Any ideas? Old cat won't eat!

[maybeIwillmaybeIwont]

Right, I have a couple of old cats and one of them hasn't eaten since. Sunday! He is nearly 17 and I took him to the vet yesterday afternoon.

She examined him and said that he has lost weight since he was vaccinated two weeks ago. He didn't have a temperature, he wasn't constipated (he is usually sluggish), his stomach sounded fine, as did his heart and lungs, and his teeth seemed fine. So she gave him two injections, one an antibiotic in case he has a bug, and the other B12 to stimulate his appetite.

But he still won't eat. He is just laying around, looking at me with big sad eyes (sob!). I have tried everything and this cat will eat everything. He has drunk some water and a small saucer of cow's milk, he wouldn't touch his cat's milk. I haven't seen him use the litter tray, but I know he had a wee outside on Monday (I put him out, he went, then came back in) and he did wee himself going to the vet yesterday, but that is not unusual, he hates going in the car, but he hasn't done a poo.

This morning I have carried him downstairs and he had a couple of laps of milk and then he very slowly walked back upstairs and ambled into the ensuite to drink some water. At the moment I have bowls of water and little saucers of food all over the place but he isn't tempted at all.

Is it possible that he is just going to fade away? The vet said to bring him back in two days if he didn't start eating, even mentioned that when cats stop eating they sometimes go almost anorexic and won't start again!

So he will be going back tomorrow but has anyone any advice or has had this happen ?

Have they tried offering chicken livers? My current cat won't touch them but my childhood cats went nuts for them.

You buy them frozen and poach them in the oven/saucepan. You can't feed them in big portions due to the high vitamin a content so it was a weekly treat.

My best friend's cat couldn't eat for the last year of her life unless she was spoon fed! Puree chicken breast. Cat was wrapped in a towel on your knee and fed with a plastic baby spoon from behind.

They both love chicken livers, although only allowed a little, once a week. But that couldn't tempt him.

If I thought he would just fade away in the next couple of days sitting next to me I would gladly accept that. It is just the thought that he might take weeks starving to death in front of my eyes, that is not happening.

Over the years I have taken my other cats for their final journey when the time seemed right, but the clean bill of health on Jasper's blood tests has thrown me. Anyway, sigh, back to the waiting game.

If he comes through this, and it is a poo blockage, I will pull him through with a wire brush everyday so that this doesn't happen again

Just checking in to see how jasper is doing. I so hope I'm wrong and there's hope at the vets this afternoon.

In the middle of this myself. We're in our third week and the vet went round all kinds of things. We had a feeding tube inserted last week and it has literally been a life-saver. I tube fed him for around four days which bought us the time to work it out. It goes in the throat under anesthetic and a tube goes directly to his stomach. you feed him a kind of cat-complan with a syringe. My cat adores it, he lies back on his cushion purring like crazy while warm, easily absorbed food goes straignt to his tummy. He thinks he's a kitten again, sucking. it's also laced with all the medicine he normally refuses.

In our case it seems to be mechanical, pain-related, to do with his jaw. perfect teeth and gums, no visible soreness, but we now think perhaps a tooth is rotting from below the gumline.

Now he has enough pain relief he is eating normally. The feeding tube is good for a couple of months but I doubt we will keep it that long.

Worth discussing with your vet?

Well it isn't good news . Apparently he has a condition called megacolon. The vet explained it as 'gut failure', basically that part of him has just shut down.

There is a major operation to remove the colon but quite honestly he is almost 17 years old and many years ago I had a gorgeous cat, Abbie, operated on (for something different) at 16 years old, who later died after two weeks of agony. I swore that I would never put one of my oldies through that again. The vet also said that she would not recommend it on a cat his age.

So apparently he is comfortable, IV line still in, syringe fed, warm and the vet I spoke to this afternoon is on duty all of tomorrow. She said he 'might' pick up but doesn't look likely. She will ring me in the morning.

So I would very much like to bring him home over the weekend and have the vet come here on Monday, but that is just me being selfish, I'll see what she says tomorrow. Just can't stop crying and have family arriving for dinner in an hour, the company will do me good, maybe.

I think I'd want him home for a couple of days too if it was my cat. This is the news we all dread getting.

Poor lad.

There's nothing selfish in that maybe. You have the chance to give him a couple of days of love and cuddles and then let him drift away painlessly feeling secure and cared for. What could be better for him? Be strong. xx

If it helps with your decision my 15 year old cat had a very major operation for cancer and it left a wound along her torso from her armpit to her hind leg. She recovered perfectly from the operation but unfortunately the cancer came back some time later.

Sorry to hear it wasn't good news

maybe I'm so sorry to read your update. In your position I would definitely have him home for a couple of days of love, make a big fuss of him and then ask the vet to come to the house. Not selfish of you at all!

Everybody has gone, it was good to have some company as my husband is overseas. Just want to say thank you for all your kind comments, stories and advice. It has been a great help to not feel alone.

People in RL are sympathetic but don't always realise how devastating situations like this are.

Have a few questions for the vet tomorrow morning, things I should have asked this afternoon but the diagnosis just flattened me. Told you I was clutching at straws.

Strange thing happened earlier, my elder cat, who stays away from everyone but me, suddenly just strolled into the living room, with my sister's grandchildren bouncing around and four adults sitting there, we were all shocked, she looked around, stayed a minute and strolled out. The seven year old followed her out and she let him stroke her, this never happens, truly! She has been looking for Jasper all day today, even yowling this afternoon, bless her.

Thank you all again for everyone

Update. I didn't get to bring him home

I got a phone call from the hospital at 7.45 this morning to say Jasper was not good at all, so my sister and I went there and I did the kindest thing. The vet said he would have just collapsed into unconsciousness and maybe lingered for a number of days.

He was still awake when we arrived, so I was able to tell him what a good boy he had been, and that we would miss him dearly. He really did not look like himself, and he went off very peacefully. My sister and I were weeping wrecks, but everyone was very kind.

He is being individually cremated and I will get him back next week, bless.

Thank you for all your good wishes

I'm glad you didn't have to go alone. RIP Jasper.

:( Sorry for your loss

Poor Jasper .
But he's no longer in any pain or discomfort. You made the only decision you could for him

So sorry for your loss

You made the kindest but hardest decision. Had to do do the same for my girl a few days ago so I know how you must be feeling. So sorry RIP Jasper xx

Thank you, lovely sentiments. I am exhausted now, what a horrible day, but as you say he is at peace now .

It's so sad when a pet dies but you made the kindest decision for him. RIP Jasper

I'm so sorry to hear about jasper. A dreadful day for you but what a lucky cat to have had such a loving home.