# Picked up my new Kitten Saturday and he's poorly



## jltaylor (Sep 4, 2011)

Hi

Not sure if this is the best place to post this but I am looking for a bit of advice on this issue.

I picked up my kitten on Saturday afternoon and he looked happy and feisty.
During the car journey home which admittedly quite a long journey, I noticed that his eyes were a little gunky. When I got him home I bathed them with some cooled boiled water and tried to settle him into my bedroom away from my other cats in his bed with water, food, litter tray and some toys. He seemed sleepy which I put down to him being awake for much of he journey home so I left him in peace for a while. 
When I checked on him he had moved under my bed and didn't want to come out. I put this down to him being frightened about being taken away from mum and litter mates. He cried all night but still refused to come out so I laid on the floor beside the bed so he could see me and put his food and water under the bed for him to have.
In the morning I noticed that his food and water had not been touched and he still hadn't used the litter tray. We managed to get him out from under the bed as I was concerned about him and noticed his eye was almost completely closed so I took him straight to the vet.
The vet examined him and said that he was dehydrated and had a raised temperature so she gave him an anti-inflammatory jab and some Hills AD(?) food which she advised I mixed with boiled water to water down to help get fluids in him. She also mentioned that it was possible that the conjunctivitis could be caused by Chlamydia but this would need to be tested with swabs and that I should bring him back today to see how he was getting on.
I followed all advise and did manage to get him to eat the watered down hills and have some cat milk and water. He did seem to perk up a bit but again spent the night crying all night long.
I took him back this morning and despite my best efforts they have admitted him for IV fluids and do bloods and an x-ray as his tummy is distended. He still hadn't peed or pooped as far as I could tell. They have since rang and asked for permission to do the eye swabs but want to do this under anaesthetic to minimise his distress.
I have emailed the breeder and asked if he has had any illness or if any of his litter mates were also showing signs but she has so far not answered this although has enquired of his health this morning.
He is registered with the GCCF, I have his paperwork and ped certificate. He is up to date with all vaccinations and has been neutered early. He is 13 weeks.
My kitten contract states that I could return him and get a full refund due to ill health but I don't want to do this, he's my kitten and despite only having him 48hrs, love him dearly and it broke my heart having to leave him this morning.  He is covered by the free 4 week pet plan insurance which I am hoping will cover him but my £550 kitten has racked up a £350 vet bill and that was the quote before the eye swabs and anaesthetic. Don't get me wrong I will spend every penny I had to make him better. I once paid £85 for an op on my hamster that cost me £5! Money is no object for my babies.

I really just wanted a breeders opinion on this.

Thanks

Jo


----------



## gskinner123 (Mar 10, 2010)

So sorry that you and your poor little chap are going through all this. 

The fact that your kitten is GCCF registered, fully vaccinated and already neutered shows a good level of commitment to proper breeding practices by his breeder but it wouldnt necessarily rule out that he had a health problem(s) brewing prior to you collecting him which the breeder was or wasnt aware of. The fact that he had gunky eyes on your trip home, plus the other symptoms that have developed rapidly, more than likely points to the fact that he was already unwell or just at the point of becoming unwell; a long trip home with you, being separated from his mum/littermates and a new, strange environment isnt going to *cause* these symptoms  but more than likely would exacerbate them.

Im a little unsure whether youre seeking advice from breeders here with regard to what possibly might be the problem with your kitten or, rather, how you might approach the situation with his breeder? If its the former, its very hard to say  gunky eyes, a raised temperature, little or no appetite could indicate one of the types of cat flu or, as your vet has mentioned, Chlamydia but in all honesty there are a number of things that could cause these symptoms and even if he is just a little off colour with something fairly innocuous and easily treated he might, at the moment, appear to be feeling worse than he actually is just as a result of travelling and his new environment even 100% healthy kittens are sometimes very shy in their new homes and dont want to eat for a day or two.

I think its a bit puzzling that the breeder failed to respond to being asked how his litter mates were and if hed previously shown any signs of ill-health  yet did ask how he was doing.

