New Pet Concern

Necro

Hi guys, first time poster to the forum but I was hoping you could give me advice on our new cat that we got yesterday.
To give a bit more info, she's a rescue we adopted from our local centre.The centre found her in a terribly dehydrated state. She was drip fed for a week or so. To add to this she also had a very bad infection in one eye that they thought might cause her to lose it. They estimate her age at about 3 and she hasn't been spayed.
She had been in a foster home for about ten days, and we went to meet her last night. My wife fell in love and we took her back home where she seemed to settle quickly, eating everything in sight and getting accustomed to our other (neutered) male.
But since we got up this morning she isn't eating at all. She has made our other cats bed hers (which is fine as he uses his tower more than the bed), but is very lethargic. She does need worming and I have the tablets.
She also seems to have a broken rib which causes her some distress if we try to pick her up.
I called the centre and mentioned my concerns, and wanted to take her to our local vet to get her checked out but they're adamant that I have to use their vet which is a considerable drive from my location.
Any advice on how to handle this?

Nody

First of all good on you for taking her in; not having more to go on I'd say she's still fighting an infection (blood analysis is likely to show if this is the case) . The reason they asked you to bring them to their vet is most likely because of cost and previous history. Their vet knows this cat and what it has gone through and they are paying and most likely have a special deal on the cost with the vet.

I'd not say she needs a broken rib for being distressed from being lifted; keep in mind as a shelter cat she likely has very limited and/or bad experience with humans which can add to this distress of being lifted up (we got one cat who's been in shelter since 4 weeks who still will squirm and run away if lifted up at 18 months!).

sambuka41

Fair play for homing her! Sounds like she is doing ok so far, getting comfortable in the bed after the first night is a good sign (even if you other cat probably doesn't agree )

My guy doesn't like being picked up at all, when I come home I can pick him up for about 10-20 seconds and thats all that he will tolerate. Some cats don't like being picked up.

If you are willing to pay for the vet then I would insist on going to your own vet, you can always get her history emailed to your vet. But if they are paying then you'll probably have to go to their vet, because they may have an arrangement with regards payment with that particular vet (he or she most likely doesn't get paid per visit, and is paid off in instalments).

BUT one night/day isn't very long for her to get settled. I would back away, give her space and keep an eye on her over next few days. Its stressful to go between homes.

Rips

If you have adopted her, you are perfectly within your right to bring her to your own vet (and pay for her treatment) which is what I would do personally, it sounds like she has a few problems.

I would ring the rescue explain what you want to do and ask if you can contact the vets to have her clinical details forwarded. Tell them you want to start from the bottom and have a full investigation. In my experience, animals treated on behalf of rescues are done so cheaply, and any records kept are minimal. They may have also administered treatment on a budget, most rescues will have a threshold for an individual animal and the vet will be given instructions to do what they can within this cost, often treating symptomatically without diagnostics ... which is not the best way to get to the bottom of an issue.

Not eating and pain when lifted could be a sign of gastrointestinal problems. Do you know what type of food she was eating?

As Nody has said, the rescues reasoning is probably down to cost, and also, unwilling to relinquish care of her until they are satisfied she is healthy, for their own piece of mind. Its great when rescues are prepared to subsidise ongoing treatment, but ultimately, they should be rehoming to people who are going to take responsibility for the animals care.

Well done for taking her on, hope its nothing too serious.

Necro

Thanks for all your comments, I think I'm probably worrying over nothing as it does take time to settle. I hadn't even realised that the centre would be covering vet costs, just assumef I'd take over once she was adopted but it appears not? I would like to get her checked over by my own vet though, just for peace of mind so might do that over the weekend - at my own expense of course. Do you think that would be a problem?
She was eating everything in sight last night (Whiskas) but I don't know what she was eating beforehand. She seems very bloated in the mid section but desperately skinny at the hind-quarters area - is this a sign of worms?
To be honest apart from the not eating today she's quite content, sleeping all day. Very well mannered, purring loudly when patted and using the litter tray. No major problems with our other cat apart from a little jealousy on his part (has had us all to himself since his brother died)

