How to get a sick skinny cat to eat?

Hi, my kitty is 9 years old and just got diagnosed with kidney problems where he cannot digest protein. He is down to 7 lbs. Today, the vet gave me some Purina NF to feed him, that should help his kidney functions and help him get better.

He is still kind of shy about eating ANYTHING right now, let a lone a new food. All he is wanting to eat is table scraps, like fried chicken or steak or stuff like that. I really need to get him eating again and get him on this new food, or I am afraid he won't make it.

Should I force him to eat? Like put it in his mouth? I was thinking I could kind of liquify it and squirt it in his mouth. Or I could lock him in a crate until he is hungry enough to eat it. I know that sounds cruel but I am trying to save the poor thing, and he really needs to eat!

The bad thing is, he also has an abscessed tooth, so its hard for him to eat anything. Any suggestions or advice is greatly appreciated!

Thank you.

Hi, this is just an update on my kitty. Well I decided not to wait any longer and to force him to eat...other wise he was going to starve to death. I blended some of the prescribed vet food with baby food and water and put it in a syringe and force fed him. At first he didn't like it, but then he started getting the hang of it and acted like he really liked it!!! He ate a whole can of baby food almost. I think that is the most he has eaten in a while. poor little guy!

Has anyone else had any experience with sick starving kitties before? How long did you have to force feed them before they started getting better? He is 7 lbs now so I figure he has to eat 210 calories per day to maintain that...but I am going to try to feed him more.

Hi
Good job on force feeding your kitty! The key for me, is the less you dilute the food, the better. Remember, the more you dilute it, the more you have to feed. I use large syringes - 1/2 oz, and feed 3 syringes at a time.
Don't look at how much food he needs now at 7lbs - look at his optimum weight, and how many calories he needs to maintain that weight - that is how many calories you want to feed a day.
Divide that in several meals - 4-5 a day, so it is not overwhelming on you or your kitty.
For me, the best way to have them back eating is with dry food - get several different small bags/brands and quality levels - from junk to high, and offer to him. Leave it out for him to eat... If he chooses the junk, it is not the best, but you can transition for a better one later on. You can then just supplement the calories with force feeding.
The most I had to force feed 100% before my kitty picked up eating on her own was 3-4 days. Dry food worked like a charm.
These are the syringes I use - the brand is Four Paws, and you can get them at PetSmart for cheap

Thank you Carolina. I appreciate your advice and help! I will try to start leaving out more food for him. I tried leaving out the mushy prescription diet but he would never eat it on his own. It has been 13 days and he is still doing really poorly. He picked up a bit for about a week but now he has gone back down hill and feels even skinnier to me. I don't know what to do.

I have been reading a lot about kidney failure in cats and have learned a lot. I know it is important for the cat not to starve....and have been trying to feed him every chance I get. He doesn't like the prescription Purina NF and has been getting worse the past week. So I am going to stop feeding him that. The first 2 cans of NF I got were the old formula without rice and he liked those and they fit in the syringe well. Then I went to buy new cans and all they have is the new formula with rice, which he cannot eat, and it won't fit in the syringe. Luckily, my mom has some Science Diet that is supposed to be good for very sick cats. I opened a can today and it is the perfect texture for the syringe. Moe even licked it out of the plate...not much though.

I am hoping if I feed him this, he will pick back up again. I will try to feed him what is necessary for his optimum weight...but he will barely eat what is necessary for his current weight!!! poor little guy.

Also, The vet told me (2 weeks ago) that Moe needed his tooth pulled and his teeth cleaned..and I made an appointment for that, but I'm scared he's so sick that the whole experience might push him too far. The vet recommended fluid therapy during sedation, due to his current condition. I just don't know if the vet knows how bad off he is. Moe can't even jump onto the couch. He can't eat dry food. He is so weak and skinny. But I know he needs this because it might be preventing him from eating. He also needs to be shaved because he is matted. But I am scared to get him shaved too because I am scared to see how skinny he really is.

Oh I am so so sorry!

