# Very near miss



## lizward (Feb 29, 2008)

At least it looks as if it's a miss.

Went to the loo 2 hours ago only to find a kitten fallen in the toilet, head out, laying on the slope, apparently dead. I had no idea she was even upstairs. She seemed stiff, eyes glazed over, I immediately assumed she had drowned and tried to get water out of her, saw her take a very shallow breath.

Suddenly recalled that her head had not been in the water and therefore that the more likely scenario was hypothermia, so I towelled her vigorously, swung her in case there was fluid in her lungs, put her in front of a heater, she started taking breaths from time to time but was completely collapsed. Breathing became more regular and she started to miaow when I rubbed her hard still thinking there might be water in her lungs. Finally realised I needed a heat pad.

After 15 minutes on the heat pad she was able to hold her head up and after an hour she was sitting up. She is now being cuddled by my husband and apart from shivering is looking pretty much back to normal, bright and alert and moving around. I will confine her and have her on heat overnight though.

Fortunately the toilet had been flushed a lot since the last bleaching, she doesn't smell of bleach (though I certainly tasted some when I tried to rescusitate her) 

I think she will make it. In 19 years of breeding I have never had this happen before.

Liz


----------



## natty01 (Sep 4, 2011)

my sisters kitten fell in the toilet once  he was ok tho , he didnt like being washed by my mum after tho.


----------



## hope (May 25, 2011)

hope she is ok i always leave my toilet seat down just incase


----------



## Kittenfostermummy (Jul 25, 2011)

OMG hun I hope she is ok xxxxxxx Keep us updated hugs (((((((((((((())))))))))))))))


----------



## Lushgirl84 (Jun 27, 2011)

omg! glad you got to her in time, poor little love. Glad shes snuggling up now.


----------



## lizward (Feb 29, 2008)

hope said:


> hope she is ok i always leave my toilet seat down just incase


My husband used it last - just 30 minutes or so earlier, at most. It's frightening how quickly hypothermia can set in.

Liz


----------



## Lushgirl84 (Jun 27, 2011)

lizward said:


> My husband used it last - just 30 minutes or so earlier, at most. It's frightening how quickly hypothermia can set in.
> 
> Liz


Did you tell him off? lol


----------



## hope (May 25, 2011)

lizward said:


> My husband used it last - just 30 minutes or so earlier, at most. It's frightening how quickly hypothermia can set in.
> 
> Liz


i feel for you hun must be horrible to see that i would have been shaking and all sorts in tears .


----------



## Grace_Lily (Nov 28, 2010)

Liz I'm so sorry to hear about this, it must have been quite traumatic trying to save her.

When we had our first kitten over 10 years ago I remember her having a mad play fit on the landing only to run and jump straight into the toilet! Ever since then I put the toilet seat down without fail, it's just automatic now even when I'm not at home.


----------



## Cat_Crazy (Jul 15, 2009)

Poor little kitten 

I am another who ALWAYS has the toilet seat down, especially now we have Charlie who seems to think it's his personal paddling pool :confused1:


----------



## Guest (Nov 9, 2011)

wow your cat is sooooo lucky... VERY WELL DONE YOU...i hope your cat makes a full recovery ...please keep us posted ....YOU ARE A STAR .....:thumbup::


----------



## Superash (Aug 23, 2011)

. Well done you for your quick thinking!!! Lucky little kitty.


----------



## noushka05 (Mar 28, 2008)

poor little mite, please get her to the vets ASAP,. its very likely she'll go on to develop pneumonia, i know because i rescued a hedgehog from my neighbours pond who was in a similar state, the RSPCA for once were amazing, and said they had to get him straight to their vets even though he was looking so much better whilst i was waiting for them...as some water was still likely to be on his lungs.


----------



## 1290423 (Aug 11, 2011)

Glad to hear that you got to the kitten on time!

I remember an incident when I was a child, it was in the days of the old washing machines with the mangles on to top! We had a cat that used to sit on top of the washer in the kichen (obviously when it was not in use) Monday morning, it was always was day on a Monday - Mum and Nan were doing the laundry - and in them days you used to near on boil the water, heard screams coming from the kitchen and the cat had jumping into the washing machine! if I remember right it took my nan a couple a good minute to get her out! I ADD she continued to live a long and happy life but used one of its nine that day!


