I'm a horrible Mom to my cat!
@girlgonefishing (2174)
United States
February 27, 2008 12:20pm CST
Yesterday I started a discussion about how my cat was acting weird and freaking out at nothing. She would just be sitting there panting and then she would attack the air. What was worse is that she could hardly walk straight and she wouldn't drink any water even though she was panting.
No, I didn't take her to the Vet because we were under tornado warnings yesterday and I didn't want to risk my life and her's to take her.
Since she wouldn't drink any water, I opened a can of tuna and poured the juice off of it and tried to get her to drink it. She was terrified of the bowl and didn't want to drink it. I got a syringe and got some of the juice into her that way. After a while, I decided that I would see if I could get her to eat some of the tuna since I didn't have any soft cat food because I feed her the dry kind. She wouldn't have anything to do with it. She went to bed with me last night starving to death and still panting.
This morning, I had planned on taking her to the vet as soon as the weather cleared up. My husband called me and said "Doll, I know you tried the tuna but did you try just giving her the regular dry cat food yet?" I snapped back at him "She won't even drink anything what the bleep makes you think she can chew that hard food?!!"
Well, I decided to give it a try. Poor thing ate more food than I've ever seen her eat before! Then she wabbled into the laundry room and drank some of the water we have there for the dogs. Go figure. She is still wabbling a little but I think she is going to get better on her own now that she is drinking and eating on her own. I guess she just doesn't like tuna!
Have you ever made this kind of mistake with your cat?
8 people like this
14 responses
@Loen210 (1540)
• United States
28 Feb 08
Oh, I was gettign scared reading your posting, and was prepping for a very sad ending. So glad it turned out better. But I'd definitely still take my kitty to the vet if this happened. There could be something that was or is wrong. Maybe labs done. Cats can be picky, but her actions seemed strange. I woudn't eant to risk it. Maybe she should have blood tests for safety.
Best Wisehs!
2 people like this
@girlgonefishing (2174)
• United States
28 Feb 08
I just got off the phone with the vet. He says that if she is getting better that she probably ate a lizard or a frog and it just has to work it's way out of her little system. He said to bring her in if she isn't completely normal by Monday. He said that since she is getting better every day that she will probably be totally well by tomorrow or Saturday as these symptoms usually take 5-7 days to subside.
1 person likes this
@mssnow (9484)
• United States
27 Feb 08
Its hard to know what a cat or any pet wants or needs sometimes. The fact is you did keep trying things. Thats about all you can do.If she is still acting strange maybe go ahead and take her to a vet. At least then you woul know whats ailing her. By the way Your not a bad mom as long as you dont give up or just abandon her.
2 people like this
@girlgonefishing (2174)
• United States
28 Feb 08
Thank you so much for your response and encouragement. She is doing even better today. I think she is almost totally well now. She can even jump up on the bed by herself.
1 person likes this
@Annie2 (594)
• United States
29 Feb 08
Thank goodness your kitty is getting better. It is so hard to know if there is a problem. I think though that if mine were walking funny, I would have beelined to the vet the next morning after the tornado warnings passed.
My cat had started to seem like she was becoming blind. Her pupils stayed wide open all the time. She wasn't flying through the house and jumping over things. She didn't seem to be able to follow the motion of toys moving, etc. So, I took her to the vet. She (the vet) could shine light directly into her eyes and the pupils did not close at all. She was also losing weight.
Tests were run but nothing stood out in the results. Well, she had been eating a diet of dog food for quite some time because we had been told by another vet that it would be a healthy enough diet for her and would not have fish in it. Well, because of the weight loss, this newer vet recommended giving her canned cat food with higher fat content in it twice a day.
After a few days of that she started gaining weight and eyesight! We now feed her dry and canned catfood and she sees pretty well now. Apparently, there is something missing nutrient-wise in the dog food.
I felt like an idiot, but hey, when a vet recommends it . . .
