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Cat Forum / General Topics / March 2005Need some advice on a rescue (elderly cat)
On boxing day (it's an Australian thing, the day after xmas) a stray cat staggered into my Mum's house. She couldn't keep it because her own cat is intolerant of others, so it ended up with me. This cat is a. ancient b was in an advanced state of starvation (read: on death's door). Really, the worst case of starvation in any animal I've *ever* seen. Literally, skin and bones. The vet would not take any blood on the initial consultation, saying "she's got none to spare". So of course I couldn't say no. I'm a sucker :) Here's a pic, from her first visit to the vet (not for those who don't want to see this sort of thing): http://community.webshots.com/album/251821923gQvgpO She's been doing well. However . . . Up until a week or two ago, she was just picking at her food. It was a struggle to get her to eat anything. I fed her on my special ferret-fattening mix (which also works well for cats) and she was putting on 100g or so a week (from a low weight of 2.1kg). About two weeks ago she suddenly seemed to turn the corner. She started eating about a can a day, was interested in her food (the old "get out the way so I can eat!" thing) and was putting on more weight. Now, the other problem was this: she *was* constipated. She's suddenly developed diarrhoea. I'm assuming this is because her digestive system is recovering from the shock of all that starvation, and then all that food. I'm having to clean her up, she's obviously embarrassed by this (you know how cats are about being clean) and more worryingly, I'm concerned she's going to go downhill again. She also went off her food again for a day or so, but she's eating again now. She's had her shots, she's on metacam for her arthritis, and she's eating canned food because she can't manage solid kibbly. Her kidneys (surprisingly) are fine: she doesn't drink too much, and she has no signs of diabetes. I'm taking her to the vet again tomorrow, but I'd like some advice from anyone here who has managed an elderly cat like this. Is there some way to put more weight on her more rapidly? She just hasn't got that much to lose. And am I right in thinking the diarrhea is due to the shock to her digestive system? Or is there something else I'm missing here? Any advice would be much appreciated. Despite everything, she seems happy, is not in too much pain (apart from the arthritis) and is quite active. I'm not prepared to put her down just yet. She survived this far and I think she deserves a chance. Thanks, TK I don't have any real words of wisdom but I did look at the pictures. You are correct that it is one of the worst cases I have seen. She has been blessed by finding someone who will look past the first look and is taking care of her. Bless you. >I don't have any real words of wisdom but I did look at the pictures. You >are correct that it is one of the worst cases I have seen. She has been >blessed by finding someone who will look past the first look and is taking >care of her. > >Bless you. Seconded. Thank you for taking her in. Sounds like she found you for a reason.  SignatureWe're done for. We're duh-diddly-un for. Canned cat food has a tendency to give cats the runs. I have never had any of my cats eat it without suffering this. Have you tried just softening dry cat food with water? Also have you asked the vet about this? Did he worm or putt the cat on antibiotics before the diarrhea started? Diarrhea can occur in a small number of animals when they have had very bad nutritional deprivation for a long period of time. The last thing I can think of is that the cat could have a cat disease that caused the weight loss, this would show up on blood work looking for them (FeLV, FIP, FIV). All these things could be the reason for the diarrhea if any or a combo of these. Others will post their ideas soon so maybe the answer will present it's self. Shadow Walker > On boxing day (it's an Australian thing, the day after xmas) a stray cat > staggered into my Mum's house. She couldn't keep it because her own cat is [quoted text clipped - 47 lines] > Thanks, > TK > Canned cat food has a tendency to give cats the runs. I have never had any > of my cats eat it without suffering this. Have you tried just softening > dry > cat food with water? I've tried that but she won't have any of it. It's canned food or nothing. I've got a feeling she's also got teeth problems but there's nothing obviously wrong with her mouth, aside from a bit of an underbite. I'll get the vet to have another look today. Part of the problem is that she's *so* picky (or was, anyhow, up to now). She'll only eat Whiskas brand, or