Kitteh is really sick

[zombiequeen]

So I have a sweetheart of a cat (well, he's my mother's) named Spiggit. When she adopted him 2 summers ago, he was extremely malnorished and being starved by an old man that didn't want him around. The old guy thought that not feeding a KITTEN that was in his yard would make it go away, not, you know, starve it to death. Oh well, he got adopted, yay, onwards.
Kitteh poofed out for winter, all fat and muscley and looking like a regal tom. Mum never got him fixed or his shots. Still, he was fine, fat and fluffy.
Last summer, he got really thin. But he got fat and big again in the winter.
This year though, he got thin for the summer, like he was the year before. However, he's getting thinner now, instead of getting fat for winter.
His gums are yellow-white. You can see his hips, ribcage, and the bumps on his spine. He's very fluffy though, so seeing his bones stick up through the fur, it's just wrong. :(
I'm afraid he is really sick. We've been giving him fatty meat and such to build up fat, but he's just getting thinner.
I'm so scared he's going to starve and die...but my mum just hurt herself and her car is totaled...and even if she had the money she just feels that if he's sick, why should we take care of him, he'll die either way. :cry: Hubby and i can't afford to take him to the vet...what should I do?

[teh_blumchenkinder]

It's likely (highly likely) in my experience that veterinarians have a credit system-- pay a little bit every so often. Just explain your situation, have credit-rating stuff handy, and you might have to search around a bit for it...
:( Hugs and kisses for Spiggit. Hopefully this specific problem isn't what happened last time-- long term problems that go unaddressed usually means a more difficult time of healing.
EDIT: get him his shots! It might even be illegal where you're at!

[It's me]

I just hit google.... don't have good news for you though. :(

http://www.blurtit.com/q735254.html

[zombiequeen]

We don't have the money to get him his shots, and my mother refuses to. :( Hubby and I might not be able to pay our car insurance, so we definitely don't have the money for his shots. :cry:

[AriGriffin]

Try contacting these groups.

http://www.petandwildlife.com/dog-info/where-to-get-help-paying-vet-bills.html

[zombiequeen]

I'm going to try calling a couple local veterinarian offices to see if they can help me, but I remember them not helping us get vitamins for a cat years ago because we didn't get her vaccinated as a kitten. They said that because she didn't get kitten shots, and she was an adult. They didn't want to give her kitten shots as an adult, but also didn't want to help her get vitamins for her pregnancy. :rolleyes:
I'll try some of the other clinics though, because if I explain our financial situation, maybe they'll let us do a payment plan or something? Or work something out because of what my parent's situation is?
I just don't like how my mum is handling it, and my husband is doing the whole "if she can't help him, she won't let us." Which is true, but if I can get it done for little to no cost, we can pay for it and we'll just take Spiggit when we move.

[teh_blumchenkinder]

Good idea, Z. Just stay calm, treat your bundle of fur with love, baby him and give him treats, don't let him out, that sort of thing.
... Do you ever switch his food? Do you think there's any chance that he got into something, like cleaners or repellents?

[zombiequeen]

Unfortunately, mum declared him a strictly outside cat the year we got him because he is mischievous unless given attention. He sleeps/hides out in the garage, full of chemicals and nasties. He started getting thinner after mum gave him this all natural dewormer. "feline WRM CLEAR" from HomeoPet. She finished doing the dosing round, because he wasn't fattening up like he should be this time of year, and after that, instead of maintaining or gaining, he started losing weight! Could it be the meds?

[teh_blumchenkinder]

I doubt it... but I am so not a veterinarian it's not even funny. It probably just added a bit more stress to his system, is all. Likely the same thing when you think you have allergies and take an antihistamine and go on with life-- but really you have the flu!
Check the garage he stays in, make sure everything's clean-- and for the love of fur, check for anti-freeze and other puddles from where cars were parked! I doubt it's antifreeze poisoning, but check anyway. Does anyone use bait/poison in the area? If your mom (or neighbors) only baits/poisons mice and rats at a certain time of year, that might be it. He could have very well eaten something that died from poison-- which is why I hate hate hate using poison.
... He might have chemical sensitivities that the dewormer might have aggravated-- just like some people can't use things with sulfates in them, or can't use certain make ups, the like.
That's why I'm encouraging you corral him-- like in a room. Maybe not the bathroom. That way, if he gets worse at all, you can take him in immediately, and you can monitor his behavior... and make sure he isn't taking in anything untoward.

[zombiequeen]

I'll ask my mum if we can keep him in the backroom or something, but I doubt she'd go for it because she's the one who thinks he's fine. :(
I'm checking for puddles here in a few minutes. I'm also wondering if the bologna my mum's giving him every day is hurting him? For our dogs the vet said put the medicine on bologna, but I wonder if that's bad for cats? He doesn't eat canned food, and I'm not allowed to give him the canned tuna or salmon. :mad:

[teh_blumchenkinder]

Don't worry so much about canned/not canned. I'm concerned about if any of the food he's eaten-- dry, caught, or otherwise-- has been detrimentally contaminated. After all, it's not uncommon for pet food to be recalled due to chemical contaminants. You might want to check on that. And, like I said, it could be seasonal application of chemicals-- lawns, pests, yearly chores-- that could've done it... or he could have a disease of some sort.

