new mother cat still sick

[nosila75]

I hope someone can help because I can't afford the vet anymore. Cookie, our 8 month old kitten gave birth 4wks ago to 4 live kittens. 2 others died. She has been sick since then. I took her to the vet 2 days after the birth. Her temp was 106. He gave her antibiotics,gave her fluids, dewormed her, and charged $200. I was afraid she might have another kitten in her, but I couldn't afford a $100 x-ray. He examined her and said probably not. Two days later she was sicker. I wound up bottle feeding her and her 4 babies. The whole time she was sick-she cared for her kittens. Cleaning and feeding,it was amazing to watch. For the past two weeks, Cookie has a bad smell sometimes and her belly makes noises. She's increasingly jittery and I've actually seen her belly convulse. It scares me and I don't know what to do for her. She is still feeding, compulsively cleaning and taking care of the babies-but is prone to move away and just stare at them. She's eating dry and wet food, drinking water and cat milk and goes to the cat box frequently.
Cookie is half siamese/half long hair. We found her when she was 6wks old and nursed her back to health. I don't want to lose her. Any help is appreciated greatly

[aslan]

OMG, take the cat to the vet asap, you have to be able to get money somewhere or work out a payment plan, I don't even wanna know how your kitten got pregnant so young. But you have to get her to the vet now.

[t.pettet]

OMG: You say you can't afford another vet visit but her condition is 'serious' and you cannot afford not to take her to the vets. You took on the responsibility when you adopted her as a kitten and since you were negligent not having her spayed, her present medical condition is down to you.

[rainbow]

OMG....I couldn't agree more. You MUST get her to a vet ASAP. Good luck and keep us posted.

[Frenchy]

do whatever you have to do to get the money and take this cat to the vet asap. Once she feels better you get her spayed so this doesn't happen again !!!!!

[CyberKitten]

We are not vets even if some of us have medical jobs or know almost as much as many vets about very particular topics. BUT this kitty NEEDS A VET and she needed to see one yesterday!

Beg or borrow the money - email imom.org but get her to a vet. She is sick and it is like having A SICK CHILD - you would hardly expect some stranger on the street who you know has 10 children and experience with their illnesses tell you how to help your child. This is your beloved cat and kittens and responsibility - it goes with the territory. I am sorry to hear you are having this problem and especially concerned for your cat. Ask the vet if s/he will take you on credit? There are many arrangements that can be made. Asking us is not one of them. We want to help but once again, the symptoms all point to the need of a vet - as others have already noted. PLEASE get her to a vet!! She needs you to do that NOW!

I wanted to add if she is seriously ill, and it is contagious, you may have 5 seriously ill felines!!! Take them all in and soon!

Good luck!

[nosila75]

Thank you all for your help. Why didn't I think of taking my cat to the vet, as you all suggested!! Oh wait, I did,and now I can't afford to again. When we found cookie, we all thought she would die. We paid over $1000 in vet and medicine bills to save and vaccinate her. I had to wait till I had the money to neuter her, and one week before her appt. she got out of the house. My fault, definitely. I know she's young, much too young to have babies. Do I not care about my pets? Of course I do. One of my cats broke his leg in two places (hit by a car). That was last year, again medical bills well over $1000. All of my pets are vaccinated yearly, and all except cookie were neutered. But guess what. I also have 4 children. So, when one needed glasses, and another needed a Dr. last month, guess who was prioritized. My kids. Are my pets like my children? Of course, and I have done what I can with cookie. Did I call the vet and ask for a payment plan? Of course--and no they don't do that. So thank you for preaching and telling me things I already knew. I will try to find the money for the vet, and if I can't then I'll continue doing what I can. And no, the kittens are not sick--this is not a diseased cat. I think it is birth and placenta related. Thanks again.