Maxical if it's warmed up for her, or pilchards in Aspic. Nothing else. Doesn't think it's food. Ferrets sometimes have the same problem. She'll also eat some raw meat but it gives her mouth problems, so she won't eat much of it. I think partly also her sense of smell is not too great. Also have you asked the vet about this? Did he worm or > putt the cat on antibiotics before the diarrhea started? She's had a full course of antibiotics, but that was right at the beginning, and she was also wormed about two weeks ago (which could be part of the problem also). Diarrhea can occur > in a small number of animals when they have had very bad nutritional > deprivation for a long period of time. Personally, this is my theory. I think the sudden improvement in her appetite, and the amount of food she was eating, was probably the main cause. Hopefully it will just settle down in time. But the poor girl! From constipation, to the runs. And it's *so* humiliating for her. The worst is having to clean her bottom for her (she can't reach around because of her arthritis). She's getting extra cuddles to make up for it :) The last thing I can think of is that > the cat could have a cat disease that caused the weight loss, this would > show up on blood work looking for them (FeLV, FIP, FIV). She's been tested, and is clear (thank God) of all of these. All these things > could be the reason for the diarrhea if any or a combo of these. > Others will post their ideas soon so maybe the answer will present it's > self. Thanks for the suggestions. And thanks everyone for your kind words. I'll let you all know how she goes. TK >> On boxing day (it's an Australian thing, the day after xmas) a stray cat >> staggered into my Mum's house. She couldn't keep it because her own cat [quoted text clipped - 61 lines] >> Thanks, >> TK SignatureOnce her weight improves some of the arthritis symptoms my vanish due to her strength returning. Shadow Walker > > Canned cat food has a tendency to give cats the runs. I have never had any > > of my cats eat it without suffering this. Have you tried just softening [quoted text clipped - 115 lines] > >> Thanks, > >> TK >> Canned cat food has a tendency to give cats the runs. I have never had any >> of my cats eat it without suffering this. Have you tried just softening [quoted text clipped - 115 lines] >>> Thanks, >>> TK Sending purrs for the ancient kitty that she will respond to treatment and have some happy times left. Purrs also for your kind heart. MLB Thank you so much for adopting this needy soul. What a blessing it was for her to find such a loving and compassionate caretaker. It is surprising what a little tlc can do. As long as she seems happy, active and content, I wouldn't worry too much about the diarrhea. I'm no expert but I would think the shock to her system alone could cause that and once she's back on track it may resolve itself. The vet should be able to investigate whether there is something more serious going on with her. Purrs to new kitty. > Thank you so much for adopting this needy soul. What a blessing it > was for her to find such a loving and compassionate caretaker. It [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > vet should be able to investigate whether there is something more > serious going on with her. Purrs to new kitty. Seconded :-) She may be old and scraggy but she's still beautiful :-) Ivor > On boxing day (it's an Australian thing, the day after xmas) a stray cat > staggered into my Mum's house. She couldn't keep it because her own cat is [quoted text clipped - 44 lines] > not prepared to put her down just yet. She survived this far and I think she > deserves a chance. Acute starvation in felines should be remedied slowly, as the cat's metabolism undergoes major changes in such a condition and hence will need time to revert back to proper functioning. Otherwise all sorts of complications can occur. Also, diarrhea is a known adverse reaction to Metacam, as are vomiting, lethargy, decreased appetite and behavioral changes. The manufacturer recommends contacting the veterinarian immediately if any possible negative reactions to Metacam are observed. HTH. What I've heard... In the starving countries, when the aid workers came in with American style food, it made the people more sick than healthy. They found out that emaciated people would tolerate a mix made of water, cooking oil, and flour. That, if memory serves. Same again back in World War (one and two) when the camps were liberated. I don't have a link off hand, but I do remember hearing that the soldiers couldn't go straight from starvation to military rations. Perhaps there is a cat equivilant? I do not know if there is, but it is possible. SignatureChristopher