Cat Issues - Advice needed

_Kaiser_

Hi all,

On Thursday night this gorgeous little black and gold cat turned up at the back door. Seeing as it was lashing out, we opened up and let her in and gave her a bowl of milk (poor thing was starving). Then we saw she'd been recently stitched up by a vet - presumably she's been attacked fairly recently.

Anyway, given the weather that was in it, and seeing as she didn't want to go back out, we let her stay the night. Having made a few calls to all the vets in the surrounding area, and the local animal shelter, no-one remembers her and no-one's reported her missing which is strange as someone obviously paid to get her looked at. None of the neighbours know anything about her either, save that she's been wandering the street the last few days.

So for now anyway, we have an unexpected houseguest. But I've a few questions:

- I've attached pictures of her wound (just above her back leg on her left). Any ideas what happened to her? We'll have to bring her to the vet this week but given that the stiches are still clean, I'm amazed none of them remember operating on her. Any ideas how much a vet will charge to look at her (it's been years since I had a cat).

- She gets what I can only describe as these bubbles of fluid attached to her. The first was just behind her ear, the 2nd on the side of her face (again, see attached). They don't seem to be bothering her and they seem to just drop off - the 2nd one is gone 10 minutes after I took the pic.
Any ideas what they are?

- We got her a tin of Whiskas the first night (all we could get at half 11 at night) but although she ate it all (but didn't wolf it surprisingly) it's coming out the other end in liquid form (sorry! ). I've since started her on Brekkies (which is what the cat I had growing up ate) and she's eating that too, but same result. Do I need to just give her time to adjust, or what would you suggest (I reckon she's no more than a year old).

Finally, I've attached a more flattering pic as well ... she's gorgeous really.. very gentle, affectionate and even my other half (who normally doesn't like cats at all!) is smitten with her.

The problem though is that technically we're not allowed have pets in this (rented) house, so I don't think we'l be able to keep her anyway. That said, I gather those rules are a bit looser down the country and the landlord is a decent sort so I don't know if I should approach him yet, or wait and see if anyone claims her?

Cheers for any advice..

Chiaki

i cant make out exactly where the stitches are on the cat but it looks like a wound from spaying. usually vets take them out for free if they arent the disposible kind (alot of vets are using these now) the bubbles ive seen only once before on a baby weasel my friend found and i took care of. She died after a few days but we werent sure if it was cos of the bubbles. A trip to the vet is an idea but keep posting pictures and stuff around your area cos she is probably lost. I have 7 cats and they all get disorientated after the whole spaying/neutering business

PCros

You shouldn't give her milk, most cats are lactose intolerant thats why she is pooing liquid straight away.

We found out that way aswell!:eek:

_Kaiser_

PCros wrote: »

You shouldn't give her milk, most cats are lactose intolerant thats why she is pooing liquid straight away.

We found out that way aswell!:eek:

Well I tried giving her the choice the first night. My last cat wouldn't drink milk at all, but this one doesn't seem to be at all keen on water.. or should I just leave water down for her and wait her out?

RE the "bubbles".. I found the one that was attached to her face on the floor a little while ago while cleaning and I actualy think it's some kind of insect (please don't tell me fleas get that big!! :eek:). I got a flea collar for her yesterday anyway but do I need some sort of spray as well?

Chiaki: Ta for the feedback about her wound as well. I'd thought that as well myself but from what I remember (it was 15/20 years ago!) when my old cat got spayed, the stiches were on her belly rather than her side - unless maybe the operations have changed now?

(EDIT: Another pic attached to show where the stiches are - I didn't have the heart to wake her! - but they're just above her back left leg on her side)

microgirl

I second the spaying wound theory, although it is hard to tell exactly where the stiches are from the photos. She looks about that age though (6 months-ish).

No idea whatsoever about the bubbles, sorry

As for the runny poo, it happened to my cat when we first got him and we put it down to just adjusting to new food (well actually, we brought him to the vet about it and the vet said it was fine) and put him on sensitive-stomach food and it cleared up fine after a day or two. No harm bringing her to the vet to get checked out though.

And yeah, don't give her milk. They adore it, the little buggers, but it really isn't good for them.

