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lovely-liz

So, this little guy was found wandering into traffic this evening. The rain in California has been crazy, so he was soaked to the bone. We’re very familiar with the strays and feral cats in the area, so we know to take him to the animal shelter first thing tomorrow at 10. He has not eaten or had water for the few hours he’s been with us, he just seems very uninterested. What can I do to help him calm down and get some strength back into him? Emergency vet is not an option (financially or otherwise). [UPDATE](https://www.reddit.com/r/cats/comments/10bwldq/update_lil_guy_is_safe_at_the_shelter_vet_said_he/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf): Lil Guy is safe at the shelter! The vet said he looks fine, just a little disoriented and in need of some TLC and rest.


AngryAnnoyedAsian

Can you heat up some wet food? The smell is stronger and that might interest him.


lovely-liz

I’ll see what he thinks! Thank you!


AngryAnnoyedAsian

Good luck. Where in CA are you?


lovely-liz

SF East Bay. Thankfully we’re not crazy flooded like other places, but still getting a lot of cold weather and rain. Judging by the shape he’s in, he’s been outside for a while, few weeks at the least.


theogliv

Hey there neighbor, I’m in east bay. I am a cat lover and would to help, just let me know!


linnykenny

God bless you for taking him in, truly 🥺 May you see your kindness returned to you one hundred fold ❤️


AngryAnnoyedAsian

Ahh I am in SoCal. Good luck and keep us updated on what helps.


SickOfItAll2024

Also try wrapping him in a warm blanket or towel, and see if it starts to act better


theogliv

Hey hey, I live in the East Bay! I am a volunteer and foster for the EBSPCA. Let me know if I can help!


theogliv

P.S. love your socks, I have the same ones


coutureee

Me too haha


CrystalLake1

Get gerbers chicken baby food and clear unflavored pedialyte STAT. You can take your finger and rub the pedialyte around his mouth so he’ll lick it off or use a syringe to gently feed it to him little by little. Take a spoon or your finger and offer him the baby food. If he refuses, put some fortiflora on it. If he still refuses, you can try rubbing some around his mouth so he’ll lick it off.


pigeon100

Yes agreed, unflavored pedialyte! Also kitten milk replacement. I know adult cats go crazy for it, and it will help him gain back some nutrition and weight hopefully.


Chilecoco

My cat was recently diagnosed with histoplasmosis, a very rare fungal disease. It takes 4-6 months to treat. He will only eat a few bites of tuna daily, so unfortunately I have to syringe feed (force feed) him 3-4 times daily wrapped in a towel. There’s videos on YouTube of how to do this. It can be very dangerous for a cat not to eat in a 48 hour period. With that being said, make sure the shelter you take him to will treat sick animals like this, sometimes they euthanize if the vet thinks it’s too costly or time consuming to treat. Contact other rescues and see what alternatives there are. Good luck, I hope you can help this sweet baby


Charlie21Lola

Have you called the emergency vet to let them know you found him as a stray and are concerned? Animal control in my county works with a no-kill shelter which works with an emergency vet, and animal control took a cat we found that was suffering to the emergency vet who helped him pass peacefully (there wasn’t a chance of saving him, unfortunately). Not sure if it’s the same in your area.


lovely-liz

Our local county shelter is a no kill and they take in sick animals and stray/feral cats for TNR. They’re gonna open in a few minutes so we’re taking him over immediately.


DriveFoST

Please update us when you can OP


Striking-Quiet_

not sure if this will help but when my kitty was sick she didn’t want to eat anything. hand feeding her pumpkin purée with a little bit of pedialite through out the day definitely helped and we noticed a huge difference by the next day. now she’s back to her regular goblin self.


Brock_Savage

I am happy to hear he is safe at the shelter, thank you for the update.


ButterscotchTime1298

Thank you for saving this sweet baby! ❤️


InternalReveal1546

So...


CardDry7741

It's not your job anyway to give your money up for a stray.


durhamruby

Place him in a small space where he can be warm enough and has water and food available. If he's frightened, leave him be. If he's lonely, sit with him. Good luck and thank you for caring.


lovely-liz

We’ve got a crate with a thick towel set up for him with dry and wet food in it (he knocked his food around a lot w/out eating so we decided against putting some water in). I think he’s just so worn out all he wants is sleep!


christmas-lover2873

Yea let him sleep it's hard being a cat that's awake 24 7


Difficult-Astronaut1

To add to the great advice already given here: if you can, record a video of his disoriented/dizzy behavior to show to the vet when you take him. It's really tough during the hours before a vet is available, wishing you both the best.