A. Young Learn more about Jesus www.lds.org www.mormons.com On boxing day (it's an Australian thing, the day after xmas) a stray cat staggered into my Mum's house. She couldn't keep it because her own cat is intolerant of others, so it ended up with me. This cat is a. ancient b was in an advanced state of starvation (read: on death's door). Really, the worst case of starvation in any animal I've *ever* seen. Literally, skin and bones. The vet would not take any blood on the initial consultation, saying "she's got none to spare". So of course I couldn't say no. I'm a sucker :) Here's a pic, from her first visit to the vet (not for those who don't want to see this sort of thing): http://community.webshots.com/album/251821923gQvgpO She's been doing well. However . . . Up until a week or two ago, she was just picking at her food. It was a struggle to get her to eat anything. I fed her on my special ferret-fattening mix (which also works well for cats) and she was putting on 100g or so a week (from a low weight of 2.1kg). About two weeks ago she suddenly seemed to turn the corner. She started eating about a can a day, was interested in her food (the old "get out the way so I can eat!" thing) and was putting on more weight. Now, the other problem was this: she *was* constipated. She's suddenly developed diarrhoea. I'm assuming this is because her digestive system is recovering from the shock of all that starvation, and then all that food. I'm having to clean her up, she's obviously embarrassed by this (you know how cats are about being clean) and more worryingly, I'm concerned she's going to go downhill again. She also went off her food again for a day or so, but she's eating again now. She's had her shots, she's on metacam for her arthritis, and she's eating canned food because she can't manage solid kibbly. Her kidneys (surprisingly) are fine: she doesn't drink too much, and she has no signs of diabetes. I'm taking her to the vet again tomorrow, but I'd like some advice from anyone here who has managed an elderly cat like this. Is there some way to put more weight on her more rapidly? She just hasn't got that much to lose. And am I right in thinking the diarrhea is due to the shock to her digestive system? Or is there something else I'm missing here? Any advice would be much appreciated. Despite everything, she seems happy, is not in too much pain (apart from the arthritis) and is quite active. I'm not prepared to put her down just yet. She survived this far and I think she deserves a chance. Thanks, TK > On boxing day (it's an Australian thing, the day after xmas) a stray cat > staggered into my Mum's house. She couldn't keep it because her own cat is [quoted text clipped - 47 lines] > Thanks, > TK Oh MY! What a poor thing! I'm so glad she is getting a chance. You are so good to try. I've seen canned kitten food recommended for putting weight on cats. I guess I would also try mixing Hills canned a/d in with whatever it is she is eating as it is a high calorie food for anorexic cats available from the vet. Is she looking better ? I hope you post more pics and keep us updated over here at rec.pets.cats.anecdotes too. > Any advice would be much appreciated. Despite everything, she seems happy, > is not in too much pain (apart from the arthritis) and is quite active. I'm > not prepared to put her down just yet. She survived this far and I think she > deserves a chance. You could try giving her a mixture of chopped cooked chicken meat and plain boiled white rice, this is nice and bland, and is a good way to settle an unsettled stomach. Or plain cooked white fish such as coley or cod, mixed with plain boiled rice. The diarrhoea could be due to the richness of the food which her stomach just can't cope with yet, and as you say, the overall shock to her system. Make sure she doesn't get dehydrated too, this is a risk with diarrhoea. Good luck and I really hope she continues to recover, she really deserves the chance you are giving her. Deb. Signaturehttp://www.scientific-art.com "He looked a fierce and quarrelsome cat, but claw he never would; He only bit the ones he loved, because they tasted good." S. Greenfield >> Any advice would be much appreciated. Despite everything, she seems >> happy, [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > hope she continues to recover, she really deserves the chance you are > giving her. She's up and asking for her food again this evening <big happy grin> She did get all excited over some chicken and garlic concoction I'd made (for myself) but she couldn't manage to eat it (her mouth, or her teeth, again). I'll try something like that mashed up with some rice and hydration fluid, maybe she'll be able to eat it then. I'll try