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#1
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Starving Cat..had to start force feeding..
Hi,
My 13 year old cat stopped eating about a week and a half ago..Did trips to the vet - she has a mass on her liver 1cm. in diameter. Having bloodwork done this weekend... Problem was feeding her..She has to be force fed. I found something that works fairly well...A cake decorator. The nozzles needed to be cut back to a wider opening...I put the food in, add some warm water..and it worked. It's been an hour and she hasn't "whoopsed" at all... Just wonder - since the cat is not eating on her own, it's her way of saying her digestive system has shut down. Isn't force-feeding going against that instinct...Forcing food through a system that doesn't want to digest it.. I managed to get in more than she's eaten in a few days. I've read in many places about cats suddenly stopping eating and drinking..and then resuming later on. Question is.......how long can this go on? How long do these not eating/drinking (although she has been drinking) periods go on?? She's not eating on her own...I can't force feed her every night. Although I guess from now on, I'll have to. -- Message posted via http://www.catkb.com |
#2
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"David via CatKB.com" wrote in message ... Hi, My 13 year old cat stopped eating about a week and a half ago.. Is you cat overweight? Did you make any changes in her diets - change her food, feeding schedule, feeding bowls or location? Any changes in your household: members - humans or pets, schedules, furniture, anything? Sometimes petfood manufacturers change the formulas or ingredients of their diets without noting the changes on the labels or advertisments. A change in formula could have the same affect as a change of food. You might want to try offering her a smorgasbord of 5 or 6 different foods and flavors to see if she'll eat a different food. Its the best investment you could make with $6! If she's a dry food eater, you can return all the bags of foods she doesn't like for a 100% refund. You can buy the smallest size for the feeding trial. Did trips to the vet - she has a mass on her liver 1cm. in diameter. Having bloodwork done this weekend... Problem was feeding her..She has to be force fed. I found something that works fairly well...A cake decorator. The nozzles needed to be cut back Be sure to feed her slowly and not to obstruct her nostrils - otherwise she could choke or inhale some food into her lungs which could (will) result in aspiration pneumonia. to a wider opening...I put the food in, add some warm water..and it worked. It's been an hour and she hasn't "whoopsed" at all... Just wonder - since the cat is not eating on her own, it's her way of saying her digestive system has shut down. Isn't force-feeding going against that instinct...Forcing food through a system that doesn't want to digest it.. Not really. She's ill and doesn't want to eat. When humans are sick, we don't feel like eating either. Her body and vital organs need nutrients to function properly, and its imperative to keep up her strength to sustain her through this ordeal. Sometimes anorexia is the cause of a disease but most of the time anorexia is the result of a disease. I managed to get in more than she's eaten in a few days. Try as hard as you can to get her daily caloric requirement into her - which is at least 40 kcals/kg (20 kcals/lb). This usually requires several small feedings a day. You should ask your vet about Nutri-Cal - its a high density dietary supplement in gel form - comes in a tube like a hairball remedy. Nutri-Cal contains about 25 kcal/6 grams (1 tsp) which will help help her meet her daily caloric requirement since she's not eating enough. Some cats lick it right out of the tube, but you may have to smear some on her paw or lower belly where she'll can lick it off. You can also buy Nutri-Cal online probably for a lot less than from your vet. Here's a link: http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Produc...+113617+2 035 I've read in many places about cats suddenly stopping eating and drinking..and then resuming later on. Yup. Sometimes you'll never find out what caused her to stop eating in the first place. When there's no medical reason, I always suspect a change in formula or ingredients. Many times an anorexic cat will chow-down a new food. Question is.......how long can this go on? How long do these not eating/drinking (although she has been drinking) periods go on?? Impossible to guess until you find out what caused her anorexia. She's not eating on her own...I can't force feed her every night. Although I guess from now on, I'll have to. Its not that bad. Plus you'll get a real thrill when she starts eating on her own again. Nursing a cat through an illness strengthens the bond between the both of you , *immeasurably*. When I home a cat I've nursed back to health, I have the same mixed emotions as a father on his daughter's wedding day. Try the different foods and Nutri-Cal. Keep the faith. Phil -- Message posted via http://www.catkb.com |
#3