----------



## VanessaD (Oct 16, 2011)

Oh no!! poor kitty and poor you!! :/ glad to hear it was a good outcome :thumbup:


----------



## lizward (Feb 29, 2008)

She's fine, though of course I will be keeping a very close eye on her. Somehow she seems to have avoided inhaling water and ingesting bleach, it was simply hypothermia. I had no idea that could set in so fast at such mild temperatures 

Liz


----------



## noushka05 (Mar 28, 2008)

lizward said:


> She's fine, though of course I will be keeping a very close eye on her. Somehow she seems to have avoided inhaling water and ingesting bleach, it was simply hypothermia. I had no idea that could set in so fast at such mild temperatures
> 
> Liz


has she been coughing at all Liz?


----------



## Alaskacat (Aug 2, 2010)

Oh poor kitty and poor you, what a horrific experience for you both. I had no idea hypothermia would effect them so quickly. Thank you for posting, I will show the OH and it gives me more ammunition in my fight for toilet door closed and lid down regime.

Katy


----------



## lizward (Feb 29, 2008)

noushka05 said:


> has she been coughing at all Liz?


No, she seems to be perfectly normal in every respect and has been so since she came round.

Liz


----------



## Misi (Jul 13, 2009)

Oh, poor little sausage . Glad she's recovering with lots of cuddles. Simba's far too curious as far as the loo's concerned, so we keep the seat down. Whenever people come to visit we ask them to remember to close it. There is one particular friend who always, always forgets, even if we mention it when she's going into the bathroom. It drives me batty!!!


----------



## lizward (Feb 29, 2008)

Yes, we will be doing that too now, though in fact the bathroom door is supposed to be kept closed (she must have been hiding in there)

Liz


----------



## colliemerles (Nov 2, 2007)

_glad she is ok, this happened to my sister, she found the kitten down the loo, thought it was dead, but it made a gasping noise, she rushed it to the vets who had to warm it up and i am sure they put it on a drip, but cant remember why, but after afew days it was well enough to go home, _


----------



## Cat Lover Chris (Jan 11, 2009)

lizward said:


> My husband used it last - just 30 minutes or so earlier, at most. It's frightening how quickly hypothermia can set in.
> 
> Liz


Here we go; Us men getting the blame again ! :mad2:

Sorry to hear about the poor kitten's swimming lesson. Glad to hear that it seems to be OK.


----------



## Ianthi (Oct 21, 2008)

Gosh Liz this was a lucky intervention! How old is the kitten? Hope she's doing OK now. Another way to revive would be to immerse up to neck in warm water.

Yes, Colliemeries sounds like the vets put your sister's kitten on warmed IV fluids which is how vets often treat hypothermia. Actually it's the same for people.


----------



## lizward (Feb 29, 2008)

She's 13 weeks but very small. Warm water - chance would have been a fine thing, until this morning we had had no hot water for three weeks!

Liz


----------



## dagny0823 (Oct 20, 2009)

Poor kitten. Good thing you found her in time. She must have been checking out the personal whirlpool in the toilet and fell in. Blake has just reached this stage and is utterly fascinated by it so we indulge him, then shut the lid.

Keep her warm and give her lots of cuddles, poor sweetie.


----------



## Lumboo (Mar 31, 2011)

Is she named yet?

Cordelia means "..of the sea" 
Not sure if there is a name "...of the loo" though 

Glad she is OK - lucky kitty for having such a quick thinking owner. How scary x


----------



## spid (Nov 4, 2008)

Wooooo, lucky miss there Liz - I bet your heart skipped a beat or two! Glad she seems okay now.


----------



## lymorelynn (Oct 4, 2008)

A lucky escape for that kitten - hope there is no permanent damage. I hate mine going into the bathrooms.


----------



## lizward (Feb 29, 2008)

Well there certainly doesn't seem to be any damage, she's perfectly normal.

No she hasn't got a name yet. Loo-ise, perhaps? 

Liz


----------



## DKDREAM (Sep 15, 2008)

Think if this was me id take the kitten to a vet, I hope she makes it Liz.


----------



## walkingcarpets (Aug 11, 2011)

lizward said:


> At least it looks as if it's a miss.
> 
> Went to the loo 2 hours ago only to find a kitten fallen in the toilet, head out, laying on the slope, apparently dead. I had no idea she was even upstairs. She seemed stiff, eyes glazed over, I immediately assumed she had drowned and tried to get water out of her, saw her take a very shallow breath.
> 
> ...


wow Liz sounds like it was a close call- how is she now..

Just want to say experience seems to have served you well even if this was a 'new' thing.

From what you shared, sounds like you acted responsively and responsibly. I imagine at the time, it could have felt scary as well as a shock to the system, however whether it was the intuitive part of you kicking in, you handled the situation well and remained calm.


----------



## Jansheff (Jan 31, 2011)

Glad she's ok. Sounds as though she ought to be known as Lulu!


