4 year old male cat - VERY lethargic, won't eat, won't drink, vomiting

just mike · Jun 7, 2012

Wow! Been catching up and noticed this thread. Poor Cage! I feel so sorry for both of you to be going through all of this. Yes, the assisted feeding sounds like a must and you sound like you are right on top of things. Please take care and keep us posted! Sending vibes

rattlemebones · Jun 7, 2012

Just tried again and failed again. I wrapped him in a towel as I saw in a youtube video to substitute the cat bag. It saved me bleeding but unlike the cats in every video I'm watching, he is absolutely fighting with all of his strength. The cats in the videos look like they don't care one way or another. Cage is twisting and tearing at the towels and I'm spending all of my effort just trying to get the syringe to his mouth. I can't even get his mouth to open.

I've never in my life been so frustrated.

carolina · Jun 7, 2012

rattlemebones said:
Just tried again and failed again. I wrapped him in a towel as I saw in a youtube video to substitute the cat bag. It saved me bleeding but unlike the cats in every video I'm watching, he is absolutely fighting with all of his strength. The cats in the videos look like they don't care one way or another. Cage is twisting and tearing at the towels and I'm spending all of my effort just trying to get the syringe to his mouth. I can't even get his mouth to open.

I've never in my life been so frustrated.

Step away from him, and calm down...... you need to be very, very very calm to do this..... even a bit of stress will pass through him..... :vibes:

If he can't be fed like this..... and in fact he is tested for pancreatitis, you might be looking at a feeding tube.....
I never had luck with towels..... But cat bags always worked for me - did you watch my video?

rattlemebones · Jun 7, 2012

Carolina said:
Step away from him, and calm down...... you need to be very, very very calm to do this..... even a bit of stress will pass through him.....

Yeah I'm taking a break. I just know that this is day 3 going on day 4 with no food and am getting extremely anxious.

Edit-- ugh my posts are being held for moderation because I'm new. If I don't respond right away, thats why.

tjcarst · Jun 7, 2012

Does he show interest if you put it in a saucer? My cat would eat nothing esle when she was ill, but she would eat this if I hand fed her or put it in a saucer.

rattlemebones · Jun 7, 2012

tjcarst said:
Does he show interest if you put it in a saucer? My cat would eat nothing esle when she was ill, but she would eat this if I hand fed her or put it in a saucer.

Absolutely no interest in any type of food or treat, in a dish, on my finger, or otherwise

rattlemebones · Jun 7, 2012

Thank you all for the help, by the way. Very trying times.

rattlemebones · Jun 7, 2012

Tried one last time... got about 4ml of food in him before he literally fought so hard he ripped the towel I was holding him in. I feel he is going to hurt himself if I try any more.

carolina · Jun 7, 2012

hun, you will have to get an appetite stimulant on him, and fast.... tomorrow morning..... and if he doesn't eat tomorrow he will have to go into a feeding tube - a chubby kitty can go down with HL in just a few days.... and that's a few.... :vibes:

Where are you located?

rattlemebones · Jun 7, 2012

I'm thinking feeding tube as well. I literally feel like he's going to be hurt if I continue to try to restrain him. He's really fighting that hard.

rattlemebones · Jun 7, 2012

Located in Sacramento, Ca

catnamedpanda · Jun 7, 2012

I'm sorry you are having to go through this with Cage. Having a sick kitty is never fun.

Just to try to get him to eat anything have you tried baby food, my cats find it irresistible. I know with him being sick it may not work, but I have coaxed cats into eating with it before. It might be worth a try to get him to eat something tonight at least.

carolina · Jun 7, 2012

Oh man... I was hoping for a strike of lucky you were around me..... I could try to feed him :heart3:
Well..... the good news is, feeding tubes completely cut down your stress - and his stress...... and do what it is supposed to do. Also, if it is pancreatitis, nutrition is as important to him as in HL - so a feeding tube will be crucial if he is fighting this much.... it will be easier to make sure he is getting proper nutrition to get all better.....
And thank goodness, his liver enzymes are only slightly elevated :cross:

rattlemebones · Jun 7, 2012

I cringe at the cost of a feeding tube, but we are already in $400. I also fear that the screening for pancreatitis will find nothing, leaving us with this mystery illness. An ultrasound costs another $400, and I would be livid if after almost a grand we still did not know what's going on. Granted, I know it's not the vet's fault cats are hard to diagnose, but it's just frustrating.

As far as tonight, I will try feeding one last time when my girlfriend gets home, he likes her a lot more than me so maybe that will help with his struggling. I just am afraid that we are going to make him fear us anytime we touch him, of course that's better than him being dead, but still.

rattlemebones · Jun 7, 2012

CatNamedPanda said:
I'm sorry you are having to go through this with Cage. Having a sick kitty is never fun.

