I need help ASAP!!! Sick cat!

[Ravenlost]

This evening when I was finishing up in the garden I discovered I'd closed my cat, Hermione, in the potting shed. She was acting very strange when I opened the door to get her out...sitting in the back of the shed looking under a cabinet. I thought there might be a mouse, etc. under the cabinet as I could not get Hermione to come to me. I picked her up and brought her out and the strange behaviour continued. She just sat and stared. I thought she might be thirsty (although she couldn't have been locked in the shed more than 10 minutes).

When I gave her water she would walk through it and started walking in circles. At that point I picked her up and brought her to the house. That was 30 minutes ago. For most of that time she has been sitting and staring into space. She finally got up and her back legs seemed wobbly, but now she is walking slowly around the house crying.

I can't find a mark on her and I don't think there's anything in the potting shed she could have gotten into in such a short space of time (plus, I garden organically so there are no pesticides//herbicides). She is up to date on all shots.

What on earth is wrong with my kitty??????

[wr]

Do you keep any fertilizers in the shed?

[Ravenlost]

Just lime, Epsom Salts, Bone meal, DE. All of that is put up where she couldn't get into it.

Maybe I need to take the flashlight out there and look around though.

[deetu]

Snake bite? Spider bite? Rat poison or rat that just ate poison?

Sorry, just suggestions...

[GoldenMom]

Oh my goodness, that doesn't sound like fun. Poor kitty. I know you are down south, was it really hot in the shed??? You could try taking her temperature if your DH would help (normal temp is 101+/- 1 degree). I hope you figure what's going on.

[Ravenlost]

DH is at work. It was in the 90s today and yes, the potting shed can get really hot. I was researching online and her symptoms fit in with Hypoglycaemia. Going to see if I can get some sugar in her. I haven't been able to get her to eat or drink anything.

No sign of snake or insect bite of any kind, although when I roll her over on her back and start examining her, she meows like it hurts and tries to get away.

[Ravenlost]

I just found her in the living room behind the recliner. She was just sitting there staring into space. When I called to her, she didn't respond. I pulled her out with no resistance. She is making a "snuffling" sound through her nose. Her mouth and nose are EXTREMELY hot. She barely resisted me putting her on her tummy and pulling her lips back, etc.

I am about ready to head to the emergency vet.

[jen74145]

If you need to get sugar into her, try rubbing a bit of Karo, maple syrup, o honey on her gums... she'll absorb that well.
I would do that and get ready to go... if she's no better by the time you're dressed and have the keys load her up and go... she might snap out of it on the way, or she might need care... just such a scary situation.

I'll keep her in my thoughts tonight...

[Ravenlost]

I took her upstairs and she hasn't moved from the spot where I laid her on the bed. I mixed up some sugar water and used a syringe to squirt some down her. She didn't struggle at all and let most of the water drip out of her mouth. Hubby will be home in 20-30 minutes and I'm ready to go.

We do not use rat poison because our cats and dogs all catch rats. However, we have a new neighbor and I wouldn't be surprised if he put some out. The house he moved into sat empty for over a year. Hermione coud have gotten hold of a poisoned rat.

[Ravenlost]

We took Hermione to the after hours vet 30 minutes away. Just got home. When hubby got here we checked her temp and it was 103.5, but by the time we got to the vet's it was down to 102.4. She wasn't dehydrated so the vet thought her strange behavior was due to stress/shock. We're taking her to our regular vet in the morning. The after hours vet said she could develop kidney problems.

Hubby thinks she got shut up in the potting shed yesterday. He said he heard her meowing this morning, but thought she was under the shed. So she was in there 24 hours in 90+ weather today.

[TedH71]

Antifreeze poisoning? Sounds awfully like it....

[Ardie/WI]

Any news??

[jen74145]

Poor little cat... how is she feeling today? I imagine it will take her a couple days to be back to her old self entirely, though... hugs to you both, Ravenlost.

[longshadowfarms]

Originally Posted by Ravenlost

Hubby thinks she got shut up in the potting shed yesterday. He said he heard her meowing this morning, but thought she was under the shed. So she was in there 24 hours in 90+ weather today.

I hope everything works out ok! When we suspect overheating it is time to turn on the hose! Had this happen a yr or so ago with friend's dog while they were on vacation and DH dumped it in their bathtub full of cold water, then we hosed her off for a while longer. It saved her life. They had just lost a dog a yr earlier to heat stroke as well. I do hope that she comes through ok! It sure is scary! SHe's such a beautiful cat!

[GoldenMom]

I hope she's feeling better today. Please let us know how she is as soon as you know something.

[Ravenlost]

She won't touch food or water, but she did use the litterbox last night. Still acting strange, but after I fed and watered her via syringe, she started purring. She is responding to us when we talk to her and is walking around okay. Hubby thinks she is just traumatized and that it will take her a few days to recover.

I don't know. Her gums look extremely pale to me and she seems hot again. I'm tempted to take her in to our vet for another exam and blood work, but on the other hand I don't want to traumatize her more.

Right now we are keeping her in our bedroom where it is cool and quiet...surroundings in which she is comfortable.

Please keep her in your thoughts.