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The litter tray

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Poorly cat (possibly liver problems), only eating steak (!) and chicken.

6 replies

ravenousbugblatterbeast · 13/12/2011 14:00

We think our old chap has liver problems - he's lost loads of weight recently, and when I took him back to the vet after being fobbed off 6 weeks ago he had blood tests which showed thyroid normal, kidneys ok, but liver apparently at "350" when it should be in the tens. No idea what that means, vet rang me (at my request) to discuss, and rather than launch straight into invasive tests (biopsy after ultrasound) on a cat who's 16 and who is stressed out of his tree going to the vets, he agreed to prescribe a week's antibiotics in the hope that it's a liver infection which might therefore show an improvement in his next bloodtest at the end of next week.

What I'm worrying about is that, for the last 2 weeks no, the only thing the cat will eat is raw steak (have managed to negotiate him down from rump to casserole) and cooked, sliced breast of chicken (from M&S, naturally, not that Adsa stuff, turns his nose right up at that..!) Over the last few days he must have tucked away away at least 150g steak and 100g chicken each day. The vet said that pure protein was "ok" for cats as they're meant to be eating mainly meat, but is that quantity damaging to him? To be honest there's no much else I can do, as he refuses anything else, even tuna, but I'd just like to know I suppose.

Also, does anyone have any experience of treating liver problems?

OP posts:
Fluffycloudland77 · 13/12/2011 18:46

Well if that's all he will eat what can you do?

your cat is a genius btw

ravenousbugblatterbeast · 13/12/2011 19:11

Tell me about it.. My non-cat owning friends are Xmas Shock at even getting anywhere near finding out the cat will eat steak... (The fact that he tackled the steak packet to the ground off the worktop when left unattended (unwisely, and only twice once, about a year ago) alerted me!

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RedRosie · 13/12/2011 19:21

Poor you. No advice, but I well remember hand-feeding titbits of raw meat to a poorly elderly cat. And I'm a lifelong vegetarian.

If that's all he will eat then what harm can it do? The natural diet for cats is raw ... Is he drinking?

ravenousbugblatterbeast · 14/12/2011 17:26

Yes, he's drinking, in spurts, usually draining the bowl juuuuust before DH comes into the kitchen, who then berates me for leaving the car to dehydrate and die (I'm being slightly tongue in cheek but that's a whole other story)

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RedRosie · 14/12/2011 19:51

Poor old chap (your cat obviously, not your DH). Let us know how he goes on ... At that age and if he is otherwise comfortable I would just let him have what he wants. But there is probably someone on MN with proper grown-up advice if we bump.

Great name BTW OP. Lovely to remember the late, great Douglas Adams.

ravenousbugblatterbeast · 22/12/2011 16:09

Bloody drama queen cat.. Had fresh set of blood tests today (another £100), and all looks completely normal! I've been surfing online looking at urns for him and everything! I almost ordered this last week Xmas Blush

Have I taken my relief too far though? I cleaned out the litter tray today as (a) it's bin day tomorrow and (b) it needed it (but just wet, not smelly, thanks to pine fragranced wood pellety things which seem great) and haven't replaced it, as I'd seen the cat weeing outside (there's no privacy with a tiny garden like ours overlooked by the portal to Mumsnet laptop) as he'd obviously been put off by the old litter too, but he's looking distinctly peeved.. Hopefully not peeved enough to go wee on a bed again... Hmmm, maybe I'd better get the plastic sheets out again! He's only had a tray the last 2 or 3 weeks, while we've though he was on death's door, and the weather has been horrid. It's bizarrely mild now, so maybe that encouraged him out. I could really do with reclaiming the downstairs loo for people over Xmas though...

He still refused anything except steak this morning after coming back from the vet, and that was not having eaten after 7:30pm last night under vet's orders so the blood tests would work. Time to play hard ball maybe? Or just cave in and stick with steak?

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