Should I take my cat to the vet?

I have just booked an appointment but it costs £36 just for a consultation so I want to check i'm not overreacting!

Got back from holiday on saturday. A neighbour had been checking in on her (house cat) everyday for us. Neighbour reported no concerns. When we got in, she had thrown up all over the house, there must have been 6 large piles of vomit dotted around the place. I wondered if she'd kept anything down since we left! We'd only been gone a week. Anyway, phoned the vet who said to take her off food for 1 day then give her chicken and rice. She's not eaten much of it (never has been a fan of food not from a tin!) but she hasn't been sick since.

Then I noticed that the fur above her eyes and near her ears was thinner than usual. Her skin in this area looks red and sore. I gave her a flea treatment but i'm not convinced this is the problem. She's less active than usual but this could be because she's not eating much.

Vets the right idea?
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Comments

  • msrisotto
    msrisotto Posts: 67 Forumite
    There was no blood or anything unusual in her sick by the way.
  • picklepick
    picklepick Posts: 4,048
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    Yes, vets.

    We aren't allowed to give medical advice on this forum.
    What matters most is how well you walk through the fire
  • msrisotto
    msrisotto Posts: 67 Forumite
    Ok fair enough, thanks.
  • krlyr
    krlyr Posts: 5,993
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    Have you recently changed brand or flavour of foods? Could the neighbour have been feeding something different? A food allergy or intolerance could cause vomiting and a skin reaction. There are quite a few reasons for hairloss though, including some parasites (like mange/mites) that wouldn't be treated by a regular flea treatment. Hormone-related health issues like hypothyroidism or Cushings can also be a culprit.
    Ringworm can also be more common in cats but would be a little unusual in a housecat as there would be limited exposure - have you bought or been given any secondhand toys, a carrier, etc. that could potentially have introduced it?
    Definately worth a vet trip IMO.
  • Oliver14
    Oliver14 Posts: 5,878 Forumite
    The fact that you are asking the question means you are worried enough to want to see the vet.
    'The More I know about people the Better I like my Dog'
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  • juliebunny
    juliebunny Posts: 1,705
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    edited 2 July 2012 at 4:33PM
    Have you rang around other vets in your area? My vet charges £20 for a consult and they are brilliant. Actually they have a 3 scale charge for consults, depending on how long it takes, sometimes they charge less......

    If this is purely whilst you were away I would strongly suspect the change in routine has played a hand in her getting herself into this state. I would monitor her for a week if she continues to improve. She may have been rubbing her fur herself if she was anxious.

    How well do you know this neighbour? Is there any chance they didn't follow your instructions or perhaps she was just fretting for you or lonely, esp if she is an only cat, and indoors all day on her own. Seems a bit odd that there was so much vomit for you to come home to - were these in places that they wouldn't have needed to visit to cat sit?
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  • msrisotto
    msrisotto Posts: 67 Forumite
    No, she would have seen it, my husband trod in it when he walked through the door!

    I did take her. The vet is concerned that it might be autoimmune disease but said I could wait and see if the redness goes down tomorrow :(

    I did check a couple of nearby vets and this was the cheapest.
  • So, has the vet actually eliminated a simple flea allergy, or are they going straight to the long term, potentially serious illness necessitating gazillions of pounds of tests?

    Cheapest consult isn't always the best - especially if they make up for it with costs from other things instead - chat to the other vets and see who you feel most comfortable with.


    Reason I'm saying this is that several years ago, one vet insisted my girl needed loads of expensive tests for something that on the surface, sounds very similar. Refused to try anything before all these tests were done.

    The next vet I went to 24 hours later, took one look at her, said 'flea allergy', gave her one injection and she was absolutely fine, as whilst the fleas had been eliminated, the reaction had started up and she had been overgrooming due to the itching. Cue copious amounts of furballs.




    The other possibility that occurs to me is how trustworthy do you think the neighbour is? Could she have opened two tins on, say last Sunday, chucked them in bowls and then not bothered going back until Wednesday? So the food wasn't fresh?
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  • kev225
    kev225 Posts: 122 Forumite
    Sounds strangely coincidental that this has happened to your mog whilst you've been on holiday.

    Stress can cause cats to pull out their fur, have issues with food and vomit.

    If there's chuck up in several easily visible places then that does add doubt as to whether the neighbour actually did their cat-sitting duties.

    Personally I'd give my mog a lot of attention, food she's fond of and monitor her for a day. If no chance in behaviour then a trip to vets, but often, we worry too much.

    Best wishes to your cat
  • msrisotto
    msrisotto Posts: 67 Forumite
    edited 3 July 2012 at 5:55AM
    So, has the vet actually eliminated a simple flea allergy, or are they going straight to the long term, potentially serious illness necessitating gazillions of pounds of tests?

    Cheapest consult isn't always the best - especially if they make up for it with costs from other things instead - chat to the other vets and see who you feel most comfortable with.


    Reason I'm saying this is that several years ago, one vet insisted my girl needed loads of expensive tests for something that on the surface, sounds very similar. Refused to try anything before all these tests were done.

    The next vet I went to 24 hours later, took one look at her, said 'flea allergy', gave her one injection and she was absolutely fine, as whilst the fleas had been eliminated, the reaction had started up and she had been overgrooming due to the itching. Cue copious amounts of furballs.




    The other possibility that occurs to me is how trustworthy do you think the neighbour is? Could she have opened two tins on, say last Sunday, chucked them in bowls and then not bothered going back until Wednesday? So the food wasn't fresh?

    The vet never mentioned it being potentially a flea allergy. He took her temperature and felt her tummy but that is it....Do you think I should get a second opinion?

    Oh and my neighbour didn't give her wet food, she didn't even know that I give her wet food once a week - she had dry food out everyday. She self regulates her food well. Neighbour just checked on her and played with her.

    I reckon her ears are a bit less red today. I might wait and see a bit.
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