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I found a cat in front of my doorstep 2 days ago, and since it’s Easter holidays where I’m from – there’s no open vet clinics in my region. I thought it’s poisoned, so I gave it active charcoal 4 times, 7mg for 7lb, in the span of 8 hours. Then I started feeding it with pectin, and it was looking a lot better. Now things have turned for the worse, it cannot move its feet at all. What can I do?
My ~1 year old cat is having two problems:
1. While we play, she is moving her head in a weird way when (I think) she needs to focus on the “prey” with her ears.
This can be seen below in this short clip:
https://youtu.be/69bADiXzqKU?t=9
2. She sometimes plainly shakes head, during play time or walking. This behavior is clearly seen on the clip below:
https://youtu.be/p3CKfJFZlV8?t=5
Does this look like an inner ear infection (since I can’t observe any ear mites/parasites/fleas on the outside of the ears)? Is it possible to treat at home or she needs to see a vet?
first: THANK YOU for linking to videos in your post. i really appreciate that, and it makes it a LOT easier to diagnose.
for 1 – i agree with you. i think she’s focusing on the “prey” with her odd head movement. i’ve seen this before in a healthy cat.
for 2 – maybe? i’d wait and see on it, honestly. if this is only during walks and play it may be behavior-related rather than health.
My 7 year old cat started breaking out with miliary dermatitis after we moved from Arizona to Maryland. We have been to the vet several times. Skin test revealed no ringworm and topical flea medication caused her to break out more in the area it was applied. Tests showed no ringworm. We opted for steroid treatment as allergy testing and treatment was too expensive for us. Her skin cleared up for about a month, but now it has broken out again and appears worse thanbefore. The areas most affected are forehead, ears, chin, along the spine, and the base of her tail. She is also on Royal Canin SO Urinary food. How can we help her without making numerous visits to the vet? We just cannot afford to keep bringing her.
First week he was all cream/off white colored with a pink nose and paw pads.. second week his nose and ears began to turn greyish (grey on bottom layers of fur but cream putter layers or tips) Today he is mainly cream/off white colored with a grey nose, grey ears with the cream tint, his paw pads are still pink but now with almost a purple accent, his little nut sack even now has a grey outline lol. His tail seems to be very furry and/or bushy, however it doesnt seem to be a certian color or outline. I think its kinda cream or off white with a orangish tint to it, as well as his back legs but im wondering if thats not “pee stained” bc he does have quite a bit of accidents the older he gets. (Idk if thats even possible, lol I just know the orangish tent seems super out of place with the grey and cream/gold/off white color. Also it appears as if he is going to be long haired.. at first I was just thinking all kittens are fluffy but no.. he has an afro, and when he’s full he looks like a fluffy balloon! His fur is also become quite silky.. almost like a greasy feel even when he’s fresh out of a bath and blow dried. But his tail is so fluffy it looks like a really long Christmas tree, bc for some reason all of his fur makes him look as if he just got his tounge out of a light socket lol. So anyone have any ideas or opinions of what he could be? I’ve been hearing the terms Long haired Siamese, Persian, Himalayan, Color point Long hair, Flame Point, ext. Or what age do you think ill have a decent idea of what he may look like lol.
maybe he has blue points? the photos are pretty grainy – hard to tell. but pointed cats USUALLY tend to be related to Siamese cats and their sub-breeds.
Oh yes I know my camera stinks! But yes his ears are like a greyish color (perhaps even a silverish blue) lol I know they are very close. But would a Siamese start out as blueish? Its his nose and his ears and small, random, very light patches on his face as you can kinda see on the big picture. And his paw pads are changing from just bright dark pink to a faded purple color (kinda like if I was to hold his paw and cut off the circulation) but yet his tail seems to have nothing? And other than the pads the paws don’t seem to have anything either, just his creamy color. Would Siamese start out that way? How long before he would have good visible colors? And is it possible to have a long haired Siamese or would it have to be a cross bread between something?
