Help with cat

[mustard-tree]

A while ago my cat went missing

On Friday, she reappeared, but was in a terrible state.

She was dirty, riddled in fleas and her coat matted and full of flea debris.

I have treated her for the fleas, and brushed and combed out the debris

I didn`t think she would appreciate a bath, so I have cleaned her with animal wet wipes.

She is looking better already, although still a bit threadbear, and as she is a bit cleaner, she is grooming herself now.

But she is very thin.  She is eating and drinking OK and her poo is normal.

Is there anything other than cat food that I can give her to build her up

[ilove2patch]

Poor little thing. Perhaps she was locked in somewhere. What about some chicken of fish cooked in a little milk?

[**towery**]

have you had her checked by the vet?

they will advise on whats best whether shes just been finding her way home

she will probably need worming

,i think  you dont want to  overload her with protein in order to build her up

[**towery**]

how long was she missing?

[myraandjim]

Had a similar problem a few months ago when Coco had gone missing, although she was not eating, drinking or toiletting when we got her back and was in the vet's for a while. I was giving her evaporated milk alongside her food to build her up and it worked well, although watch it doesn't upset her tummy so take it slowly to start with. I also kept the supply of food constant, dish was never empty. Coco got over her trauma and is now back to her fussy self.

[captainbovine]

aaww poor puss....yes, we used to give Oscar evap in a little water, he loved it! I think it kept him going when the cancer started to get the better of him. he wasn't even ours but we miss him so much....

[saasher2012]

I would agree with all the posts especially the worming & a trip to the vets, just to put your mind at rest if nothing else, sounds as though she's been trapped somewhere & has only just been either freed or escaped, little & often with the food , plenty of water in case it's dehydrated & don't overdo the milk as it may cause tummy upsets if she's not used to it!.

[mustard-tree]

I phoned the vet on Saturday for advice, as they are only open for an hour on Saturdays.

The vet suggested diluted evaporated milk but only small amounts.

Also little and often with food.

I am taking her in for a check up next week

She have gone back to her usual contented self and at the moment is curled up beside me.

[saasher2012]

That's good , she'll be happy to be with you again, wherever she's been it obvious she hasn't had any food so as soon as she builds up her strength she will soon be back to her old self again, the vets advice is good , we tend to think that because they are starving food is the key but little & often is best not too rich & try & get some water into her if you can,the tummy has shrunk so big meals would probably give her very bad stomach cramps & the squitters , I'm glad she has found you again & that she is safe back with you!((()))

[mustard-tree]

She is only eating small amounts at a time by choice, and she is drinking water often.

Her coat is still matted in places, but I am brushing and combing her every day for a short while as that is all she will tolerate

[myraandjim]

I'm sure she will be back to normal in a few days, a vet check up and lots of pampering will work wonders. When we found Coco she as badly traumatised and her organs had shut down, it was touch and go for a while but once she decided to fight back all was fine (except for my bank account after a £200 vet bill) Since we found her she has become much more home orientated, she still goes out over the fields but always comes back when I call her, so she has learned something. Try not to worry too much.

[saasher2012]

Cats are very clever & their intelligence is very often dismissed, but they do know how to pace themselves, just make sure the matting on her coat is just because she's been trapped & not because she has a coating of something in it!.

[mustard-tree]

The matting is due to flea debris which I am combing out bit by bit

Luckily, I dont need to worry too much about vet bill as she is insured, and I only pay the excess of £70

[saasher2012]

If only they could tell you what happened to them eh?

[ed_blackadder_1]

We had a similar thing happen to our cat at the beginning of last year. Sadly the outcome was not so good. She returned to us about a month after going missing in a dreadful state we took her to the vets but it turns out she had kidney failure. Very sad that we couldn't have done anything for her by the time she came home it was too late.
I am so happy you had a happy outcome to your cats wanderings.

[fishpieface]

Ahh, poor little cat.  So glad she came back to you.

I'd agree with the others, little bits of food often, maybe some fresh fish or chicken but nothing

too rich.  If you get her on a flea treatment, preferabably a vet recommended one as some over-the-

counter ones cause reactions in some cats, she should be rid of them within a month.

Bless her, hope she's soon fully recovered.