Please let us know how he gets on; it sounds like hes in very good hands between yourself and your vet.


----------



## wicket (Aug 22, 2012)

Hi, so sorry to hear your kitten is unwell - I cant add anything further to gskinners good advice above other than to say keep in contact with the breeder - I know if it was one of my kittens that was poorly so soon after going hone I would be pestering you for updates and offering any help I could.
Please let us know how your kitten gets on.


----------



## Busy bee (May 24, 2013)

Hi, sorry, I'm not a breeder but hopefully someone with much more knowledge will be along soon!
When you collected your kitty did he & his litter mates & mum all have nice clear eyes? Have you noticed any sneezing or any wheezing from your kitten? 
Conjunctivitis can be caused by lots of things eg irritants in the eye, tiny fibres a grass seed, certain chemicals & plants but it is most commonly causes by the herpes virus or chlamydia. 
Maybe you should try the breeder again because if kitty has not had any contact with any other cats then he/she might want to get their cats tested (I don't know how long it will take for the results to come back so you might want to wait until you know exactly what you are dealing with but definitely keep them informed)
I'm not sure but I think the herpes virus can be carried dormant in some cats and passed on and can be brought on by stress but hopefully someone else who knows more will be able to give you some advice. I would definately keep him away from your other cats for now & I really hope he is better soon. You could try a felliway plug in diffuser which can help cats during stressful periods, can't hurt


----------



## Busy bee (May 24, 2013)

Oops, no one else had posted when I started my reply, I knew someone would be along soon with some good advice


----------



## jaycee05 (Sep 24, 2012)

Sorry to sound like a pessimist, but as your kitten developed these symptoms so quickly, i think he already wasnt well when you picked him up, and should not have left the breeder until he was better, 
The poor little thing has undergone so much in his short life, vaccinating, neutering, and travelling a long way, at 13 weeks, 
The fact that the breeder didnt reply to you straight away, but only asked how he was suggests to me that he was already unwell when you picked him up
Sorry, but that is my feeling
It isnt right that you should have to pay out so much money when you have only just picked him up,
Can i ask what breed he is? i hope the little mite is better soon, bless him


----------



## Jiskefet (May 15, 2011)

Cat flu would be my first guess, really, especially if he starts wheezing or sneezing. Even vaccinated cats may get it, and it may have been carried into the house by someone visiting one of the other kittens....

It will often lay dormant till they move house, because the stress of the move and the separation from mother and siblings will compromize a cat's immune system sufficiently for a virus to take hold.

I once had a 3 year-old cat dying of FIP within 2 weeks of her arrival with me, while she must have carried the virus all her life, and 3 - fully vaccinated - cats got cat flu within 1 to 4 days of their arrival with me, and I have heard many similar stories from other people. So it is not uncommon for a new arrival to get poorly with a resident, dormant virus.

I would not bother with any swabs under anaestetic unless there is a specific treatment available for one of the suspected infections. If it doesn't change the treatment at all, it will only mean extra stress for the kitten and a waste of money, really, unless the breeder is to blame for the infection and you intend to return the kitten or sue for damages.


----------



## jltaylor (Sep 4, 2011)

Hi guys thanks for your replies.

I have since heard from the breeder and she has said that he has been fine, was the strongest of his litter and that his litter mates all seem fine. Maybe it is possible that I collected him at the wrong time 

The vet has contacted me again and said that the bloods so far have come back clear although during the x-ray they did spot some fuzziness in his tummy so while he was under anaesthetic they inserted a needle into his stomach to check for fluid but so far there isn't. He is being given fluids hourly as they thought he was too small to handle the drip and that she would be taking home with her to continue this and see how he is in the morning as while under he passed some foul smelling faeces which could also point to infection. They will reevaluate him tomorrow to see if further blood tests and x-rays are needed. The swabs for his eyes will take a week to come through.

I can go and see him at 5 which has cheered me up a bit.

Mishka is a red pointed Siberian and so cute, love him to bits already


----------



## havoc (Dec 8, 2008)

Seems a bit weird to me that bloods would be clear and yet the vet thinks there's infection. It's the white cell count that indicates infection isn't it?