@girlgonefishing (2174)
• United States
27 Feb 08
Me too! Yes, it happened after the homestudy. I doubt I will have very much time to be on the computer when we get the baby. I will always log in though to see what my friends are doing. :-)
1 person likes this
@ersmommy1 (12588)
• United States
27 Feb 08
Not a mistake per say. But I have gone to the store, gotten groceries for myself and my family. Having of course forgotten the cat food. My old cat, Kooter once had stopped eating. Every one said he was just old and giving some attitude. I knew he was sick. After a few hours of odd behavior, and once all had gotten home I put a can of tuna in front of him. Now Kooter LOVED tuna. You could put a can down and before you stood all the way up 1/2 the can was inhaled. But he didn't even touch the can. That sent up the red flags. I got apologies and in the car to the vet we went, PRONTO.
@girlgonefishing (2174)
• United States
27 Feb 08
That's what I kept telling everyone yesterday. I knew that something bad was wrong with her. I couldn't take her to the vet because we had tornado warnings until midnight last night. I'm so glad she is doing better today. I still can't believe she doesn't like tuna.
1 person likes this
@Deea48 (1166)
• United States
28 Feb 08
I have been lucky I guesse to have such a healthy Cat. But she has never been out doors so that could have alot to do with it. Plus she is the only Cat I ever had, that does not like tuna or wet cat food, she also will not eat human food, it is dry cat food only for her. I have tried to give her little bites of this or that and she just turns her nose up to, I slao have a house full of plants, she never eats them, mite drink the water , if they are slipps, might even scratch the dirt if the pot is big, but she never eats the plants. My Samone is a odd little kitty for sure, glad you kitty is getting better.
@girlgonefishing (2174)
• United States
28 Feb 08
So, I guess it's not completely unusual that she doesn't eat tuna after all. She doesn't eat plants either. Well, except for some basil I have growing in my herb garden. I have tons of it so, I don't mind if she takes a few leaves every now and then. She is even better today.
1 person likes this
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
27 Feb 08
Hi Cats are a mystery to me as you never know just what is going to please them and what is not. They definitely have thier own ideas. could be you are right she just does not like tuna . when I had cats they were just the opposite. they turned up their noses at dry food but loved wet cat food specially tunas.so go figure. they own us we do not own them thats what I love about them. wish I could have a cat now but alas our apartment complex says no animals.
2 people like this
@girlgonefishing (2174)
• United States
28 Feb 08
You poor thing. I think I would lay right down and die if I couldn't have animals. As it stands I have 3 dogs, 2 cats, 2 gecko lizards and a parrot in the house. Outside I have 4 goats, a guinea hen, a cart pony, 4 ducks and a pig. The boys want a bunny rabbit so, we are getting them one this weekend. LOL
1 person likes this
@spoiled311 (5500)
• Philippines
28 Feb 08
ohhh...don't feel so bad...i know you don't mean to be mean to your darling cat. hihihi sometimes, our pets become so dear to us that we treat them even more than we treat humans. take care and God bless you! :)
@girlgonefishing (2174)
• United States
28 Feb 08
Thanks for your response. I'm not one to treat my cats better than I do my family but, I do treat them as part of the family. They sleep in between my husband and I every night so, I guess you could say I do give up SOMETHING for them. LOL
@enchantedleppard (1541)
• United States
29 Feb 08
Thats really weird, is she back to normal now with eating and drinking? I was thinking as I read through this that maybe she ate something that didnt agree with her. My cat is really picky and mostly will drink water, eat dry food, eat a little 9 lives wet tuna cat food, and she turns her nose up at everything else. I hope everything is going well with your cat!
@girlgonefishing (2174)
• United States
3 Mar 08
She is doing really well now. She's still not 100% but she is doing MUCH better.
