Kami May be Dying

Margarita Salt wrote:
Please spare me the usual flames. At least try to feel something for
the cat if not the cat-mom.

A week ago, cat came down with am imfection that cannot be identified
at bladder, tract, or kidney because no one can get urine from her.
She was put on Baytril after a shot of Benzapen. Since Friday, she
refused to eat. She would go toward the food, but opt for a drink of
water instead. A lot of water, in fact.

Come Monday, I called the vet and told her that I have not given up on
Kami, but but may be giving up herself. Dr. Tina said to give Kami
WHATEVER she wanted to eat. It was more important that she right now
than WHAT she ate.

So last night, I offered tuna, which she gobbled a good tablespoon of,
but then she wouldn't touch it again. After that, I gave her the
favorite baby food, which she ate. Still refusing tuna, and out of
baby food, I bought her the favorite hamburger. She ate a few bits,
still refused tuna, and THEN refused the baby food. I pretend that any
one of the choices was MY food, which usually gets her interested, but
she kept refusing. She also keeps going toward the food, choosing
water instead.

Is she trying for kitty suicide? I have given her fluids twice in the
week, but that hasn't helped. The doc took her off Baytril yesterday
She last had one the morning before) and I thought she'd come around,
but no. She looks at me with sad eyes that are either saying "fix
this, " or "help me go." I can't tell which.

She's still alert, bright, cuddly, and everything, but she's not eating
and not interested. Ideas? Or is she saying it's time?

As long as she's bright & alert, I'd say no, it's not time. Plus she's
drinking, which is good. I know she's getting up there in years & has
been a CRF cat for a long while now, but this doesn't seem like the end
of the road yet - to me.

What about asking the vet for an appetite stimulant? I used Periactin
(generic: cyproheptadine) with success for that purpoose for one of my
cats. It's an antihistamine for humans, but acts quite well as an
appetite stimulant for cats. Since she was diagnosed with some sort of
infection (beyond the CRF), maybe even the Periactin wouldn't help her
to want to eat - but hey, maybe it would! And sometimes all it takes
is a jump-start, to get the appetite in gear again.

Good luck - I hope Kami will be around for a while yet.

Cathy



--
Margarita Salt

"...practically no one in the world is entirely bad or
entirely good... motives are often more important than
actions." -- Eleanore Roosevelt

Margarita Salt wrote:
Well, as I said, she got fluids last night. (One day I'll learn to put
the needle in straight so she's not lopsided.) She wouldn't eat but
for some babyfood and those few bites of burger. This morning she ate
a couple bites of the dried out burger (blech) and some baby food. She
passed on canned chicken and her own food. I left it all out and sort
of expected a passed kitty when I got home, but when I came in she had
finished the portion of baby food, eaten the rest of the burger
(blech!) and ate probably a few teaspoons of her own food. I stopped
and got the Fancy Feast Phil suggested and I dish it up and she totally
gobbled half of it at first pass (she's a come-and-go eater). And I
gave her some rotisserie chicken skin.

Now, the question is what was it? The fact she had started eating, if
only a couple of bites, the fluids fixing her up, Fancy Feast, all of
the above?

All of the above. You are more than likely going to have to keep
nursing her along. I would also pick up some Nutrical from the vet
and see if she will snack on it, as well.


She's perkier and has a vet appointment Friday. I could
have done a drop-off, which is leave the animal and the vet might fit
it in somewhere, but she has gotten so upset lately I didn't think that
was a good idea.

I agree - let us know how it goes. It sucks to have to go through this
with our ailing companion animals - it's the hardest part of having
them in our lives. Hope she stays perky and is feeling better.

-L.

Margarita Salt wrote:

I'm concerned about the Fancy Feast, though. She's snarfing it again
this morning, but I'm suspicious of food that doesn't print the Phos
level on the can. The kidney diets are .08 to .1. But I guess as long
as she eats it...

--
Margarita Salt

I wouldn't worry too much at this point - not eating is far more
damaging than phosphorous for as sick as she was. Check out Friskie's
and see if they have the phos. level listed on that as well - some
varieties are "prime filets" and look a lot like the FF varieties. They
are made by the same company, IIRC.
-L.

On 19 Jan 2006 01:45:54 GMT, Margarita Salt
wrote:


Now, the question is what was it? The fact she had started eating, if
only a couple of bites, the fluids fixing her up, Fancy Feast, all of
the above? She's perkier and has a vet appointment Friday. I could
have done a drop-off, which is leave the animal and the vet might fit
it in somewhere, but she has gotten so upset lately I didn't think that
was a good idea.

I wonder if she picked up a bug at the vet when she went in for her
check-up, and now her system has gotten rid of it.

Anyway, I'm glad she's better!

Charlie

Candace wrote:

Margarita Salt wrote:


Now, the question is what was it? The fact she had started eating, if
only a couple of bites, the fluids fixing her up, Fancy Feast, all of
the above? She's perkier and has a vet appointment Friday. I could
have done a drop-off, which is leave the animal and the vet might fit
it in somewhere, but she has gotten so upset lately I didn't think that
was a good idea.

I'll keep you posted.

--
Margarita Salt

"...practically no one in the world is entirely bad or
entirely good... motives are often more important than
actions." -- Eleanore Roosevelt


Well, it sounds promising. There is no one here who would wish Kami
any ill will even if they disagree with you on some points.

Certainly, agreed on that.

I truly
hope Kami will be okay and, if she doesn't continue eating, I would
also suggest--as others have--the Hill's a/d as well as the
cyproheptadine for an appetite stimulant. Both those things got my
late cat, Cory, who also had kidney failure, through many a bad
episode. She may just have been feeling poorly from her kidney
disease. Cory would be like that sometimes for a few days and then
bounce back and feel good for a long time. Maybe she just needed the
fluids or maybe she was nauseous and it passed. Do you ever give her
famotidine (pepcid) for nausea? I used to give that to Cory on my
vet's recommendation. I really hope this has passed and Kami will have
a few more years with you. I know you love her and she sounds like she
has quite a strong personality.

Candace

Margarita Salt wrote:

I'm concerned about the Fancy Feast, though. She's snarfing it again
this morning, but I'm suspicious of food that doesn't print the Phos
level on the can. The kidney diets are .08 to .1. But I guess as long
as she eats it...

Yes, eating the FF is much better than not eating.

Cathy


--
Margarita Salt

Hi MS,

Here is a chart with the phosphorous levels on wet food (includes Fancy
Feast):

http://www.sugarcats.net/sites/jmpeerson/canfood.html

Rhonda

Margarita Salt wrote:


I'm concerned about the Fancy Feast, though. She's snarfing it again
this morning, but I'm suspicious of food that doesn't print the Phos
level on the can. The kidney diets are .08 to .1. But I guess as long
as she eats it...

The chart was last updated 04/05. When did Purina change all of the
phos. levels in Fancy Feast?

Rhonda

wrote:


That chart is old and Fancy Feast changed when Purina bought them out.

-mhd

You are welcome.

Rhonda

Margarita Salt wrote:


Yikes! Phil said the Fancy Feast was low phos. Thanks for this.

Rhonda wrote:

The chart was last updated 04/05. When did Purina change all of the
phos. levels in Fancy Feast?

Rhonda

wrote:


That chart is old and Fancy Feast changed when Purina bought them out.

-mhd


Purina took over within the last year. Also the date on the chart does
not guarantee that every food on it was updated at that time. Ideally
every food listed should have a date beside it.

-mhd