Older cat sick after adopting a new kitten, worried it's related?

[thunderschoen]

Apologies for the repeated backstory for anyone who read my previous post...

I have a 10-year-old female Bengal cat who has been a solo indoor cat since I got her at 4-5 months old. A few days ago (29/11) I adopted a 4-5-month old male kitten from a rescue group. Prior to me adopting him, he was living with a fosterer who has other cats. Both my resident cat and the new kitten are vaccinated. I have been keeping the new kitten in his own room and they haven't been sharing any bedding, food bowls, litter, etc. however I have been stroking and playing with the new kitten, and then doing the same with my older cat, in the interests of scent-swapping.

When I first got the kitten, I let my older cat smell the empty cat carrier. She was very growly for about 24 hours ,but otherwise she was behaving and eating normally. Gradually over the past few days I noticed her losing interest in her food. Yesterday I could only get her to eat a few treats, and today I couldn't get her to eat anything at all. She has also been quite lethargic since yesterday and it seemed like she just wanted to sleep. Later in the day I saw her vomiting a tiny bit of white foam. I took her to the vet who said she was dehydrated and had a slight temperature, so they gave her fluids, an antibiotic, an anti-emetic, and an appetite stimulant tablet for me to give her (although I'm not sure how I'm going to do this since she's not eating her food). They also took bloods so I'm waiting on the results of those.

Right now I'm just really worried that the new kitten has somehow passed something on to my older cat (via my hands), and I feel like it's my fault. I did ask the vet about this, but understandably they can't really comment until they get the blood results.

I just wondered if anyone else has had similar experiences with a resident cat getting sick after adopting another cat/kitten? For anyone who commonly fosters multiple cats, is it common for them to pass on minor bugs/ailments? I know I need to just wait on the blood results and go from there but I'm so anxious

[thunderschoen]

Update for anyone reading: blood results were normal except for some elevated cholesterol, she has been to the vet twice now (including one 5-6 hour admission during which they gave her IV fluids and some liquid food via syringe). So I'm guessing it's not an infection, which is good, but it's also frustrating because I don't know the cause of all this, and they've only been able to treat her dehydration/malnutrition, not whatever is causing it.

If she's not eating/drinking to the point of dehydration because she's stressed, I feel like I might have to give up the new kitten, which is not what I want to do but I can't let my other cat be so unhappy to the point of her health being affected

[Mollycat]

To be honest it's a bit difficult to offer anything helpful when the vet has all the knowledge and has actually examined the cat. It's not that people are ignoring you, it's more like there is a limited help anyone can really be compared to your vet, sorry

[thunderschoen]

To be honest it's a bit difficult to offer anything helpful when the vet has all the knowledge and has actually examined the cat. It's not that people are ignoring you, it's more like there is a limited help anyone can really be compared to your vet, sorry

I understand that totally, I think I'm just panicking a bit because the vet hasn't been able to conclusively say what's wrong with her (which isn't a criticism, I understand that these things are a process of elimination sometimes, like with human medicine!).

[Mollycat]

I understand that totally, I think I'm just panicking a bit because the vet hasn't been able to conclusively say what's wrong with her (which isn't a criticism, I understand that these things are a process of elimination sometimes, like with human medicine!).

Ah ok now I think I see what you're asking more clearly. Sadly there very often isn't a clear answer, even with the best technology and skilled experienced vets available, as you say, also with human medicine but with animals and I feel especially cats. It's what makes our job as responsible carers so much harder, knowing when to say enough testing, depending how our individual pet takes to being poked and prodded, how young they are and how sick they are.

Your vet is on it, that's the main thing. What did the vet say about possibly catching something from the kitten? Has the kitten been seen and examined by the vet, or has the vet even asked to see it?

I'm sure we have all been there without ever really knowing what was wrong, the times they have seemed halfway at death's door one day only to be back to normal the next day screaming for breakfast and looking at us astonished as if to say what were you so worried about?

[thunderschoen]

Ah ok now I think I see what you're asking more clearly. Sadly there very often isn't a clear answer, even with the best technology and skilled experienced vets available, as you say, also with human medicine but with animals and I feel especially cats. It's what makes our job as responsible carers so much harder, knowing when to say enough testing, depending how our individual pet takes to being poked and prodded, how young they are and how sick they are.

Your vet is on it, that's the main thing. What did the vet say about possibly catching something from the kitten? Has the kitten been seen and examined by the vet, or has the vet even asked to see it?

I'm sure we have all been there without ever really knowing what was wrong, the times they have seemed halfway at death's door one day only to be back to normal the next day screaming for breakfast and looking at us astonished as if to say what were you so worried about?