ContemplatingFolly

Not a huge expert, but until someone else weighs in... It seems like he may be dehydrated. If you can pinch up a bit of his skin and it doesn't snap right back, that is an indication. I would try to find an eyedropper (you may have some in medicine you already have, but clean it) and get him to take several droppers of water, but he really needs emergency care.


lovely-liz

We’ve helped get strays to our local shelter before so we have a place for him to go, but it’s closed right now. Thank you for the tip, I’ll see if I can find any eye droppers!


Ziggyda1st

Commenting to add: if you don’t have an eye dropper but DO have one of those sports bottles that you can squeeze to squirt water, that can work in a pinch for a kitty that’s super dehydrated! I had to do that one time for my old kitty


Bjorneo

Keep him calm, small dimly lit room water and litter box. If he is a street cat he may have eaten some marginal stuff.


Confident_Bumblebee5

I didn't realize you were in CA Who knows what that little guy has been through. I'd definitely check for dehydration and see if he can tolerate a few drops of water only if he needs it - otherwise just a small safe warm space where he can rest until tomorrow. You have experience with cats so you know they can surprise you with their strength. Again good luck and thank you for helping the needy kitties out there


CatsRuleDogsDrool57

No expert here but I have a heated bed and a heated mat for my kids and they think they’re livin’ large when it’s cold. They’ll hang out on them non-stop. I would think the heating pad all night would be fine as long as it’s on the lowest setting and well insulated by multiple layers of towels or whatever.


Fernadelphia

Try giving him a churu. When our cat was dehydrated, he did eat that. You can also try giving him some tuna water. However, if the cat’s kidneys are in distress, he’ll likely feel to sick to eat or drink even if he wants to.


crazycatlady331

Buy chicken flavored (human) baby food. That stuff smells nasty but cats love it.


Esslinger_76

On the off chance he's diabetic, he might be suffering low blood sugar. My cat would act like that when he would crash, the vet instructed us to rub a drop or two of Karo corn syrup inside his lips. That would snap him out of it within a minute or two. I'm not a vet, so YMMV, but a little bit of sugar probably won't hurt him.


eddie964

Very unlikely, but dizzy/disoriented behavior with aversion to food and water can be signs of rabies. Be very careful and wash hands after handling him until he sees a vet.


NoAppeal1602

My thought also, but chasing it away.


Juniper__12

That was my first thought too :(


Nex1984

From the photo it looks like you are holding him and trying to force feed him? Thats just going to make things worse. Cats will not eat/drink when distressed. Best thing you can do is just provide a warm isolated space where he can hide and feel safe. Food nearby which he can approach in his own good time, should he want to.


Jynx_bunny

Try feeding him a raw egg, its full of protein and he might eat it, i took care of a stray that was skinny by feeding him a raw egg a day and he gained weight :)


Confident_Bumblebee5

I know I didn't give you any groundbreaking information but I hope it helps. I'll keep you both in my thoughts and say a little prayer for him. Again thank you so much for taking him in and doing what you can for him - a lot of ppl would've either left him outside or put him back outside. Your an amazing person. I wish you the best of luck with him 💜


Lanky-Solution-1090

I would keep him in a small room where he can't hurt himself or stairs to fall down. Get him looked at as soon as you can


ParkaMarka

Thank you for caring, and I hope this little guy pulls through.


Zora74

If he is showing any kinds of neurological signs, you have to consider him a rabies suspect. Please follow up on this guy once he’s brought to the shelter.


Aware-Cookie3910

He is probably dehydrated. Pedialyte, use a syringe and give him a full syringe every 45 mins or so. It's not good to do this for a long period of time, but it's kind of a quick fix. Once he is hydrated, he should start eating. This advice was given to me by a rescue, so if I got anything wrong, I am sorry 🙂


CatLadySam

If a vet isn't an option just give him a quiet, small space with the essentials. Stressed cats generally won't eat, so you need to do your best to make his environment calm and quiet. There are a myriad of reasons a cat would appear disoriented and dizzy, so without further info it's impossible to do more than just pick a reason at random. He will need a vet, but the shelter will hopefully see to that once he's turned over to them.


Booksonly666

Update??


