Question:
We adopted a 4 month old sealpoint siamese (Mocha) from a rescue only a week ago as a companion for our 4,5 month bengal cross Sinba. He appeared to be healthy at first although he hadn't received any vaccines yet (but had been neutered before being adopted). Mocha instantly developed cat flu symptoms (40 degrees fever, sneezing, coughing, congestion, loss of appetite), so we took him to the vet on the 3rd day. His x-rays show that he has severe pneumonia and some kind of an upper respiratory infection. The vet put him on antibiotics for three weeks and let us take him home. (We seperated our resident cat Sinba from Mocha).

By the 4th day his cough got really worse and his breathing irregular, so we took another trip to the vet. His second x-rays showed a worsening of his pneumonia. We were told that it isn't possible to treat pneumonia, and that we can only treat his infection. It's really up to Mocha's strength and will to survive... he weighs only 3,6 pounds, though he started eating a lot more. He still has difficulties breathing - he takes very short and fast breaths and moans at times. He is coughing up mucus and then swallows it. The vet said it could be weeks before he gets better, and that he might not. All we can do is give him a lot of TLC, and be there for him.

We are worrying so much that he might not make it. We need your support and comfort and would appreciate to hear about your experiences with cat pneumonia, and our chances of Mocha's full recovery. Thanks...

Answer:
This was posted by Luba, one of our truly expert members, in response to another query about a cat with persistent upper respiratory problems. She is recommending oil of oregano, which is available at health food stores.

(Quote) I don't see how it can 'harm' your cat. If there is some form of infection it certainly may help. It's worth a shot and doesn't cost nearly as much as it used to. You can get it here for 20bux a bottle where it used to be three times that two years ago.

I think it works best if taken orally in conjuction with putting it in the air through steam. It's very very strong, it can burn the eyes and mouth on contact. It stings if it's too concentrated. It won't harm, just sting and it is uncomfortable. You can use the w/r humidifier method but stay in there with kitty yourself so you can see if it's really causing any discomfort

Cat people can help with what you can mix the oregano with to get kitty to take it orally. Would it be okay to give a cat yogurt/applesauce?

If not maybe you can use fish or wet cat food.

I'd put only two drops into a tablespoon of food (heaping tablespoon) and mix it around thoroughly. Your cat may not want it because the smell is strong, so I'm not sure how to entice your cat to eat it. Dogs dont mind much, they'll gobble it right up so maybe you'll just be lucky on it!

As for the steam, the cat shouldn't be too close to the humidifier/stove if you're gonna boil with water on the stove.

You just need a few drops in a pan of water, doesn't need to be too much water either , enough not to dry out ... I usually use 1/4 full of water then add the oregano oil. You'll see it floating on the top of the water when you put it in.

This isn't a one time cure all, it's something you'll have to practice daily in order for it to work. Orally taken two times a day should be enough for a cat plus one good steaming a day. This is all guess work mind you, I'm only going by experience not expert lol! (End Quote)

If you decide to try this, I hope it helps your kitty. Rough start... good luck!

Answer:
Have you ever had pneumonia? I have, several times. And almost died once. The pneumonia is a inflamation of the lungs probably caused by the URI.

All I can say is make sure he/she gets up a couple times a day. If you let the mucous sit in your lungs (i.e. lying down all day) it makes it worse.

I don't know if this would work for cats, but a humidifier is a must for me when I have problems. The humidifier loosens the mucous. If the cat coughs up the mucous, this is a GOOD thing, because it is clearing the lungs. As a human, we should technically spit it out, but as long as it doesn't go back into the lungs, that's the important part.

Try a humidifier though..it really helps.

Answer:
Mocha had a very rough night - probably the worst since his pneumonia started. His eyes were cloudy, he was taking in very short and fast breaths, his paws and nose were warm, and he stopped eating and drinking yesterday because his nose was congested. We tried giving him dry food, chicken broth, chicken liver, canned food; he didn't respond to anything. So we force-fed him slightly warmed baby food through a syringe couple of times last night, although he strongly resisted us the whole time.

