Cat Chat Feline Forum

Hi. I just need some advice. I will get my little girl to Vets this week but would like an idea of what is likely to be the problem.
Emmy is 1yr old. She had a bout of vomiting a few weeks back. Lasted 3-4 days but it wasn't continual. Maybe once a day. Either fur & grass or brown liquid. Anyway, for the last 4-5 days her behaviour has changed. She still goes out but sits in the one place & can spend hours there without coming in for food/water. So I have to physically get her in which is difficult due to where she sits. She has no diarrhoea or vomiting & is eating well. I have fresh water all around my flat so I assume she is drinking. The main problem/symptom (?) is she is licking her lips alot. Especially after she's eaten she is constantly trying to get residual food cleared from her mouth. I brushed her yesterday & she drooled an awful lot (I'm assuming she's not dehydrated if she can drool alot ?) bit I noticed her saliva was very thick & sticky. She just doesn't seem herself. I was having an interloper (in the shape of an owned female cat) coming into my flat evey day, all day because my door is always open & it was nigh on impossible to keep her out. Emmy was unhappy with her being there & I thought maybe that's why her behaviour changed. I have now started to keep this cat out which is extremely difficult but not impossible. So thats the general problem with regards to Emmy. She has been grooming though I can't say how much/often. I just wondered if anyone could advise me as to what the problem could be with my little girl. I will get her to Vets but it will be Weds earliest due to finances. It would be good to know what I am likely to hear. Many Thanks in advance.

I am glad you are taking her to the vet - as you know, a change in behaviour can often be down to an underlying health issue. There again, if she is eating and drinking normally that is a good sign, and a strange cat invading her territory would upset most cats. I hope you get good news when you do see the vet.

Have you checked her for dehydration? There are explanations and videos on the internet. As the weather turns warmer I try to ensure my cats drink enough, putting down extra water bowls and adding a little more water to their food. Dilute, unsalted chicken stock helps - they will nearly always drink that!

Thanks for your reply. I did use Google yesterday to see the causes of cats licking their lips alot. And as you said, it can be due to stress as in the interloper I have. This is why I stopped this cat coming in yesterday. As sweet as she is, my cats come first, always. Felt like such a horrible person as the gatecrasher (!) sat outside miaowing non stop for almost an hour. She would live here given half the chance. Anyway, I digress. So I thought if I remove that element of stress it may help. Also, she is very close to her brother but he's taken to trotting off on his own every day & I know she misses seeing him.
They have fresh clean water (I change them all at least 5-6 times daily !) in lounge ,kitchen, bedroom & garden. She is emptying her bowel once in the morning & once is evening. Will monitor closely her urine output. The one thing I am leaning more towards is its something she has picked up from outside. They are like toddlers, if they see something on the ground, it goes straight into their mouths !! Insects, bits of scratchpad, tons of grass, you name it, they ingest it ! So I'm leaning more towards a bug or an infection. Hate seeing her out of sorts. She will definetly be going to the Vets this week. I just thought forewarned is forearmed. But your response has eased my mind a little. So, thankyou for your prompt reply. xx

Hi Sapphire I’d try & get your little un to the vet sooner than later... if there’s an issue cats can go down very quickly. And as for the ‘interloper’ are you able to put a cat bed outside your door, with a toy of some kind to snuggle with & some water ... maybe they won’t feel so upset about not being allowed inside. Keep us updated. Vivian

I wonder, given the interloper, if she has had a fight and could be brewing an abscess? Pippin would hide away in just this way when he was in the early stages. Will she let you feel her gently all over for any swellings or sore spots? Typically abscesses form from bites around the neck and shoulders or root of the tail, but can come up anywhere a small puncture wound has become infected under the skin.