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Cat Forum / Health and Behavior / October 2005Cat can't hold food in
Hello all! I have a 14 year old cat that got most of his teeth pulled a few weeks ago. He was doing okay eating until a few days ago when he pretty much stopped. He acts hungry, follows me around the kitchen meowing, and runs ahead of me whenever I go to feed him excitedly, but then tries to eat for about 10 bites and gives up. He usually ends up licking his chops hugely, almost like he's trying to clear something from his mouth, or something is really bothering him. I tried giving him just some tuna juice to see what he would do with it, and he lapped it up for a tiny bit and then started the same odd licking behavior and walked off. Until just a few days he was happilly eating kitty treats (not quite the kitty vacuum cleaner he used to be with them, but would get them down) and now he even ignores those. If I try to hand feed him some he'll take them and then drop them and walk off. I have a vet appointment tomorrow, but was wondering if anyone else had ever observed this and had any advice. I'm really scared that I'm going to lose my cat if I can't get him to start eating again. Thanks Beth I'm glad you are taking him to the vet. Not eating is a very serious problem. Why not try meat baby foods without onion? Gail > Hello all! I have a 14 year old cat that got most of his teeth pulled > a few weeks ago. He was doing okay eating until a few days ago when he [quoted text clipped - 20 lines] > > Beth I will give that a try tomorrow! He just proved to me that he's not feeling terrible at least, he attacked a string like it was his mortal enemy. I just feel bad cause it seems like he really wants to eat and is hungry, just can't figure out how to make it work. Hi there, Let us know what the vet says. It almost sounds like something could be wrong in there -- maybe he's developed an infection. Hope he's feeling better soon. Rhonda > Hello all! I have a 14 year old cat that got most of his teeth pulled > a few weeks ago. He was doing okay eating until a few days ago when he > pretty much stopped. He acts hungry, follows me around the kitchen > meowing, and runs ahead of me whenever I go to feed him excitedly, but > then tries to eat for about 10 bites and gives up. Just got back from the vet. Two vets ended up looking at him and couldn't see anything wrong in his mouth. They're doing all sorts of blood work, and while they were giving hime some fluids he ended up urinating .. . .which after testing was found to be infected. So he's now on antibiotics for a bladder infection and an appetite stimuliant. They'll call with the results tomorrow Which brings me to my next question. Any tips on feeding a cat with a sryinge? They gave me some food that can be fed to a cat this way, and after getting more food on me and on the floor than in the cat I figure there has to be an easier way for me and a less traumatizing way for the cat to do this. Any tips? Thanks!! Beth Hi Beth, Hope your guy is feeling better soon. They always fool us, don't they? A mouth problem and then not eating -- who would have thought of bladder infection? I had to force feed a cat for a few weeks. The best way with him was to wrap him in a towel, head to tail. I pulled it shut under him, and held it under his chin (only his face was sticking out.) I laid him in my the crook of my arm, but not flat. I kind of cradled him like a baby but kept his head up. I didn't want to squirt it in and asphyxiate him. Eventually, he started waiting for the syringe and I let him sit in my lap. It's a messy process, I had towels everywhere. Hope it goes well, Rhonda > Just got back from the vet. Two vets ended up looking at him and > couldn't see anything wrong in his mouth. They're doing all sorts of [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > > Beth Thanks for the tips! Good to know that its not just me having issues with the cat food getting all over me, him, and the floor. I'm still really worried . . I gave him his anti-biotics today, as well as some food and he almost immediaetly threw it up. I think he held down last night's dose though. > Just got back from the vet. Two vets ended up looking at him and > couldn't see anything wrong in his mouth. They're doing all sorts of > blood work, and while they were giving hime some fluids he ended up > urinating .. . .which after testing was found to be infected. So he's > now on antibiotics for a bladder infection and an appetite stimuliant. > They'll call with the results tomorrow Did the vet test the urine that your cat eliminated or did he get a urine sample directly from the bladder via needle & syringe (cystocentesis)? Voided urine is almost always contaminated with bacteria that normally inhabit the distal urinary tract and should not be used for diagnosing a urinary tract infection. Unnecessary and overuse of antibiotics leads to antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria and the destruction of the healthy gut flora. > Which brings me to my next question. Any tips on feeding a cat with a > sryinge? They gave me some food that can be fed to a cat this way, and > after getting more food on me and on the floor than in the cat I figure > there has to be an easier way for me and a less traumatizing way for > the cat to do this. Any tips? Try canned kitten food mixed with a little Pedalyte or Hill's Prescription Died a/d. Also, try smearing a little Felovite II with Taurine on his lower belly. After he licks it off, smear some kitten food or a/d on his belly- this might help stimulate his appetite, and, if you do it enough, will get some food into him and avoid liver complications. Make sure he gets enough water- at least 1 oz per pound/body weight/day to avoid dehydration and prerenal azotemia. If your vet can't find a cause of his anorexia, you might want to seek a second opinion. Your loyalty belongs to your cat not your vet. Good luck, Phil. Sadly he took a turn for the worse today. No energy, no interest in any food, didn't even want to be pet. He threw up a lot and cried out when I would pick him up. So he's at the vet's for the night, getting fluids and x-rays. His blood work all came back really good, execpt the things that were expected to be off due to dehydration. He had surgery on his stomach a few years ago, so maybe something from that is acting up and causing nausea and hence the lack of eating? I have no clue, hopefully the x-rays will show something. Thanks everyone for the advice and support. My cat is a trooper, has been through a lot . . . so hopefully he'll pull through this one as well. Sadly he's taken a turn even more for the worse. They've discovered through x-rays that his stomach and intestines look thick and just not right (in what I got from my lack of medical knowledge). She said the cause could either be disease of some sort, or lympnotic cancer. They're doing some ultrasounds today. At least he has fluids and an IV now . . . I just don't want my kitty to be suffering :-( Sorry to hear it's not going so well. I hope it's something fixable, or at least something he can live comfortably with. Could it be something like IBD? Let us know how he's doing. Fingers and paws are crossed. Rhonda > Sadly he's taken a turn even more for the worse. They've discovered > through x-rays that his stomach and intestines look thick and just not [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > At least he has fluids and an IV now . . . I just don't want my kitty > to be suffering :-( They still don't know what it is . . . options now are to refer him to a place in Indianapolis (i'm about an hour out), or do a surgical biopsy to see what it is. I just don't know what to do . . I hate to put him through all of this for a chance of something maybe giving him some good days (as the vet put it) . . .both for his stress and quality of life, and also cause the bottom line is I just can't afford it. He's stumped 3 vets so far, and I know he's miserable and scared being at the vets office this long . . . .I don't know what to do. . . .I'm supposed to call the vet back before too long with a decision, but had to get off the phone before emotions made it so I couldn't talk anymore. Anyone have advice? Beth Last update - I made the decision to put Ito down today. I just can't see him suffer any longer especially for the hope of just a bit longer. I think I'd just be being selfish if I keep putting him through more . . . THanks for all the advice and support > Last update - I made the decision to put Ito down today. I just can't > see him suffer any longer especially for the hope of just a bit longer. > I think I'd just be being selfish if I keep putting him through more . > . . > > THanks for all the advice and support I'm so sorry to hear that. I'm sorry to hear about Ito. We always want them with us longer. I hope he had a peaceful crossing. Rhonda > Last update - I made the decision to put Ito down today. I just can't > see him suffer any longer especially for the hope of just a bit longer. > I think I'd just be being selfish if I keep putting him through more . > . . > > THanks for all the advice and support |
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