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The litter tray

Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

Cat is hungry but won't eat?

30 replies

lubeybooby · 21/05/2019 11:20

Hi all

This is already under vet care, by the way, but our vet seems more concerned with my cats other issues at the moment. Sorry this is really long but I wanted to include all information in case anything is potentially relevant.

Anyway - middle aged, new to us tomcat we have had for a short while after adopting him from a friend who was unable to house him long term. He was stray/feral before the friend housed him. Anyway we got him vaccinated, flea and worm treated, microchipped and generally checked over but he escaped before we could get him neutered and got in a fight, resulting in a swollen paw, puncture wounds in between his toes, a 'graze like' wound on his head and puncture wounds under his chin

We got him an antibiotic injection straight away (the kind that lasts 2 weeks so runs out this wednesday) and 2/3 days later he was due in for his neutering, so during the op, they cleaned wounds, clipped claws, drained the abscess under his chin which had formed despite the immediate antibiotic. They also x rayed the paw and found it was dislocated. He came home with oral anti-inflammatory painkiller

2 days later he was limping and had horrible cellulitis in the leg and paw that had the puncture wounds. He had also developed a cat cold/respiratory infection and was put on additonal antibiotics, a daily oral one this time and that was working well.

Saw the vet again a few days later (friday just gone), all the swelling was gone, we were really happy.

The next day I went to give him his oral antibiotics in his food as had been normal, which he'd been having no problem for 5 days before this... and he took two licks, looked offended and backed off. Then he threw up clear frothy stuff like the stuff that comes up with grass. I thought, 'bugger, he can taste it now' so I wasted the dose and tried again with his fave thing in the world... primula. Again two licks and he backed off.

I watered the primula down with cat milk and mixed it thorughly and he got most of the dose that way in the end. He had somewhere between 50 and 100g all day in small bursts. (he's a very tall and well built boy, so usually has at least 400g)

The next day he wouldn't eat or drink at all. he would be excited when I opened a packet, but then sniff it and back off. Same with water, cat milk and even cream offered.

The next day (Monday 20th, yesterday... soon as the vet was open) we took him down urgently and they gave him an endoscopy and an x ray and an ultrasound, looking for obstruction, irritation, anything... and found nothing esophagus or stomach wise. They did discover he has an enlarged heart though. They again cleaned his paw and drained his under chin abcess, and gave his antibotic as an injection, the injectable version of his oral meds. They also sent off a biopsy of the paw skin, looking for cat TB, Pox virus and skin cancer

Since then he's been eating a tiny bit. he had 50g overnight but this is not his usual self at all and he does it in small bursts of a few licks here and there. He is drinking again but not as much. His paw is looking much better and he can walk on it again now.

He is still REALLY excited when I open a packet or tin, but then just can't seem to keep eating for more than 20/30 seconds or so.

Anyone experienced this?

Could it just be because of the cat cold? Is it a symptom of any of the other things they are testing for? Is it a good sign that he is eating at least a little bit again?

Is it a time and patience thing?

if I can't get enough of his oral antibotic into him via food today, should I take him back for another injection?

We get biopsy results thurs/fri

My poor little bugger. I feel so sorry for him and I'm so anxious. I know cat tb and pox and obviously cancer really don't have a great prognosis

OP posts:
dementedpixie · 21/05/2019 12:02

I used lik-e-lix tubes to get antibiotics into my cat when he had an abcess. I crushed the tablet using 2 spoons and mixed it with lik-e-lix and let him lick it off the spoon. One of mine isn't that interested in wet food and prefers dry whereas it's the opposite with the other cat

Minkies11 · 21/05/2019 12:10

Any chance you could try some cooked chicken or fish? I know he needs his pills but just to get some food into him. Maybe feed him somewhere different with some privacy?
Mine are rubbish at pills so get injections instead which is a pain.

lubeybooby · 21/05/2019 12:17

yeah we've tried with chicken and fish too, chopped up really small - same thing he will be very enthusiastic when he hears me chopping it up and he's definitely hungry but then he has a bite oe two and backs off

forgot to say all his teeth are good as well

his fave above all else for a treat is the primula but he has one lick of that now and backs off

I will try the like lix - is it this one? webbox lik e lix? www.amazon.co.uk/Webbox-Lick-Lix-Cat-Treats/dp/B01J66FSHI/ref=sr_1_3?s=gateway&keywords=lik+e+lix&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&qid=1558437194&sr=8-3-spell

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cricketmum84 · 21/05/2019 12:21

If the cat cold is related to calico virus (google it) he could possibly have ulcers in his mouth.

We have a rescue cat who had calico virus as a kitten. It lays dormant in their system until they are run down or stressed and then flares up. She gets sneezes, watery eye, ulcers and goes off her food for a few days but then perks up. If it goes on any longer than a few days then the vets give her some steroids and antibiotics.

lubeybooby · 21/05/2019 12:31

yep his cold is feline calcivirus

I could understand him being just off his food, but he's hungry and excited about packets and me preparing food and the associated noises, yet can't really eat

or is that normal with a cat is who is just off their food? (initial excitement and solicitation for food but then not actually eating it)

I was honestly expecting there to be a hairball blockage or something or a bad tooth but there was nothing. I'm so baffled.

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cricketmum84 · 21/05/2019 12:38

If he does have the mouth ulcers then he is going to be hungry and excited by the smell but then the pain of eating will put him off.

