Cat was gone for three days; Sadly, didn't survive

[Duck Keeper]

She's very lethargic and I'm assuming hungry and dehydrated. We'll probably end up taking her to the vet tonight, because she is breathing through her mouth and yowling if we hold her or she moves. I can't believe she's back though! We once had a cat stuck in a garage for about 5 days, and he was okay (hungry & thirsty though), but I'm worried Missie may have gotten in a fight because there's a stray cat wayyyy out back in the tall grass by a hill. She's gotten in a fight before and had a claw stuck on her 'arm' hair. We brought her to the vet for that too because it had started to get inflamed.

Don't worry about ME wanting to take her to the vet, I'm the one that suggested we take her. I feel bad for her having been missing for three days and want to give her subcutaneous fluids, but I don't have a way to go get any supplies, and we don't generally have needles laying around. Ever.

So she's resting on the bed, breathing through her mouth, sore... This is the cat that only drinks if the water is running in the tub/sink or in a puddle or the duck pool outside. I swear, we need to get a fountain for her.

I've tried checking her over but she didn't exactly let me inspect her. Checked her mouth, doesn't seem to have any chemical burns or missing teeth, checked her eyes, ears, nose, body, all fine. The legs are all okay, but again, I'm worried she MAY have something stuck on her 'arm.' She won't let me look at it though. She has a slight difference in her walking, but not like she would be if she had licked up some antifreeze I don't think. Her back legs waddle the slightest bit compared to pre-vanishing, but she doesn't look like a drunk.

Tried offering beef jerky to her since she LOVES the stuff, and will eat it until she hits your fingers, but she refused it. I don't know if she even sniffed it.



Sorry for such a looooong post, but I just need to rant about cats in general.

I'm thinking she probably got stuck in someone's garage over the weekend, but if they had been home they WOULD have heard her; she could wake the dead with her MEOW!!!ing.

Maybe she got kicked or something?
Too many problems with cats lately in my family...
-sigh-

 

[Duck Keeper]

Blech! Ew her breath is bad too. It normally isn't stinky or anything, it would maybe smell like cat food because she doesn't have bad teeth.

Pretty good for an eight or so year old cat!


But now it kind of smells like urine/really strong.

She's probably REALLY dehydrated, like I had thought.

If anything, I'm going to bring her to the vet just to get fluids.

 

[ksalvagno]

I hope your cat does ok. I'm sure once you get her to the vet everything will work out.

 

[Duck Keeper]

I hope so!

She's really tired, and she's meowing for no reason as she's resting, so I'm beginning to think the worst...

 

[Whirlwind]

Glad she made it home. Hope she is ok.

 

[Duck Keeper]

Thanks guys.

I might be working myself up, but I think she may have internal something or other.



Here's hoping she's okay!

 

[Whirlwind]

I have cats too and it is hard to tell sometimes. They are not the most cooperative patients. Had times I just new one of mine was gonna die. She ate butterflies. I know some are so poisonous. She laid around for days not eating or drinking more than a teaspoon every few hours. I tried everything to get her to eat or drink. Baby food, we used that at the vet where I used to work. Don't know what else you could do. If you do go to the vet they will be able to help I hope.

The worst thing is when they never come back. Then it is always the wondering what happened.

If she is walking funny or has a hurt leg maybe an absess??? That can make them really sick. don't know what the bad breath means???

 

[Duck Keeper]

I think the bad breath is from being without water for so long...

Her back legs just seem... Weak. Like she's lost a lot of muscle mass it seems.
She usually fattens up for winter, but this year she got fat for summer and skinny for fall. Dorky cat.

I place her in the bathtub every couple of minutes, and she drinks, but it seems like it's not going down the right tube so to speak. She coughs/sneezes as she swallows and she's not interested in food.

I don't know if she'll make the night, but at least I'm trying.

Poor stupid cat. I think she's been going under someone's house or something because when she would come back (before disappearance) she would smell like a basement.

 

[Whirlwind]

Well at least she is trying to drink. I think that is a good sign. I would not worry about the not eating so much as the drinking. Hope she didn't get into any rat poison under someones house.

Sending kitty good thoughts.

 

[Duck Keeper]

I think it's her rear left leg! Any time she tries to take a step she yowls.

I have her on a heating pad (moist heat; turns off in about two hours) on the couch. I've been spoon feeding her water now, since I don't want to move her more than absolutely possible.

Should I try to give her gatorade to boost her electrolytes or something?

No wonder she was walking weird; left back leg is all atrophied (muscles are very small from lack of use). I'm thinking she got caught somewhere and somebody kicked her, or maybe she got hit by a car (and amazingly survived??)...