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"Phil P." wrote in message .net... P.S. Try offering her kitten food. Not many adut cats can resist kitten food and it might jump start her appetite. The additional nutrition in kitten food will also help her recoup some of losses. Phil "David via CatKB.com" wrote in message ... Hi, My 13 year old cat stopped eating about a week and a half ago.. Is you cat overweight? Did you make any changes in her diets - change her food, feeding schedule, feeding bowls or location? Any changes in your household: members - humans or pets, schedules, furniture, anything? Sometimes petfood manufacturers change the formulas or ingredients of their diets without noting the changes on the labels or advertisments. A change in formula could have the same affect as a change of food. You might want to try offering her a smorgasbord of 5 or 6 different foods and flavors to see if she'll eat a different food. Its the best investment you could make with $6! If she's a dry food eater, you can return all the bags of foods she doesn't like for a 100% refund. You can buy the smallest size for the feeding trial. Did trips to the vet - she has a mass on her liver 1cm. in diameter. Having bloodwork done this weekend... Problem was feeding her..She has to be force fed. I found something that works fairly well...A cake decorator. The nozzles needed to be cut back Be sure to feed her slowly and not to obstruct her nostrils - otherwise she could choke or inhale some food into her lungs which could (will) result in aspiration pneumonia. to a wider opening...I put the food in, add some warm water..and it worked. It's been an hour and she hasn't "whoopsed" at all... Just wonder - since the cat is not eating on her own, it's her way of saying her digestive system has shut down. Isn't force-feeding going against that instinct...Forcing food through a system that doesn't want to digest it.. Not really. She's ill and doesn't want to eat. When humans are sick, we don't feel like eating either. Her body and vital organs need nutrients to function properly, and its imperative to keep up her strength to sustain her through this ordeal. Sometimes anorexia is the cause of a disease but most of the time anorexia is the result of a disease. I managed to get in more than she's eaten in a few days. Try as hard as you can to get her daily caloric requirement into her - which is at least 40 kcals/kg (20 kcals/lb). This usually requires several small feedings a day. You should ask your vet about Nutri-Cal - its a high density dietary supplement in gel form - comes in a tube like a hairball remedy. Nutri-Cal contains about 25 kcal/6 grams (1 tsp) which will help help her meet her daily caloric requirement since she's not eating enough. Some cats lick it right out of the tube, but you may have to smear some on her paw or lower belly where she'll can lick it off. You can also buy Nutri-Cal online probably for a lot less than from your vet. Here's a link: http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Produc...+113617+2 035 I've read in many places about cats suddenly stopping eating and drinking..and then resuming later on. Yup. Sometimes you'll never find out what caused her to stop eating in the first place. When there's no medical reason, I always suspect a change in formula or ingredients. Many times an anorexic cat will chow-down a new food. Question is.......how long can this go on? How long do these not eating/drinking (although she has been drinking) periods go on?? Impossible to guess until you find out what caused her anorexia. She's not eating on her own...I can't force feed her every night. Although I guess from now on, I'll have to. Its not that bad. Plus you'll get a real thrill when she starts eating on her own again. Nursing a cat through an illness strengthens the bond between the both of you , *immeasurably*. When I home a cat I've nursed back to health, I have the same mixed emotions as a father on his daughter's wedding day. Try the different foods and Nutri-Cal. Keep the faith. Phil -- Message posted via http://www.catkb.com |
#4
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"David via CatKB.com" wrote in message ... Hi, My 13 year old cat stopped eating about a week and a half ago..Did trips to the vet - she has a mass on her liver 1cm. in diameter. Having bloodwork done this weekend... Problem was feeding her..She has to be force fed. I found something that works fairly well...A cake decorator. The nozzles needed to be cut back to a wider opening...I put the food in, add some warm water..and it worked. It's been an hour and she hasn't "whoopsed" at all... Just wonder - since the cat is not eating on her own, it's her way of saying her digestive system has shut down. Isn't force-feeding going against that instinct...Forcing food through a system that doesn't want to digest it.. I managed to get in more than she's eaten in a few days. I've read in many places about cats suddenly stopping eating and drinking..and then resuming later on. Question is.......how long can this go on? How long do these not eating/drinking (although she has been drinking) periods go on?? She's not eating on her own...I can't force feed her every night. Although I guess from now on, I'll have to. David, I'm so sorry to hear your cat is so ill. What does the vet say about her prognosis? Can she recover? Can he do surgery? All of these things will factor in to what you decide to do. |
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