Lethargic cat

Dr. Marie replied:

Sorry to hear that Zoe is not feeling great.

Is she eating anything at all? If she does not want to eat then this almost always means that there is a medical issue.

There are many possible reasons for her to have these symptoms. If she goes outside, then a common reason would be if she had received a cat bite or scratch and now has a fever or an infection because of it. It's also possible that she has pancreatitis which is common in cats.

My answer really depends on how her appetite is. If a cat has been off food for more than 48 hours then I always recommend a visit. However, if she's still picking at her food a little then you likely can wait until the morning and see how she is doing then.

Just so you know, I don't usually get too concerned by the fact that there is blood in the stool. I know it can look scary to see that, but in cats (and dogs) blood means that there is inflammation in the colon. The mucus you are seeing fits with inflammation in the colon as well. This usually isn't terribly serious.

So, if Zoe is eating a little then I would say to wait until the morning and see how she is. If she hasn't eaten at all in the last two days then I would take her in tonight.

And as always, because I can't give a diagnosis online, I recommend to "follow your gut". If you are really worried it is best to be safe rather than sorry and have her seen.

I hope she is ok!

Dr. Marie.


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Dr. Marie replied:

It sounds like she will likely need to be seen, but the question is whether to take her in tonight or tomorrow. Is your vet open tomorrow? If you are going to end up going to an emergency clinic regardless, then it may be worthwhile to just go in tonight. That way she can get some treatment as soon as possible.

If you do end up waiting till tomorrow you can try offering her a variety of some canned food (such as fancy feast) or baby food (with no onions or garlic) if you have access to either tonight. Try putting a little bit in her mouth and seeing if she will eat it. But, if she eats it and then vomits, then don't persist.

Dr. Marie replied:

I think that's a wonderful idea. I'll likely be offline by the time you get home, but feel free to reply to let me know how things went. I'll check in again in the morning.