She didn't like my answer

[nanamouse]

A co worker has a kitten, approximately 3 months old, she's had him a few weeks. When she told me her problem my answer was get him to the vet, but she will not even consider that, so I hope Special or a vet tech can help.
The owner is an immigrant (legal btw) from a culture where only very rich humans had access to medical care, and being the child of immigrants myself I understand how the generation who comes from the old country clings to the old beliefs. I'm sure her childen and certainly their children will view the matter differently, but for now she is the adult in charge.
He has developed diareah that's continued for a few days now. He's being fed the same brand of dry food that his original owner fed him, does not like canned food, and is not being given milk or people food. He lives in a very clean garage in the daytime and the house at night, and she says that not only is there no poison out for rodents there are no rodents he could have eaten.
Before anyone suggests calling animal control, there is no law here requiring a pet owner to provide any more medical care than a yearly rabies vaccination, and that not until the animal is 4 months old.
Can anyone suggest a cause and cure for this? Personally, since he isn't eating as much, but hasn't lost weight, I'm thinking one of the kids is sneaking him people food or milk?

[salukigirl]

i dont care how much of a fortress anyones house is they can eat tons of things. mice can get into houses a number of ways and personally i think it sounds like an internal parasite. and if it is the cat will probably die from dehydration. i know some pet stores sell pills for parasites but theyre not good and probably wont work. if she refuses to go to the vet (shouldnt have a pet anyways then) then try some prescription diet i/d food. its for intestinal problems so if its just inflammed or something that could help. but if it continues and she still wont take him in then i wouldnt give the cat a good prognosis. does she not have the money or just because of the culture? not having the money is one thing but you cant put a life in danger just because of a custom. everyone on here is going to say go to a vet because thats what she needs to do.

[nanamouse]

See a vet was the first thing I said. I don't know if she doesn't have the money, or thinks it would be a waste of money, or just thinks she doesn't have the money, but she is not going to spend the money on a vet, whichever it is. I was afraid to even mention parasites to her for fear she'd go to Wally World for some of that OTC stuff I killed a kitten with years ago. So frustrating.

[salukigirl]

thats sad :( maybe if she calls the vet and explains the money situation the vet can do something to help out. i know some vets have funds set aside to help animals when the owners dont have sufficient funds. also, there is this card called care credit thats like a credit card specifically for medical expenses and vet. care is included - she would just have to find a vet who accepts it. maybe she can get health insurance for 20 bucks a month and then once its approved go to the vet. i know that to offset the cost of the appts i will just take in urine samples or fecal samples so that we dont have to pay for an exam - just the test. so maybe she can take some feces in a ziploc and only have to pay for whatever drugs they give her.

[tiffers]

It would be cheaper for her to bring in a fecal sample, as Saluki said. They'll run a fecal float and tell her if the kitty is experiencing a parasitic problem. A gross question for you...ask her what the poop looks like. Is it yellow? Bloody? Green? The consistency? ...all of these things can help me better advise you.

[special]

Salukigirl, taking a stool sample in is an excellent idea, but if she doens't have a regular vet, will a clinic be willing to test the fecal matter, and dispense medicine without seeing the cat?? Some how I highly doubt it.

Jennifer I don't blame you for not wanting her to get a deworming OTC. Those things are evil. How about if you point out to her that this kitten may have eaten a mouse that had been poisoned somewhere else before coming into the garage.

There have been other people come into this forum and refuse to take their ill and suffering cats to the vet, and the animals dies.

I hope there are windows in the garage.

Jennifer: Would she let YOU take the kitten to the vet?

[tiffers]

...but if she doens't have a regular vet, will a clinic be willing to test the fecal matter, and dispense medicine without seeing the cat?? Some how I highly doubt it.


That's a good point, I hadn't thought of that.

[tiffers]

There have been other people come into this forum and refuse to take their ill and suffering cats to the vet, and the animals dies.
I wanted to take a moment to rant about this...you have yet another exceptional point, Special. People complain that their pet is sick and will do 'everything they can' besides spend money on them...then, when the pet dies...it's the vet's fault for charging for their services?! I'm not one to point fingers, but I'm pointing them now...it isn't the vet's fault for wanting to get paid for working just like everyone else, it's the owner's fault for not taking responsibility and taking your pet in.

Sorry about that...but, it's a passionate subject with me...

[Ltlpistol]

Unfortunately some people simply don't see the point in veterinary care. It's 'just an animal'. And yes, that is very culturally ingrained. Other people believe you shouldn't have a pet if you aren't prepared to treat it as you would your own child. Then there are those somewhere in between, vaccinations, and yearly checkups, and hoping that there won't be any emergencies that will take the car and house payment one month!

