Molly, my 8 yr old tabby

Question
Molly had a steroid shot for flea dermatitis and 1 1/2 days later, became extremely listless, dull-eyed, and her appetite is off.  Is there a connection? Could something else be wrong that is causing this? She merely picks at her food, and seems "off". Another cat, Emily, died suddenly 2 weeks ago, with no symptoms.  Both cats were close - could she be grieving?

Answer
Elizabeth,

First I would like to start off by extending my condolances on the loss of a much loved family member. It is always so tough to say good-bye to such great friends. My first suggestion is that Molly really needs to see a vet and have a blood test to rule out any issues from a medical standpoint. You need to find out what if any medical reason is affecting her appetite. Cats who don't eat well generally are sick. I have no idea if this could be related to the steroids. The sooner that Molly can see a vet the better. The other issue that you mention is Molly having lost a housemate recently. How close were they? Did you often find them curled up together and grooming each other? This loss of a housemate is also something that you should remind your vet of as well as the medical tests. It is very possible that Molly could have some serious medical issue or that she is simply overcome by grief for the loss of her friend. Either way it should be treated to minimise the chances of losing Molly too. I hope that this answers your question. If you have any further questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me again.