[MaggieTheCat]

I worked at a pet supply company that was owned by veterinarians for 3 1/2 years. They had a lot of articles that they and other vets they know and employ write that are free to the public, a lot of which I read. I also have 3 cats, so here is my advice.

Note I am NOT a vet, this is just personal experience and what I know having worked in the industry.

Any cat that is not vaccinated regularly is always in danger of getting a disease, even if they're a strictly indoor cat. Having an outdoor cat that is not vaccinated makes the odds much, much better that the cat will get sick. Your cat more than likely has at least some contact with other cats, likely some strays/ferals that are also not vaccinated, and that's how diseases like rabies and distemper, both of which are usually fatal, get passed around. Even if he has absolutely no physical contact with other cats, diseases can be passed through other cats' urine and feces, so even if he finds a pile of waste somewhere and sniffs it, there is a chance he can contract something.

You do not need to have a vet administer vaccines, except in the case of rabies (I'll come back to that.) If you can find the vaccines to buy at a pet supply store, or even if a vet will sell you a dose, you can do it yourself, if you know how. There are tutorials and videos available online. It is much, much cheaper to do this than to get a vet to do it; vaccines usually run anywhere from $3-10 each, whereas getting it done at a vet's office is usually at least $30 or more. Rabies vaccines must be administered by a vet in case the cat bites someone and you need proof that the rabies vaccine is up to date. In almost every part of the U.S. that I know of, it is illegal to not get your pet vaccinated for rabies. If you don't, the animal could be taken away from you. If you don't get your cat rabies vaccinated and it bites someone, the cat will be taken away and there is a good chance it will be destroyed. Rabies is not something to be messed around with.

Stop feeding the cat bologna. Now. Faster. A SMALL amount of human food, always in the form of lean meat, is okay for a cat; usually when I cook steak, chicken, pork roast, or fish, we give the cats a tiny little bite. Usually around 1-2 teaspoons per cat. Deli lunch meat is also okay, but it is full of sodium so we don't give that to them very often. Something like bologna is likely doing more harm than good; it's full of preservatives and sodium and probably fat. Just because you're feeding the cat fatty food does not meat it's going to gain weight, and even if it does, it won't be good weight. Get the cat a very high quality cat food (preferably canned, at least until he starts eating again and gaining weight.) There was a thread on here within the last week or two detailing what to look for when buying pet food (the thread was about dog food but the same rules apply to cat food.) I'll look it up and link it later. Do not buy cat food from the grocery store, unless you check the label and make sure it's high quality and not crap; most stuff that grocery stores carry is going to be crap. If the cat won't eat cat food, or if you or your mom need to feed it human food, boil a chicken breast in plain water until it's done and you can shred it. Don't add anything to it; no oil, or butter, or salt, or seasoning of any kind. Leave the water plain. It's not ideal to feed a cat even this kind of diet constantly, but it's a heck of a lot better than bologna.

Note: I know some people make their own food for their animals. I have never done or researched this. I'm sure it's possible but I also know that cats need a certain balance of vitamins, minerals, protein, etc. that is difficult to achieve unless you know what you're doing, and not providing these essentials can make a cat sick.

Regarding getting into stuff in the garage, has the cat thrown up or had diarrhea lately? Usually if they get into something, you'll know since they'll leave messes for you. How long has he not been eating/gaining weight?

One of our cats has kidney disease. We found out about it when she stopped eating much for about 2 weeks and became extremely lethargic. She lost about 3lbs in that two weeks. She was dehydrated, so she needed an IV to get her hydrated again, plus some antibiotics because she had picked up an infection while her immune system was down. She's on a special diet now of food that's made specifically for cats with kidney diets.

Bottom line: The cat needs to get to a vet ASAP. I don't know what's wrong with it and no one else is going to know until a vet sees it. If your mom is not taking care of the animal, seriously consider finding another home for it until you can afford to take it yourself. Do you have any friends who could foster it for a while? What your mom is doing is bordering on cruelty and neglect and she has no business having a pet if she's not going to take care of it.

After re-reading your OP again, he MAY have some kind of gum disease or an infected tooth that is causing him pain when he chews, thus, he won't eat, thus, his weight loss. In which case, again, it will have to be treated by a vet.