If this person is in that first category, and yet wants to try and treat the kitten herself, maybe she could try the time honored treatment of diarrhea for babies, rice water. Boil some rice (not minute or uncle ben's) and give the baby the cooled water.

[nanamouse]

I agree with pretty much everything that has been said here, and will try once again to convince her to take him to the vet. I personally would not even have given her an animal, but I guess the folks who don't spay or confine their mama cats can't be too picky with up to 2 dozen kittens a year to find homes for.:mad: Ya'll cross your fingers that I can grow a silver tongue on my way to work, cause at this point, even if she would let me take it to the vet I couldn't even guarantee the truck would get there, it needs medical attention itself.

[salukigirl]

thats how my dad is "its just a cat". luckily my mom is total animal lover and used to bring home dogs that were about to be thrown on the streets by co-workers etc... but my dad only does that on the exterior. my sister's friend used to live with us cause she got kicked out and found this dog and named it peanut and brought it home. my dad ranted and screamed but he still let the dog stay lol. and there were several times when i would see him petting our dogs and cats and talking to them. i think that a lot of people think that theyre not allowed to be affectionate and loving towards pets.

i didnt really think about the fact that she would already have to have a regular vet, special. good point. and chances are the cat is not vaccinated either if she refuses to go to the vet so there are a number of other things it could be. just seems so dumb to me to not vaccinate your cat for 50 bucks and then have it get an easily avoidable disease which could kill it. or not take your cat to the vet when it just has diarrhea but then have to hospitalize it for dehydration. some people.....

[nanamouse]

When I got to work this A M and told her how everyone on line agreed he needed a vet, she said he was ok today. I hope he is, and she isn't just regreting asking me and wanting me to leave her alone. Why ask my advice if you're going to ignore it? If you already know what you want to hear, just tell it to yourself and don't even drag anyone else in. Now I'll always be wondering about the poor thing, is he dead or alive, sick, well or what! It drives me nuts, yes I have a houseful of rescue kitty's, and yes I know a little about cats, but the most important thing I know is that sometimes you need a darn vet!

[TrixtersMom]

In my opinion, stress from a new home can cause diarrhea in cats. If the cat is stressed, that could be the problem. You could offer her the advice of trying canned pumpkin, plain, NOT pie filling, by itself or mixed with food. This can help if it is stress related. I also agree with Tiffers that the color and consistency says a lot. If it is yellow and has a very strong, sweet odor, and/or blood it could be coccidia or giardia. Did she tell you where she got the cat? If he/she was not already wormed it is almost 100% positively infected with parasites. Poor baby. I hope kitty is ok and that this woman takes responsibility for an innocent baby that she CHOSE to take in and *care for*.

[LadyLynn]

If she's from another "Culture, she may just need the help of a friend she trusts dearly from "This culture," to help her set an appointment, to explain "this is the way we do things, it's culturally accepted here, money problems can be worked out with a vet, she should have the friend call around, and "hold her hand so to speak." we get so caught up in being mad they won't take them to the vet, as much as it might be "not understanding how we do it, what we accept, and that we view animals, as we do children who need a doctor A.S.A.P.
Example: We had a Spanish women who immigrated to the U.S.A. her husband was working for my uncle, she was pregnant. She had never heard of "going to the doctor, and when she was ready to give birth the poor woman was terrified because she had never been in a hospital to give birth before. We had the highschool Spanish teacher go with her to the hospital to translate, to help her understand why she was there and not at home to have her baby. I think this could be a similar "problem."

How can you make her understand, and help her take her precious pet to the vet. Perhaps she just needs someone she trusts from the culture she's living in help her take it to the vet .

[nanamouse]

As best as I can tell she thinks it's just plain stupid to take an animal to a vet. In fact, were it not for her kids I doubt she would even be spending $ to feed an animal or owning one at all. I hope the kids can get through to her, they are very Americanized, and are her soft spot.

[xpalaboyx]

Checking it with a vet will give her a better view on what's happening to her pet.

[uwllv88]

I'm new to this board and trying to read some of the older posts so I'm sorry this post is a several days late. I'm just wondering if there is any way you can talk to this woman and tactfully tell her that in this country people have gone to jail for abuse or neglect of an animal they own. (I think this is true in most states now). You might try to point out that all kittens are born with worms and that all they need is to be dewormed, deflead and a rabies shot (by law). What about fleas? Does she want fleas infesting her house, biting her kids when all it takes is a once a month treatment with Advantage or similar product? I hope she will listen to you.