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He's starving himself...why?



 
 
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  #11  
Old July 23rd 03, 02:05 AM
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Karen wrote:
Your vet should have canned a/d which
works well through a syringe and has
more calories. You should try to get at
least 12 ml into him through a couple of
feedings.


12 mls through a couple of feedings is not nearly enough, and people
often mistake the amount that fits into the large syringes for a good
amount because it looks like more than it really is. It's better to
measure the amount of food the cat requires *before* feeding and use the
syringe as the mode of feeding rather than the measurement. The OP
should try to get *at least* one 6 oz can of food into the cat each day
to avoid having the cat develop hepatic lipidosis. Depending on the
consistency of the food it can take anywhere from 12 to 15 full 12 ml
syringes to equal this amount. I use a Braun hand blender and puree a 6
oz can all at once and use it all over the course of one day. Two jars
of chicken or turkey baby food is about equal to that amount as well.

Megan



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  #12  
Old July 24th 03, 09:33 PM
Andrea Lachner
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Hi there

Seems we're going through the same dilemma!
I took my cat "Mitzi", tortoiseshell, about 9 or 10 years, to the vet
yesterday as she hadn't eaten for about 24 hours!
She also said it could be the gingivitis, although she said it didn't look
all that bad. Mitzi had 4 teeth extracted and a dental clean a year ago!
Due to her age, they did blood tests just to be sure it wasn't liver,
kidneys or sugar level and whatever else they check for in a basic test.
The blood tests all came back fine!

I was given anti-inflammatories and liquid anti-biotics to give her for 5
days to clear up the gingivitis. How soon would she be less sore?

Today Mitzi still does exactly the same... meows for food takes a sniff and
walks away! And I have tried all the options... her fav. pure tuna,
different dry food, different wet food, milk etc!
She did have a tiny little bit of the tuna, but I doubt it's any where near
enough, let alone worth mentioning!

She had an anti-inflammatory injection at the vets, 3 doses of antibiotics
from me (one last night, 2 today) and one dose of anti-inflammatory today.

The biggest problem with her is that she is extremely difficult to medicate!
She was half wild when she came to me some 7 or 8 years ago and I have never
been able to get her used to being picked up or cuddled - she just hates it
and cannot handle any sort of bodily confinement!
She will sleep right next to me on the couch or the bed, but never ever "on"
me!
We tried wrapping her in towel once to inject her with her annuals, but once
lifted she just "exploded"! There was no way to hold her!
When I grab her by the scruff, she screams her head off, tries to bite,
scratch and wriggles like mad! Including tensing herself up so much, I
cannot help but loose my grip! So in other words, what ever I have to get
into her has to happen very fast and don't even think of getting near her
again for a while!
See what I mean? ... she is ONE difficult kitty to treat in any way!
Trying to get her into the carrier yesterday to get her to the vet in itself
was an absolute nightmare. Awfully stressful for us both! And once at the
vet she is absolutely terrified and just becomes this extremely tense little
ball!

I am reading this and all the replies and am thinking.... looks like I must
force feed her?... Or should I take her back to the vets tomorrow first?

The thought of force feeding her gives me an ulcer .. she will not cope,
never mind will I? LOL
I DO realise this may be the only way! Damn!

Perhaps if I force feed her right now, she will decide to eat later out of
her own accord?
Oh Boy! I wish she could tell me what is wrong!

Sometimes I think I'm not doing her any favours when I take her to the vets!

I guess I will be taking her back tomorrow? Let me try and force feed her a
little now... darn, I only have tiny syringes!

And for how long does one have to force feed until they are likely to eat
out of their own accord again?

I hope Mitzi is better soon!

Andrea


  #13  
Old July 24th 03, 09:33 PM
Andrea Lachner
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

Hi there

Seems we're going through the same dilemma!
I took my cat "Mitzi", tortoiseshell, about 9 or 10 years, to the vet
yesterday as she hadn't eaten for about 24 hours!
She also said it could be the gingivitis, although she said it didn't look
all that bad. Mitzi had 4 teeth extracted and a dental clean a year ago!
Due to her age, they did blood tests just to be sure it wasn't liver,
kidneys or sugar level and whatever else they check for in a basic test.
The blood tests all came back fine!