Here is the website that has the articles written by the vets I worked for (in case you want to do a little research on pet food, vaccines, diseases, etc):
http://peteducation.com/

Here is the link to the pet food thread:
http://www.customerssuck.com/board/showthread.php?t=67557

[zombiequeen]

He's eating just fine, he won't eat canned cat food, and my mum won't do anything for him. In fact, she said "if he's that sick, I'll just have dad shoot him so we don't have to worry about it anymore." :eek:
I think she was kidding, but everyone around here has the same feeling towards cats. I mean, if he doesn't get better, I'll take him to a shelter, but the shelter's around here have bad reputations/kill animals. No one here can afford to help him out, I asked my brother if he would be willing to pay half of the C-snip costs, and he said no.
I'll tell mum that the bologna is a bad idea, and maybe she'll stop giving it to him. Today she gave him some salmon patties with garlic, onion and spices that were leftover from last week, but he didn't eat much of it. I think it tasted too much like canned food for him. I've been giving him pieces of my sandwich (usually minimal-processing/low sodium chicken on potato bread) if I see him outside during lunch.
He's not lethargic or anything, it's like he doesn't realize something's wrong.
He's only outside, I have no way of knowing where he goes, or if he's been sick.
I'm seriously crying because I'm so worried about him...:cry:

[K'Z'K]

Yellow-white gums? Emaciated despite eating? Forget food advice. This cat is critically ill, and will die without proper veterinary care. Perhaps even with it, since it sounds like he's pretty far gone. WAY beyond anything you can do at home.

Very pale gums indicates severe anemia. Yellow indicates liver failure. Emaciation can be caused by lots of things, none of them good. If a cat came to my hospital looking like you describe, we'd want to admit him to the ICU, and would only send him home AMA. He'd probably need blood work, Xrays and/or ultrasound, IV fluids and meds, a feeding tube, an Internal Medicine consult....

Take him to the vet NOW. He may have to be euthanized--in fact, I'd bet on it--but that's a hell of a lot better than the slow death he's going through now.

As for payment plans, I've never known of a hospital that will just "work with you"--those who try that get seriously burned, as the majority of people who claim they'll make payments are deadbeats. They may accept CareCredit, however, which is basically a credit card that can only be used for medical things and can have a long no-interest payment period. But know that the care of this cat will not be low cost. My hospital will euthanize for free if it's the humane thing to do and the owner really is broke.

Also, do NOT allow your mother to "adopt" another cat if all it's going to get is food (the alleged dewormer is complete bullshit, so it doesn't count). That's neglect (and in the case of skipping rabies vaccines, possibly illegal). Checkups, vaccines, and spaying/neutering is the MINIMUM level of care. If you're not willing and/or able to do that much, DO NOT HAVE PETS. You shouldn't have any either, since the rolling eyes indicates that you do not understand why the vet would not just give vitamins to your neglected cat. It ain't because they don't care or just want money--it's basic standards of care (plus, a healthy cat doesn't need vitamins).

Yes, this is harsh, but it's true. Someone who cares so little for a cat should never have one.

Now get this cat to a vet and put him out of his misery.

I am not a vet, but I am an emergency/critical care tech. I can't diagnose under any circumstances, and I can't triage without the cat in front of me, but the description alone sets off all of my alarms.

-K'Z'K

[AriGriffin]

Garlic, onion, and spices are extremely toxic to cats. Do not feed table scraps to pets. Their digestive system cannot handle all the fillers and junk that is put into human food.

Call or e-mail the following groups. If they are not located where you are, they should be able to tell you of a group that is near you that will help.

Angels 4 Animals- http://www.angels4animals.org/
Phone: 916-941-9119
Fax: 916-290-0598
Email: staff@angels4animals.org

United Animal Nations- http://www.uan.org/
Phone: (916) 429-2457
Fax: (916) 429-2456
E-mail: info@uan.org

Cats in Crisis- http://www.catsincrisis.org/
Closed for requests, but can assist with locating help

Feline Outreach- http://www.felineoutreach.org/index.html
Closed for requests, but can assist with locating help

Feline Veterinary Emergency Assistance- http://www.fveap.org/resources_11.html

The Pet Fund- http://thepetfund.com/

Try posting in the pet discussions board on your local Craigslist. Someone might know of a vet or a program that will help.

[Seshat]

Yellow indicates jaundice in humans. Emaciation to that point, and unwillingness to eat, indicates severe illness. Or starvation to the point where hunger is no longer felt.

I'm afraid I'm with K'Z'K on this one - you've likely waited too long. :(

This is not something I'd consider treatable with stuff from the pet store. This sounds to me like 'get thee to a vet'.

[zombiequeen]

Thanks guys.
Before church this morning, Hubby went to pet Spiggit, and he said that he's still playful and his gums weren't yellow. I think it was something he ate because he likes to eat mice and he sometimes gnaws on acorns...is that a bad thing? What would make his gums a little yellow but then go away?
Mum and I just sat down and talked about him because we were both outside petting him. She's going to the store today, she'll get him the expensive worming medicine in case it's worms (checked his litterbox and didn't find any, but we'll do that just in case) and she's going to get some chicken and eggs for him, and some weight-gaining food. We'll be leaving here in a few minutes to do that.
Quick question: are eggs better raw or cooked? Mum remembers being told by the vet years ago that eggs helped them gain weight for winter, but she doesn't remember how to prepare them.
We checked him all over, he's not sick, he's not touchy about his belly, and his gums and eyes aren't yellow at all.
She isn't giving him bologna anymore. She didn't realize that it was making him lose weight, and now she's going to make him some food that'll be better.
Sorry I freaked out guys, I just am really worried about him.
Something else ate the salmon patties that were in his dish, now I'm afraid it was the neighbor's cat.

