My year and a half old long-haired gold tabby cat, Burdell,
had a great homecoming today after three nights at the vet
hospital.  I took him there Monday afternoon when he hadn't
eaten all day, and had not looked his usaul bright self
when he came to get me up that morning.

He was found to have a high temperature, so the vet kept him
to give him IV antibiotics.  Apparently he took IV fluids also.
I was given antibiotic drops to give the cat twice a day
with food (clindamycin hydrochloride).  The vet took some blood
for tests that have been negative so far, and he thinks the
problem probably was upper respiratory.

The cat has always been a big eater, and today he has been
anxious to be given food, but then he has only nibbled at
what I have given him.  I've tried several things.  My cats
have water and two kinds of dry food available at all times
(Meow Mix seafood flavors and Purina kitten chow), and three
times a day I give them various Fancy Feast dishes from cans.

But the recovering cat doesn't eat much of anything, though he
is lively and very interested in getting me to put food in front
of him.  So i don't understand why nothing appeals to him once
he sniffs at it.

I tried putting the antibiotic drops in one dish, and I wasn't
surprised that the cat rejected that one, but his rejection of
the others is a mystery.  I'll try putting the drops directly
in his mouth, but they are supposed to be given when he eats,
whether mixed in with the food or not.

Another cat accepted the same kind of antibiotics in his food
a year ago, but I understand that cats are different about this.
At any rate, I don't know what to try to get the cat to eat at
this point.  If the problem persists, of course I will inform
the vet, but I would like to solve the problem at home tonight.

Thanks for any suggestions.

Calvin Rice