I was given anti-inflammatories and liquid anti-biotics to give her for 5
days to clear up the gingivitis. How soon would she be less sore?

Today Mitzi still does exactly the same... meows for food takes a sniff and
walks away! And I have tried all the options... her fav. pure tuna,
different dry food, different wet food, milk etc!
She did have a tiny little bit of the tuna, but I doubt it's any where near
enough, let alone worth mentioning!

She had an anti-inflammatory injection at the vets, 3 doses of antibiotics
from me (one last night, 2 today) and one dose of anti-inflammatory today.

The biggest problem with her is that she is extremely difficult to medicate!
She was half wild when she came to me some 7 or 8 years ago and I have never
been able to get her used to being picked up or cuddled - she just hates it
and cannot handle any sort of bodily confinement!
She will sleep right next to me on the couch or the bed, but never ever "on"
me!
We tried wrapping her in towel once to inject her with her annuals, but once
lifted she just "exploded"! There was no way to hold her!
When I grab her by the scruff, she screams her head off, tries to bite,
scratch and wriggles like mad! Including tensing herself up so much, I
cannot help but loose my grip! So in other words, what ever I have to get
into her has to happen very fast and don't even think of getting near her
again for a while!
See what I mean? ... she is ONE difficult kitty to treat in any way!
Trying to get her into the carrier yesterday to get her to the vet in itself
was an absolute nightmare. Awfully stressful for us both! And once at the
vet she is absolutely terrified and just becomes this extremely tense little
ball!

I am reading this and all the replies and am thinking.... looks like I must
force feed her?... Or should I take her back to the vets tomorrow first?

The thought of force feeding her gives me an ulcer .. she will not cope,
never mind will I? LOL
I DO realise this may be the only way! Damn!

Perhaps if I force feed her right now, she will decide to eat later out of
her own accord?
Oh Boy! I wish she could tell me what is wrong!

Sometimes I think I'm not doing her any favours when I take her to the vets!

I guess I will be taking her back tomorrow? Let me try and force feed her a
little now... darn, I only have tiny syringes!

And for how long does one have to force feed until they are likely to eat
out of their own accord again?

I hope Mitzi is better soon!

Andrea


  #14  
Old July 24th 03, 10:26 PM
Karen Chuplis
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And for how long does one have to force feed until they are likely to eat
out of their own accord again?


Totally variable. I will say that one thing I did when my girl wouldn't eat:
if she wouldn't let me syringe it into her mouth (most of the time she did
and I was shocked as she is a squirmer) i would squirt it onto her paws a
little at a time and she would lick it off. I'd squirt some more, she'd lick
it off. We just did until the syringe was empty. I actually got her back to
the plate that way. I'd put a plate nearby and get the squirt lick thing
going and gradually, I squirt/licked her over to the dish. Pretty well
started eating on her own after that. I will say I have a cat tree that is
just the right height for this sort of thing and it made it easier as well.
For one thing, carpet meant she didn't slip around during feedings. Two, she
was comfortable there and three, it was a lot easier to contain her and keep
her from jumping down prematurely.

Karen


I hope Mitzi is better soon!

Andrea




  #15  
Old July 24th 03, 10:26 PM
Karen Chuplis
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default



And for how long does one have to force feed until they are likely to eat
out of their own accord again?


Totally variable. I will say that one thing I did when my girl wouldn't eat:
if she wouldn't let me syringe it into her mouth (most of the time she did
and I was shocked as she is a squirmer) i would squirt it onto her paws a
little at a time and she would lick it off. I'd squirt some more, she'd lick
it off. We just did until the syringe was empty. I actually got her back to
the plate that way. I'd put a plate nearby and get the squirt lick thing
going and gradually, I squirt/licked her over to the dish. Pretty well
started eating on her own after that. I will say I have a cat tree that is
just the right height for this sort of thing and it made it easier as well.
For one thing, carpet meant she didn't slip around during feedings. Two, she
was comfortable there and three, it was a lot easier to contain her and keep
her from jumping down prematurely.

Karen


I hope Mitzi is better soon!

Andrea




 




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