----------



## MCWillow (Aug 26, 2011)

I am so glad she is OK Liz - hypothermia wouldnt have crossed my mind, so thanks so much for posting 

I remind people before they use the loo, and yell from wherever I am 'Is the seat down' as soon as I hear them open the door when they have finished - I dunno why people have stopped coming round lately.... 

PS: I agree, Lulu is the perfect name for her :thumbup:


----------



## buffie (May 31, 2010)

I really do think this kitten should have been taken to the vets.It may seem ok but how do you know.From your description of its condition when you found it ,it was as good as dead.I know I tend to err on the side of caution every time but this just seems to me to be one of those times where there is no doubt of the course of action that should have been taken.


----------



## Izzie999 (Nov 27, 2008)

I would definitely take her to the vets,even if she seems fine, who knows what could happen in the next few days?

I am always saying to my kids loo seat down and bathroom door shut. I do it out of habit but they tend to forget.

Izzie


----------



## lizward (Feb 29, 2008)

buffie said:


> I really do think this kitten should have been taken to the vets.It may seem ok but how do you know.From your description of its condition when you found it ,it was as good as dead.I know I tend to err on the side of caution every time but this just seems to me to be one of those times where there is no doubt of the course of action that should have been taken.


It was too urgent for that last night, she had to be got warm as a matter of urgency. One more tip - this is what they do in mountain rescue and the like for hypothermia and I did it quite by chance because my first reaction was to think she had drowned - you get heat into the core, the best emergency way of doing that (before the ambulance arrives) is to breathe into the person. So that wasn't a matter of knowledge because if I had found her in dry conditions I would not have done it, but by accident I did the right thing.

She's fine, just the same as the others.

Liz


----------



## sharon_gurney (Jan 27, 2010)

lizward said:


> Well there certainly doesn't seem to be any damage, she's perfectly normal.
> 
> No she hasn't got a name yet. Loo-ise, perhaps?
> 
> Liz


sooo glad everything seem fine with kitty, have been thinking of names as well, how about

Lucy (loo see), Lou Lou (Loo Loo), Lou be Lou or how about
Widdle Piddle, Pee Pee, Pee ter Pan

:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:


----------



## buffie (May 31, 2010)

lizward said:


> It was too urgent for that last night, she had to be got warm as a matter of urgency. One more tip - this is what they do in mountain rescue and the like for hypothermia and I did it quite by chance because my first reaction was to think she had drowned - you get heat into the core, the best emergency way of doing that (before the ambulance arrives) is to breathe into the person. So that wasn't a matter of knowledge because if I had found her in dry conditions I would not have done it, but by accident I did the right thing.
> 
> She's fine, just the same as the others.
> 
> Liz


It may have been "too urgent" at the time of finding her but I would have been in the car and on my way to the vets as soon as she was stable.You say she is fine ,I hope you are right,I wouldnt have left it to chance.She would have been checked out by a vet to confirm this.


----------



## Alaskacat (Aug 2, 2010)

Every circumstance is different of course, but if the kitten appears to be acting normal there is no way that I would risk taking her to the Vet, I would err on the side of caution and not put her severly threatened imune system through another big hit. There is a recognised risk that pneumonia could develop in this kitten so surely the worst thing you could do would be to take her into a Vets waiting room and risk her catching something from a sick pet. Not to mention the stress of being seperated from her companions, the stress of being put in a carry box, the stress of the journey to the vets and the stress of being examined by the Vet.

Not to say that a call or visit to a vet isn't advisable in a lot of cases, but Liz has bred this kitten and knows it well, so I'm sure she will recognise any turn for the worse and get her straight to the Vet. For a less experienced owner who hadn't raised the kitten it would, I'm sure, be the right thing to do. I worry about the effect on the imune system of two injection visits and possibly a new home so close together in a kitten who hasn't just cheated death, so would be wary about adding another Vet visit in just as a precaution.

Katy


----------



## noushka05 (Mar 28, 2008)

what worries me is the fact that shes been submerged in water so its likely some water got onto her lungs, even if the kittys seems ok now the vet may prescribe antibiotics as a precaution to ward off the potential risk of pneumonia?

what about just giving the vet a call and asking their advice Liz?


----------



## lizward (Feb 29, 2008)

She's still fine.

My husband revised the time he last went to the loo, he now thinks the kitten could have been in there for well over an hour 

Liz


----------



## gskinner123 (Mar 10, 2010)

Glad to hear she's still looking okay, Liz. I'm not sure whether there would have been anything to gain (or rather prevent, given that she appeared to recover fairly quickly) by taking her to the vet but I personally wouldn't have been able to resist doing so for a kitten who had had such a close scrape with death from hypothermia.