EDIT: the only thing he won't eat is canned food. He is eating kibble as he always does, so it's not his appetite we're worried about. I know he eats chicken and eggs, so we're going to try giving him that as treats.

[teh_blumchenkinder]

So, so glad to hear Spiggit's doing better, even if it's just an eesny little bit.
An animal suddenly losing that much weight is a sign of something. Get him to the vet as soon as possible anyway, especially since this has happened before. It isn't good for him.
Maybe he has a tapeworm? ... Check his stools. DO NOT touch them...
It's completely understandable that you'd be upset, so don't worry about us thinking you're a freak-- 'cuz you aren't!
EDIT: it might have very well been a mouse that had eaten poison, and then gave it to Spiggit-- or one of the many, many diseases that mice carry.

[MaggieTheCat]

One of my cats is an indoor/outdoor cat and lives with my parents out in the country, and eats all manner of rodents, birds, etc. He's never gotten severely ill from them (I think a couple times he's maybe had an upset stomach and vomited after eating them, but that's it.) But, he's also up to date on his shots, and I'm not sure what kinds of diseases can be passed to a cat from a dead rodent.

As far as eggs, my cats like cooked eggs a lot, when I'm willing to share. :p They'll eat scrambled, but I usually scramble mine with a bit of butter and sometimes cheese so they don't get much if any of that when I prepare them that way. They also like hard boiled, which is easier to make without adding anything that might upset a cat's stomach.

Really glad to hear he's doing okay.

[zombiequeen]

Thanks guys. :)
We got back from the store, got some roundworm medicine and gave it to him. Also we bought him Friskies indoor delights cat food, which when I gave him a little handful, he ate right up. I mixed a handful into his other cat food and we'll mix them together. Mum thinks the protein and greens will help his digestion and help him gain weight.
I'll hopefully be able to call a vet's office tomorrow and I'll ask them what I need to do.

[AriGriffin]

I fed my cats http://www.diamondpet.com/products/diamond_naturals/cats/dry_food/indoor_cat_formula/
It is about $20 for a huge bag at my local feed and seed store. Their site has a 'where to buy' feature that is very helpful in finding a nearby place that sells their products. That food does not contain soy, corn, or wheat- stuff that is tough for a cat's body to process. My cat kept having UTI problems back when I fed her the Walmart Indoor dry food. Since switching to Diamond per my vet's advise, she hasn't had a UTI since and it has been a few years.
My vet said that the content of the 'grocery store' brands was akin to feeding a human a bacon cheeseburger with a mound of greasy fries and a milkshake to wash it down with at every meal. Not healthy and tough on the body to process.

[zombiequeen]

I fed my cats http://www.diamondpet.com/products/diamond_naturals/cats/dry_food/indoor_cat_formula/

I think that's a kind we tried feeding Spiggit before, and he wouldn't eat it. He's picky. I'll ask mum though, maybe I'm thinking of a different brand.
Is it too soon to give him a hard-boiled egg? We've given him small treats all day, so maybe wait until tomorrow?
And...his ears and gums turned yellow again. This morning they were pink, I checked before going to town with mum and they were pink. Now they're yellow? It's been like five hours since we went to town, would he get jaundice or something that quickly?:confused:

[AriGriffin]

Take him to a vet ASAP. Call or e-mail the groups I wrote about earlier. They are there to help and if they are no longer providing financial assistance, they should be able to help point you to a group that is. Take him even if you have to surrender him. My vet will take in sick strays/surrenders; treat them; and will place them for adoption to good pet parents- she makes sure they will treat the animal properly. They have a fishbowl for donations on the receptionist's desk next to a board that has photos and stories of the pets that are undergoing treatment or are ready to be adopted. One of the many reasons why I love my vet.

"...A yellow cat [eyes, gums, or skin] can also mean there is an immune mediated disease of the blood, but could also be a result of various infectious, viral and parasitic diseases, such as feline leukemia virus, FIV, FIP, toxoplasmosis, and haemobartonella. Many cats with diseases called cholangiohepatitis or triaditis (inflammation of the liver, intestines and pancreas) can also present this way. Cats with the fatty liver disease called hepatic lipidosis can also develop signs of jaundice. Most of these conditions need immediate workup and treatment from your veterinarian and can also help to differentiate the above conditions from abdominal cancer..."
-from http://blog.petmeds.com/ask-the-vet/jaundice-in-dog-cat/

He will not get better on his own. He needs to see a vet. Send an e-mail to the groups if you haven't already and then take him first thing tomorrow morning to a vet. Check around for a vet online- some have websites or reviews.

