so sorry to hear what your going through. I have been in the same situation with my Shar Peis.. I lost 2 so far with what they guessed was throat and lung cancer.. it was very expensive, and there was no guarantee that it would save them also, But I couldn’t afford it ether.. you got to be rich to save your animals.. Vets are as bad as doctor’s now days, They think its a privilege to get medical care for your animals.

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Kelly | 5 years ago
I Seen The You Tube Video On A Stray Cat With Stomatitis And How The Care …

I seen the you tube video on a stray cat with stomatitis and how the care giver was taking her into his home to care for her. I have a cat that had been diagnosed with stomatitis in Sept 2019. I managed to trap her while she was in one of the outdoor shelters and took her to a vet after she stopped eating and acted like she was afraid of her food. Up until about 4 days I have helped her manage the issue by getting her to eat pate foods that I add some water to and make more like a soup or lickable treat. Now she won’t eat that, and she won’t even come near me. If I go out to visit her she runs like she is afraid of me even though she typically allows me to pet her. The next problem is she isn’t using any of the shelters so I have no way to tra her. I know she won’t go into a trp on her own and I can’t lure her with food. So my question is will this subside over a period of days so she can eat again or will she just starve to death and not allow me to help her?

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    if she is not eating because her mouth is too painful to prehend and swallow food then I am very afraid that she will not be able to eat. I dont know how to offer advice for treating her without having her examined and her condition(s) understood so that she can be helped. Thank you for caring about her. This is such a terrible disease and so painful for these cats.

    1. Kelly Post author

      Does the swelling and pain subside on it’s own over time if it isn’t treated?
      It’s so sad because she won’t let me help her, but I think she really wants to. ????
      When I helped her the first time she was so grateful I think she new I saved her. When she got back home she mauled me for attention even slept on my bed which she has never done, she normally would come in house for a little while to get a nice nap in a cat bed near door and then cry to go out.

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Aisha | 5 years ago
My 4 1/2-year-old Cat Minnie All Of A Sudden Last Saturday Was Lethargic To The Point She …

My 4 1/2-year-old cat Minnie all of a sudden last Saturday was lethargic to the point she slept the entire day, then Sunday a lot of the same where she not interacting, not her normal playful, loving self. It started to look like her eyes where crossed, and she would curl up in a ball. I took her to the vet last Monday – she was there all day and they suspect head cavity polyps, meningitis, or CNS however when the Dr. put her under, she was not able to find anything. Not sure if she checked behind the soft pallet, but will ask in the am. I was referred to a neurologist at that time; they have her a 14 day antibiotic and a steroid injection. She seemed to be doing good, and somewhat back to herself, so I canceled the request for an appt as they did not even have any openings, but the next day Tuesday she was feeling horrible again, sneezing, head tilting, off-balance walk, walking in a circle favoring her left side. Her eyes are watery and run almost like she is crying, and she has this reverse snort/cough. She does still have a good appetite, is eating, peeing and pooping, but is extremely lethargic and I can tell she is still miserable and at time seems like she will not make it. Took her back on Friday, did another exam and they say she still needs some type of imaging to see what is wrong. I am thinking can’t they look to see if there are polyps endoscopically and then just remove them at the same time? Or does she have to go through a complete neurological exam although it may not be necessary? I can’t afford 2-3 k for all the diagnostics then surgery but will do my best to pay if it is necessary. I am terribly worried for her as she is just doing horrible and I hate to see her in so much pain and want to get this resolved for her as quickly as possible.

4 Responses

Comments

  1. Sarah

    Good morning-
    I would write everything down… symptoms, changes in them, appetite, sleep patterns, change in behavior, even things that you’ve previously discussed with the vet…. I would also be upfront and ask exactly what you’ve asked here. Be honest about your budget and your concerns. Ask about all of your suspicions. Hope things work out for you both????????

