Coping With Calicivirus

Less than a week ago, my father found a kitten outside his business. He brought the kitten over to me to see if I would take him into my home. I had previously lost a cat to FIP and FIV The idea of having a cat again was scary, but I love cats. I had thrown out everything of my diseased cat after his passing, with the idea if I ever did get another cat I wouldn’t want to take the risk of going through any of that again. However, the first night the kitten was in my home I noticed he had moisture around his mouth, I feared another sick cat. when I wiped his mouth I saw a wound on his upper lip, thought maybe he injured himself scavenging for food in the dumpster and perhaps it was infected.

I called my vet the next day and got him in on the following. The Dr. took one look in the kitten’s mouth and said he had Calicivirus…which I hadn’t a clue what that was and was trying to hold back tears because I feared the worst…I had another sick cat.

The Dr. asked about the kitten’s eating habits and if he had been sneezing and or vomiting. He seemed pleased to hear that the kitten has been eating with a healthy appetite, and perhaps even overindulging with his food, no sneezing, no vomiting, and normal BMs. I told the Dr. that the kitten was strange about water. The little guy would cry at his water dish, dig at it, and knock it over…but occasionally drank some. It seemed he struggled with drinking. The Dr. showed me the kitten’s tongue and immediately I saw why the kitten had such a hard time at his water dish. His tongue was covered in ulcers.

The Dr. gave the kitten an antibiotic injection and a dewormer. He said to wait on vaccines and neuter until recovery. I went home with pain killers and second dewormer. The next day the kitten already showed improvements. He wasn’t drooling and he was drinking his water. Appetite still healthy as can be and he begs for more food, such a piggy. He even is starting to groom himself and I see more and more of his tongue each day. He looks great, ulcers are healing, and he is an active kitten. I really do have high hopes that everything will work out. Also, my vet bill was under $200.