Unfortunately, I'm not familiar with renal disorders. But I do know you need to build up your kitty's strength as soon as possible so he can have the dental work needed done. It is certainly contributing to the eating problems - and for all I know, the kidney problems. I think worrying about his diet comes after that, but hopefully someone with experience with kidney problems will chime in here.

The first thing that jumps out at me is that if your vet doesn't know how bad it is, then it's because you haven't told him/her. Your baby is probably dehydrated, and most certainly needs subQ fluids - which is something you can do at home, but your vet would have to give you the supplies and show you how to use them.

If you don't think this vet is giving your kitty proper care, or giving you good advice, or isn't taking the situation seriously enough, then get to another vet for another opinion asap!!!!!

But first and foremost, you must build up your kitty's strength so he CAN have the dental work he needs done.

I don't know if steroids will help him - or it that's something that can be used in a kitty with renal problems.

I don't know if he would benefit from an appetite stimulant - or if maybe he needs an anti-nausea medication.

But you definitely need to be syringe feeding him. It sounds like your mom gave you a/d, which I have no idea if it's best for a kitty with renal problems, but it is a food given to cats in critical care that need to build up their strength, and it is designed to be used with the syringes, and that is what he needs.

I know you're scared. We just found out three weeks ago our cat has cancer. It's scary. But you have to take a step back, take a deep breath, and find the strength you need to help your kitty, because he can't do it on his own.

I will keep you and Moe in my thoughts and send you lots of vibes!

I'm so sorry to read this about your cat. Not eating can lead to liver failure. If he's still refusing, then you have to continue force feeding him. You could also talk to your vet about putting in a feeding tube.

First off I would say please DONT take him off the Purina NF. He's on it for a reason, he needs to have the appropriate food for his kidneys. Blend it up like you had been, add some tuna water if he doesn't like the taste and feed as often as you can. If possible, get to the vet and have a feeding tube inserted. Then he won't even be able to taste the food and you will be assured that all of it is getting down.

Originally Posted by Minka

First off I would say please DONT take him off the Purina NF. He's on it for a reason, he needs to have the appropriate food for his kidneys. Blend it up like you had been, add some tuna water if he doesn't like the taste and feed as often as you can. If possible, get to the vet and have a feeding tube inserted. Then he won't even be able to taste the food and you will be assured that all of it is getting down.

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Minka - the kitty might be too weak to have even a feeding tube inserted....
To the OP - I agree with Laurie.... If it was my cat, I would be dealing with the crisis at hand. I would take the kitty to the vet at once first of all...
Getting this kitty stronger, no matter what food it is eating, to me is your number one priority so it can go through the surgery and get the tooth removed. As Laurie said, being fragile like this puts him in great risk of not making through surgery. The tooth situation is not helping with him eating, and can also further damage his kidneys. It is important to come out.
The Kidney diet is a lifetime change, and if skipping it is not going to be life-threatening for the time-being, by all means, I would put this kitty in a food that he will eat, that will be nutritious and will get him back into shape first - THEN I would think of this change later. Probably Sub-Q will help you to do it safely.
He is wasting away, and that is the first thing you have to stop IMHO.
Because he is so so fragile, please, I urge you to not delay a vet visit - vet first, no matter what route you take, I would say. If you are not comfortable with your vet, consider going for a second opinion.

From Dr Pierson's website: "Feeding tubes do require a short period (~10 minutes) of general anesthesia to place and this is often a concern when the patient is very debilitated. This is why it is better to put a feeding tube in an anorexic patient sooner rather than later."

Obviously if the cat is too weak to put one in, the vet won't do it. But as of right now, the cat can still walk around, so I don't think it's too late to put one in.

Nonay, apparently the dental problems your kitty has can be causing the kidney problems. Given that your vet doesn't know how bad off your kitty is, I think it is imperative you get your kitty back to the vet as soon as possible.

The vet can decide if he's strong enough to have a feeding tube inserted. He/She can also decide if he's strong enough to be anesthetized for the dental he desperately needs.