  2. Krista Magnifico

    Hello,
    this sounds like more of a brain/CNS problem than a polyp. I would make sure that a full blood work panel is done, a fecal, and urine too. I would also inquire about FeLV/FIV status. If you cannot afford the specialists I would ask about which medical therapies might help.. In the symptoms you describe I would make sure this isn’t an ear issue and start looking for possible causes to the clinical signs she is showing. I would also seek the opinion of a feline only specialist. In my practice I have fund them to be as good, or even better than the boarded internal medicine and neurology specialists. I hope this helps, keep us posted. And good luck!

    1. Aisha Post author

      Thanks, Dr. Magnifico…..I had to rush her to the ER due to labored breathing and unresponsiveness and they too were not sure and were really all over the place, but thanks to your video on how to keep pet care affordable, I was able to leave there paying 241.88 instead of 4500 – 5000 to start. I am trying to spend what I have like you said more on the treatment if it comes to that. I was able to get another local vet to at least do some X-rays and go in endoscopically for a start for which my vet would not do. At least from there, I can hopefully get more information on which direction to go. They did give her additional Antibiotics and more meds for the symptoms and she has been better all day. Thank you, Dr. Magnifico, for the advice……and that you are. May God Bless you!

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Mike | 5 years ago
My Son’s Cat Tom, Is A Rescue We Have Had Approximately 12 Years, Putting His Age …

My Son’s cat Tom, is a rescue we have had approximately 12 years, putting his age about 13 to 13 1/2. Best cat I have ever had in my house! He thinks he is a member of the pack of 3 Jack Russells that run around here, and will not hesitate to stop one in it’s tracks to bathe them! For approximately the last 6 months he has developed a snoring noise, even when he is wide awake, and his local Vet says he has naso-pharyngeal polyps. Over the last month or so, he has had increasing difficulty swallowing his food. He has been on an Iams dry food for years and never had issues until no. We have switched to pulverizing the dry in a food processor and mixing it into some can foods he likes but he still eats very little at a time and always acts like he is starving. Having seen your videos of removing polyps from a cats throat area has led me to reaching out to you for help/advice. I certainly don’t want this cat to starve to death, and his discomfort is clear. Every local Vet I have contacted here in the Norfolk,Va. area has come back with estimates over $2000.00!!! I love this cat, but at 13 years old, I can’t do that and send my son to is first year of college. I am completely open to suggestions, and if need be, open to a 5 hour ride to see you.

2 Responses

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  1. Krista Magnifico

    hello,
    I have to say that polyps (in my opinion) are less likely as cats age.
    Next, I do believe there are still vets out there willing and able to sedate/anesthetize a cat and look for a polyp. Please call all the vets you can and reach out to every shelter and rescue for advice on who they use. If, and when you find someone please (please!!!) add their names via the storylines section above so it can help someone down the road. If we dont start sharing info we will continue to lose options and affordable care.
    If all else fails I am happy to see your cat. call the clinic at 410-692-6171 and ask the receptionists to take your name and number. I cannot give advice over the phone, but I can arrange an appointment time for your cat to be seen so we can look for a polyp.
    There is someone closer to you, I am sure, its just finding them. I am appalled at how ridiculous vet med has become. No one will even look for these anymore? Why? Honestly I dont know?
    Please keep me posted and best of luck.
    krista

    1. Mike Post author

      After literally contacting over 40 Veterinary hospitals in our area, and in Northeast North Carolina and into central Virginia, still the lowest estimate is $2110.00 I have gone so far as contacting Virginia Tech School of Veterinary Medicine and N.C. State, and both require us to live within 35 miles of the school. I guess they are overwhelmed with people seeking help.

      His snorting, snoring, sounds are so bad he has cut back eating to maybe a bite or so per day. If I can make an appointment at your clinic, what type of bloodwork tests would I ask my local veterinarian to do and send the results to you ahead of time?

      He is a wonderful cat with a great personality and sadly to treat him here will end up being a death sentence, which is clearly not a treatment.