When I fed the barn cats last night, one of the kittens (about 3 mths old) was really limp and listless. I picked her up and held her for a while thinking she was about to die. Then I discover a tack on her back. I removed the tick as best I coudld but probably squished some of the tick stuff into her by accident. I fed her some KMR and water using a syringe and kept her in a cage over night. This morning she was the same, just lying down, listless and not moving much. I fed her some more KMR. She seemed to have a fever off and on (felt hot now and then). I live in western PA - could she have some tick disease? Any thoughts on what could be wrong with her?

-- Lyn (lyn.bennon@work.com), July 20, 2001

Answers

TICK not tack!!!! That is what I get for eating popcorn while I type! Sorry!

Lyn

-- Lyn (lyn.bennon@alcoa.com), July 20, 2001.

Sounds like she needs antibiotics! Even if it is tick disease, it would be treated with antibiotics. Call your vet!

-- Jean (schiszik@tbcnet.com), July 20, 2001.

I would more likely suspect distemper with a young outside kitten. If they have not had shots, I would certainly watch for the others to follow suit, but they will need to go to vet asap...they need more than antibiotics if it is distemper or any other of the diseases they get vaccinated for.

-- Kathy (VaUSMCwf@home.com), July 20, 2001.

Sadly, I think most of the cats/kittens that we inherited with this property have distemper. At least that is what the vet indicated. Most of the adult cats sneeze randomly. Most of the kittens suffer on and off from weepy eyes, snifling and sneezing. One vet said that if they already have distemper then vaccinating is worthless. Anyone have any more information about distemper like symptoms, survival rate, recurrence, vaccination if infected, ...? I have some antibiotic left over and I will start this kitten on it. Some folks have said that distemper is fatal. But the cats (about 10) and kittens (about 12) except for this one are doing pretty well. Is distemper always or only sometimes fatal?

-- Lyn (lyn.bennon@work.com), July 20, 2001.

Lyn, sorry about your kitten. It's distressing even when it's "just" a barn cat. Around here distemper seems to come through in streaks. Several years go by with lots of kittens around with no problems, then suddenly it hits and each litter is hit hard. The first indication I usually have is finding a nice plump well grown kitten deader than a doornail when it seemed fine only the day or so before. I don't normally vaccinate for it, but yes, it does seem close to 100% fatal here when it's a bad year for it.

-- Jennifer L. (Northern NYS) (jlance@imcnet.net), July 20, 2001.

Jennifer,

True about barn cats. Before last year, we were exclusively dog people. But since then, we have been spending lots of time, $ and energy dealing with this population of barn cats. We all have grown very attached to these cats and kitties.

Based on your experience, my cats must have something else. The only two we have lost were grown cats that I had put down by the vet. One was very, very sick and the other had a horrible hernia.

I need to get these kittens looked at again. They seem to have a cold or virus. And this sick one just lays there, not moving at all except to breath and maybe lift her head now and then. I am leaving work now and will start the antibiotics when I get home.

I will update you on Monday. Thanks for your suggestions so far - keep them coming.

Lyn

-- Lyn (lyn.bennon@work.com), July 20, 2001.

You should also consider the possibility that you have feline leukemia in the barn. Another cause of acute collapse in young cats is severe diarrhea with subsequent dehydration. Rehydrating is imperative if you are going to save it. This will be hard to do orally. You really need subcuaneous or intravenous fluids. Sometimes just one dose will turn them around. Also, keep them warm, offer nutrition like the KMR or sugar water, check for fleas and lice etc. I don't think the tick was the cause of this problem. We had 3 kittens brought into us last week that were flat out and on the edge of death. We just rehydrated them, gave them sugar, a hot water bottle and TLC and they are doing great. But I am positive that the fluids made the difference. Good luck

-- Teresa (Teresam@ascent.net), July 20, 2001.

There are several diseases kittens get. We've just found a wealth of info from Purina at catchow.com. Good Luck! Cora-Vee

-- Cora-Vee Caswell (coravee@locl.net), July 21, 2001.

My outdoor cats all had these same symptoms about a month ago. I treated them with injectible penicillin (long-lasting) which I got at the local farm supply store and they all recovered nicely, although they were sick for about a week or 10 days. Anytime one of my animals show signs of an infection I do this and have had excellent results. Good luck.