----------



## jltaylor (Sep 4, 2011)

I really have no idea what bloods they have done so far, just the basic ones they would normally run and may run more tomorrow depending on how he is.
To be honest they have told me so many things today and after two nights of being up with him all night I could be confused. I have been at work since 8 with a brief trip to the vets and then back to work and straight in to meetings. I'm so sleepy I just want my baby home


----------



## catcoonz (Aug 4, 2012)

Sorry to read about your kitten, i wanted to check has the kitten been wormed using a multiwormer like milbemax or drontol, only asking as a kitten i had years ago was wormed with Panacur and the vet found alot of worms in the intestine which showed up fuzzy on the scans, that kitten i had couldnt go to toilet....

Hope your kitten will be better soon.


----------



## jltaylor (Sep 4, 2011)

catcoonz said:


> Sorry to read about your kitten, i wanted to check has the kitten been wormed using a multiwormer like milbemax or drontol, only asking as a kitten i had years ago was wormed with Panacur and the vet found alot of worms in the intestine which showed up fuzzy on the scans, that kitten i had couldnt go to toilet....
> 
> Hope your kitten will be better soon.


He has been wormed with Panacur so I will mention your experiences to the vet when I go and visit him at 5


----------



## NorthernDarkness (Jan 9, 2013)

jltaylor said:


> Mishka is a red pointed Siberian


Does GCCF have pointed Siberians instead of the sisterbreed Neva Masquerade?? Over here you can't register a pointed cat as a Siberian, they are Neva Maquerades. Asking this as it raises a question about the breeder, unless that's how thing are done in GCCF.


----------



## OrientalSlave (Jan 26, 2012)

They are included in Siberian not as a separate breed - see the last page:

http://www.siberian-cat-club.co.uk/file/189


----------



## NorthernDarkness (Jan 9, 2013)

Thanks. Good to know.


----------



## rose (Apr 29, 2009)

So sorry he is poorly, hope he is ok. He is beautiful, looks like my birman Gino!


----------



## lymorelynn (Oct 4, 2008)

He is a proper little sweetie isn't he :001_wub:
I hope you have some more positive news of his health after your visit this evening.


----------



## catcoonz (Aug 4, 2012)

I hope you have some good news this evening.


----------



## PetloverJo (Nov 4, 2011)

Sending healing vibes for your little guy. x


----------



## jltaylor (Sep 4, 2011)

Thank you ever so much for your kind words and thoughts. I have just spoken to the vet and she said that Mishka had perked up since I saw him this afternoon. Hopefully with another 12 hours of fluids he can come home tomorrow aftnoon. He is spending the might at the vets home. So silver lining I can sleep for longer than 5 minuets for the first time in 48 hours. The things you do for kids and cats!!!
If he is better he won't have to have any more invasive tests as he did look most worse for wear with his canula bandage from paw to shoulder in the indignified colour for a very proud boy of shocking pink!
I shall let you all know how Mishka is doing in the morning


----------



## jltaylor (Sep 4, 2011)

rose said:


> So sorry he is poorly, hope he is ok. He is beautiful, looks like my birman Gino!


I'm hoping he will look half as gorgeous as your little man


----------



## spotty cats (Jul 24, 2012)

Hope he's doing better today



> My kitten contract states that I could return him and get a full refund due to ill health but I don't want to do this


Since you don't want to do what the contract states, then not returning him will mean you accept full responsibility for costs - whether he was sold sick or not. If he was sold sick that would be a separate issue to take up with the breeder or governing body.



> He is covered by the free 4 week pet plan insurance


I am in another country so it could well be different to the UK, but our 6 weeks free insurance has a 72 hour waiting period, likely so that breeders/shelters can't send off sick kittens and then make an insurance claim.