Just to try to get him to eat anything have you tried baby food, my cats find it irresistible. I know with him being sick it may not work, but I have coaxed cats into eating with it before. It might be worth a try to get him to eat something tonight at least.

carolina · Jun 8, 2012

rattlemebones said:
I cringe at the cost of a feeding tube, but we are already in $400. I also fear that the screening for pancreatitis will find nothing, leaving us with this mystery illness. An ultrasound costs another $400, and I would be livid if after almost a grand we still did not know what's going on. Granted, I know it's not the vet's fault cats are hard to diagnose, but it's just frustrating.

As far as tonight, I will try feeding one last time when my girlfriend gets home, he likes her a lot more than me so maybe that will help with his struggling. I just am afraid that we are going to make him fear us anytime we touch him, of course that's better than him being dead, but still.

one thing you can do, is ask your vet for a PLI test for pancreatitis. While you are waiting for the results, start the treatment already- pain medication, feeding, hydration, etc. It won't hurt.... It will only help him, one way or another, no matter what he has.... You should, imho, take a look at the food you are feeding him once he is done with this crisis.... If this is Ibd, he needs better nutrition so he heals properly.... A grain free canned would be your best bet (pancreatitis has different needs, follow your vets guidance). I am on my phone, I think I read you are feeding Purina one? That might be the culprit, causing inflammation on his digestive system. For now, you just need him to eat.... Do keep that in mind for later though..... It just might be inflammation.... Ibd, and him going into HL for lack of food. Not that that is not serious.... It is- but it can be fixed with a better diet :cross:
Sometimes we think of the worst, but it isn't.....
About the feeding..... It is essential ti be calm and confident. You need to sit down, put him on your lap, nit like you are hurting him, or like you are doing something bad for him.... But with confidence and without fear.... You are the parent, the boss, and the healer. Anything less than that, and they feel it.... So, do it very matter of factly. Sit down, take a deep breath, and do it. Talk softly to him, and keep doing it, one squeeze after the other.
Good luck hun :vibes:

rattlemebones · Jun 8, 2012

Thank you for the advice... Yes they eat dry Purina One UT Formula because my other male cat had crystals in his urine and spent a month of hell being partially and totally blocked... I put him on this diet and he has been fine after 2 years. But if I have to separate their foods, I will.

Is the PLI test a blood test? Because they are doing a pancreatitis test, but I'm not sure what it's called. I will find the results of that tomorrow. The good news is he seems to still have strength and he gets up every couple of hours to walk around, but he has not used the litter box since yesterday. I assume he has no need for bowel movements with no food, and he vomited most of his water.

Tomorrow will hopefully be a better day.

carolina · Jun 8, 2012

Yes, PLI is a blood test. The best way to prevent crystals is to out them on an all canned diet.... Or better yet, raw.... My Bugsy had horrible Ibd.... I was hopeless.... I seriously didn't know how long I would have my baby with me..... He had 14 months of straight diarrhea-daily.... Many, many vet visits, emergency runs, treatments galore.... We tried everything, trust me when I say everything. I was faced with my only option being an exploratory surgery, and could not treat him afterwards (his liver got affected by all the meds he took). I decided to try a raw diet out of desperation..... Lo and behold, the first day he ate 100% raw, he was all better, to never look back.
Diet plays a tremendous role on Ibd and inflammatory issue in cats.... I can't stress this enough.....
Hope he gets better soon hun :vibes:

catnamedpanda · Jun 8, 2012

rattlemebones said:
Thank you for the advice... Yes they eat dry Purina One UT Formula because my other male cat had crystals in his urine and spent a month of hell being partially and totally blocked... I put him on this diet and he has been fine after 2 years. But if I have to separate their foods, I will.

Have you tried an all wet food diet for your cat with crystals. I fed my cat that has the same problem the Purina One urinary health food for a while but he started having issues again after a few years. He was peeing blood for a while on and off until I put him on only wet food. I have used the prescription wet food, but he does just fine on any brand of wet food, the moister the better. If you need to change Cage's diet maybe going all wet for both would be a good thing.

Edit: Carolina beat me to it, but I second what she says.

rattlemebones · Jun 8, 2012

He just projectile vomited... not the normal hack, back up, spit out... it came out with force. And it was a ton of water/bile. I'm very worried.

edit - just cleaned it up. He must have drank a lot of water because it was so much liquid... but it was very green, which would be bile.. ugh

4 year old male cat - VERY lethargic, won't eat, won't drink, vomiting

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