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The litter tray

Any ideas? Cat not eating.

26 replies

zonedout · 26/02/2013 22:38

I rescued my beautiful black 2 1/2 year old kitty last November. Was told he needed to lose weight so have had him on a special weight reduction diet from the vet. He has always been massively greedy, badgering me for food and gobbling every last drop down at the speed of light at every mealtime. Have taken him back for regular weight checks only to find he has gained weight and the vet think me a liar but have since caught him going through my neighbour's cat flap to steal food...

Anyway, over the last week I have noticed him eating less and less and last weekend he ate almost nothing (but was choosing not to go out much and I'm pretty positive he hadn't been stealing food)

I took him to the vet yesterday who kept him in for the day (not eating in fat cats can be v dangerous apparently) to check him out thoroughly and run blood tests. They found absolutely nothing wrong with him except that he has lost a massive and shocking amount of weight since his last weight check. He ate a little when he got home last night but has not eaten a thing again today (and has chosen to stay in so again, not stealing food) He seems ok in himself but I'm quite worried. It is so out of character for him & I wonder when this massive weight loss will end.

Anyone got any ideas or had similar with their own cat?

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thecatneuterer · 26/02/2013 22:44

How worrying. I have absolutely no idea. I was going to say 'take him to the vet', but you've done that and the vet hasn't a clue either. I can only think that he's either picked up a bit of a stomach bug or the vet has missed something. Is he drinking? Did the vet say he was dehydrated? If it goes on for more than two more days then take him back to the vet. They may need to put him on a drip (if he is dehydrated - cats usually are when they don't eat) until he gets better on his own or they can work out what's wrong. Good luck and keep us posted.

zonedout · 26/02/2013 22:51

Thank you. He is drinking a little and the vet didn't seem to think he was dehydrated. All bloods were normal and nothing found on examination. It's just so odd. He is still coming for strokes and purring his little head off. I just wish he would start eating as I don't know how long he can carry on like this Sad

Will call the vet again tomorrow.

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gingeme · 26/02/2013 22:56

Did the vet check his teeth? My cat did this and lost quite a bit of weight. Turned out his big tooth was trying to push his kitten tooth out but the kitten tooth was stuck so the vet had to take it out. Anyway he soon started eating after. Good luck. Really hope your poor puss is well soon x

thecatneuterer · 26/02/2013 22:59

If it's a tooth thing then they normally throw their heads around while trying to eat. Not always though and still worth checking. I presume you've tried things that most cats can't resist - roast chicken (particularly warm roast chicken), tuna and the like?

zonedout · 26/02/2013 23:08

Yes, the vet did check his teeth and all fine. Haven't tried any tuna or chicken but have tried some special food from the vet which, he told me, cats can't resist. My boy hasn't touched it Sad

Good idea, will try some tuna tomorrow. It's still so odd, I can't believe I am having to tempt my greedy guts to eat.

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thecatneuterer · 26/02/2013 23:13

Did the vet give you the AD food? That's also a convalesent food and can be mixed with a water and syringe fed straight into the mouth if things get really desperate. In another couple of days I think I would be trying that.

zonedout · 26/02/2013 23:18

I think it's called CD but yes, it's a convalescent food. I will try anything I can to get him eating again but I'd also like to find out what's causing this so I can get him back to normal again.

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zonedout · 26/02/2013 23:19

Sorry, you're right. It's a/d.

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thecatneuterer · 26/02/2013 23:24

Ah, I was about to say c/d is the urinary tract one and tastes horrid apparently. If they'd given you that by mistake it would have explained why he didn't like it. Mix a bit of a/d with some warm water, to make it like a sort of soup. Cats tend to love that and it often gets them eating again.

HazeltheMcWitch · 26/02/2013 23:39

I was told - and have found to be true - that warming food makes it smell more, and so more attractive to cats. Yup, even felix, whiskers stuff. It will honk if you warm it,but might be worth a try?

Otherwise, the first thing I'd think of as well would be teeth. Check for head shaking/mouthing food to one side of the mouth as mentioned above. Watch out too for foul breath - you'll probably be able to tell the difference between rotten tooth smell and bad gut smell.

I'd also be concerned about dehydration/kidney issues. HAve you put fresh water down, have you made sure it's the same bowl in the same place? ODd, but if you have access to some nice rainwater, you could try a saucer of that inside as well.

Is the cat going to the loo ok? Er -pee and poo? Does he go outside or in litter tray? Is he washing/grooming himself as normal / has his coat lost condition or become greasy?