@positiveminded1977 (7072)
• India
28 Feb 08
Mine knows what she wants and demands only that. She is very particular about food and absolutely refuses to eat what she doesn't want. And she meows till i give Her Majesty what SHE wants. LOL
1 person likes this
@girlgonefishing (2174)
• United States
28 Feb 08
Too funny! You sound like a very good parent to your cat. I try really hard with my cats. They are both individuals and prefer to play on their own until bedtime when they cuddle up with me and go to sleep. They both love to take little treats from me at lunch time when I'm working on the computer and eating. I don't ever eat tuna so, that's why I didn't know that she didn't like it.
@pergammano (7682)
• Canada
28 Feb 08
Please don't beat yourself up....we all have to learn somehow! I am so glad that your kitty is improving. Just keep your eye on her for a while! Good luck!
1 person likes this
@girlgonefishing (2174)
• United States
28 Feb 08
Thank you for responding pergammano. Believe me, I am keeping a very close eye on her.
@zydecokitten (451)
• United States
29 Feb 08
I am so sorry that you have been through so much anxiety with your cat. They can tear your heart out but there is so much good that makes it worth it.
However, if you cat is panting, or wobbly it needs a vet visit ASAP. This is not normal, she may have gotten a toxin, have a problem with her heart, had a mild stoke or this is her body's way of alerting you to a problem. Cats mask their problems so the fact that you can see these symptoms is very signicant.
Also, Cats DO NOT chew their food, most people think that kibble food cleans cats teeth and tartar. This is not true. Watch your cat eat kibble food, they swallow it whole. it is the worst food you can give your cat. This is something you need to address after you resolve the medical issue of being wobbly and panting.
You will get a lot of vets who say that dry food is fine, I have done a lot of research, it is not fine. Wellness canned food is one of the best. It was one that was safe during the big scare last summer. They make food that is without junk in it that is bad for cats, meaning the stuff that is thrown out for humans. It is a food that if necessary would be qualified to be eaten by humans. I am not suggesting that any human eat the food but trying to equate this to quality.
Also real tuna is only appropriate in emergency situatiosn like you describe. In cat food from the grocery store, stay away from tuna flavors. Fancy Feast has a can that has realy stinky fishes in aspic for cats that need a jump start. But on a regular basis tuna is not good for your cat even in cat food flavors. I hope this information is of some help to you.
Good luck.
@girlgonefishing (2174)
• United States
3 Mar 08
Wow. That really is good information. My neighbor is a vet and I've always just gotten the cat food that she suggested for urinary tract. I'll go out and get some of that Wellness cat food and see if she likes it.
@zydecokitten (451)
• United States
3 Mar 08
Always introduce new foods gradually execept when you switch from kibble to wet it is impossible to do. If you know that your cat has crystals in her urine, or even just as urinary tract infections often it is good to add a capsul of Cosequin with Condroitin. Get them yourself on line at a pet site. Empty the capsul in the am wet food. If your elderly cat has arthritis, definitely use this, it will help the pain ABSOLUTLELY. My 16 year old cat did not have arthritis pain unless she stopped eating. A good food for tummy problems is Pet Guard with Rice, there are two flavors. Good luck
@girlgonefishing (2174)
• United States
28 Feb 08
Then I guess it isn't strange that she doesn't like tuna. I hate tuna and only buy it for my youngest son so, I had never even tried to give it to her. She will eat lunch with me sometimes and I am always surprised at the things that she WILL eat.
@jervischin (17)
• Singapore
28 Feb 08
The food is very important for cat, like if the cat doesn't eat proper and good food, maybe the cat will get unhealthy and illness, so good and nutrient daily cookbook is very essential for cat.
1 person likes this
@girlgonefishing (2174)
• United States
28 Feb 08
You are so right. That is why I am so glad that she is eating now.
@rcaira7 (145)
• United States
28 Feb 08
you are not a bad cat owner...you obviously are concerned for her and staying home during tornado warnings is wise....interesting about the food...maybe the other cat food just had some nutrients she was lacking at the time..maybe mix it uo for future.
