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I'm so glad Whispers is getting better!!! Wanting to eat is a HUGE sign that he's feeling well again, and as long as you keep on giving him the good stuff (as I know you do...who else on this planet spends 13 hours preparing raw food?!) his immune system will grow stronger by the day and he will be up to par in no time. Give him as much as he wants to eat right now...extra helpings, healthy treats, and plenty of catnip...and of course, lots and lots of love...which I know for a fact you have an abundance of for all your babies. GREAT NEWS!!!
Hey Garden
Whispers doesn't sound healthy. I know that he is a feral but is there anyway that you can get him to the vet (or, perhaps, schedule a house call?) Honestly, it sounds as if he has parasites of some kind. Are you deworming him regularly?
I really don't think that choice is the issue here. There is something very wrong with him.
There seems to be some misunderstanding and let me clear it up. Whispers has been eating but not enough to gain weight. And, yes he has been medicated for parasites when I first rescued him, and followed that up with Clarkia. I am also not against going to a vet, for when I know the problem is bigger then I am, I go. All except for Whispers has seen a vet. And as for him,
bear in mind, it is a miracle he is alive. He was a frozen shrunken skeleton when rescued. For the longest time, he would not stretch out his legs and for a long time, I worried that something was wrong with his legs. I think, that due to the starvation and the freezing, his body is going to heal in groupings, versus all at once. I also believe that due to Whispers being a feral, he has been longing to go outside, yet I just cannot allow this. I know beyond a shadow of a doubt, that he does not know how to survive out in the wild. He has no idea how to hunt or kill. He wouldn't last more the a month, if that. There are a lot of different variables here that I am dealing with, and who Whispers are dealing with.
I know he has made a choice lately to live and that is all I can explain. I told myself if he continues not to gain weight, and looking so thin, I will take him in to see the vet. Yet, at what cost? This cat is a feral and still has not come fully out in our home, and he being here since December 12th. So, what to do? We have no visiting vet in our area so that option is not valid. No one can understand the position I have had for years, unless he or she has walked a mile in my shoes. I wait, and watch, and pray, and massage this little guy, and love him, hold him, sing to him, work his spine and neck, feed him the best food available, and intend with all I have that he is healthy and strong. If all this fails, then the last option is a vet. I do my best, and that is all I can ask of myself.
There seems to be some misunderstanding and let me clear it up. Whispers has been eating but not enough to gain weight. And, yes he has been medicated for parasites when I first rescued him, and followed that up with Clarkia. I am also not against going to a vet, for when I know the problem is bigger then I am, I go. All except for Whispers has seen a vet. And as for him,
bear in mind, it is a miracle he is alive. He was a frozen shrunken skeleton when rescued. For the longest time, he would not stretch out his legs and for a long time, I worried that something was wrong with his legs. I think, that due to the starvation and the freezing, his body is going to heal in groupings, versus all at once. I also believe that due to Whispers being a feral, he has been longing to go outside, yet I just cannot allow this. I know beyond a shadow of a doubt, that he does not know how to survive out in the wild. He has no idea how to hunt or kill. He wouldn't last more the a month, if that. There are a lot of different variables here that I am dealing with, and who Whispers are dealing with.
I know he has made a choice lately to live and that is all I can explain. I told myself if he continues not to gain weight, and looking so thin, I will take him in to see the vet. Yet, at what cost? This cat is a feral and still has not come fully out in our home, and he being here since December 12th. So, what to do? We have no visiting vet in our area so that option is not valid. No one can understand the position I have had for years, unless he or she has walked a mile in my shoes. I wait, and watch, and pray, and massage this little guy, and love him, hold him, sing to him, work his spine and neck, feed him the best food available, and intend with all I have that he is healthy and strong. If all this fails, then the last option is a vet. I do my best, and that is all I can ask of myself.
I have absolute confidence in your abilities. You have proven time and again that you are an excellent caregiver, which is why I am so concerned. If you are doing all that you do and his expression is still listless and he is still not gaining weight, then something else is going on and it is time to consult with a vet.
I have absolute confidence in your abilities. You have proven time and again that you are an excellent caregiver, which is why I am so concerned. If you are doing all that you do and his expression is still listless and he is still not gaining weight, then something else is going on and it is time to consult with a vet.
I believe Garden stated that Whispers is improving...not as listless, and eating more...weight gain happens over a period of time, not overnight. If he only just started getting a healthy appetite, then it will be at least a couple of weeks before a marked visible weight gain occurs. Taking him to a vet and stressing him out when he is improving will only set him back IMO...especially if they try to shove chemical meds into his system...his immune system must be built up, and chemicals will only deplete it further. The fact that he is feral and not yet comfortable with humans and other creatures is another thing to bear in mind...plus he lost his brother Whiskers...nerves directly affect things like appetite and energy levels. I believe if something else were seriously wrong with him, he would be declining...not improving...I also believe Garden has a very good sense about when vet trips are necessary, and would not put any of her babies at risk by denying them vet attention if they needed it!
How does Whispers sense of smell seem to be? If cats can't tell it's good food because they can't really smell it, there can be problems with getting them to eat enough.
Maybe Whispers had some sort of long time head cold that was causing him problems.
I can do one better! LOL I grow my own! My cats won't touch anything else, especially if it is store bought! Yes, they are spoiled! LOL And I spoiled them!
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