I asked the vet nurse* about the possibility of her getting something from the kitten, but at that point the blood results hadn't come back yet and the vet nurse just said they couldn't really answer that, until they know what it is. She said that if both cats have been kept separate and haven't shared any bedding or other equipment, it's unlikely, but not impossible. There's a small chance that if the kitten was carrying something, I could have passed it on via my hands/clothes/shoes.

I haven't raised the issue with the vet again since then, because it still doesn't seem clear what's actually wrong, so I don't think they could have any more insight.

I haven't dealt with an unwell cat before, which is probably why I'm stressing out so much! (She isn't technically my first cat, but the first one I've been responsible for as an adult, etc. I left home when my childhood cat was about 10 years old, and during that time I never saw him unwell, luckily for me!)

Since my last post I made the decision to contact the rescue/adoption group and tell them about the situation, and they are looking at options for rehoming the kitten. It's not what I wanted to do, but at the moment I'm only doing the bare minimum for the kitten (food, water, litter). He really deserves more than that, especially since he needs a lot of socialising due to his background and I just can't provide that while I'm looking after another sick cat. I live alone and there's nobody to help me. So I think it would be best for both cats, and it's a lesson learned for me about what I can/can't cope with

Thanks for your advice though, I do appreciate it

* Due to the pandemic, at our vets you can't accompany your pet to the consultation, so I haven't directly seen or spoken to a vet, just to the vet nurses who have collected Macy in the car park and brought her back after. Which I guess doesn't make the situation any easier! Again, no criticism as I realise they're doing they're best to keep everyone safe, but not being able to go with Macy and reassure her has been really hard as well.

[Mollycat]

That's very disappointing from the vets. Mine have been quite the opposite, the vet comes to the car park and talks with us, they speak to us on the phone any time it's needed, the vets and nurses are paired up in closed teams to protect everyone and the nurses only deal with the public to take payments and bring any meds out. Mind, my vets have kept us better informed than the human doctors, throughout. It's a stressful enough time for all concerned without effectively putting an extra barrier between us and our vets. Won't the vet talk to you on the phone, or anything?

When you say she lost interest in food over a few days, did she eat nothing at all, or half her usual amount, etc, and for how long? Are you still waiting for those blood results? Most of ours come in 20 minutes as they have a lot of tech on site so I guess I'm not used to waiting days for news any more!

[thunderschoen]

When I've rung up, I've spoken to the receptionist, who goes and talks to the vet and then she (the receptionist) rings me back. So I haven't spoken directly to the vet, maybe I need to be a bit more insistent? Her next vet appointment is next Friday (11/12) but I'm not sure how she'll be by then, or if she'll need to go back sooner, etc. So far today she is drinking water independently but not eating. I'm trying to syringe feed her a bit at a time but understandably she doesn't like that.

I got the blood results yesterday and they were normal apart from a bit of high cholesterol, but I was advised that now isn't the time to be thinking of changing her diet since she isn't eating normally at the moment. They also repeated the bloods while she was admitted for IV fluids, and again, nothing abnormal was found apart from that. They said that the cholesterol could be indicative of a pancreas issue, but that would require a scan, which it seems they can't do at that practice over the weekend. They have given me the number for an out-of-hours vet in case she deteriorates or doesn't improve over the weekend.

I think her losing interest in food happened so gradually that I wasn't fully aware of it at first. When she's in normal health, she will usually run downstairs first thing in the morning because she's eager for breakfast. Monday or Tuesday might have been the first day she didn't do that, but she was still being a bit growly (which started when I brought the new kitten home on Sunday and she started to pick up his scent) so I thought it was just a mood thing. But she was still eating, albeit maybe less than usual. It was on Wednesday that I noticed how much of her food I was throwing away, and that day all I saw her eat was a few treats. Then I called the vet on Thursday.

With hindsight I wish I'd acted sooner but she seemed fine in herself, and I think it happened slowly enough (or I was distracted with trying to take care of the new kitten as well, probably) that it didn't cause me any concern until late Wednesday

[Mollycat]

Whereas hindsight is a beautiful gift, keep perspective - we can't go running to a vet every time our cats go off their food for a couple of days, it's ridiculous. Besides, being a bit off their food doesn't give the vet any chance of a place to start.

Glad the blood work is all normal anyway. Apparently squiffy tummies are much more common in the autumn months so hopefully it's just a case of that combined with a new kitten smell around that's triggered her and she will gradually feel better and get eating again.

[thunderschoen]

So, there's an update...

She's still drinking but not eating. She's looking a bit brighter but still definitely not herself, still slow and lethargic. I went to clean her litter box and I found what looked like some red in her urine. It's really difficult to tell with the clumping litter that I use, so I tried breaking up the clumps with some white tissue paper and then it was clearer, there was a streak of red in one of them.

