My cat has a tick, is weak, and won't eat. Does he need medicine?

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Poor appetite in cats can be caused by several problems, like fever, pain, infection, stomach upset and more. Ticks rarely produce bad infections or transmit diseases in cats but if Jasmine remains quiet and does not want to eat, you should take her to your local vets for an appointment.

Thanks for visiting Petcoach! Since mites are not visible without the use of a microscope, I am going to assume you are seeing ticks on Tikvichko. Ticks can be prevented with only 1 preventative that I am aware of on he market right now, and hat product is called Bravecto for cats. Here is a website link with more information. https://us.bravecto.com/for-cats.aspx But to rid the ticks that are on him currently, and also to treat for his other conditions (likely an upper respiratory infection and possible tick borne disease) I highly recommend taking him in to your vet for a proper exam and possible tests to make sure he didn’t get some infection from the ticks. The vet can also remove the remaining ticks safely without hurting him so much. I hope he is able to make a full and speedy recovery. Best wishes and take care.

I can't make much out from the pictures you've provided. However, I can tell you that if Tigger has multiples ticks on him and is showing signs of neurologic deficits, he should be seen by a veterinarian. There are certain tick borne diseases capable of causing clinical signs consistent with what you are describing. If you are able to get a more clear picture of the bug that is attached to Tigger, I might be able to better help with a diagnosis. If he is not drinking water either, depending on how long this has gone on for, it can cause dehydration fairly quickly. You might also try to obtain a temperature of Tigger at home rectally. Check to see if it is elevated above 102.5-103.0. If so, a fever in combination with the other symptoms certainly warrants some concern.

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. Based on your description, I am quite concerned she may be dehydrated and may have some systemic disease or infection going on. I would have a veterinarian examine her so that the most appropriate diagnostic and treatment recommendations can be made. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any further questions / concerns and I would be happy to help further.

Hi there and thanks for posting on PetCoach! I'm sorry to hear Tom is having all of these health issues. Poor guy! Spinal injuries can take a while to heal and some do require surgery. Spinal injuries are also often quite painful so making sure Tom has some pain medication on board would be helpful. If no pain medication was given, you may ask your veterinarian about this. Special food can be prescribed by your veterinarian or an appetite stimulant medication can be prescribed by your veterinarian to help increase his appetite. You can also heat up the wet food at home a bit to bring out the flavor and may entice him to eat a little bit. Ticks and fleas in small young kittens can actually cause anemia (low red blood cell count) which can cause weakness and lethargy. The ticks will need to be safety removed either by you or your veterinarian. If you are unsure how to remove a tick, I have linked a video below. You may use a bath of dish soap (Dawn dish soap works well) to help get rid of flea infestation until he is old enough to be on a month flea preventative such as Revolution or Advantage. If Tom is still not doing well, I would recommend he see his veterinarian again to see what else your veterinarian would recommend. I hope this helps and best of luck to you! https://youtu.be/0wotB38WrRY

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Charlie. Oh no, poor boy. Typically signs of Lyme disease include a loss of appetite, fever, reduced energy, lameness, stiffness, and swelling of the joints. It's not typically vomiting, but it could be another tick borne disease. I'm concerned about him, and I think it's best he sees a vet now asap. I would take him into one first thing in the morning. Best of luck.

I'm quite concerned about Charlie. I think he needs to see a vet right away. Please take him into an ER vet clinic; if there isn't one in your area, there will be a vet on call for emergencies. The information to reach that vet is found on a clinic's answering machine or website. Best of luck.