[Love4himies]

When it comes to a pet getting pregnant there are no accidents, it is owners responsibility to ensure they are fixed before sexual maturity, period! If you can't afford the vet bills of situations that may go wrong during pregnancy, then you should have had the kittens aborted and your cat spayed when she got home after the escape. The kittens are young yet and may still cost you hundreds of dollars in vet bills before they are adopted out.

But I guess you can't change the past and you now you have to deal with the present. Your cat needs vet care ASAP.

We can't help you diagnose your cat over the internet, you HAVE to take it to a vet for health care, your cat's life is at stake.

[satchelp]

Originally Posted by Love4himies

When it comes to a pet getting pregnant there are no accidents, it is owners responsibility to ensure they are fixed before sexual maturity, period! If you can't afford the vet bills of situations that may go wrong during pregnancy, then you should have had the kittens aborted and your cat spayed when she got home after the escape. The kittens are young yet and may still cost you hundreds of dollars in vet bills before they are adopted out. .

Give the woman a break! I sometimes can't believe some of the attitudes around here. She has been doing the best she can with a cat she rescued. Would you rather that people walk away from sick or injured animals rather than try to help them by giving them a home and treating their illnesses or injuries? I understand coming down on people who let their cats out on purpose when they are not altered, but I think you are targetting the wrong person here. She came here for help, not for a lecture.

[badger]

For the past two weeks, Cookie has a bad smell sometimes and her belly makes noises. She's increasingly jittery and I've actually seen her belly convulse. It scares me and I don't know what to do for her.

This is what triggered all these responses. What could anyone have suggested other than a vet? It's a tough situation.

There is a familiar dynamic in this thread. The OP describes something scary and possibly life-threatening. Several people urge her to take the cat to the vet immediately. Silence from the OP. Because the responders are not offering anything useful or maybe she's just busy? The tone mounts. The OP doesn't have to add anything, the fuse has been lit. OP reads the thread, feels attacked. And on it goes.

To the OP: I would be worried about the smell, which can sometimes mean infection. Have you tried giving her a little 'bed bath' particularly around her back end, or is she keeping herself clean there? Just to make sure nothing external is causing the odor. Could it be gas? since you say it is intermittent(that might also explain the tummy rumbles). Are you feeding her anything different that she might be reacting to? Do her stools look normal?

Eating and drinking and visiting the litterbox are all good signs but I would be watching her pretty closely. You could try taking her temperature. If she has a fever, then she needs antibiotics.

[Sylvie28]

Excuse my ignorance, but what does OP means?

[Love4himies]

Originally Posted by nosila75

And no, the kittens are not sick--this is not a diseased cat.

Doesn't need to be a diseased cat for kittens to get sick. I fostered very healthy kittens and they ended up with the calicivirus. Very hardy virus that can be brought into the home on your shoes. Cost of vet care: hundreds. They needed subcutaneous fluids twice a day, emergency vet calls because it happened on a Sunday, meds and hospitalization.

[Sylvie28]

Nosila75, it must be hard to go through what you are going through right now, because I'm going through a rough time myself, if you want to read more about it, it's the thread -when it time to let go- or something like this.
anyway lets it might feel better.

[Sylvie28]

Satchelp for writing this, I agree with you

[Love4himies]

Satchelp

Doesn't matter what we say she still needs to take the cat to the vet, period. She needs to find the funds to do so, period. We can't help her, all we can say is take your cat to the vet!

If she didn't want her cat to get pregnant then spay it by 4 months old, she didn't, so these are the consequences. If she couldn't afford vet bills that come along with breeding (and they can really add up), then she should have aborted the kittens and got the cat spayed.

Sorry if I am a person who tells it like it is and expect people to take responsibility for their actions and not to make excuses. She had choices along the way and these are the consequences of them.

Nosila75, I do hope your kitty will be OK, I absolutely love cats, but I have to say again your cat needs immediate vet care!

Visit your local shelter and look at all the homeless cats and you may then understand why some of us get very upset at those who allow their cats to get pregnant.