I didn't know much about this before our litter arrived. Info is sparse and pictures are few and far between on the web, so I thought I would post our experience. This is a horrible illness that can progress rapidly.

Our kittens arrived on the Wednesday night. Patchouli was nursing the babies, being a wonderful mummy, they were gaining weight and doing well. Mummy cat was eating, drinking and purring away. We were checking her rear end and mammary glands every morning and evening. Everything seemed well.

On day 5 when checked at 3pm she was feeing the babies, purring away and padding the blanket.Between 4-5pm Patchouli vomited. We checked her over as we did every evening, and she seemed fine, so put it down to the heat and increase in food consumption.

By 7pm she was laying under the bed in a very odd position as if trying to keep part of he belly off of the floor. At this point I started to call breeder friends. All said to keep a close eye on her and take her to the vets in the morning. While on the phone the babies woke up, crying for their feed. Patchouli didn't move to go and see them. We put her in a carrier and took her to the emergency vet an hour away.

By the time we got there Patchouli was panting and laying on her side. One of her glands was swollen, hard, hot and red. Her inner eyelids were starting to cover her eyes. Her temperature had rocketed to 41.5 degrees. She looked as if she was dying. The vet gave her an antibiotic injection and 10 days worth of tablets to take. We were told to put her in with the kittens and that her temp would lower by the morning.

The following morning she was so sick. She couldn't move, wouldn't eat or drink, her temp was still soaring, though she was allowing the kittens to suckle she did not attend to them. We went back to the our local vet, where they gave her an anti-inflammatory injection for pain relief and the temp which was now at 41 degrees. We got some Cimicat and a bagful of syringes. Hand feeding of the kittens began. 7 kittens every 2 hours. We also had to syringe feed mum water and cimicat to rehydrate her.

Day 7 Back to the vets. Another anti-inflammatory and anti-biotic injection. temp 40.5 A large patch of dying tissue had developed. We were told the the abscess that was forming on the gland would 'explode' through the skin. vets advice to to leave it and let her clean it. it will not affect the kittens other than possible diarrhea. We were told that we were doing everything that we could and to carry on.

Day 8 Back to the vets. Loosing fur, painfully thin. Temp now at 39.5 degrees. Reassurance for us and liquid food for mummy cat. More syringes and Cimicat. Still refuses food/water from a plate or bowl.

Day 9 and Patchouli visits the litter tray and takes water from a bowl for the first time in 4 days. We continue to syringe cimicat and start to wipe food on her feet, which she licks off. Cleaning of kittens and purring resumes.

Day 10. Mummy cat is eating, drinking, toileting and nursing. Still hand feeding kittens who are thriving on the combination of replacement milk and affection from their mum. During the evening check, we notice a small open wound on the infected gland.

This is day 11. We have taken some pictures of the wound this morning.

WARNING - These are not pretty pictures. They do however show just how extreme this horrible illness can become. Although we had been warned, it's impossible to imagine how awful it will look.


Picture 1
Picture 2
Picture 3

We are back to the vets in the morning, although we have been told that the wound must be left open and we are not to clean it.

I hope this post will be of help to someone.

Angie x

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www.saikousiameseandorientals.com

"Love a lot, trust just a few and always paddle your own canoe"
"Who is the greater fool - the fool themself or those that follow them"

Poor mummy cat, Thank you for this post it is very informative, I really hope that Patchouli feels alot better soon.

Oh my! Poor Patchouli! I hope she gets better soon!

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please look at my website - www.finesthourcats.webs.com - for gorgeous GCCF registered RagaMuffins

Oh my god poor Patchouli!

Thank god she's getting better!

Thank you for posting this, it will be wonderful help for everyone with cats and they will know what to look for

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An awful story

At least you've done a great job with mum and babies.

I hope she continues to improve and doesn't suffer any lasting effects.

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http://www.elmstarbengals.co.uk



Our darling Foxy is now at Rainbow Bridge. R.I.P. little one, you'll always be loved.

as you said not pretty pictures ..... but thank you for posting them , i hop your mummy cat feels better soon , sending her andyou all our love
julie xx

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mummy to Rosie & Honey and new addition ... Nancy

Thank you all

Patchouli is being a star mummy even though she has been/is so poorly. She is gaining weight now and eating loads of RC baby cat and applaws. Back to the vets again tomorrow

The kittens are all doing well too and feeding them (though it's hard work at 2 in the morning!) is a joy

Hi there,

Have pm'd you but just wanted to say again how sorry I am to hear about poor Patchouli. What a little trooper she is! Have green blobbed you for the very informative, if graffic, post!

Keep us posted on how she gets on! xx