----------



## DKDREAM (Sep 15, 2008)

lizward said:


> She's still fine.
> 
> My husband revised the time he last went to the loo, he now thinks the kitten could have been in there for well over an hour
> 
> Liz


That is so sad, I just hope she is ok long term, i still feel she should have went to the vets. Yes you acted to help bring her round but surely you'd want her checked over to make sure she is fine.


----------



## havoc (Dec 8, 2008)

I'm not sure what a vet would do. While the chance of water in the lungs is an issue most breeders own a decent stethoscope and know how to check to see if they're clear. If they're not I'm sure Liz would have reacted appropriately. There's also a huge difference between a filthy pond and the water in a loo. Bacterial pneumonia or other infection is a huge risk from a stagnant pond and prophylactic antibiotics would definitely be indicated in that situation but this is a completely different situation.


----------



## gskinner123 (Mar 10, 2010)

I was thinking more organ damage/failure as a result of what sounded like fairly severe hypothermia, the kitten being almost comatose. But I've fortunately never been in that position with a cat and hence no idea whether there is any immediate, pre-emptive treatment that the vet might have advised. The good thing, I suppose, is that the kitten was in the water for a relatively short space of time.


----------



## havoc (Dec 8, 2008)

I understand your point but can't see how that could be tested for and if a kitten is otherwise fine, eating & drinking etc. I too would not rush to stress it further. The speed of recovery does suggest it wasn't actually too severe, mild external warming worked so the core temperature can't have been compromised enough to cause damage to vital organs.


----------



## gskinner123 (Mar 10, 2010)

I really don't disagree at all. I suppose I work on past experience where I can reflect and think "If only I had..." or conversely "Thank God I..." Well, that and advancing age seeming to equate with advanced worry over things!


----------



## Ianthi (Oct 21, 2008)

I tend to agree. The speed of recovery and subsequent normal behaviour and activity levels of the kitten is a crucial element in determining whether an imminent visit is necessary or not and given the circumstances I'd be hesitant about subjecting her to any further stress. Signs of any vital organ damage would certainly be visible at this stage.


----------



## lizward (Feb 29, 2008)

I admit I was not expecting a good outcome at all, I really thoguht she was too far gone, and then when she started to move her head and legs I thought I would be going into the emergency vet as soon as she was warmed up, but then when she came round completely and started washing herself, purring, snuggling into my husband's beard and so on, it became quite clear that there was no need.

Liz


----------



## walkingcarpets (Aug 11, 2011)

lizward said:


> It was too urgent for that last night, she had to be got warm as a matter of urgency. One more tip - this is what they do in mountain rescue and the like for hypothermia and I did it quite by chance because my first reaction was to think she had drowned - you get heat into the core, the best emergency way of doing that (before the ambulance arrives) is to breathe into the person. So that wasn't a matter of knowledge because if I had found her in dry conditions I would not have done it, but by accident I did the right thing.
> 
> She's fine, just the same as the others.
> 
> Liz


Liz, all credit to you, is easy for us to inject our counsel with our ' you ought, should' with our 'If I were you...' and understandably well meaning good intentions may I add (see two sides of the coin and not taking sides) however 'we' are not 'you' and 'we' were not there.

Liz, am trusting in your experience and 'intuition' at the time, just felt to validate this in you. Just thankful kitten seems safe and no doubt she's under your watchful eye as her progress is being monitored


----------



## missye87 (Apr 4, 2011)

We have always had to keep our toilet lid down as Sooty was an avid toilet drinker. If the lid was light enough you could get up in the middle of the night, switch the light on in the bathroom and startle at two back paws and a twitching tail sticking out from under the lid 

Luckily that habit has stayed with me as Benji and Storm have a certain affinity for water, I went to the loo once (a number 1 luckily!!) and as I stood up to flush Benji took a nose dive in there!   I showered him off immediately and told him off, he hasn't tried since. Although saying that - both him and Storm are too big to fit now I think 

Very lucky escape, good on you for being so quick on your toes and knowing what to do! xxx


----------



## lizward (Feb 29, 2008)

I've got one that loves to drink out of the toilet too, disgusting little beasts aren't they!

Liz


----------



## dagny0823 (Oct 20, 2009)

We always keep our lids down too. We saw an episode of MythBusters where they measured the amount of bacteria that floats up during flushing and how much lands on countertops and toothbrushes, etc. It's not pretty at all. So, lid down, then flush, and don't open until you need to use again--although now that Blake loves to watch the whirlpool as well as accompany me in the bathroom, I can't do this all of the time. I'm sure one of them would try to lift the lid if they could, but I've outsmarted them with heavy wooden toilet seats


----------

