Pancreatitis - cat not getting better

[Infinitygirl]

Our lovely 7 year old cat was diagnosed with pancreatitis and associated liver problems last week. I've been back and forth to the vets with him and he had a 2 night stay at the vets, with treatment and scan yesterday. He's now back home and it's crucial that he eats - but he won't.

We've tried every single specialist diet food - wet and dry - that the vet recommended and he's eaten only about 7 tiny tiny bits of the dry food. He needs to be eating 60g a day. He won't touch wet food, after a lifetime of ONLY eating wet food - which he now completely refuses.

DS (with Asperger's) isn't coping at all with the uncertainty and the fact our beloved cat - who he's grown up with - isn't behaving normally anymore. DS is completely obsessing about how much food our cat has eaten, trying to feed him, asking constantly about him and I'm almost worried more about him than our cat.

We haven't got any pet insurance and the bill over the last 7 days is almost £1,000. I really can't afford weekly fees like that but will do everything I can to help our cat get better, within what's possible.

I'm once again medicating our cat at home with anti-acid Ranitidine tablets and anti-sickness tablets - Celedine. Whilst at the vets he had anti pain injection, IV fluids and nutrition and an injectable antibiotic. Basically, I think they've done everything possible and now the most important thing is getting him to eat otherwise he could develop hepatitis lipodosis.

I've tried him with cooked cod and precooked chicken breast and he refused the fish but ate small amounts of the chicken last week. The vet says he needs to get back onto a balanced cat food diet. She wondered whether he's holding out for more chicken and that may be partly why he's not eating, along with feeling sick and in pain.

Has anyone had a cat with this problem and got to this stage and then your cat's got better? I'm at my wit's end and currently up at 5am every morning to attend to his care before the usual mad morning rush starts. I just want him well but not sure how long I can sustain this extra care plus the rising costs.

[beckiwiththegoodhair]

Hi Infinity

Sorry to hear your cats poorly, i have 2 myself and the little buggers are very much part of the family. My male cat has a stomach problem, which was diagnosed last year after he lost loads of weight, looked like a walking skeleton, and kept bringing his food back up. He had xrays, endoscopy etc and after steriods, ranitidene and being told he needed a special diet, he has got a lot better. I had the same issue though, initially he would eat the special food (which was really expensive) but gradually wouldn't touch it. In the end the vet said, if he will only eat his old wet felix food and biscuits, just give him that. Getting the calories in is the most important thing. I can understand your frustration and upset. I wonder if he isn't eating as he is still in some pain? How is he in himself? Does he just sit hunched up or is he moving around?

[Infinitygirl]

Thanks Becki. He's spending most of the time curled up with his back to us, sleeping, which is very unlike him. He's usually very inquisitive and mischievous, not afraid of loud noises, game for anything.

I tried him a few days ago with his old food but he refused to eat any of it. I've just eaten my lunch in front of him which would usually get him meowing and trying to get a snack from my plate. He did rouse up and come to stand nearby and I offered him a bit of my tuna but he refused it. I offered more cat biscuits and he sniffed them but refused them.

However, when I'd finished eating, I let him lick the plate, which he often liked to to in the past and he was happily licking away but when I put some dry cat food on my empty plate, he still wouldn't eat it.

It's almost like he wants to want to eat but he just can't, poor little thing. He's also lost a lot of weight and with his shaved belly and flanks - following the scan - he looks like a skinned rabbit now. I'm about to try some of the new wet food again for him but I doubt he'll eat it.

[beckiwiththegoodhair]

Awww bless him. If cats are in pain they do usually just lie there, so maybe that is the case. You know yourself, if you feel poorly then you lose your appetite. Its hard, the less he eats, the poorlier he will become. If you can't tempt him with anything today, id definitely take him back to the vets. I am lucky, i have insurance, good job as everything so far has totalled at least £2k and is still going. He has to keep going back. I have noticed piles of sick in the garden again this last few days, plus he is losing weight again. Ok in himself though, chirpy and eating. Feels never ending!

[Vinorosso74]

Ours had triaditis last year so intestine, pancreas and liver along with the bile duct were inflammed. She also had a stone in her bile duct which caused further complications and she had surgery.
She was prescribed steroids to get the inflammation down along with antibiotics.
We were advised by our vet and the specialist at the referral vets to offer her anything to get her eating then gradually switch over. Steroids can act as an appetite stimulant in cats and we had another appetite stimulant tablet which helped get her eating.
If he isn't eating I would think it better to offer him food you know he is likely to eat. Offer it warm so it smells stronger to hopefully tempt him. If he's still not eating get back in touch with your vet.
Hope your boy is better soon, it is stressful when they're ill.

[Lonecatwithkitten]

Some cats with pancreatitis need a feeding tube direct to their stomach for up to a month before they eat. If he really isn't eating you need to get back into contact with your vet as cats get into trouble very quickly if they don't.

[Lonecatwithkitten]

Sorry if they don't eat.

[Infinitygirl]

Back to the vets today and another £40+ spent on our poor cat. He's still not eating much and so she gave him an appetite stimulant. However, he's only had a tiny bit of cooked chicken since then and isn't showing much sign of being hungry.

I've offered him more cat biscuits and prescribed cat food but he's still not that interested. He totally hates me giving him his medication and form tomorrow, he's got new stuff - a morphine based pain med. - to replace the anti-sickness and anti acid tablets.

He must be eating something, however little, as he's been for a poo - which looks fine.

The vet said he may be associating food with feeling ill and there's not a lot more she can do. So I'm nursing him at home and hoping he'll pick up soon. I'm worried he now hates me as I'm the one sticking pills down his throat and taking him to the scary vets. Poor little thing!

[Vinorosso74]

How's he doing?