[zombiequeen]

If I had money to take him to the vet, I would do it in a heartbeat, even if I had to surrender him. Unfortunately, he's not even my cat. I mean, I could take him to a shelter and give him up, and tell mum he just disappeared but she would just get another cat. I'm not sure what to do here, I mean mum doesn't think anything's wrong with him. I guess if he isn't ok tomorrow then I'll talk to hubby about giving him up.

[AriGriffin]

Then show your Mom these:

http://www.manhattancats.com/Articles/jaundice.html

http://www.petplace.com/cats/jaundice-in-cats/page1.aspx

http://www.vetinfo.com/jaundice-in-cats.html

The cat is sick and needs to go to the vet. Again, the places I listed earlier are there to help pay for emergency veterinary treatment for pets of people with low incomes or are experiencing financial hardship. You might have to show documentation of said hardship, but if it means the cat getting the medical help it needs, then it is worth it. Tell your Mom that there are organizations that will help pay for Emergency treatment if she can't afford it.

[K'Z'K]

If you can't get your mother to get the poor cat to a vet, you at least need to stop assisting in the neglect. Stop mucking around with over-the-counter meds for conditions he may not have and experimenting with foods that may make things worse. You have no idea what's wrong with him, and do not seem to get it: Spiggit needs real medical care, not eggs.

AriGriffin has given you some excellent advice and information. That list of things that may cause jaundice is far from exhaustive, and it doesn't cover the things that cause weight loss (which may be as simple as parasites or may be something much worse) or anemia (which I'm assuming from the "white gums" comment in the OP and also has a long list of potential causes). And surrendering is free.

Since I apparently was not harsh enough before: this cat is seriously ill and you are contributing to neglect and possibly abuse by not getting him the care he needs (which may end up being euthanasia). Stop going to the store and getting different foods. Stop claiming he's "not sick" if he perks up a bit. Stop deciding that 'it was the bologna, so Friskies will fix him!' You are utterly unqualified to do anything for this cat beyond taking him to someone who can help him. You don't know what the hell is wrong with him. Your mother does know something is wrong with him, though she's in denial about how bad it is--as are you. Stop enabling her and tell her the truth: Spiggit is very sick and needs to see a doctor.

I woke up early today thinking about this case, and it's really bothering me. The cat's condition yes, but also the refusal to get it: he needs to see a vet. Having a bit more energy does not mean he's better. The longer this goes on the worse it will get, and the more this cat will suffer needlessly.

I get the lack of money. We had to euthanize a probably-treatable patient last night for that reason. It sucks. But ignoring the problem in hopes it will go away sucks more. All that money you're spending on foods and whatnot could probably pay for an exam, maybe even some real meds.

What you need to do--what any vet will tell you over the phone--is to take him to a vet. They cannot diagnose (or prescribe) remotely any more than I can.

[Again, I am not a vet, and the above is based on descriptions of what's going on combined with my experience as an emergency/critical care tech. I'm really hoping the descriptions are overblown and he's really not that sick--I'd love for it to be worms and bad lighting--but only a veterinarian can determine that by examining him.]

-K'Z'K

[teh_blumchenkinder]

...
As harsh as K'Z'K is... s/he's right. Not only has Spiggit lost weight like this before, it might happen again-- if it doesn't kill him right now. He's a lovely kitty, I can tell from here, and please, even if it's a small/microloan from a local bank or credit union, there is monetary help out there.
:( Give him hugs an' pettins' from a strange girl on the interwebs, plz. (ie teh)

[AdminAssistant]

I agree with K'Z'K. Surrendering might be the best thing, since your mom doesn't seem to actually care about the kitty that much.

[zombiequeen]

Like I said before, I'm going to talk to hubby about a way to sneak him to a shelter. I know this is the only way to get him help, I'm just really upset because I don't have money to help him, and this seems like an easy way out. I mean, telling mum he must have ran off or got attacked by something in the woods (luckily we live in the country, there's woods on all sides of us) and must have died is the only way I can see. I just don't want to lie to her, and if I tell her, "Yeah, he was really sick, so we took him to a shelter/surrendered him to a vet" she'll kick us out of the house and we'll be homeless.
I'm angry at the situation we are in, and the one Spiggit is in, but tonight, we'll figure out a way to get him help. I just have to find a shelter that is far enough away from here that she won't find him there, and that is only emergency euthanize.
I would have brought him in already if I could drive.
I mean, this cat is the world to me, and knowing that I can't help him anymore is just kind of devastating. I haven't slept the past three nights worrying about this so it's really hard.
I know I shouldn't be taking all this personally, because it is really great advice. I don't qualify for most of those help things, and I don't want to wait the up to three weeks for their help.

[zombiequeen]

I thought I'd show you guys a picture of Spiggit from a month ago...this is how thin he normally gets.
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_lu_Ead9zYoQ/TJdw728RF3I/AAAAAAAAAoY/X90oZnvH9tU/s1600/spiggit.jpg

I can't find him now to get another picture of him...so I think it's the worst right now...:cry: he's probably half this thin...and he lost it in about a week from when we treated him and started giving him bologna.
If he shows up when Hubby gets home, we'll find a place to take him. I don't want to abandon him...but I know right now he'll get what he needs if we do.