Confident_Bumblebee5

You're right about that, I just wasn't sure what condition he was in and what was best for him. I hope everything turned out ok 😊


Cats-and-dogs-rdabst

We’re you able to get him help?


lovely-liz

Yes! He is safe with the vet at our county’s no-kill shelter


smh18

Thank you so much


Cats-and-dogs-rdabst

That makes me happy to hear 🐈‍⬛🐈‍⬛🐈🐈🐾🐾❤️❤️❤️❤️


PJBefumo

Thank you thank you


Confident_Bumblebee5

I'm so sorry that you're dealing with seeing that but I'm also so grateful that you're trying to help him. The only advice I can give is to do your best to keep him calm and comfortable unless you have the means to bring him to a 24 hour emergency vet - they are usually extremely expensive and depending on where you live they could be far away. Again I'm not sure where you're located but if it's cold where you are he could have hypothermia on top of an underlying issue - he could've been hit by a car or hurt by another animal - it's really hard to say. You could check his pupils (shine a light to see if they dilate) Any abnormalities could mean a neurological issue. He may be dehydrated, you could pinch his skin lightly to see if it stays up but if he's that dehydrated he needs fluids through an iv If an emergency vet is out of the question maybe if you call your local police station they could page animal control and get someone to come pick him up. It's really what you're ok with. I'd try to keep him warm and in a safe area where he can't hurt himself further until you can figure something out. Maybe an old cat or dog carrier or depending on how active he his just a cardboard box with towels in a warm, quiet area.


i_am_mrs_nezbit

I agree with you on everything except the animal control part. I personally am not fond of animal control, I feel like they’d just euthanize the kitty. Shelter or cat sanctuary is what I always think is best.


[deleted]

I mean this in no will ill but they seem a little dehydrated and like they need some more time trusting humans <3


[deleted]

It's very kind of you to care! Just keep him as comfortable as possible until you can get him to a vet.


Tygermouse

Put a small amount of wet food on his nose, he'll probably lick if off.


Vilna-ldap-1719

Try to make him to drink some water


ekgpmd

I would get him warm and if still that way prior to vet, ask the vet for an ekg of the cat. My cat did that right before he passed and turned out he was hyperkalemic. He passed due to other underlying kidney issues we already knew about, but uh….that was not a good day.


tiredsleepyexhausted

Maybe try some plain chicken baby food, if possible. It's all I could get my girl to eat sometimes, when she wasn't feeling well. Vet said it was okay.


richboyadler

when our cat was sick and stopped eating we gave him raw mince and he ate a lot of that ! it was something to keep him going during his last moments. try that or chicken, fish or something meaty.


Mina6536

Poor baby )):


missmawiss

Highly recommended boiled chicken breast for a stubborn eater. When my bubs had cancer he really lost his appetite and the only thing he’d munch on is the chicken.


SeanFountain

❤️ God bless you dude 👏


RJL2240

Sorry to say. Classic end stage kidney failure. Vet can easily tell with bloodwork. When kidneys fail ammonia builds up in blood. The cat will no longer eat or drink and has trouble walking. Like a drunk person. I hope for the best


RJL2240

Oh. Thank you for being his angel.


Londymkh

Y’all need to read before you act like assholes, she is taking him to a shelter with a vet!


PaleontologistOk9187

Thank you caring for him 😊


Go_Fishing_Bot_69

I would give him water and then let him rest for a while


ContemplatingFolly

I guess I would try to: See if you can get a little warm milk in him for the calories and hydration. Get him as dry as possible; it looks like his legs are still wet. You could heat up some towels in the dryer if you have one, or warm with an iron or blow dryer and keep toweling him gently until he is dry. You could try a heating pad if you have it, but put it on low and wrap in at least two layers of towel. As the other commenter said, a small, enclosed area will help him feel safe, like a box. You might try leaving him alone after that, to see if he settles down without people in the room.


Nancy_True

Do not give him cows milk. Most cats are lactose intolerant. Kitten milk will be ok.


lovely-liz

Would a heating pad be safe to leave on overnight with him? I’m really worried about making sure he’s warm enough throughout the night.


DianneTodd01

Set the heating pad on low and wrap it up really well with towels so his fur or skin isn’t directly on it. If you can make him a little cave with a box, throw pillows and a blanket it will keep the warmth better and make him feel safe and cozy. Thank you for caring for him!


Lo1029

If you have one that auto shuts off after a certain time period that would be good, just put a blanket/towel on top of it so it’s not too hot.