the bland food and kitten mix thing. Also, will check with the vet about metacam complications, she's been on it now for a couple of weeks, not sure if you'd see a reaction to it after so long, but will check. I wouldn't like to take her off it if possible, she's obviously in a lot less pain on it. But if it's causing these problems, then she'll have to come off it. Thanks everyone for your helpful suggestions, and your kind words. And yes, she might be old and scraggly, but yes also, she's beautiful :) Her name, btw, is Princess. Which suits her, I think. > "He looked a fierce and quarrelsome cat, but claw he never would; > He only bit the ones he loved, because they tasted good." S. Greenfield This sig made me laugh. Love it :) TK Tara K. wrote:> > She's up and asking for her food again this evening <big happy grin> Yay! For diarrhea (sorry, never can spell that word!) can you get hold of canned pumpkin? The fibre content of the pumpkin helps bind the stools, and it is very gentle on the stomach. > I'll try the bland food and kitten mix thing. Little and often is the best bet - don't "over feed" as cats only have small stomachs. It could be that the "Amount" of food she is consuming is adding to the squits because her tummy is full. Also, will check with the vet > about metacam complications, she's been on it now for a couple of weeks, not > sure if you'd see a reaction to it after so long, but will check. I wouldn't > like to take her off it if possible, she's obviously in a lot less pain on > it. But if it's causing these problems, then she'll have to come off it. TBH, I had an elderly cat on metacam for a long time. The beneficial effects outweighed the "nasty" side effects, of which there were very few. > And yes, she might be old and scraggly, but yes also, she's beautiful :) Her > name, btw, is Princess. Which suits her, I think. No such thing as an ugly cat. They are all beautiful, and having seen her pictures, Princess is very apt! Give her a scritch for me. Helen M > She's up and asking for her food again this evening <big happy grin> Great news! :-)) > She did get all excited over some chicken and garlic concoction I'd made > (for myself) but she couldn't manage to eat it (her mouth, or her teeth, > again). I'll try something like that mashed up with some rice and hydration > fluid, maybe she'll be able to eat it then. Sounds good. Sometimes I use minced turkey instead of the chicken, as it mashes down a bit easier, and you can usually buy it frozen so it's much quicker and easier to prepare (and cheaper than chicken breast too!) I usually cook it in the microwave, allow to cool then mix in with the cooked cooled rice, then if you think Princess needs it you can mush it up even more so it's easy for her to eat or even lap up. > And yes, she might be old and scraggly, but yes also, she's beautiful :) Her > name, btw, is Princess. Which suits her, I think. Bless her - I didn't get your first post with the link to the pictures, would you mind very much reposting the link? I'd love to see her. > > "He looked a fierce and quarrelsome cat, but claw he never would; > > He only bit the ones he loved, because they tasted good." S. Greenfield > > This sig made me laugh. Love it :) :-)) It seemed appropriate homage to all the semi-ferals I've fostered... Deb. Signaturehttp://www.scientific-art.com "He looked a fierce and quarrelsome cat, but claw he never would; He only bit the ones he loved, because they tasted good." S. Greenfield >>> Any advice would be much appreciated. Despite everything, she seems >>> happy, [quoted text clipped - 39 lines] > > TK I've had a vet tell me that Metamucil works nicely for cats, the same as for hoomins. Antibiotics frequently cause diarrhea. My vet recommends adding acidolphilus powder to the canned food to replace the good bacteria that were killed by the medication. Get the acidolphilus in the refrigerated section of a health food store. Get it in capsules, open a capsule and mix the powder into the canned food. It has no taste so the cat should eat it with no problem. (Don't get the product at a super market. Unless it is refrigerated it probably won't work). ---MIKE--- > Same again back in World War (one and two) when the camps were liberated. I > don't have a link off hand, but I do remember hearing that the soldiers > couldn't go straight from starvation to military rations. A former colleague of mine was a medical orderly in the Second World War and was one of the first people to go into Auschwitz after it had been liberated. He told me that a lot of people died when they had their first decent meals after a long period of starvation. Apparently the digestive tract in starvation slows down and atrophies and a rich