For the first week I thought he would just be a little white cat with pink tips lol.. and of course a little more hairy than normal.. but the over night his nose and ears started turning grey.. so now im just all confused. But I’d like to do some research on the breed like temperament, health, grooming, and overall personality but cant really do that without somewhat of an idea of where to start.. also! Hes not quite 3 weeks yet and his paws open to about the size of a quarter, covering the tip of my thumb with no problem.. that kinda seems like huge paws for such a tiny kitten, or is that pretty much normal? Im just thinking big paws means big cat, and he sure does have an appetite too! He can finish between 15-30ccs in a matter of mins, like 10 being the absolute tops! Then he’ll burp potty (sometimes play and cuddle) then straight back to bed lol
there are blue point Siamese out there. 🙂
http://www.nationalsiamese.com/colors.htm
i’d be willing to bet his colors will change more as he grows. try to work on focusing that camera. 😉 i want to see as many photos as you can pump out of this little mite!
btw, there’s no real breed called a long hair Siamese. there are Balinese cats, and they’re…noisy. demanding. affectionate if you build a relationship with them. for now, just keep that baby healthy…in a few more weeks we might be able to figure it out together. he doesn’t have the smushed face of a Himi, so if he truly is a longhair i’d consider him a Balinese mix or a Siamese mix until proven otherwise.
Can you send me an email or something so I can send you some pictures? Here’s my info 7622199076 you can text. Cherish.yuppa3@gmail.com or email! I’d love to use your expertise on my breed and sex!! Lol
i’m not so good at sexing cats…i’ve never owned a kitten! but if you post photos over on a website like Photobucket or Flickr, then post the link here, we can all enjoy photos of the nugget. 😀
Im a first time cat owner and definitely a first time “mommy” to anything other than my human children lol. So this is a whole new world to me. But im such an animal lover and I just couldn’t bare the thought of anything happening to this little baby. He has become my entire world lol. Hes just like my own now!
you seem to be doing great so far. 🙂 make sure he gets to the vet around 10 weeks of age for a checkup, shots, etc.
and if he IS a Siamese/Balinese/etc. kitten? expect to have a screamer on your hands. 😉 they’re NOISY. i brought home my Balinese from the shelter when i lived alone because i wanted someone to talk to. now, well… this is my life: https://youtu.be/ad42HbrGwWo
this is every day. if he’s awake, he’s yelling at me.
OMG well so far with the colors and markings he has right now and with looking at that site he looks like a lilac point! Bc his tail has an orangish tent to it and his ears and nose are a light color greyish. But again, thats today at a little under two weeks lol. But his fur is way thicker than those. So would that make him a cross breed between a lilac point Siamese and something else since he has long hair? Or is there other breeds out there that look like Siamese but aren’t Siamese with long thick fur??
like i said, Balinese cats. they look like fluffy Siamese. i’d call them a medium hair cat. they don’t get mats like Maine Coons, but i would still train this baby to accept brushing. i’d start him now with a toothbrush, so it’s VERY gentle on his skin.
Oh my goodness!! He actually talks back to you?! And this little baby has the same base color as yours!! The same fur thickness and bushy tail!!! What breed was yours again??
My baby kitty meow during our cuddle sessions, playtime, and anytime I put him in the floor or back in his carrier and he isn’t ready. I was so worried about it for a whole week but I was feeding him, helping him potty, burping, and making sure he was clean dry and warm so I knew he didn’t need anything.. I just assumed he didn’t wanna be alone lol. But if he’s one of those vocal breeds then I guess he’s just talking the best way he knows how lol
as i’ve been saying, Balinese. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balinese_cat
and yes, we talk. we carry on conversations. i got my boy from a shelter but a friend whose parents used to breed Balinese confirms he has all the breed traits.
they’re pretty healthy, from what i’ve found in research. some can be afflicted with urinary troubles just like Siamese, but i wouldn’t worry about that until he actually shows problems with inappropriate urination. when he’s old enough to start using the litterbox, make sure you have *two* boxes in your home, ideally one on each floor if you have different floors, or at least in different rooms if you do not. my boy is a social pooper – he PROUDLY tells me he’s going to poop, and yells at me as soon as he’s done. i’d also feed a high quality food that doesn’t have ANY corn in it – cats can’t digest corn and some research has shown it can contribute to feline obesity. we feed Wellness in my house…my boy has IBD and that’s the food that has worked best for us. hit the store, read labels. you want the first few ingredients to be actual meat sources. i’d avoid Blue Buffalo and Purina.
kittens meow anyway – they’re calling Momma. and no, they don’t want to be alone.