Originally Posted by LDG

Nonay, apparently the dental problems your kitty has can be causing the kidney problems. Given that your vet doesn't know how bad off your kitty is, I think it is imperative you get your kitty back to the vet as soon as possible.

The vet can decide if he's strong enough to have a feeding tube inserted. He/She can also decide if he's strong enough to be anesthetized for the dental he desperately needs.

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please take this kitty to the vet ASAP..... :vi bes:

Thank you everyone for all of your kind words and advice and helping me get through this hard time with Moe. He is wasting away. I am going to take him to the vet in the morning. He is starting to hide in cabinets which I know is what cats do when they are about to die. I have heard that they hide when they know they are going to die, like by instinct or something. However he still looks me in the eye ane purrs when I pet him and he even licks my fingers. I think I will take him to the vet in the morning and show them his condition and see if there is anything they can do to help the poor boy. I was thinking about putting him to sleep because I don't want him to suffer but I just dont want to do that if there is a chance for him to come back to a normal life. I really don't want him to suffer though.

Its so hard because its making my house feel really depressing. We just moved here 2 months ago and Moe was fine at first. Now it feels like there is a dark clound hanging over us. I just want Moe to get better.

nonay, where are you in Texas? Anywhere near Dallas? Would you consider another vet?

Carolina, I am 2 hrs away from Dallas. I don't know how well Moe would handle the drive because he hates going to the vet and is really fussy about it. But I am open to anything really!

The vet I have now seems good. They actually have 3 vets in their office. I just moved here and he has been able to diagnose Moe with only 1 visit. I took Moe to my old vet last year when I first noticed his weight loss and they did a lot of tests and couldn't find anything wrong with him...and didn't even mention his teeth. I really wasn't happy with them because they sedated Moe just to get a blood test which is just stupid in my opinion. Luckily now I know what is wrong with him, I just hope its not too late!

I'll let you know what happens at the vet tomorrow. I'll mention the sub q's and everything else and hope that they will know what to do.

Well, one of my concerns would be that he's sick and skinny partially because of his teeth. So I'd be wondering why they didn't think treating that was of primary importance in getting him back on the road to health.

Originally Posted by nonay

Carolina, I am 2 hrs away from Dallas. I don't know how well Moe would handle the drive because he hates going to the vet and is really fussy about it. But I am open to anything really!

The vet I have now seems good. They actually have 3 vets in their office. I just moved here and he has been able to diagnose Moe with only 1 visit. I took Moe to my old vet last year when I first noticed his weight loss and they did a lot of tests and couldn't find anything wrong with him...and didn't even mention his teeth.

I really wasn't happy with them because they sedated Moe just to get a blood test which is just stupid in my opinion. Luckily now I know what is wrong with him, I just hope its not too late!

I'll let you know what happens at the vet tomorrow. I'll mention the sub q's and everything else and hope that they will know what to do.

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Hi nonay, let's see what happens tomorrow... Discuss the SubQ, the A/D diet, the renal diet... If you need a vet here, I have a top notch vet and a wonderful dentist as well.... Maybe we can figure something out. My vet is fantastic - let me know if you need something

Here is an update on Moe! He is now at 6 lbs. The vet said his teeth are actually looking a lot better since I started him on the medicine. So that's not the problem. Then he checked his kidneys again. The BUN was 53 and the CREA was in the normal range 40 something I think. So that wasn't the problem. Then he did an x-ray and it was pretty bad. His chest is filled with fluid and his lungs are being pressed up towards his back. His heart wasn't even visible due to the fluid. Poor Moe!!! So the vet gave him a shot that will cause the fluid to drain out of his chest. I am also to give him 2 pills a day to help with the drainage. That should help him out a lot and get his appetite up. I am supposed to bring him back in 1 week so the vet can do another x-ray to see what is wrong in his chest that caused all the fluid build up. Could be heart disease or cancer or something else. Cancer would be the worst, but the vet said if its heart disease it can be treatable...not curable, but he could still live a while longer. He also said the a/d by syringe should be sufficient for now. Moe ate a half a can yesterday...so he seems to like it. I am not diluting it much either so he can get the full effect! The main thing now though is just getting the fluid out of his chest. I'm hoping for the best...

