cat that is ill

Question
hi my cat is 2.5 yrs and has been unwell for a week. we took her to the vet and ws told she had a fever which he gave us antibiotcs for, she has had these for 2 days but now she cant stand up, shes not eating, she drinks if we put the bowl near her but falls asleep in it and last night she urinated in the kitchen, it was a rich yellow and stunk of fish. what is wrong with her?

Answer
Dear Susan,

Your cat needs to be seen by a vet again *immediately*.  This sounds very serious to me, and if she continues not to eat or be able to walk, things will get more serious rapidly.  Your kitty needs to be hospitalized and given intravenous fluids to help make up for not eating and not drinking.  She likely needs antibiotics given IV as well - since it is possible the antibiotics you are giving her are making her feel nauseous and making her problem worse.  She needs to have blood tests done to look for the following: liver disease/kidney disease/anemia/white blood cell count/and a test for feline leukemia (FELV) and feline AIDS (FIV).  She also needs to have a urine sample checked for infection - as this may be the cause of the "fishy" odor you are reporting.

The color of the urine can indicate several possible problems - extreme dehydration, liver disease, kidney disease/infection, or a severe urinary tract infection.  She may also have a virus called FIP which is very serious and very difficult to treat.

The symptoms you are reporting are only seen in very seriously ill cats.  She needs medical care ASAP - go to a 24 hour emergency clinic if you have to - or she will decline very rapidly.

Best of luck to you and your kitty,

Dr. Jen