Keep stroking the cat all over, feel for any odd bumps, swelling or tenderness, and if so, back to vets.

Poor both of you. Hope it's just a dicky tummy and he's on the mend soon.

gingeme · 27/02/2013 08:42

Any news zonedout ? Sad

zonedout · 27/02/2013 11:11

I've taken him back to the vets & they are keeping him in to run some more tests Sad

This morning I warmed up the convalescent food and tried mixing it with a little water and also offered his regular food in a different bowl but he wouldn't touch either Sad

He did eat a tiny bit of tuna from my hand but it's not right that an ordinarily greedy cat has to be so coaxed into eating just a mouthful and I am very worried Sad

We have had such an awful year and decided to rescue this lovely boy to help both him and my ds's Sad

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Cailleach · 27/02/2013 11:54

All the cats I've ever had have had one thing in common: when they appear to have lost their appetite, they've got a massive hairball stuck somewhere.

Usually this makes an appearance somewhere on your carpet, in a spot that you're highly likely to step in in your bare feet; generally this occurs first thing in the morning, I find.

But just sometimes that hairball won't budge and it puts them right off their nosh. I use an anti-hairball paste for this; I smear a bit on their paws and it helps them pass it out of one end or another.

It may or may not be hairballs, but I hope it is.

zonedout · 27/02/2013 19:57

They remain baffled by my boy. He tested clear for pancreatitis but on xray they found his stomach absolutely stuffed full of food Shock plus his colon full of hard faeces. They gave him an enema and he passed a huge amount along with a tiny bit of blood and then he gobbled up a bowl of food. To me this sounds like some sort of impaction/constipation/blockage but the vet didn't seem to think so as he didn't actually look blocked on the X-ray. A complete mystery. They want to keep him in and monitor him for 24 hours (he no longer uses a litter tray at home, preferring instead to go outside, so I have no idea what, if anything, comes out of him.

I have only had him for 3 or 4 months but i miss him terribly & my ds's are very upset Sad He is such sweet, gentle, lovely cat.

Thank you for all your advice and insight. I will keep you posted.

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HazeltheMcWitch · 27/02/2013 22:08

Oh, zoned - your poor boy. Hope now he's 'produced', that he's better, and you have no more worries. Hope you have him back home with you, safe and well, very soon.

zonedout · 27/02/2013 22:42

Thank you Hazel Smile

I'm going to miss my morning wake up black nose shoved in my mouth cuddle Grin but, like you say, very much hope that the problem will have now been sorted and he can come home tomorrow. Will let you know what happens.

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gingeme · 28/02/2013 08:15

Oh zonedout Ive been worried. Weve had no tinternet so Ive not been able to get on MN. How is he today ? I hope his blockage has been a help passing and hes over the worst of it xx

zonedout · 28/02/2013 10:23

Thank you gingeme Smile

I spoke to the nurse earlier who said he is now eating and poo-ing normally Smile and that the vet will call me a little later with a plan of action (hopefully coming home!) It all remains a bit of a mystery but hopefully now resolved. Will update when I know any more...

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gingeme · 28/02/2013 10:26

Phew fingers crossed x Smile

HazeltheMcWitch · 28/02/2013 11:52

Ah, that's good to hear!

thecatneuterer · 28/02/2013 12:53

That's good news.

zonedout · 28/02/2013 22:37

My boy is home Grin

Picked him up after the school run and, goodness have I had some lovely cuddles! The vets are still really baffled by him, by all the food they found in his tummy on the X-ray, by the massive and rapid weight loss.

Anyway, he has eaten a little since coming home and I'm just very relieved that it doesn't appear to be anything serious underlying it.

I have to keep a close eye on him and, as long as he continues to eat, just take him back for regular weight checks to make sure he hasn't lost more (oh the irony, I had been taking him for regular weight checks while he was on the obesity management diet to make sure he was loosing weight after I rescued him and they said he was overweight!!) Poor kitty, he can't win.

Thank you all so much for the support and good advice Smile

Fingers x'ed this is the end of the drama now...

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thecatneuterer · 28/02/2013 22:55

It's certainly all very odd, but I'm very pleased he's a lot better now. Would you like a tip for weighing cats? Stand on the scales yourself and take a careful note of the weight. Pick up your cat. Stand on the scales again, take the first weight from the second and there you are :)

HazeltheMcWitch · 28/02/2013 22:57

Good news that he's back home with you!
Hope he continues to stay happy and well.

gingeme · 01/03/2013 08:35

Brilliant news. Really hopes he continues to recover and you continue to get lovely cuddles xx

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