diet is too much for it. Most of those that died, died as a result of dehydration secondary to severe diarrhoea. Luckily they quickly worked it out and started by feeding them bland easy digested foods and working them up to richer food. Wonder if Princess has the same problem. Hope she's doing well Lesley Slave of the Fabulous Furballs Has she started licking herself at all yet? Her mouth problems could actually be calcification of the tendons and muscles. This occasionally happens when older animals don't use there muscles and tendons. So if she hasn't been eating for god knows how long that can cause problems and then there is this question. Did the vet check to see if her jaw was or has been broken? If a cat has been abused, hit by a car or attacked by a dog that in it's self will cause starvation. You did mention the cat has an overbite, if the cat has lived all these years with it and stayed alive then it's not the overbite unless the overbite is caused by a deviation of the lower jaw. I hope that made a lick of sence. I'm in a hurry and just typed that up but I think you get were I'm comming from. Prayers. Shadow Walker > On boxing day (it's an Australian thing, the day after xmas) a stray cat > staggered into my Mum's house. She couldn't keep it because her own cat is [quoted text clipped - 47 lines] > Thanks, > TK > > Any advice would be much appreciated. Despite everything, she seems happy, > > is not in too much pain (apart from the arthritis) and is quite active. > I'm > > not prepared to put her down just yet. She survived this far and I think > she > > deserves a chance. Our vet has an adult cat named Tina Louise that was so severely starved that she was down to just 2 pounds when someone brought her in. THey'd found her in the woods, and brought her there to be put to sleep humanely. As the vet searched for a vein, she looked at him and cried to him, asking for help...so he put her on IV instead, and for the past 7 years she has sat enthroned upon a pillow near the cash register at his office, queen of all she surveys. I hope Princess has the same good fortune. --Fil Has she started licking herself at all yet? Her mouth problems could actually be calcification of the tendons and muscles. This occasionally happens when older animals don't use there muscles and tendons. So if she hasn't been eating for god knows how long that can cause problems and then there is this question. Did the vet check to see if her jaw was or has been broken? If a cat has been abused, hit by a car or attacked by a dog that in it's self will cause starvation. You did mention the cat has an overbite, if the cat has lived all these years with it and stayed alive then it's not the overbite unless the overbite is caused by a deviation of the lower jaw. I hope that made a lick of sence. I'm in a hurry and just typed that up but I think you get were I'm comming from. Prayers. Shadow Walker > On boxing day (it's an Australian thing, the day after xmas) a stray cat > staggered into my Mum's house. She couldn't keep it because her own cat is [quoted text clipped - 47 lines] > Thanks, > TK My cat got diariaah for 3 weeks after being wormed with Drantol. It never agreed with him, I always used Panacur after that. How is this kitty doing now? Shadow Walker > On boxing day (it's an Australian thing, the day after xmas) a stray cat > staggered into my Mum's house. She couldn't keep it because her own cat is [quoted text clipped - 47 lines] > Thanks, > TK > How is this kitty doing now? Sorry for the long silence, Life got in the way of Usenet for a while there. She's doing well. Better then well :) She's doing great! Still not putting on a lot of weight, but her hearing has returned, she's moving more and more freely (Ghod bless metacam), and she's starting to groom herself. She can now scratch her own neck with her hind paws, something she couldn't do a couple of weeks ago, and she's also fighting me over her ear drops (I never thought I'd be happy to be fought over ear drops by a cat). She has the look of a cat who is going to make it. Given her age it's anyone's guess how long she'll actually live, but however long she's got, she'll die a happy cat. I'm putting together a short video for her (I do this sort of thing from time to time) and will let you all know when it's up on the web. For now, here's a purr for you all: www.geocities.com/spooks_au/download/princess.zip (Ignore the rest of the site, it hasn't been updated in a long, long time). TK >> How is this kitty doing now? > [quoted text clipped - 21 lines] > long time). > TK Aw, that's a beautiful purr :-) And so is she now, I expect, some new photos would be nice :-) Ivor |
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