----------



## havoc (Dec 8, 2008)

> I am in another country so it could well be different to the UK, but our 6 weeks free insurance has a 72 hour waiting period


Normal pet insurance has a two week period before illness is covered. Breeder issued policies cover illness and accident from the start. However, insurers consider each claim individually and have been known to refuse to pay out if they feel there was a pre-existing condition. This one is going to be interesting because the vet has done a load of investigation and so far, as I understand it, found nothing significant.


----------



## jltaylor (Sep 4, 2011)

spotty cats said:


> Hope he's doing better today
> 
> Since you don't want to do what the contract states, then not returning him will mean you accept full responsibility for costs - whether he was sold sick or not. If he was sold sick that would be a separate issue to take up with the breeder or governing body.
> 
> I am in another country so it could well be different to the UK, but our 6 weeks free insurance has a 72 hour waiting period, likely so that breeders/shelters can't send off sick kittens and then make an insurance claim.


I wont be sending him back, he's been bought as a family pet so in the unlikely event the vet does find something wrong with him he will be staying with us. I can imagine if you bought a cat with a specific thing in mind such as breeding or showing then you may possibly consider this option.

The vets seem to think that this treatment will be covered by Pet Plan but if its not I have the funds to pay for treatment.
If the scenario was that Pet Plan refused to pay would I be wrong to expect the breeder to contribute to fees? The contract doesn't specify this so guessing they wouldn't. Anyway I'm not really worried about that I just want my baby boy home and anxiously awaiting the vets morning call


----------



## danniandnala (Aug 31, 2012)

Really hope your little boys ok today hun xx


----------



## wicket (Aug 22, 2012)

Hope that you get some good news this morning - if it was one of my kittens that was ill so soon after leaving me and like you the new owner was already too attached to return him I would at the very least offer to pay your insurance excess.


----------



## jltaylor (Sep 4, 2011)

Good News!!!

Mishka can come home this afternoon 

His hydration levels are up and he's now peeing and pooping and his eye is clearing. 

I have to take samples of his poop over the next few days and take him back in 48 hours for a check up, sooner if he needs and then its just waiting for results of the eye swab tests which should be beginning of next week.

Here's a pic of Mishka at the vets last night. I hope to post lots more pics in cat chat once he's up and running around


----------



## colliemerles (Nov 2, 2007)

_aww Mishka is gorgeous, i am so glad he is coming home. and i am looking forward to more pictures of the little stunner !!!...._


----------



## danniandnala (Aug 31, 2012)

Yeyyy that's great news xx


----------



## wicket (Aug 22, 2012)

yea that is great news - hopefully now you can relax and enjoy him - he is stunning


----------



## havoc (Dec 8, 2008)

> If the scenario was that Pet Plan refused to pay would I be wrong to expect the breeder to contribute to fees?


This is a difficult call. There seems to have been an awful lot of diagnostic testing and when it comes down to it all the kitten has required *so far* was 24 hours of oral fluids which could just as easily have been given at home. The breeder is fully entitled to see all results from the vet if you want them to contribute and if they're all clear I think they'd be justified in questioning the costs.


----------



## carly87 (Feb 11, 2011)

This is what I was thinking, but just didn't want to say. Vets seem very quick to whack a drip up when they could instead teach someone to syringe and fluid manage at home. I'm not saying that they're always wrong, just that they are sometimes a little too quick to give that particular treatment.


----------



## spid (Nov 4, 2008)

So the kitten had a gunky eye, and didn't wee, poo or eat initially (how long was this?) - as a complete outsider this does seem an awful lot of tests etc for what is possibly a simple case of conjunctivitis?! Vets seem to have be EXTREMELY willing to do an awful lot of tests without cause here. 

Now going back to read the rest of the thread to double check facts.

EDIT: Hmm - a distended tummy (but hadn't had proper worming done) - didn't eat, poo or wee for 24 hours (not unheard of in cat and kittens on going to their new home) - crying in the night (lonely for his litter mates) - smelly poo (vets feeding him crappy Hills) - poorly eye (conjunctivitis - needs antibiotics). 

I would be really worried that your vets have taken the route that makes them the most money rather than the route that is easiest on the kitten. At the first visit why weren't antibiotics prescribed for that eye? If he was feeling unwell because of that he wouldn't want to eat etc. especially when added to the stress of a new home etc. The poor little mite has had so many invasive procedures and for what?