[Seshat]

Shelter workers don't want to euthanise either.

... sorry, if I expand on that sentence this will become a fratching thread.


Anyway: don't restrict yourself to shelters when deciding where to surrender him. Many vets will treat a treatable patient if the owners will surrender him/her, simply because they became vets to care for animals. The pet then gets given a good home with a family the vet knows who have a need for a pet.

Vets know their patients and their patients' families more intimately than any shelter can know the people who walk into the shelter.

[zombiequeen]

Yeah, I meant vet or shelter.
I just don't want to dump on them a super-sick cat because I can't afford to treat him...it feels like I'm using their niceness. I know that's why they do it, so people without money will know their pets will get help.
I'm going to go try to find him and get another good look at how he is, then I'll call a vet to ask if I can bring him in and what I need to do about it. Do they make you sign a thing or something? I mean, he is my mum's cat, is it even legal for me to surrender him?
I know these are probably stupid questions, but I have to wait until my husband gets home either way, so I might as well find out what I can before I go do this.

[AriGriffin]

You could say he is a stray that you found.
You keep saying you don't have money and can't afford the vet care... Have you called or e-mailed the groups I told you about? They will help pay for the Emergency (which this is) vet care. They do not want pets to suffer just because the owner can't afford it.

When my cat was having a UTI and I was pretty much broke, I called my old vet. They said to bring her in and they waived the office visit fee and all I had to pay for was the medicine. I'm not saying every vet will do that, but many will work with you so that the cat will get the treatment it needs and you don't go in the hole trying to pay for it.

If you have to surrender him, take him to a vet, not a shelter.

[zombiequeen]

When I looked at the websites, they all said you needed proof of need, which because I don't have documentation (I'm 19 and my job was seasonal, so only a basic tax form) and they said it could be up to a two week wait for help. Also, the sites that had a shorter wait time were non-emergency care. I would take out a loan, but I have nothing as collateral, plus my husband is paying off a college debt that is equal to what he earns. :( I have thirty-two dollars that I can spend. Would that even cover an office visit? If not, I'll find a nice box and a towel, and we'll take kitty to the 24-hour emergency clinic. I'll tell the vets that we found him and were taking care of him for a while (which is true, I guess) and he started getting sick. But what would I tell mum?

[teh_blumchenkinder]

"Taking it personally" just means you care a lot and love Spiggit-- a suffering animal isn't something people like to see (if they have any heart whatsoever)-- and you feel helpless to take care of him. Of course you're upset!

Don't tell her anything. When she asks, or says "oh, where's Spig?" Shrug and say "I dunno." ... because, really, you don't-- by then, he could very well be adopted (if you have to give him up). If not, then, he'll "miraculously return" after his vet visit. If he has to take pills... um... then... :shrug:
I really hope you don't have to give up Spiggit, he's so cute. :cry:

[zombiequeen]

Thanks. I'm just really upset because I know how to help him (take him to a vet) and I know my parent's have enough money because both my mum's emergency room visit and car repair ended up being less than half of what they thought it would cost. But because she doesn't think he's really sick, that means it's all on me to help. I've found the 24 hour clinic we brought our dog to years ago, and I'll find a way to call them without her noticing. Maybe make a trip to the in-laws to do some phone calls.
We have some video games we could sell back to Gamestop, so that's another...maybe $5. And...my husband gets paid Friday, so I guess we could take money from our bills money, but I'd rather wait for that if we can...do vets have you pay after the visit? Because if they kept him for the rest of the week for observation or treating him or something, I know it adds to the cost but I might have some more money then. I really wish I had sold stuff Saturday.
I know the vet's clinic does try to find owners for lost cats, like do the whole "Hey I found this cat, is he yours?" when people drop off strays. It's a ways away for that to work though, unless somehow it made sense that kitty climbed into someone's car like he tends to do.

[Mikkel]

If you get a vet's word that the cat is ill, won't your parents help out then? Perhaps you could call the vet and ask if they'll settle for 30 dollars now and the rest, if there is a rest, in a month. My vet does that, but perhaps it helped that I used to repair the vet's bike :D, I wasn't a complete stranger who wanted help without paying.

Won't an emergency clinic be more expensive than a regular vet? That's certainly the way it is here.

I like your Spiggit, he looks just like he is waiting for stomach scritches :love:.

[zombiequeen]

Yeah, he loves stomach scritches.
I'm going to ask mum for our old vet information, because I'm looking for a vet for our lizard, Ryuu. I mean, it's kind of a long shot, but it's true. ;)
I found some vet clinics that are nearby. I might call and make an appointment to get him checked up, because I think thirty dollars is a normal price for that. I just hope they aren't upset about lack of shots, because he's a found cat.
I don't know if my parents would help with it, but my in-laws might. They are just getting out of some financial trouble, but I think we could arrange to do some work/let them borrow our car or something.
EDIT: I found an animal hospital that is 20 minutes away. I'm going to call them and see what it would cost to take Spiggit there. If not I'm calling my grandparents to find out where they take their kitties.

