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Open Pyometra & other symptoms in 1 year old female cat

HeidyH

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Apr 14, 2023
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Your pet's name - Fuji
  1. Approximate age - one year old
  2. Sex - female
  3. Neutering status - Just spayed
  4. Breed - exotic shorthair
  5. Approximate weight - 6 lbs
  6. What's their BEAM (behavior, energy, appetite, mood) - sluggish
  7. Diet - raw beef
  8. Vaccination history / exposure to toxins, other medication - FVRCP 3 times, no other meds
  9. Primary problem, when it began and if there was anything else happening around that time
When I adopted her from a breeder, I just know she had spay surgery 5 days ago because of open pyometra. Before the spay, she had a lot of discharges from vulva and I think her surgery was delayed but I don't know when is the first sign of open pyometra. She arrived sluggish, has obvious signs of herpes virus. Sneezing, sluggish, loss of appetite, her body temperature fluctuates quickly, sometimes very hot, sometimes not hot, eye discharges so her eyes are half opened, or one eye shut a bit, sores on the lip area. Mouth and teeth are ok. She also has more virginal discharge of dark reddish color which I cleaned with some warm water, everyday, with two-three cotton balls. Her appetite returned to normal in 3 days, but URI symptoms have not subsided. On the other hand, she seems not scared with the new environment and whenever she has some energy, she would wonder around and even downstairs. She has a very sweet personality. I can tell she is having some pain as she can't get settled easily. One nite, she was sleeping on top of a cat tree and around 5am she cried a little which was subtle, and then i noticed she peed on the cat tree. She used the litter box in the very beginning for 3 days. Later, I noticed her vulva was covered with the pus discharge, hardened. When she arrived my home from the cattery where she gets around with many cats, she saw my cats in a distance. She emits a low grouching sound at first, but she gets used to seeing them in two days and emits no sound.
Questions:
1. is it normal for having vulva discharges after the spay for pyometra? Is there other health related concerned for a cat that had open pyometra? I read the spay and neuter article already.
2. Is her peeing on the cat tree possibly related to stress / behavioural or FIC? It seems to me that she maybe feeling uncomfortable and scared of getting down the tree that caused her peeing there. At that time, the home is very quiet and there are no other cats near the tree where she's sleeping.
  1. Is the condition better or worse from exercise, heat, cold, time of day, certain foods, emotional upset, being touched, excitement, etc?
The overall condition was improving but slow. The vulva discharge and peeing are my concerns. I thought that once they pee outside the box, they will continue to pee outside of the box if it is behavioural. The box is new and clean. I noticed that after I put pee pads on the tree, then she does not go onto the tree.
  1. Has any diagnostic work been done? Diagnosis if available (you can attach your diagnostic tests to the post if you have them). No
  2. Current and previous treatment: The breeder treated her with deworming meds one week before her spay surgery.
  3. Other health concerns: cat flu
@Dr. Jeff @Dr. Christina @Dr. Sara please help. Grateful for this opportunity to post this thread.
 
Last edited:

Dr. Jeff

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Hi Heidy!

Thanks for making your first post!!

I'm sorry to hear about Fuji's health challenges. :confused: They will improve over time as she re-balances and acclimates to her new home.?

When did you adopt her? Is she kept separate from your other cats?

she saw my cats in a distance
How many kitties, and how many litter boxes do you have?
is it normal for having vulva discharges after the spay for pyometra?
For a few days after, it's not uncommon in my experience.
Is there other health related concerned for a cat that had open pyometra? I
Conventionally, no. Energetically there is the big question about why she got the pyo (or Herpes, or...) in the first place.
2. Is her peeing on the cat tree possibly related to stress / behavioural or FIC?
Great question! Very possibly, yes. But it depends on the full context of her dis-ease. She may very well have environmental stress and slight symptoms of Pandora syndrome (which is the new name for FUS, FLUTD and FIC):

It seems to me that she maybe feeling uncomfortable and scared of getting down the tree that caused her peeing there.
Yes! Maybe provide lots of other climbing and hiding spots, boxes, etc.
At that time, the home is very quiet and there are no other cats near the tree where she's sleeping.
Is the tree near a window?

Which raw beef diet are you feeding? Does it contain lots of heart?

Regardless, nows the time to engage with her as much as you can if she likes your company. Perhaps just do whatever she loves and stimulate as much purring, playing and happiness as possible!

 

HeidyH

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Dr. Jeff,
Really appreciate your reply!
When did you adopt her? Is she kept separate from your other cats?
The incidents I described happened in 5 days of adoption. She is kept separate from other cats but at times I would let my very gentle and well behaved male cats look at her in a distance.
How many kitties, and how many litter boxes do you have?
I have two fixed male cats. Her litter box is only for her in a separate space. After she peed on a cat tree, I gave her four litter boxes and she doesn't seem to care the number of litter boxes. She was living, as far as I know, with many cats sharing 3 litter boxes and not always cleaned.
Conventionally, no. Energetically there is the big question about why she got the pyo (or Herpes, or...) in the first place.
I don't know why she got pyo as I found out she had this accidentally from someone else. Only I know later that the breeder hide this info from me and many other evidences I discovered show she doesn't care about them, only as a business. I tried asking her many times whether it's normal that she still have discharges after the spay surgery. She said she thinks it is normal, but she doesn't pay attention to it. She never discusses her pyo with me. At the beginning, I wanted to save her from this place knowing she has herpes, which she got from birth or other cats she's been with. But i didn't know she had pyo at this young age as I had no idea what pyo is. Now I recall while she was having pyo when I visited, she was pretty tough as she did not get surgery right away ( I don't know how long) and having much discharges, still quite happy walking around. While i was cleaning the dried pus covered her vulva, I noticed that area is very loose even though I lightly washed it with cotton balls. I don't think this is normal. Any thoughts? Maybe she was in pain in general from the spay surgery so she peed outside. Thank you for the Pandora Syndrome article.
Is the tree near a window?
Yes, the tree is near a small window. The tree is 56 inches tall.
Which raw beef diet are you feeding? Does it contain lots of heart?
The raw beef diet is provided by the breeder. I tried asking her the ingredient and she said it's not a secret but she won't tell me what is in it. All of her cats eat this diet. I think it has some hearts but I don't know the ratio.
Regardless, nows the time to engage with her as much as you can if she likes your company. Perhaps just do whatever she loves and stimulate as much purring, playing and happiness as possible!
She loves everyone since she has a very sweet personality. it's heartbreaking to see her in her situation. I know I need to think positively for her. It's very easy to get her purr. Thank you for the article. I am sad that she has so many problems at a very young age and being in the hands of an unethical breeder.

Grateful for all of this community provides.
Heidy
 

Dr. Jeff

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While i was cleaning the dried pus covered her vulva, I noticed that area is very loose even though I lightly washed it with cotton balls. I don't think this is normal. Any thoughts?
No, probably not normal. But common.

it's heartbreaking to see her in her situation. I know I need to think positively for her. It's very easy to get her purr

Her purring (a sign of happiness, rest and regeneration) says that she's not worried about her place in the universe. And that she will return to smooth flow (=internal balance) and optimal function, soon.
 

Dr. Jeff

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You're welcome Heidy!
 

Dr. Christina

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Heidy, with all your cats, have you listened to Anita Frazier's empower hours? And maybe learn one of the energy approaches (Eden, Reiki, TTouch, etc) for everyone's benefit.

Do you have a homeopath or chinese medicine (TCVM) vet with whom you are working? That is a great step to preventing illness and resolving them holistically.

Dr. Christina
 

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