I really hope he gets better soon.


----------



## rose (Apr 29, 2009)

Any news? Poor baby


----------



## sarahecp (Aug 22, 2011)

Just seen this thread.

Poor Mishka  I hope he's on the mend really soon xx


----------



## jltaylor (Sep 4, 2011)

Hi Guys

Mishka is feeling much better thanks. Have a vets appointment this evening just to make sure things are still on track but I'm pretty sure they are judging by the way he was tearing round my bedroom at 4am this morning

SPID can I just ask, the breeder gave Mishka 5 doses of panacur, is this not adequate worming? I use Milbemax for my other cats although I think my rescue kittens had it before they came to me at 16 weeks.

Here he is checking out the OH's vinyl collection


----------



## carly87 (Feb 11, 2011)

Panacur isn't bad at all, but normally I'd only use this on young kittens. I always give a dose of Milbemax with first and second vaccinations, as it gets worms that the Panacur doesn't cover. There'd be no harm in giving him a tablet if he hasn't had Panacur in the last few weeks, but I'd chat to your vet about it.

Glad to hear he's well enough to make you suffer from sleep deprivation... Welcome to the world of kitten ownership!


----------



## jltaylor (Sep 4, 2011)

Just an update on Mishka.

The vet has confirmed that he has Chlamydia and is now has to have tablets for a month to get rid of the infection.

He seems better in himself and is running around like a kitten possessed.


----------



## pipje (Jun 29, 2011)

Glad to hear he is much better. 

I also think the vet was a bit... well, maybe not necessarily a bad one but one who's certainly taking advantage of the fact that you have insurance However, I guess it doesn't matter as the most important thing is your boy's OK.


----------



## spid (Nov 4, 2008)

Sorry didn't pick up that the kitten had had 5 doses of Panacur - which is great. 

I do however, think your vet has done rather a lot of unnecessary tests on your boy. Poor wee thing. 

Chlamydia isn't that hard to diagnose. Think I'd change vets if I were you.


----------



## Cosmills (Oct 3, 2012)

I thought it was a simple Eye swab to test for that. Some vets hey


----------



## jltaylor (Sep 4, 2011)

the vet did an eye swab but decided that due to his already distressed state the putting under was the less distressing way to do this.

I guess I didn't know the best way to go about his treatment. My moggies have always been fit and healthy and was distressed at having such a poorly kitten, I panicked. The vet I took him too was not my usual vet, was the one at pets at home as my usual vet uses Vets Now as their out of hours service and they cost a fortune even without treatment on top!


----------



## havoc (Dec 8, 2008)

> I thought it was a simple Eye swab to test for that. Some vets hey


It is The owner wanting some sedation is one thing, a vet embarking on a further battery of expensive and unnecessary testing is something else altogether  Still, vets know how much insurers will wear and exactly how to frighten owners into accepting such behaviour. If the poster hadn't come on here they would singing the praises of this vet for caring so much. If ever there was an example of why an owner should *never* let on if their pet is insured until after the consultation this is it.


----------



## Cosmills (Oct 3, 2012)

havoc said:


> It is The owner wanting some sedation is one thing, a vet embarking on a further battery of expensive and unnecessary testing is something else altogether  Still, vets know how much insurers will wear and exactly how to frighten owners into accepting such behaviour. If the poster hadn't come on here they would singing the praises of this vet for caring so much. If ever there was an example of why an owner should *never* let on if their pet is insured until after the consultation this is it.


Shocking .. They really do jump the gun a lot of the time ...


----------



## flosskins (Jan 27, 2010)

Due to a friends recent experience with a pets at home vet I wouldn't touch them with a bargepole!


----------



## flosskins (Jan 27, 2010)

But glad the kitten is better, sounds like antibiotics and a bit of TLC would have sorted him out.


----------



## sharonbee (Aug 3, 2011)

He's lovely, I am so pleased to hear he is feeling a little better,


----------