[Bella_Vixen]

Reading this just made me angry.

Take the cat to the vet. Why should you tell your mom anything? She doesn't give a rat's ass about the cat, otherwise she would've done something already.

That cat needs and deserves better.

I can barely afford* my two, but I'd take him in a heartbeat just to make sure he was taken to the vet immediately.

* I earn just enough to pay my rent and bills, and cat food. But my cats go to the vet when needed. Even if bills have to be paid a week or 2 late.

[zombiequeen]

Well, we can't afford the surgery I need, or my pills this month.
The cat isn't mine, all I do is basically cuddle with him and tell mum if something's wrong. If it were up to me, we wouldn't have a cat, because I can't afford it, and mum won't take care of him.
If we're late on the payment to the college again, they're going to increase what we have to pay, or actually take the legal action they've been threatening us with. I know, I called them to ask. It seems the more people I call about this, the more money I'm losing out on.
And none of the places I've called will let me bring him in if I cannot afford treatment. :confused: One lady told me that if I can't afford to pay for him, I might as well not even bring him in. I asked if I could surrender him for treatment, and they said that is instant euthanasia for the cat. :( Things aren't looking good for Spiggit. I'm going to have hubby call his grandparents when he gets home, maybe they can bring him to their vet, heck, I'd give him to them if they wanted. I just want him to get better.

[BookstoreEscapee]

Won't an emergency clinic be more expensive than a regular vet? That's certainly the way it is here.

Probably but they may be more willing to work with the bill, too. Ex had an outstanding balance at the emergency vet hospital from when Pablo had one of his first few seizures. Months later it had accrued less than $1 in interest (it was abut $115). It finally got paid the night Pablo died (my dad paid it; Ex paid him back because his debit card was declined, surprise surprise...).

and mum won't take care of him.

Are you concerned that she'll be upset that the cat is gone or that you might spend money on it? Cuz if it's the former, I don't see why; she obviously doesn't care that much about him. And if it's the latter, that's a shitty reason to not take care of an animal she supposedly claims as a pet.

[zombiequeen]

She'll be interested and upset because I'm messing with her cat. Especially if he ends up needing put down, because it wasn't her decision.
She's pissy about stuff like that. She tends to have a huge problem with not caring about something in the least, even hating it, and then as soon as someone else takes care of it, she gets upset.

[BookstoreEscapee]

Well, in this case I'd tell her to go to hell, but that's just me.

[zombiequeen]

I really would, but she's the reason we aren't living on the streets. I'm treading on thin ice even suggesting that she get the cat deworming medicine. Dad let me know earlier she's looking for a reason to kick me out so I really have to be careful.
Though, I really want to do what's best for him...but it's so hard with that hanging over my head all the time.

[It's me]

Try here:
http://itchmoforums.com/help-for-pets-in-need-b91.0/

Click your state and see if there is any low-cost clinic nearby

[zombiequeen]

None that are closer than two hours away, sadly. They are all on the other side of the state. Anyone up for a sick kitty caravan?
I don't think hubby and I could be sneaky, and manage to take kitty that far without mum being suspicious.

[AriGriffin]

This is really making me mad. The cat is sick. Not getting it medical attention is animal abuse. Your mom can get as ticked off as she wants. She is abusing the cat by not taking it to the vet and making jokes about having it shot.
I have called Animal Control on my relatives while I was living with them. They never kicked me out because I didn't tell Animal Control who I was, I said I was a neighbor. Call your local ASPCA or an animal rescue group. Try posting in Craigslist asking for help for the cat. Try posting on Fiverr.com. Have you tried looking into CareCredit?
If I lived nearby I'd pick up the cat in a heartbeat and take him to my vet.

[Bella_Vixen]

This is really making me mad. The cat is sick. Not getting it medical attention is animal abuse. Your mom can get as ticked off as she wants. She is abusing the cat by not taking it to the vet and making jokes about having it shot.

:highfive:

Quoted for truth.

[It's me]

None that are closer than two hours away, sadly. They are all on the other side of the state. Anyone up for a sick kitty caravan?
I don't think hubby and I could be sneaky, and manage to take kitty that far without mum being suspicious.

Just take the cat and go.... sick cat disappearing isn't much of a mystery..............

[Seshat]

The shelters where I am have always been happy to take in an animal, even a sick animal, no questions asked.

'Hi, I found this animal, it may have lived somewhere around <location I found it>. Can you take him for a while?"

They take the animal, provide food and shelter and vet care, and keep them for a specific period of time. If the animal has been microchipped or has council tags, they contact the owner-of-record. If not, they hope that someone comes in to check, and finds him.

