I had to turn down a kitten today (1 Viewer)

[Rain]

For a couple years now, I have been thinking about getting a third cat. I've even dreamt about it on occasion.

Now some will wonder why and I guess it just boils down to the fact that I want to adopt another orphaned cat or kitten and I feel I have a little more love to give out.

Maybe that sounds cheesy, but it wasn't an impulsive decision.

Well today I went to meet a little 8 week old kitten named Spike. He was really shy, but warmed up to me pretty quick. He really was a sweet little thing: grey and white and fluffy and gentle and playful.

Unfortunately I noticed right away that little Spike had more than the usual mucousy eye discharge going on. He was also sneezing and obviously had a runny nose. Definitely full of zest and energy though.

I enquired about it and was told he had been diagnosed with a little upper respiratory infection and had been on antibiotics for about 10 days.

As the guardian of two cats already, I was naturally concerned about whether or not Spike might be contagious.

I called a vet clinic and was informed that Spike likely had one of three possible upper respiratory infections, basically a cold. The vet clinic said it sounded like he was on the mend, but might still be contagious. They went on to tell me that while, in the vast majority of cases, these things are minor and no more harmful than a cold would be to a human, there are occasions when cats can become dreadfully ill...to the point where even moving about becomes near impossible.

Naturally I could not risk the possibility of passing this on to Velcro and Eddie, remote as the possibility might be.

But now I feel kind of guilty. If I didn't already live with two cats, or if Spike had been healthy, I would have taken him home in a second.

I'm also a bit concerned. Though I'm sure he will eventually shake off the cold, I suspect the person who is fostering him may not have been as dilligent about his medication as she should have been. Perhaps a missed dose, perhaps he spit some back up. I can't put my finger on it, but there was something about her general attitude that made me suspect.

To make matters worse, Spike is eating a very well known brand of cat food. A trusted brand. A brand with lots of advertising. A brand that is really not very good at all. It would be akin to you or I trying to fight off a cold solely on a diet of Ritz crackers and Cheez Whiz.

I'm not sure what to do now, but here is what I am contemplating:

I'm going to phone the person who arranged this tomorrow (She basically does volunteer work and freelance cat adoptions). I am going to tell her that if Spike becomes symptom free and still has no permanent home, I would like to meet with him again. I am also going to express my concerns about his diet and medication. Of course, I am going to make every effort to be tactful and not accusatory. I really don't think he is being neglected, but I think perhaps he may be a victim of the misinformed.

Now don't panic, either way I'm confident Spike will recover. But there is a difference between surviving and thriving and I'd like to see this little guy thrive.

I have no idea why I'm posting this exactly, but feedback is more than welcome.

 

[Jeff Kleist]

What is this terrible brand? I'm always worried about my cat's health

 

[Ricardo C]

That sounds like a very sensitive plan to me And the fact that you're so interested in following up on his diet and medication regime speaks volumes about you. Spike will be very lucky indeed if he ends up in your home

 

[Rain]

Jeff,

I work in a pet supply store.

I don't feel comfortable posting the brand name here.

If you ever want to discuss the subject, shoot me an email or get in touch on MSN (movierain).

 

[Alex Prosak]

What is this terrible brand? I'm always worried about my cat's health

Jeff,

Many of the popular brands sold in markets aren't all that healthy for cats. Same goes for dog food.

Iams and Science Diet are both good. We just started our dog on a new food that comes highly recommended but I can't recall the name off hand. Not something I've ever seen in a store, we get it through the SPCA.

If you're going to change your cats diet, do it gradually so they don't risk the chance of getting a urinary tract infection.

 

[Rain]

Alex,

Science Diet and Iams are definitely not what I would recommend.

True they are somewhat better than what you might buy in the grocery store, but still a long way from what I would recommend as the best thing you can do for your pet's health. I could say more but I'm not really comfortable doing so in a public forum.

Let me put it this way: the healthiest pet foods with the best ingredients are probably brands you've never even heard of. Some pet food companies pour tons of money into advertising; others choose to put the money back into the product.

Again, if anyone wants to discuss this further, I'm more than happy to help. Email me or catch me on MSN.

I apologize for being vague here, but I do work for a pet shop that sells all these brands, so I have to be careful what I say.

If you're going to change your cats diet, do it gradually so they don't risk the chance of getting a urinary tract infection.

Provided you have chosen a good food, urinary tract infection is a non-issue. The main reason you want to introduce new foods gradually is to avoid gastrointestinal upset.

 

[Richard Travale]

Rain, Do you have an extra room where you could keep Spike " Quarantined" untill the illness runs it's course?

 

[Rain]

Unfortunately not.

All I have is a one bedroom apartment which I share with a roomate. Not enough extra space for quarantine.

 

[DaveF]

Rain, it sounds like a good plan. Keep the kitten quarantined at its current place until he is better, and then (possibly) bring him home.

Is there any concern that this kitten will forever be sickly -- prone to catching colds and whatnot? Of course, mucusy animals have their own grossly amusing charms. (My sister has this wonderful mini-dauchsund, Abbey, who is chronically snotty.)

 

[Lew Crippen]

I understand your concern Rain. We recently acquired a third cat, who was still recovering from having a litter of kittens far too young. It took a while to get her completely well. I agree that you cannot risk your two cats health by introducing a newcomer.

I was going to recommend a quarantine, but that option is not an option. So I think your best bet is to do what you are doing.

 

[DaveHo]

Well, this is probably not what you wanted to hear, but it has a happy ending. We had two full grown cats when we decided to get a third. Picked up a kitten that had an upper respitory infection. Kept her quarantined from the other two but somehow they managed to catch it. So we had three cats, runny eyes, sneezing snot all over the place. Popping pills like mad trying to get them better. Took about 3 weeks for it all to clear up. Luckly we have a large house with enough bedrooms to keep all three of them far apart. Anytime my wife or I would go from one cat to the other it would be like we were disinfecting for surgery or something. Anyway, like I said it cleared up and all three are doing fine now. Was pretty much three weeks of hell though. Let whoever has the kitten keep it till it's cleared up and all should be OK.

-Dave