OMG!!!! They are beautiful! I was thinking he was gonna be just beyond goofy looking lol I guess thats what I get for judging before he’s done lol. But wow!! I took in a female calico that was living under my dumpster at my apartment complex a few months ago. The vet said she’s around a year old maybe a little bit younger, but she’s tall and lanky.. but she has 6 toes on each of her four paws, we names her Cali, so at around a year old she’s only around 8lbs, give or take a little. (She’s small!) Yours looks much bigger.. are they really large cats? Big paws?
Oh wow! The only time I even hear Cali is when she’s sliding across my hardwood at 3 am, or if I let her food or water bowl get completely empty, she could be stuffed full and still demand I fill it all the way back up for the next time she decides she’s hungry lol. So that may take some getting used to.. oh, and I’ve read several places that say I can try weaning and litter training at 3 weeks and others say 4.. what do you think?? Hes literally 2 days shy of 3 weeks and he’s downing 30+ccs 5 times a day if I let him and thats in generally 5 mins or less. I burp him and make him potty. But yet he’s also still have “accidents” at LEAST once a day where he’s pooping and peeing in his carrier ON HIS OWN. So im also changing blankets and stuffed animals and doing baths, towel and blow dries daily!
they’re large-framed but should be kept slim. my boy is around 8 pounds. he’s TALL and slim. 🙂 slim is always better for housecats – helps to keep them healthy.
calico with extra toes? you have a thumbkitty!! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polydactyl_cat i always wanted one but they never seemed to show up in rescue when i was looking.
and i didn’t realize you had another cat at home. that means you should have *three* litterboxes.
He is also starting the walk.. or wordless shall I say, quite well. I mean he does tumble over from time to time and he’s a little shaky but he can get around to be so tiny
regarding your weaning and litter training questions, i have no idea. i’ve only rescued adults – i never, ever want a kitten. they’re too crazy for me. i’d ask your vet those questions. 🙂
Yes! That is Cali!!! Lol im assuming that’s why someone dumped her bc they thought she was inbred or something :/ she’s quite intelligent tho! She can open cabinets, drawers, and doors! She loves to play with bottle tops, bc she can pick them up in her hands and wonder the house with them! Its actually quite crazy how those extra toes can allow her to do basically anything us humans can do!!! And yes, i do have her.. she just like him I was supposed to take in a nurse back to help and find forever homes for… BUT guess who fell in love :/ lol. Especially since my city passed a law now where its illegal to feed strays and you will be fined and taken to jail. Which is ridiculous so I feel so sorry for these poor animals!
yep, polydactyl cats seem particularly crafty with opening things. have a friend with one and she had to buy babyproofing supplies to stop her cat from getting into things!
i understand WHY your city passed that law – feral cat colonies can be a menace. but without them i’d be willing to bet your city’s rodent problem would be through the roof.
I may have to post on here… lol my local vet isn’t much help at all with baby kittens.. literally when I first took him in he was only hours old (still wet with his umbilical cord still attached) and over the last two weeks I’ve went to see him several times with questions, and I’ve found I got more help from the workers at petco, and petsense. Lol I’ve also called both emergency and regular vets offices in my area and many states away with all my questions and conserns lol. Then I found this! There’s just so many different opinions on how to do everything! 9 times out of 10 I try the first thing that I was told the most and if it doesnt work then try the other and back and forth until one finally works
OH AND IM ASSUMING I SHOULD PROBABLY STOP LEAVING FOOD OUT CONSTANTLY HUH?? LOL I didn’t even think about the amount of food im allowing them access to could determine whether my cats would be larger or not :/ oh and I understood the 2 litter boxes but why 3? I currently have Cali’s in our bedroom closet bc she can open the door and its private. Plus other than food and play time she stays in there. Planned to get the kitty a baking sheet or something similar to help him learn to use it.. im only in a one story 2 bedroom apartment.. so what’s with the extra litter box? I understood the one per cat, bc they may not want to share but now im lost? ?