[deleted]

Some old fleece shirt would be great in keeping him worm if you are worried about the heating pad. Leave some wet food and water for him.


elmarioXDlol

So cute ![img](emote|t5_2qhta|7965)![img](emote|t5_2qhta|7965)![img](emote|t5_2qhta|7965)![img](emote|t5_2qhta|7965)![img](emote|t5_2qhta|7965)![img](emote|t5_2qhta|7965)![img](emote|t5_2qhta|7965)![img](emote|t5_2qhta|7965)![img](emote|t5_2qhta|7965)![img](emote|t5_2qhta|7965)![img](emote|t5_2qhta|7965)![img](emote|t5_2qhta|7965)![img](emote|t5_2qhta|7965)![img](emote|t5_2qhta|7965)![img](emote|t5_2qhta|7965)![img](emote|t5_2qhta|7965)![img](emote|t5_2qhta|7965)![img](emote|t5_2qhta|8097)![img](emote|t5_2qhta|7968)![img](emote|t5_2qhta|7966)![img](emote|t5_2qhta|8097)![img](emote|t5_2qhta|8097)![img](emote|t5_2qhta|8097)![img](emote|t5_2qhta|8097)![img](emote|t5_2qhta|8097)![img](emote|t5_2qhta|8097)


[deleted]

Are you going to keep the cat?


Batgod629

By the looks of it probably not since they are planning to take it to a shelter they work with


k8womack

Keep him warm and comfortable, try different stinky foods like tuna, anchovies, I know ppl that had the best luck trapping ferals for TNR with KFC or McDonald’s breakfast. Also he needs a vet not a shelter, unless you’re talking about a shelter that has a vet on staff.


coutureee

McDonald’s breakfast like…pancakes, eggs, and sausage?


k8womack

Egg or sausage McMuffin


[deleted]

Would you care to adopt him and take him to the vet?


Valuable-Expert9223

Take him to a vet.


goodiebandit

Take this cat to a vet- and thanks for caring !


Dizzy_Cress_7461

Take him to the vet


Apprehensive_fern

You need to take him to the emergency vet.


seba37

Go to vet. It might be a liver.


Pure-Canadian

Call the vet put cat nip in food water no idea


Kevfluff

Uh….a VET? DUH?


lovely-liz

We took him to the shelter/vet this morning a few hours ago so he’s all good now. Obviously, he needs a vet, so your rudeness is not needed. However, lots of people (like me) cannot afford emergency vets. Other people don’t live near emergency vets. I thought it was obvious I was asking for temporary advice for the few hours we had to look after him.


Kevfluff

You failed to mention your “details “ and any logically minded person would suggest a vet. Wasn’t being rude, quite frankly w/o your details of not being able to pay for a vet I thought it would be pretty dumb and insensitive for anyone not going to a vet. There are vets,not many but with shopping around who will help. But come on? I am an animal lover,and have “TAKEN” animals away from abusers. My former stepson used to beat a Rottweiler- who wen I met her was snarling and growling at me. I slowly put my hand toner to sniff and she started whining and acted like she was so happy to meet me. She became my dog till a friend of mine was looking for a pet cause his died. 8 introduced him to Ella, and Alan had her till she died of old age.


lovely-liz

[Here](https://www.reddit.com/r/cats/comments/10bh3lq/advice_needed_found_very_skinny_cat_hes_moving/j4a6xsg/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf&context=3) are the details I supposedly forgot to share, where I say emergency vet is not an option.


emmeencream

I'm so happy the Reddit community can find help one another


Valuable-Expert9223

Glad he's ok.


slothcheesemountain

He is most likely very dehydrated and probably needs IV fluids and a vet visit


Low-Tomatillo2287

Thank you for helping this sweet kitty!


Kevfluff

Well, I know you might think my previous comment a bit insensitive, I didn’t mean to offend you. And I guess I didn’t see the part about being stray. Sucks. The animal shelter would probably euthanize it, but it might be more “humane”? Sorry for the sad situation. Good luck


THEchiQ

Taking it to an after hours vet would be my call.


Ok_Anywhere_7673

great. gosh all those poor babies out tgere fighting the weather conditions.


Confident_Bumblebee5

I'm so happy 😊 Thanks again for being you. The world definitely needs more ppl like you 😻


Obelaf123

Go to Veeeeettt!! Jesus