We also made sure that his room (our bedroom; I'm sleeping by Mocha's side whereas my boyfriend sleeps in the living room with our resident cat Sinba - otherwise she won't let us sleep at all) is well ventilated, warm and humid. We got the humidifier running at all times and let the air purifier take care of the ventilation rather than opening the window and letting in cold air.

Mocha is slightly better today; his eyes are back to normal, his breathing is still fast but steady. We still have to force him to eat and drink with a syringe, which he hates. But I suppose, it's all we can do at this point. The vet says, he's much better off at our hands, where he is receiving constant attention and care, rather than hospitalize him. Hopefully, the worst is over, and he will start to recover gradually so we won't need to take him to the Intensive Care.

We are continuing to give him his anti-biotics without fail, and we will ask the vet for an immune booster for Mocha; as far as we know there is Neutracal and L-lysine. Please let us know if there is anything else we can do...

We'll keep you posted on Mocha's progress; hopefully we'll have some really good news soon...

Answer:
Sadly, Mocha didn't make it. His pneumonia progressed into a clinical infectious disease, a fatal complication and the cause of anemia. His immune system started to deteriorate because his body was not able to produce enough red and white blood cells; he wasn't getting enough oxygen into his lungs and his blood was not able to clot properly. His bronchis was dialated up to three times its normal size. He wasn't responding to his medication and wasn't able to fight his infection(s). His condition was increasingly worsening, very unstable and critical. We tried a blood transfusion to stabilize him but stopped it before completion, since Mocha's chances of survival were close to 0%.

It was very tough to part our ways with Mocha; he received a tranquilizer while in Dad's arms last night. He was very relieved that his suffering was going to end soon. With the lethal injection, he took deep breaths, feeling safe, loved and happy in his Dad's arms, and fell asleep peacefully.

We believe, we did the best we could to give him a comfortable and pleasant life for 19 days. He was a true warrior, very strong and determined; he was the sweetest and most loving and affectionate kitten anybody could have wished for. He brought us a lot of joy, love, and happiness. He was very special, maybe too special for this world, and had to move on to a much better place.

He's our guardian angel now, and is watching over us with all our other beloved lost pets.

Mocha will always be in our hearts and loving memories…

Mom & Dad


Please visit http://www.catster.com/?86954 for Mocha's pictures,
biography and medical diary.

Answer:
That is so sad but you know in your hearts that you did the right thing and you gave him love and cared for him and for that you should feel good. I am sure that Mocha is watching over all of you. I think all of our furbabies watch over us from the bridge.

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OMG, I'm SO sorry to hear this!

Was that the sweet faced little guy I saw listed at Sasha's?

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I am so sorry to hear of your loss. I have a 11 week old Seal Point Siamese and I cannot imagine losing her!! Hugs to you all!!!

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i am so sorry for ur loss.
this thread has really touched my heart. u had mocha for such a short time and i now realize how quickly they become our children. i've only had louie 10 days or so and feel as attached to him as i possibly could.
may ur hearts heal, & may u gain comfort knowing u made mocha's short life so much better by caring and loving him.

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So sorry for your loss... that website is so sad... those pictures, I had to close it before I even read it all. :( Thanks for loving this kitty while you could! :(

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I have not yet looked at Mochas web-site,but I will when I get my bearings....such a sad outcome

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Poor little guy,he was soo pretty..kudos to you for doing so much more than many would to save him,but sometimes it's just not possible,those little guys are so very vulnerable
Thank you for the catster site,sooo many beautiful cats and nice stories.

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Im so sorry for your loss, at least Mocha was in loving care in his last moments

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I am so sorry for your loss, we went through something similar with our Ashes about two years ago. I just like to think that God has bigger plans for these little fellas. You did all you could and were brave enough to be there to love him at the end (something I was not strong enough to witness). Again, so sorry for your loss. {{{{HUGS}}}}

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