Yes not to mention taking their food away isn’t going to make them disappear, just gonna make them more of a problem when they start acting like dogs and getting into garbage cans, under houses, and in open windows bc they are starving! They are just trying to survive too. It isn’t there fault people are too selfish and ignorant to realize a pet is forever, or at least their life span.. and with all these rescues there’s really no excuse not to get your cats fixed at the very least.
I never even thought of toddler proofing to keep her out!!! Thats perfect, bc I mean she can even open the toilet lol!
And since your an expert on bigger cats, maybe you can help me out with Cali! So when I first brought the newborn kitten in she was terrified of him. Like she would hiss, run away, and hide. Finally the last couple of days she will come up and smell him if he’s crying on the bed or floor, or while im feeding him.. but the second he walks to her she gets up and backs away, if he keeps following her she will leave the room. No more hissing and she is at least smelling him now. Do you think she is or will come around. Im scared to leave him out while she’s out :/ but I do realize he’s gonna need to get used to the house and being on his own and even being with her.. idk
maybe Dr. Magnifico can help you with your kitten questions, then.
i’d start meal training your older cat now, and keep a close eye on them both when he starts eating from a bowl. she may bully him out of the way to get his food.
the general rule for multi-cat households is one box per cat plus one. cats generally don’t enjoy sharing litterboxes, and having the right number of boxes from the start will help to ensure there’s no inappropriate toilet behavior later on. better to have that extra box in case the kitten decides he doesn’t want to share! here’s a little more about it: https://www.petfinder.com/cats/cat-behavior-and-training/litter-box-101-how-many-litter-boxes/ and http://www.petmd.com/cat/centers/litter/evr_why_multi_cat_households_need_multiple_litter_boxes
does your city have a trap and release program? how do they handle the feral colonies? 🙁
Okay, yeah ill definitely get in touch with him! And thank you! Ill read up on that article in just a few mins also! But im assuming they dont bc I live across from a park which is one of the top places in the area right now that they are having the biggest “stray” issue.. other than like Wal-Mart. Lol (hints mommy kitty just putting dropping her baby on my doorstep) but when I was searching for info at the local pet store the lady had told me that 3 of her “display” cats were strays they had trapped and turned in to them and apparently it has made quite a few people angry. But no one seems to care I guess :/
*her. Dr. M is a woman. 😉 she’s the person who owns Pawbly.
read both of them, they’re enlightening.
ah, annoying. : Baltimore has a wonderful stray trap and release program – they spay/neuter any ferals that come in, then put them back in the area where they were found. there will always be stray cats…they’re an incredibly invasive nonnative species.
Oops* lol im sorry… I really wish our area would try something like that! I understand some of these cats were dumped and would be better and safer in a shelter or pet store until finding them actual homes, but what about these other cats that have been out there on there own there whole lives, no trusting people, in fact being quite terrified of people.. and cats are territorial so what these people are going to take a lets say 3 year old cat with absolutely no human interaction and abduct him from his friends, family, home, and everything he’s ever known to what, attempt to force him to be a house cat and accept people?? And then when he doesnt, im assuming they just put him to sleep… smh. Pathetic, it really is.
My one year old female cat has been acting tired lately. She is eating an drinking and using her box like normal. She is sleeping alot. Im not sure if i should be worried or not
She is quidding when she eats (even mushy food) and even when she’s not eating, so looks like she has something wrong with her mouth. We thought it was un chewed food that made her sick, but even feeding other food like pate cat food that’s mush (similar to mince fish-no chunks) still makes her sick. she’s painfully thin and really not her self. its like she’s got a stomach problem and a mouth/teeth/throat problem.
I would definitely seek a second opinion or a veterinary internist.
Do you know if there is anything specific I shoukd ask them to do? blood work? X ray? urine test?
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I have a cat whos finish giving birth but when i saw her theres a sausage like sack hanging out in her vagina what should i do??
My cat was prescribed liquid clavamox antibiotics. What color is it usually? I left it out for one night is it still safe to use and will it still work? It is a cream color.
Was your cat diagnosed with atopic dermatitis?