Extreme change in 7 month old cat?

Hi. I have a 7 month old female cat, and something seems very wrong with her. She's usually really playful and loving, never spooked by anything or anyone, unless it's a dog she hasn't met. Today, before I left the house, she was her usual self. Meowing at me when I'd say her name, letting me hold her and pet her. I left her home for 2 hours (she's used to being left home alone for 2-8 hours at a time), and when I came home, she seemed normal. She didn't meow at me when I called her name, but she sat next to the bed, which is what she does when she wants picked up. I picked her up, and she just attacked me out of nowhere, leaving a gash down my hand, cutting my eyelid and my ear. To punish her for anything, I just put her in the bathroom (where her food and litter box is) for a couple of hours, so that's what I did. After about an hour, I went into the bathroom to see if she was any better, but when I picked her up, she clawed and jumped out of my arms. I finally gave up and put her in the bathroom for 2 hours, giving her time to herself. She did her usual cutesy meow to get out, so I figured she just HAD to feel better now, but I was wrong again. I reached down to pet her, and she hissed and jumped away from me.
I went to the people I got her from three months ago and asked them what to do, and they were claiming rabies, but we don't have mice in our home and she's never been outside. She also isn't walking funny or anything, just having a bad temper. They told me she could be going into heat, but I've had cats before, and I know that they're more affectionate when in heat. According to her old owners, every kitten born from this one's mother all have stomach issues, and she has gotten sick 2 times since I've gotten her. I finally found her a food that she hasn't gotten sick with, but could something else be wrong? She eats quite a bit everyday, but I feel bad not letting her eat when she wants to. My friend, whose good with animals, came over and checked her. She has a baby tooth that wont fall out. All of the others have except for this one, and it's not even loose, so she said that she might be in pain and that's why she's acting out. She also felt her stomach and said that she was really bloated, and she is. She looks like a blimp right now. She's a tubby cat, but never round like that.
I don't know what to do and I don't want to get rid of her. I can't get her to a vet until May 21st, because that's when they do free shots and free spaying/neutering (I'm currently unemployed, can barely afford gas for my car). She isn't just randomly attacking people either. It's like she's getting used to where she is all over again. Really tense and jumpy, having to smell someone's hand before letting them touch her. My friend said to try putting a tiny bit of vegetable oil into her food and water to help her go to the bathroom, and if that doesn't help, give her 1/4 of a baby aspirin in her food for her tooth until I can get her to the vet. She's also been kind of lethargic today.
I'd really appreciate any advice on what to do until I can get her into a vet. I don't wanna lose her. :/

[nancyjac]

She needs to see a vet ASAP, not just for spaying and shots, but for an examination.  Her sudden and persistent change in behavior indicates that she is in pain.  She is trying to tell you that the only way she knows how.  DO NOT GIVE HER ASPIRIN.  Aspirin and most other over the counter analgesics are toxic to cats.  

[SaeKitty45]

If your friend told you to give your cat aspirin, then she needs to research and see that it's not safe for cats!
NEVER give your cat human medicine, they have their own medicine for a reason.

Take and get her examined NOW.
If she's bloated, and is not usually and is acting out the way she is, something is wrong.

[RoachieElizabeth]

Nancy and Sae, I would take her to a vet but our vet is here one day a week, so I'd have to wait until Tuesday regardless :/ It's a very tiny town, so we don't have very much access to anything. But at our Co-op they sell animal medicines, so do you guys have any recommendations for what pain medicine I should get her?
She was a bit better today, let me pet her and was meowing at me again, but like yesterday, would not let me pick her up. She isn't bloated today, but I cut her food down some because I know she's eating way more than she should. This morning when I woke up she let me pick her up and set her down on my tummy, but she's still kind of jumpy.
I'm really inexperienced with this, all of my other animals have always been healthy and lived for more than 10 years. :/
She's not having trouble going to the bathroom, but she isn't eating as much as usual. I have a feeling it's that baby tooth.

[nancyjac]

I would not recommend giving her meds until you have a diagnosis.  Most likely the meds that would be beneficial would require a prescription from the vet anyway.

[LindaTX]

Hi....sorry your kitty isn't feeling well.  Could she have fallen in the house and have internal injuries. That could be why she didn't want to be picked up. I wouldn't rule out rabies if she hasn't been vaccinated.  There are many different symptoms that can present with rabies.  I would be curious about why the people you got her from claimed rabies first thing.  Have they encountered an animal that was determined to be rabid?

[RoachieElizabeth]

She's much better now. On occasion she still spooks, but not as major :) Your idea does make a lot of sense though, her falling. She's extremely clumsy, so it wouldn't surprise me if that's what was wrong.
And I'm not sure if they've ever seen a rabid animal, but a few months ago they lost almost all of their cats, including newborn kittens and full grown adults, to some sickness. I've been weary about going over there and handling their animals since :/

[LindaTX]

Must not be rabies...after all this time.  Hope she's had her rabies vaccination.  That's of the utmost importance.  And, of course, the spaying.  Glad she seems much better. Hope she's not pregnant.  Sometimes we just never do find out what's happened.  I have a cat, almost 10, that crouches down and is very cautious every time he goes outside.  He doesn't like it if you touch him around his back area or tail at all.  We surmise that since he is so wary whenever he goes out, that possibly a spanish eagle or some other large bird may have swooped down on him....but he is a very large 16 lb. cat.  We have another small cat that is missing and we fear that that might have happened to her.  It upsets me so much to think something like that could have happened to my precious "Heidi."

[RoachieElizabeth]

She's an inside cat so she's never been around another cat since I got her, and she will be getting her vaccinations and spayed very soon :) She's getting to that age and I know it's coming because she's being very loud.
That's so strange that your cat acts like that :o Mouse sometimes acts the same when I do take her out, just confused and wanting me to take her back inside, but that's mainly because she's used to her room.
I didn't know birds could even take cats...of course around here we have enough small wild animals for the larger birds to eat. I'm sorry for your loss. :/ Hopefully she shows up sometime!

[LindaTX]

We live in the country and we also have prey for the large birds but my Vet's wife told me about the possibility of a large Spanish Eagle or Owl picking up cats and small dogs. She said it is happening here.  Maybe there is less "food" out there because of our unrelenting heat and extreme drought. When we lived in Alaska, one time in Homer a woman's little toy poodle was actually snatched up by a bald eagle.  

I still have hope that Heidi could show back up....but it has been 4 weeks today.

[RoachieElizabeth]

Wow. I've never heard of that, but I'll definitely warn my family, as we have a little chihuahua. Hopefully she will turn up. I had a female cat who often disappeared for weeks on end before coming home, ready to have kittens.
That's mainly why Mouse is an indoor cat; Our neighbors have trained their dog to be an attack dog, so I'm sure if she wandered over there I wouldn't see her again.