Cat Ill for Two Days

[Qats]

Hello,

I am seeking any advice possible.
We have a cat that is right around her first birthday.
For the past two days we have been waking up and
finding diarrhea all of the house.

My question is this, seeing how this is my first cat,
should we just wait another day and let it run its course
or should we take her to the vet immediately.
I thought that I heard that cats very rarely get sick
& when they do it is usually something severe.

Thanks for your time in advance.

[kk]

..your cat is sick and relying on you to take care of her. Please do not delay any longer. Let us know how things turn out. kk

[Traci]

Diarrhea can be a serious condition, and since two days have passed with no change, you need to get her seen by your vet ASAP. The possibilities are too numerous to mention, and only your vet can determine the cause. Dehydration always accompanies diarrhea, and if left unchecked and untreated, can lead to even more severe problems. Don't delay, get her seen immediately.

[Gestalt]

Thanks KK & Traci,

I have someone on the way to my house to take Kersey to the Vet.
I have spoken w/ the Vet and they are planning on taking a stool sample
and will be administrating antibiotics accordingly.

Once again thanks for your time.

P.S. Seeing how I am at work and won't be at the Vets can answer me one
other question.

I have heard that cats usually only get sick by something called the Cat Flu and that there are not to many other illnesses that would put a cat under the weather. Is this true or just folklore?

[Traci]

I have heard that cats usually only get sick by something called the Cat Flu and that there are not to many other illnesses that would put a cat under the weather. Is this true or just folklore?

Gestalt, cats can succomb to hundreds of various health conditions, just as with any pet, what you've been told is simply not true. These can include genetic, acquired, age-related, stress-related, environment-related, and any kitty can develop a health condition at any time of his/her life. This is why regular exams by your vet are important for preventive health care, for the life of your kitty. Annual vet exams are so important!! Vaccinations are also a primary health preventative for feline infectious disease.

"Cat Flu" is seriously misrepresented by laypersons. What it is, technically, is a viral infection (like upper respiratory infection, calicivirus, herpesvirus, rhinotracheitis, chlamydia, etc) and can become serious if not detected and treated appropriately. Viral infections are also not the only thing you need to be concerned about. There are various organ disfunction problems that a kitty can develop at any time during his/her life, plus infectious disease potentials, metabolic disorders, immunological disease, endocrine disorders, the list is endless.

Regular and complete health exams every year by your vet are crucial to preventative health care. Never take a slight symptom or sign of illness for granted, cats do not fair well under stress and any condition can exacerbate quickly in cats. Liver and kidney function, for example, can fail quite quickly if it surfaces, and if left undetected and untreated, can truly be potential concerns. Cat are not like dogs or any other pet, they require close health monitoring simply due to their ability to hide their obvious signs of illness. This stems from their ancestors in the wild.....a sick cat will hide their illness or pain simply so that they do not become obvious prey to a predator. Domestic cats have retained that ancestral ability.

No matter how slight a symptom of illness, never take it for granted, and get a vet exam immediately to detect hidden or underlying health issues. The sooner it is detected, diagnosed and treated, the better the recovery and outcome.

If you are a first-time cat owner, it would be helpful to you to read cat care books at your local library, or to invest in a health care manual or two. You can find some excellent cat care book ideas here...Feline Health Care Library ....I would also suggest investing in an emergency and first aid cat care manual/book so that you are aware of potential hazards, emergency signals, etc. You can also browse this site (links to your left), for emergency tips, signs to watch for that signal problems, etc. Another excellent site is Debbie's Feline Health Links