Tiger Update

I'm trying to stay positive about this little girl, but see just seemed out of it this morning. She was eating some of the grain free wet food (rabbit) I left her, but when she lays down she looks at me & her head kind of bobs. She has had a head tilt since we got her, but the head bob thing I've only seen once or twice before. She is still being sweet, rubbing on me & purring for me when I come into the bathroom. It is only after I medicate & sub-q her that she wants nothing to do with me. (not that I blame her). She is still not drinking on her own & I am noticing increased dehydration. I bumped her sub-q back up & force fed her a little yesterday. She had eaten some dry food on her own, but I wanted to make sure she had enough food. Any one know where I can by a baby scale in a store?

Originally Posted by Rang_27

I'm trying to stay positive about this little girl, but see just seemed out of it this morning. She was eating some of the grain free wet food (rabbit) I left her, but when she lays down she looks at me & her head kind of bobs. She has had a head tilt since we got her, but the head bob thing I've only seen once or twice before. She is still being sweet, rubbing on me & purring for me when I come into the bathroom. It is only after I medicate & sub-q her that she wants nothing to do with me. (not that I blame her). She is still not drinking on her own & I am noticing increased dehydration. I bumped her sub-q back up & force fed her a little yesterday. She had eaten some dry food on her own, but I wanted to make sure she had enough food. Any one know where I can by a baby scale in a store?

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i'm sorry, i will pray for her. At shoppers drugmart or most drugstores carry babyscales.

My thoughts and prayers are with you....

Yes, there usually are a lot of ups and downs when dealing with such a serious illness. Thanks for the pictures, she looks so sweet. I love her pink bed! You're doing a great job caring for her!

She looks like a real sweetheart.
I don't have any advice, but plenty of and good wishes for both of you.

Keep those vibes & prayers comming. Yesterday she was eating well again, she ate almost 6 oz of wet food. I think she is just going to have some ruff days. I did do the weigh myself & then weigh her. I hope it is wrong because if it is right then she has lost another pound to pound & 1/2. I have looked all over for baby scales and no luck. There is one or two more places I can check, but I may just order one on-line. It would probably take less time. She has an appointment on Saturday at the vets office, so at least I will know then how her weight is doing. I have been force feeding her 60 ml of baby food mixed with KMR at night. She gets upset, but she seems to eat better during the day when I do that. This morning she was finishing up the mixture & then ate some wet food. I still don't think she is getting enough calories, but I am just going to keep trying.

Now this is my own personal experience.

Kismet stopped eating completely, this is when I force fed her, her weight went down and down then stabalized (up and down a bit) then she started eating on her own. Once she was eating on her own she was eating very little and her weight was going down a bit, but she was eating. Some days she seemed, almost normal, other days she would curl up in a ball hiding away somewhere, didn't want attention or anything. This went on for almost 6 weeks, then all of the sudden, normal, loving, happy, *eating two full meals regularily* kismet was back.....

So I wouldn't be too too suprised if she is having up and down days and times at all. What you are doing sounds great and very promising still. I know how emotional and hard it is, and that you question yourself every set back.

The vets will def. give a good indication of weight and blood values.

So yesterday she ate a whole can of AD food. No prompting, no forcing. Then this morning when I went in by her she was begging for food. When I opened the can of cat food she actually reacted the way cats do. I could barely get it on the plate fast enough for her. She ate 1/4 to 1/2 the can very quickly & I'm sure she will finish the rest today. This is the first time she has reacted to the sound of the can. It is a good sign that something I'm doing is working.

Originally Posted by Rang_27

So yesterday she ate a whole can of AD food. No prompting, no forcing. Then this morning when I went in by her she was begging for food. When I opened the can of cat food she actually reacted the way cats do. I could barely get it on the plate fast enough for her. She ate 1/4 to 1/2 the can very quickly & I'm sure she will finish the rest today. This is the first time she has reacted to the sound of the can. It is a good sign that something I'm doing is working.

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That's a lot of food even for a healthy CAT!!!!

I just read this whole thread. I hope she continues to get better. It sounds like you are doing a good job with her. Kudos to you for giving her a chance.

2 weeks ago I was regreting my decision to take her home, now I am so thrilled. I feel like at the very least she knows someone loves her & cares enough about her to fight for her. Sometimes I think that we can do all the physical treatments to their body we want, but if they have no reason to live they will just give up. I didn't really like her name at first, but now I'm starting to think it really fits her because she is such a fighter.

AD is probably the best thing Hills have made EVER - it has been a real life saver with cats that cant / wont eat and is liquid enough for easy forcefeeding. We always have a few cases of it at the shelter

YAY! Thanks for the happy update. Well done!

Originally Posted by Rang_27

2 weeks ago I was regreting my decision to take her home, now I am so thrilled. I feel like at the very least she knows someone loves her & cares enough about her to fight for her. .

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of course that know it!...

She ate another whole can yesterday! Then last night ate some more. I just keep leaving her food. As long as she is willing to eat she can eat what she wants. I let her take a short stroll out of the bathroom last night. She basicly walked out went around my bed & then walked back in. She is still very weak & a little tipsy, but at least she is eating!

Go Tiger!
I'm so glad to see a positive update. Sending plenty more your little darling and a for you for fighting for her.

So we had another difficult vet trip on Saturday. The vet can now feel her liver & it feels enlarged. She has also lost more weight. She was 6.1 lbs 2 weeks ago, on Saturday she was down to 4.7. I am waiting to hear on blood tests. He feels it is probably cancer.
Other than that she is eating like a champ. She is now eating 2 cans of AD food a day, thats 11 oz of wet food a day. The vet wants to do an x-ray, but I'm struggling with what to do for her. She has quality of life right now despite being so thin. I'm happy that she is eating, but concnerned about what the outcome of all of this is going to be. Please keep sending those vibes for her, she can really use them. (I could use some too, this is more difficult than I could have imagined).

oh rats, I am sorry to hear about Tiger's weight loss and possible tumor diagnosis.

Hurray for you for giving her such an excellent quality of life, that she is eating is wonderful, though the weight loss in spite of it is troubling. It could be so many things. Cancer, or simply hyperthyroid...when was her last superchem?

Whatever happens, because of you, Tiger is spending her remaining life surrounded by love and care, and there is nothing better than that.
xo

I am sorry about the possible bad news. I'm glad Tiger is fighting and eating so much, I honestly can't even believe that......

If it's cancer there isn't much you can do..... If it's not then only time will tell....

Just talked to the vet. Her blood work shows very slight improvement in liver values, but she still shows some sort of infection. He is happy to hear that she is eating so much. I should be getting a better scale some time this weeks, so I will be able to monitor her weight on my own. She needs to be put on a differnt antibiotic now.

You are absolutely amazing in what you have done for this cat! And I believe that your love and faith in her is what is giving her the strength to fight on! You go girls!!!!