Maybe have a quick look to see if you can see anything and ask the vet for some anti inflammatories and steroids? Bless your poor old man, it must feel awful. No surprise the virus has been triggered after everything hale has gone through x

lubeybooby · 21/05/2019 12:44

yes that does make sense. Surprised the vet didn't spot anything but maybe he has one in an obscure place.

I'm so gutted that we wanted to give him a lovely home with every comfort and every need taken care of but he's managed to present me with something super tricky that I can't seem to solve

also forgot to say we got a thorough blood screen done and that was all good, and also got him FIV and FELV tested and that was all clear too

he's costing a fortune just hope it all works out

anyway I'm going to try and quieten my poor frazzled brain by telling myself it's ulcers, and just keep trying with tempting food

biopsy results due thurs/fri

everything crossed I can get these antibiotics into him without having to drag the poor sod to the vet again Sad

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bodgeitandscarper · 21/05/2019 12:47

Did they do dental xrays? A cracked tooth below the gumline could cause issues. My suspicion would be pain stopping him eating, if he has ulcers with calcivirus then it would definitely be finding eating painful, I think I'd try and keep him as stress free as possible and tempt with soft foods, tuna, sardines, cooked chicken etc. If he doesn't improve then maybe another vet visit, but as that also causes stress which could trigger his calcivirus I'd see if time could do the trick. You can get highly palatable canned food to tempt ill cats, I think Royal Canin or Hills?

lubeybooby · 21/05/2019 12:48

Here he is on a happier day before this all happened. Majestic af

Cat is hungry but won't eat?
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bodgeitandscarper · 21/05/2019 12:48

Re the antibiotics I'd go for a pill popper, gets the job done quickly with as little stress as possible, or i you've got liquid then syringe it in.

bodgeitandscarper · 21/05/2019 12:49

OOh look at those tom cat cheeks lovely lad!

lubeybooby · 21/05/2019 12:51

nope no specific dental x rays. will bear that in mind if this carries on - thank you

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lubeybooby · 21/05/2019 12:56

bodgeit we honestly can't give him pills... as previously mentioned we are experienced 'strong willed and factious' cat owners and can manage with our other reluctant beasts when they need pills but he is a giant no no... and we can't restrain him with the paw still on the mend too. If he can't have meds in food he'll have to have an injection again (he's weirdly fine with those, its just the vets waiting room he finds stressful)

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dementedpixie · 21/05/2019 12:57

You get lik-e-lix in supermarkets. There's a yoghurt and a cream version

YetAnotherSpartacus · 21/05/2019 13:01

He is beautiful and you are very lovely and special for looking after him. I do hope that it all works out.

The only thing I can suggest are soups (?).

bodgeitandscarper · 21/05/2019 13:12

Ah right, in that case I think I'd probably opt for the injection if he's refusing his food for much longer. We trapped a feral that only ate canned food before he was caught, once we got him he would only touch dry, we think it's probably because he associated wet food with the trap; if your chap has got a taste of the antibiotic then maybe he's doing a similar thing? His throat is probably sore from the endoscopy too, I'm sure it will all sort out, he's a lucky lad finding a good home! Oh I forgot, Oralade is like a chicken soup that can help to get them eating again, it is a rehydration solution, but ours all like it and it won't hurt his throat too much to eat. Animed sell it.

lubeybooby · 21/05/2019 13:19

thank you all so much, I feel some renewed hope and grateful for extra options to try Flowers

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cricketmum84 · 21/05/2019 13:30

Oh he is certainly majestic af! And then some!

madcatladyforever · 21/05/2019 13:34

What a sweetie.
My cat who had cardiomyopathy used to get really excited about the thought of food but then turned his nose up at it, he also did this when he felt ill.
I'm sure he will start eating again when the antibitoics kick in.
Cats being cats are always excited about food but tend not to eat when they feel unwell.
My old cat Tom used to get a respiratory infection every winter despite being vaccinated regularly and often didn't eat for up to 3-4 days at a time but he always got better.

lubeybooby · 21/05/2019 14:35

small update - he's just had about 70g very finely chopped roast beef and chicken, and half a bottle of cat milk (happy about that as it has added vitamins and taurine) and he seemed to find things a little easier.

I don't quite feel able to breathe yet but hopefully this is a good sign that I'll manage getting the antibiotics into him later

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Minkies11 · 21/05/2019 17:55

Glad he's eaten a bit more - he's a whole heap of tomcat gorgeousness!

lubeybooby · 22/05/2019 08:19

Further update

Concentrated on just getting him eating yesterday and did not try to give the antibiotic - it was working nicely, he ate about 200g food total and a whole bottle of fortified cat milk so thats the most he's had for days.

Tried antibiotic this morning in his fave choice from yesterday... nope! Oh his little face... the betrayal!

So I give up trying to give it in food. He's had a whole bottle of cat milk again just now (the only thing the little bugger would trust) and I'll get him back to the vet later for a jab. Sigh

at least he's eating though... and the lick e lix arrive later too for something extra to try.

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scaryteacher · 22/05/2019 09:58

My pill hating rescue will take his pill crushed up and mixed with likelix. He even tells me when it's time now! A third of a tube disguises half of a medium size ground up pill. Nothing left in the bowl afterwards.

UtterlyUnimaginativeUsername · 22/05/2019 10:12

Could he have an anti-inflammatory job while you're at the vet? That would help with ulcers.

lubeybooby · 22/05/2019 10:15

vets at 11am.

that's a good point Utterly... I will ask as we can't get those meds into him either.

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