I hate to stress her out with another vet visit again, but I'm very concerned about this so I have got her an emergency vet appointment (since my vet is now closed until Monday). I'm not feeling very positive at this point, I think something could be seriously wrong

[fjm]

A urine infection could explain her symptoms, and is highly treatable - don't jump to worst case thinking just yet. I am a great believer in peace-of-mind vet visits if you can afford it - most things are more easily treated if caught early, and if there is nothing very wrong I feel it is worth the cost not to lie awake all night worrying. Hope you get good news soon.

[thunderschoen]

I am a great believer in peace-of-mind vet visits if you can afford it - most things are more easily treated if caught early, and if there is nothing very wrong I feel it is worth the cost not to lie awake all night worrying. Hope you get good news soon.

Thank you, I totally agree...I know that she gets stressed out by vet visits, and I hate putting her through all this, but I'm lucky enough that I have some savings, and she is also insured, so I think it's worth doing all that I can. Maybe things would be different if she were very senior and clearly end-of-life, but I don't consider her to be at 10yo.

She has now been admitted to the vet hospital, probably for a few days. They're going to do an ultrasound scan, more detailed bloods, and give her fluids and NG feeds. I'm trying not to think catastrophically but I have anxiety and I'm very attached to her, so it's hard.

Thanks for your kind wishes <3

[fjm]

I know that stomach churning anxiety only too well. She is in the best and safest place, surrounded by people who know what they are doing, and are focussed on making her as comfortable as possible while finding out what is wrong - hold on to that.

[thunderschoen]

I know that stomach churning anxiety only too well. She is in the best and safest place, surrounded by people who know what they are doing, and are focussed on making her as comfortable as possible while finding out what is wrong - hold on to that.

Thank you. I know that I've done all I can, and I'm sure they will too.

[thunderschoen]

Update: she's still in the vet hospital (been about 24 hours now), the good news is that her liver and kidney functions appear normal. She is being given fluids and tube fed. I think they're going to do some further tests for cystitis, and possibly a bowel issue although that seems unlikely since she's never had any diarrhoea. So far they haven't found a physical cause for her symptoms which is a bit frustrating but at least they have ruled out a few serious things.

In the meantime, I have returned the kitten to his previous foster carer. It was a difficult decision and I was sad to let him go, but it seems he's already settling back in there and I'm sure he'll find his forever home soon.

[Kay]

it's beginning to look as if your girl reacts very badly to stress - I took on my Penny after a desperate call from a rescue, because she wouldn't eat, drink or relax with other cats around

it's a shame about the kitten but you can hopefully go forward knowing what you can and can't do with your girl

and here's hoping you will have many more happy years with her

[thunderschoen]

Here's the latest: she is home now, as of ~6 hours ago. The vet just rang me to say that the stool samples they did while she was in the hospital have shown giardia. They have already given me some medication for that, plus a sedative and painkiller, so I'm going to give her those over the next few days and see how she gets on. She hasn't eaten or drunk yet since getting home but she has been wandering around and looking a bit more alert/interested than she was when I last saw her. Going to give her the meds as instructed tonight, let her sleep and settle down, and then just keep a close eye on her tomorrow and try to encourage eating/drinking.

[Mollycat]

Giardia! I would let the rescue know ASAP as they will need to act fast with the kitten.

Glad she is home and that's a positive, knowing what you're dealing with.

[thunderschoen]

Update: Within a few hours of her getting home on Tuesday (by which point I had returned the kitten, gotten rid of his things, deep-cleaned the room where he was staying, etc.), she was eating and drinking normally again. 3 days later she is continuing to do so and she seems stronger and also more relaxed. She's still thin, but I'm hoping she will regain the lost weight. She is still having diarrhoea on and off, which didn't start until she was in the hospital, but it seems to be getting better. Still keeping a close eye on her and being extra careful with cleaning her litter box etc. but I'm hoping that it was mostly down to stress. Not disputing that she has giardia since it was shown on a test but I have no idea where she would have got it, or whether that's the whole story.

The kitten didn't come straight from a cattery or rescue home, he had been living with a foster carer for several weeks. I did inform them once I knew about the giardia diagnosis (by which point he was already back with the fosterer) however as far as I know, he hasn't shown any symptoms.

[fjm]

I'm so glad she is recovering quickly It is very possible that stress meant she could not fight the giardia: "Many cats who become infected with giardia are asymptomatic, meaning they don't show any signs of illness. Kittens, old cats and cats who are stressed, have a weakened immune system or are housed in close quarters are most likely to show signs of clinical illness." (https://www.hillspet.com/cat-care/healt ... ia-in-cats)