-- Lois (loiskimb@hotmail.com), July 22, 2001.

Lois,

Can you give me more specifics on this penicillin? What is the name and how much do you give? What kind of farm stores sell penicillin and syringes? I would love to be able to medicate these cats myself.

We have been feeding the kitten KMR and water as well as keeping her alone at night to ensure she gets rest. There are two mama cats who let any of the kittens nurse, so we put this sick kitten in the barn during the day so she nurses off one of the mamas too.

She seems better today but still does not play with the other kittens yet and is still wobbly on her feet. I am trying to get more antibiotics from my vet. He had prescribed it a few months ago for three other kittens who had the sniffles - we will see if he refills it for a new kitten.

Thanks so much for your help and advice!

Lyn

-- Lyn (lyn.bennon@work.com), July 23, 2001.

I'm sorry, I just dont get it. Spending money for a vet to treat a barn cat? I guess some people must have extra money lying around...

Animals on our place are for profit. If the cow doesnt produce, she goes for hamburger. If the chickens dont lay, their new home is the freezer. If the barn cats are too sick to be worth anything, they are worthless. period. Barn cats are for a specific purpose. Catching rodents. They are not people. Thus, we do not attach such emotional meaning to their lives. Loving an animal is ok, as long as that love doesnt become unrealistic.

My little 8 year old found out this morning that ther favorite tiny yellow kitten died. It had been sick for a while. Her reaction was, well, "I'm kind of glad. That kitten wasn't healthy, and it wasnt happy. We have lots of other kittens to play with." I think she has her head on a lot straighter than some adults these days. Well, for one thing, after she watched "Bambi" we really had to give her a lot of coaching to get her back to reality, where animals became ANIMALS again.

If the entire clan of barn cats here would show signs of sickness, I would pray for the day that they would all die from it, so the natural process of the survival of the fittest could again produce a healthy strain of cats here. Calling the vet for barn cats is interfering with nature, and will simply produce a strain of barn cats that are dependant on vet care for survival.

I see way too much money thrown away on farmettes because of unrealistic emotional attachments to worthless sick animals. The people who go into farming with this attitude toward every animal will not be farming long, that's for sure, unless they came to the country with mighty deep pockets.

-- daffodyllady (daffodyllady@yahoo.com), July 23, 2001.

daffodyllady,

Everyone is entitled to their own views . . . I find it hard to let any animal die before my eyes while I stand by watching and not helping to the best of my ability. These kittens were brought into this world because I hadn't spayed/neutered their parents soon enough so in my eyes, they are my responsibility. Neither my husband or I can bear to watch an animal suffer without trying to help.

I was just asking for advice from folks who shared my desire to help animals. I was not looking for comments on how I choose to spend my time and money.

-- Lyn (lyn.bennon@work.com), July 23, 2001.

Daffodyllady, I'm sorry, I disagree with you on this one. Some illness's can be transmitted to humans as well. Do you bother to vaccinate for Rabies. That is almost always 100 % fatal in humans and to have these kittens and cats around young children is a bit risky without rabies vaccination to say the least. And if you are putting your time and energy into your animals, why not reduce the risks for them. For example, never worming the cats can cause transfer of parasites through their droppings to chickens, cows, sheep and dogs. And to raise an animal for your consumption loaded with parasites is actually throwing your $ away. Long term poor gain and even death.Yes, survival of the fittest is the rule of the wild. But by concentrating our animals in a small area, such as a farm, is not the vast open wilderness and increases the risks for these animals. I believe it is our responsibility to be good stewards at this point. It is quoted in the old testament " the eye of the master fattenth his cattle"

-- Kate henderson (kate@sheepyvalley.com), July 23, 2001.

Daffodyllady...I realize people raised on farms can look at animals as just a commodity, but I find your post unreal. The poster who asked if you vaccinate for rabies was right on. If you have no desire to make sure your animals are kept healthy for yours and their sake...why not just raise crops?? I may be in the minority here, as I have strong opinions about how animals are living, breathing, feeling beings, and even when they are raised for food...we as good stewards owe them a humane existence until the end. No, they are not people, but they are alive. I feel for your whole family with that outlook, for several reasons...why don't you use traps for your rodents?? That way you don't have to feed, keep healthy or otherwise care for anything alive.

-- Kathy in Va (VaUSMCwf@home.com), July 24, 2001.