Originally Posted by nonay

Here is an update on Moe! He is now at 6 lbs. The vet said his teeth are actually looking a lot better since I started him on the medicine. So that's not the problem. Then he checked his kidneys again. The BUN was 53 and the CREA was in the normal range 40 something I think. So that wasn't the problem. Then he did an x-ray and it was pretty bad. His chest is filled with fluid and his lungs are being pressed up towards his back. His heart wasn't even visible due to the fluid. Poor Moe!!! So the vet gave him a shot that will cause the fluid to drain out of his chest. I am also to give him 2 pills a day to help with the drainage. That should help him out a lot and get his appetite up. I am supposed to bring him back in 1 week so the vet can do another x-ray to see what is wrong in his chest that caused all the fluid build up. Could be heart disease or cancer or something else. Cancer would be the worst, but the vet said if its heart disease it can be treatable...not curable, but he could still live a while longer. He also said the a/d by syringe should be sufficient for now. Moe ate a half a can yesterday...so he seems to like it. I am not diluting it much either so he can get the full effect! The main thing now though is just getting the fluid out of his chest. I'm hoping for the best...

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Let's hope that the vet has a better idea of what it is next time - there are tests that can be done to find out exactly what it is - if it is heart, you definitely want to be on the right medication, and the same for "cancer or something else" whatever that might be....
A/D doesn't need to be diluted from the 3rd day on. On the 2nd day, you just dilute a little bit. It is PERFECT just off the can. Remember: the more you dilute, the more you have to feed.
Feed her the amount she would eat at her healthy weight - I believe it was 8lbs? They have the feeding guide on hills website. If she can take it, I feed 1 1/2oz per meal, and do several meals. If she can't eat that much, do less per meal, but more feedings. It is important that she eats though.
I knew A/D would be ok.... that was a very wise decision on your vet's part....

Man I don't know how I'm going to feed him that much. He can barely eat 1/2 a can a day. He needs at least 1 whole can. Hes so fragile and weak but if I pick him up and try to hold his head to force feed him, its like he turns into some kind of super cat and somehow manages to wiggle away. Now he is peeing all over the place and on himself because of the diuretic. Fun times.

Hills A/D Critical Care - wet food in the can. It's a prescription diet that is used for cats or dogs with dietry issues, poor weight gain or health issues. You'd need to talk to your vet and buy this from your vet. It's well worth it.

It will smell good to your cat, it will taste good, it's easy for him to eat, and because it has a high Calorie/KJ content it will help him gain weight if used regularly until he is well again. It works like a charm every time, that stuff tends to be irrissitable to cats, even the picky ones.

Alternativly, royal canin hypoallergenic, wet food in the sachets and then graduating to the dry food is good for a long term diet in situations where the cat has dietry issues and sensitive tummies.

I recommend Royal Canin for every day, long term use for both cats and dogs. You will see a difference in days. It's not cheap, but it's well worth it for your pets health and wellbeing.

The bright side, is that although not cheap, your pet needs less of it as it's so high in nutrients and calories that they don't tend to need to eat as much of it.

This is an approximation. A 3.5kg (7.7lb) bag of Royal Canin dry food will set you back about $50US, and for a cat that weighs 5kg (11lb) the feeding guide is 66 grams (2.2 ounces) per day.

That means theoretically if that's all your cat wants to eat each day (and it could be more) the bag can last one cat up to 52 days or 7 weeks and 3 days which works out to be $5-6 a week for fantastic quality food.

Hypoallergenic where I am is only available from Vet Clinics but isn't prescription. In some countries, it may be available at pet stores or online, I'm not sure, but I would recommend it either dry or wet. It's good for their teeth, their digestion and other things as well.

It also tends to include Lysine, which is in my opinion a miracle vitamin for cats. It surpresses nasties in a cats system, boosts their immune system and helps them cover from illness.

It's like super-charged vitamin C for cats. Also, vitamin paste for cats and dogs doesn't go to waste either, it gives them an added edge to a full, healthy recovery.