Nody

Sounds like it could potentially be worms yes; also look at changing brand for the long term as Whiskas is very overpriced for what you get. If you're not sure what to get have a look at this thread.

aonb

OP once you own the cat, its up to you what you do re the vet. I think its a good idea to bring her to your own vet for a check over - but maybe not for a few days if shes eating/drinking and generally looks ok. Give her a chance to settle in with you all before the 'trauma' of a vet? Maybe the rescue wants you to bring the cat to 'their' vet in case you are not prepared to pay since you got the cat in an unwell condition (rescues will have a special 'deal' with a specific vet as Nody said)
The bloating could be a symptom of worms, but if you are feeding her new food (which she devoured) she may be having a bit of a reaction to the suddenly introduced new food?
Maybe give her something gentle like cooked chicken for a few days until shes settled, then gradually introduce a new, good quality food - or what you give your other cat if thats what you prefer.
I would give her the worming tablets in any case (odd that the rescue hadnt wormed her?)
Lovely of you to rescue a cat - hope she settles in soon with you all - best of luck!

Necro

Thanks again for your kind comments and words of advice. She's picked up a lot this evening, eating and drinking milk ( she has a problem with water for some reason) and is purring away in 'her' bed by my feet.Our other boy is very curious but keeping a respectable distance.
I think I got a little too worried this afternoon but thats due to us not having adopted a rescue before! Gonna leave the vet until next week unless anything serious crops up but will try worming over the weekend.

Pumpkinseeds

Well done for adopting her. It's all bound to be very strange for her. She's been through so much already and now she's in a strange place with strangers, she has to discover for herself that she's safe and that she can trust you. Time, patience and love should do the trick, and chicken, lots and lots of chicken:D

ShaShaBear

I don't know for sure obviously, but it's a little odd that she wasn't wormed by her fosterers (albeit on behalf of the rescue) and that she hasn't been spayed before being given to you. Many sick animals will go to foster care to recover, but I've not heard of a rescue that will give a sick animal to a new home before it is fully healed. Usually they get an all-clear from the vet first.

I fostered a mother cat and her litter from they were born to 8 weeks and even though I had homed lined up for 4 of the kittens, they were still taken to that rescue's vet and then back to their own shelter to be assessed before they went to new homes.

As for the bloating, could be worms. But are you sure she is not pregnant? I understand wanting to take her to your own vet but there is a record of her at the rescue's vets, she has a record of tests that have already been done and it might be easier and less painful for that vet to make a more current diagnosis than a new vet (however good) that might have to start from scratch?

JIdontknow

We have a cat with similiar experiences lifting her, she makes a slight groan sometimes upon lifting her, (she always has) but is I believe almost 2 now, so it may not be a broken rib that is affecting your cat (Our cat hasnt a broken rib with 2 years), some cats just dont like being lifted, or depending how you lift it. Our cat, once lifted up, is very affectionate and purrs and rubs her face off you, its just the initial lifting she doesnt like. Also just another point, this cat we have was similiar in ways to yours, went off food, very lethargic, out of form and didnt like being lifted, tummy seemed sore, passing specks of blood. We brought her to the vets and it turned out to be a UTI (Urinary Tract Infection) and if left too long can be very dangerous... The vet treated her, reccommended special food to us for her. Since she began on the food, we have never had any issues with at all, and she is perfectly happy, energetic, healthy cat with a great coat also. The cat we had strayed in, she was very malnourished. I saw her out in the garden one night, and brought her food and milk (I know some people say you're not meant to give cats milk) but she drank all the milk before touching the food. Perhaps your cat just needs some time to settle in but I do think a visit to the vets for a check up, vaccines, etc would benefit it too, and I would take it to a vet you want to go to and trust, not what the local centre says.

Nody

JIdontknow wrote: »

I saw her out in the garden one night, and brought her food and milk (I know some people say you're not meant to give cats milk) but she drank all the milk before touching the food.

Because most cats are lactos intolerant to various levels (i.e. one cat might drink a lot while another will be running with diarea after half the amount); you can give them lactos free milk instead or mix it out in water for example. One of our foster cats looooove greek yougurt for example and has it at least once a day with out problem.