I heartily encourage these folks to do the same with their two legged
children.

It's about time that someone finally said it. Thanks. I too don't
understand how people who supposedly love their cats don't take them to
the vet when they think that there is something wrong with them. Are
they too afraid that it will cost them a lot of money? If this is the
case, then you shouldn't have them in the first place. When ever in
doubt about your furbabies health or habits,......TAKE THEM TO THE VET!!!!!

and if you brought your kid to the doctor everytime it scraped it's knee
or got a cold you'd be wasting your time.

Some ailments have owner-administered cures.

pat

Human animals are stupid. Always have been.

Dave

Cats aren't humans - we grow knowing what is serious for humans and
what is trivial, what can be treated with OTC products, what needs a
visit to the doctor, and what requires a rush trip to the ER; but it
takes a long time and a lot of advice to learn the same things about
cats.  Many people just starting out with cats know that cats are
different from humans but don't know the details.

Thirty years ago, I knew about liver spots on people, but since I had
no newsgroup to ask, I rushed the cat to the vet, only to be told that
the spots on his lips were harmless liver spots.  If there had been
someone to ask, I would likely have been told about liver spots but
also advised that they could be something else and a *non-rush* trip
to the vet would be in order - I would surely have taken him, but not
at the cost of losing half a day of work and a lot of stress.

Another time, about as long ago - may even have been the same cat - I
had to pay someone to come get the cat and take him to the vet on
account of injuries he got to his face while he was with me at work
... out in the country and no legal way to leave until my relief
arrived some hours later.  The injuries were minor and required no
urgent treatment, but I was so unfamiliar with cat injuries that I
couldn't tell.  And there was no newsgroup to ask in.

The last poster makes good sense. I,for one,cannot afford to pay Vet
bills if they are not necessary. I have 4 Cats and care for about 10
strays. Usually there always seems to be at least one with a
bite,scratch,sore,upset tummy,sprained ankle (do Cats have "ankles"?)
or whatever......

One problem I have noticed...which we need badly...is the lack of Vets
visiting this (and others) Cat group. I don't actually know who of you
are Vets or trained personnel,but I have only seen one with the
caption "Dr" before her name.

I,for one,will try to convince a few Houston Vets with Computers and
Usenet access to try and stop by and answer a few questions from
posters. Perhaps you guys could do the same...I will guess most of you
know at least one Vet in your community? See if they will be willing
to stop by the group....we are talking perhaps 5 minutes a night?

Most Vets I suspect will not attempt to give a diagnosis via
Usenet,but they could seperate the minor from the major problems.

Of course this is not substitute for a face-to-face Vet visit if you
are really concerned about your Pet...but  many minor problems could
be solved via this group and save your money for real emergencies.

Ray
WebElder

I don't "Suffer" from Insanity..I rather enjoy it!

CATTS
http://members.tripod.com/~thewebster/catts.html

Home Page
http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Labyrinth/9826/meshead.html

Absolutely!  Some of these messages just cry out for "take your cat to a vet
ASAP," and I don't see why a sensible person would even ask.

MaryL

My cats --
Duffy: http://tinyurl.com/cslwf
Holly: http://tinyurl.com/9t68o
Duffy and Holly together: http://tinyurl.com/8b47e

Yes...our cats do have their problems...And we do take them to the vet when
warranted.
We invested too much love, time and money in them to let them get ill.

I understand the sentiment. I rescued - found outside in my apt. complex
late at night -looking abandoned- a beautifull kitty --looked like 5/6mths-
I got her spayed with a county rebate, but all the shots were too much. Now
about 8 mths. has gone by... I can't afford vet costs.  I had rescued a boy
cat - he would be inside and would bother the kitty. I had him just under 2
mths. They won't stop jumping off balcony -2nd story even. Just found him a
family. He did bother the girl kitty a bit = sniffing and too playful. Now
all of a sudden I see bloody diarrhea from kitty. I am so broke from my own
bills and no vets out here in wonderful So.Cal will help, even $50 is too
much right now and lab tests are going to make visit over $100. I'm hoping it
is IBS -as I read about here--that will fade now that tomcat is gone. I will
try another vet --at least want to get stool sample checked, but they have
asked to see kitty too. I really think testing the sample would be good start,
but WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO NOW? GIVE HER TO THE HUMANE SOCIETY.