About the permitted-pets-while-renting thing, I've known of landlords that only have that in the lease as a broad generalisation, and so people don't have dogs and the like, which can add considerably to wear and tear of a house, but have allowed small pets on a case-by-case basis. It might be worth speaking to your landlord about it. Cats don't have to be house-trained like dogs, just provide a litter tray and that'll take care of that. The only risk really is scratching furniture or carpets, and provision of a scratching post and encouragement to use it will get rid of that problem.

*However*, before you go speaking to the landlord and getting attached, the possibility/probability that she's recently been spayed means she belongs to someone, so posters around the area and photos in all local vets would be what I'd suggest.

microgirl

Kaiser2000 wrote: »

RE the "bubbles".. I found the one that was attached to her face on the floor a little while ago while cleaning and I actualy think it's some kind of insect (please don't tell me fleas get that big!! :eek:). I got a flea collar for her yesterday anyway but do I need some sort of spray as well?

Chiaki: Ta for the feedback about her wound as well. I'd thought that as well myself but from what I remember (it was 15/20 years ago!) when my old cat got spayed, the stiches were on her belly rather than her side - unless maybe the operations have changed now?

Fleas don't get that big, but ticks do. And they can carry disease (for the cat, not for you)

And I've only ever seen spaying wounds on the side, including on my first cat 30 years ago (Jesus Christ, I can't believe it's that long ago!!), so possibly your vet just had some specific reason for going in that way

_Kaiser_

Thanks for the feedback all.. From here on out she's on a strictly water and brekkies diet so

We've left our details with all the local vets and the local rescue centre, and I'll do up some posters in work tomorrow for the local shops etc, but aside from that we'll have to wait and see.

To be honest I'd be very surprised if she was abandoned because she really is a lovely little thing, and housetrained already, but I don't want to just send her out the door again either so I'd like to make sure she's looked after one way or another

Chiaki

its definitely a spay. the bubbles on the weasel were on the back of the ears and on the face. they were a parasite and to this day i dont know what they were. when she died (only 8 weeks at most) her stomach kept moving like there was something in there, i was afraid the parasite had laid eggs or something inside and ate her from the inside out. more commonly are ticks which can get that big but they are usually more flat looking can you post a picture of a bubble that has fallen off?

Chiaki

http://boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055413146
lost and found thread

Jack B. Badd

OP, re her not being too keen on drinking water - try putting down a few shallow bowls around the place and away from her food. Apparently cats aren't gone on drinking where they eat. If you can filter it do. Otherwise she may not touch it for a few hours while the chemicals in it dissipate.

Acoshla

.

Jules

/me cracks fingesr... right what you got there is a run of the mill domestic shorted haired tortieshell and white very possibly spayed female cat. If the wound is directly on her side or flank its 90% a spay wound some vets do go through the tummy, or midline but not a lot of them. By the sounds of where you describe it to be, it most probably a spay wound and the stitches look a little inflammed, maybe they are due to be taken out. As said most vets would do it for free.

The little bubbles do sound like ticks though, yes they do carry disease, but you can only be infected if they directly bite you. DO NOT JUST GRAB TISSUE AND PULL THEM OFF, you have a very good chance of leaving the head under the skin and causing a nasty infection. In general you should ring your vet explain the situation and ask if you can bring her in for one of the nurses to check her out. Generally nurses checks are free, and you would have to pay for the treatment.

As said water and dry buscuits are the best idea and putting the food away from the water is the best idea as cats dont like to drink next to where they eat it steams back to being in the wild and the rotten flesh of the prey infecting the water, crazy i know but so true!

She is a cutie, and i know you live in a rented house but cats cause little or no hassle they generally tend to look after themselves as long as you provide food, water and some place to sleep they do the rest. Even if you have a shed out side or a small dog box she would probably sleep in there.

The Sweeper

Put posters up.

If she's been spayed she may also be microchipped, so you'll need to take her into the vet.

Could be some new cat owner has their head around the responsible bit that is getting her spayed, but not the bit about needing to keep her in so she associates their house as her home. Someone who cared enough to have her spayed could really be missing her now though!

seanybiker

she is a gorgeous looking cat. Looks right at home and all. Fair play to ya for looking after her.

Dixie Chick

I know this is an old thread, but any update on this cat?

eyesofvenus

The bubbles are ticks.
A good way of removing these is to suffocate them by smearing vasoline on them