Reclaiming the animal means paying a fine levied by the council, part of which goes to maintaining the shelter. If the animal needed unusual vet care, I think they make the owner pay that as well.

If the animal showed evidence of actual neglect or abuse, the owner cannot reclaim the animal. (Veterinary records showing attempts to treat an apparently-neglected animal are evidence of non-neglect.)


The animal then goes through some tests to see if its adoptable. Obviously, some neglected, abused or feral animals have learned things like 'strike first, strike hard' or 'grab all the food you can and defend it at all costs'. These, unfortunately, either go to specialist trainers or are euthanised.

The rest go to be adopted. When we got our little terrier mix, she was one of only two in the small-dogs pen. She also desperately wanted to go home with US. :)

[zombiequeen]

Yep, Spiggit is definitely a sweetheart, he doesn't try grabbing food and never attacks. The only time I remember him hurting someone was when my brother's fiance was holding him and filled his food dish. She didn't let go of him so he could eat, so he scratched her face. However, if he's eating, you can pull him away from his dish, stick your fingers in it, and whatnot and he's fine.
I'm thinking of calling up my friend and seeing if she's home to drive me to the shelter near here. It's a Bellwether, so I think they're no-kill. I know they do vet care, spay/neuter, and microchipping. Spiggit is neither neutered or microchipped.
Would I have to pay if I said I was taking care of him and saw he was getting sick? I'd like to let them know what's going on.

[Seshat]

I don't know. Anyone else?

[Solumina]

Totally depends on the shelter but it certainly couldn't hurt to ask

[Mikkel]

How is Spiggit? Are there any news? :(

[zombiequeen]

I haven't seen him at all today :( I'm pretty worried about him right now.

[zombiequeen]

Alright, found Spiggit yesterday trying to eat a frog :confused: Is that why he's sick? I mean, if he tries to eat frogs, then he'd try to eat a toad (they are so much slower and there's more of them) and toads are poisonous too. Hubby got it away before he killed it, but he was definitely licking the poor thing to death. He doesn't have any yellowing of his skin anymore, he's going to the bathroom like normal, and he's starting to put on weight again. Hubby gets paid today, so maybe we'll be able to get him to see a vet on Monday. I know it's not good to wait, but my dad is making my husband work all day tomorrow, and maybe Sunday.
I told my mum I was looking for a specialist for our lizard, and she's been pointing out local vet clinics and in the ad for the one that just opened, they say they do feral cats :D So I think that's where we'll take Spiggit, and tell them that we found him, but he's super friendly and stuff.

[Whiskey]

Alright, found Spiggit yesterday trying to eat a frog :confused: Is that why he's sick?

It very well might be. I think i finally figured out why my cats were getting sick.

I would kill bugs/flies with raid and then not think about it.

Then my cats would eat the poison covered bugs.

Then get sick.

Is there anyway you can stop him from going outside because hes just going to keep eating frogs. Cats are predators first.

[zombiequeen]

Unfortunately, not without giving him away. Mum is super against him being inside for any reason.
I'll try moving his food and stuff in the garage, maybe he'll stay in there more now that it's getting colder.

[zombiequeen]

Spiggit is gone. I don't know what happened, or if mum got rid of him (most likely). My parents left for vacation yesterday, and I noticed his food and water dishes were scrubbed and put away in the garage, instead of out on the table where they go. Hubby went looking for him, but didn't find anything. We think mum had dad put him down.
:(

[TelephoneAngel]

Poor Cat.:(

[zombiequeen]

Yeah, we've been looking but we haven't even found fur to show where he is. So, unfortunately, I'm pretty sure he's no longer with us. My parent's have to come home for a bit today because mum has to work, and I'll ask them then what happened. I'd rather know for sure if he's alive or not than just worry like I am. :(:cry:

[BookstoreEscapee]

Well, if she did, it sounds like it might be for the best. But to do it without telling you is a bit...well...I won't say it.

[zombiequeen]

Ok, I've asked her three times now and she keeps changing the subject...so I know that he's gone...and no longer alive likely. :cry::(

[teh_blumchenkinder]

.... :cry:
I hope hope hope they gave Spig away...
(gives him a fighting chance, anyway.)

[zombiequeen]

I asked dad, and he says that Spiggit was acting very sick and odd when he saw him Monday, and nobody has seen him since...he's pretty sure he ate something poisonous and died. :cry:

[Mikkel]

he's pretty sure he ate something poisonous and died. :cry:
He probably is dead, but if he was my cat I would walk along the fences close by, calling his name and looking for him.
I have known many cats who found a quite place when they felt the end coming. That's probably what has happened.
Then again, even cats can be mistaken. It would be better if he was shot than to lie dying for a week :cry:. If so I hope you'll find him.

[zombiequeen]

Yeah we've been out looking in the woods, in all the buildings, even asking the neighbors and checking the ditches...we have no clue where he went to...he's just gone.
I would be less upset if we had found even his body or something so we know what happened...maybe he was wandering and someone picked him up and took him somewhere safe.