Cat Chat Feline Forum

One of my 10 month old kittens has recently had a viral infection causing her to have mouth ulcers. She lost her appetite, lost weight, and stopped playing, becoming withdrawn. She has had antibiotics and is eating ok now, and is slowly gaining weight, but she still won't play. She has been tested for other stuff including FIV and feline leukaemia, all came back normal. Will it just take time? Will her behaviour have changed forever? Her sister is so playful (and much bigger), and they were both so normal and playful before she got ill. This all started when she was spayed, so might have been the trauma of the surgery which caused the illness???

Hi and welcome

Poor little girl - she's had a rough time. I had a similar experience with a feral girl (my avatar cat) who moved in in 2002 after bringing me 5 kittens; she'd been neglected and then given her all to her kittens and at approx 14 months been spayed at the insistence of the charity supervising the feral community, straight after her kittens had been collected for rehoming. She did take a long time to recover; she lay on my bed for weeks, despite the company of an aunt and cousin who'd also come to live with me, first in the garden shed and then indoors. They were lively and playful despite spaying, Emily not. One day I bought her a toy mouse, though I thought she'd be scornful of it after all the mice and rats she must have hunted. She began to play with it. Then she took to racing around on the landing and tobogganing on the bathroom mat. Then one day I bought a sari from a charity shop and tried it on ... Emily helped ... let's say we both ended up wearing the sari lol. Eventually she became as lively and manic as the other two.

But it took time. I think you just have to let them go at their own pace, and their bodies will decide when they feel fit enough to lead a normal life.

Do try not to worry - your girl's been checked out thoroughly and she has all her life ahead of her and is lucky to have you to nurse her along until she's okay again. I think time is the remedy here but I realise it IS worrying, of course ... all the very best and please let us know how she goes on

Oooh, I know just how she feels! I am just getting over the mother of all head colds and everything is an effort.

It might be the OP, more likely the infection or even the AB's - they can really clobber the system. It does take time to recover from these things. I think in time she will be fine and will soon catch up with her sibling.

Gentle fusses to her.

Thanks for replies - I know time will be the key, but its so sad seeing her just sitting all day while Ruby darts about everywhere chasing bits of foil and having fun! Matilda is watching all the time - I'm just waiting for the moment when she decides to join in! Maybe when she gets a bit bigger and the warmer weather comes she will get out and about a bit more. She is such a sweetheart though - can carry her around like a baby, never scratches or complains like her sister haha

That could just be down to personalities. Brothers, Bill and Fred are inseparable, but their character's are like chalk and cheese. Billy is an extrovert little 'divil'. Freddie is a gentle cuddle bunny. They are both happy in their own way.

Perhaps Matilda just likes watching Ruby.

Hi.

It sounds like she had calici virus which causes ulcers on her tongue. If she is still not herself after the fact, it means she still does not feel well. The fact that she came down with the virus means she has a weak immune system to start with and needs help to build it up and keep it strong.


Lynn