Worried about fasting a difficult cat all night

[Specialneedsnightmare]

This will probably sound no big deal but I'm quite worried.

I need to take my cat for a blood test next week and she has to be starved for 12 hours beforehand. The vet has booked her in for 9.30am saying they only do blood test appointments then. The problem is my cat eats mainly at night and would meow non stop if I remove her dishes. She's a very demanding cat and I have a lot of problems with her which I'm slowly starting to resolve. She's nearly 14 and came to me from a relative bur shes had a difficult past.

I'm guessing I will just have to shut her away to meow but it will be an absolute nightmare for us both.

Any thoughts or advice on how to make this any easier?

Yeah it is hard.

I currently have a semi feral in my downstairs and he is very angry, he has been there a week and obviously I am feeding and going to see him regularly and I have a camera on him which I have beside me all the time but he had 3 huge absesses on his leg and had to be shaved and have 2 weeks of antibiotics and some painkillers and anti inflammatories to stop him getting sepsis and boy oh boy when he wakes up we hear it.

But you just have to bear with. It soon passes.

Can you move food earlier and earlier so that she eats in the afternoon and then reverts back after the blood test?

You’re making a mountain out of a molehill, OP. Feed her a favourite food as late as possible, if she meows all night then so be it. Noise cancelling earphones or decent earplugs will be your friend.

Thanks for this. It sounds very difficult with the cat downstairs. It's hard not being able to explain it's for their own good.

Yeah I might try and tempt her with lots of food earlier in the day.

Ha! I knew someone would say that. And I know you're right, but I don't like the thought of my cat distressed all night at not being fed. She's the opposite of laid back and would be reslly freaked out.

I know there's no other way unfortunately.

Give her a meal of the highest value treat you can give her the night before. In our house this would be a meal made entirely of Cosmas Snackies. Something so tasty and appealing that she can't wait until midnight when she normally eats.

I'd also try Feliway if you haven't already. If she responds to it then you are sorted,.

Thanks, very helpful. I will look into feliway.

The cat might be vocal, you will have earplugs, nothing will set on fire.

The cat won't be furious with you, or even distressed in the true sense of the word. It will be hungry for a few hours. That's not a state of emergency for any being. It's not your job to try to communicate why you can't feed it, you're in charge, it will have forgotten as soon as the next plate of food lands on the floor.

Don't do this to yourself!

Part of animal ownership is that sometimes you have to be cruel to be kind. Yes, she might be a bit upset but she’ll live. You’re only going to work yourself up, OP - she’ll feed off you energy and just become more stressed. Kindly, you need to relax and realise that this really isn’t a big deal unless you make it one. Source: no nonsense cat owner of 30 years! I love them very much but there’s only so many variables that you can control/fuss over without driving yourself mad.

It’s one night. As a PP said, get ear plugs. She’ll survive.