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- Jun 21, 2012
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Hi all!
I'm new to this community, but have been reading some threads on cats and their owners who have battled their way through Hepatic Lipidosis. My 5 year old male cat, Oliver, slowed his eating to about 3/4 of his normal eating about Thursday of last week. He has lost about about a pound or 2 (he's 10 lbs now - was about just shy of 12). We had him at the vet on Tuesday, who prescribed him the Science Diet A/D. She also said a feeding tube may be necessary if he doesn't start eating. He seems to turn his back on his water and food that's normally in a bowl, but we have been somewhat successful at feeding him pieces of chicken throughout the day and syringe feeding him the A/D - usually getting him about 25- 30 mL of the A/D per day. Sometimes more, when he's feeling more up to it.
His disposition is fairly normal, he isn't sulking or lonely, he does his normal activities of putzing around the house and watching the birdies fly by outside. I'm really not wanting to get him the feeding tube, he's normally not the most social cat and can actually be very aggressive towards strangers and the veterinarian. The vet said it may not be a possibility for him, due to his aggression, we may not be able toget close enough to even feed him, and he would have to be sedated constantly. That's not the life that I want for my cat for the next 4 -6 weeks. Without sedation, he is constantly hissing and screeching, when he's approached unwantingly, it's very upsetting and quite intimidating actually. But when he wants to be around people, he's been quite the cuddlebug lately.
He seems to be peeing about twice a day, so I'm wondering if that means he's not severely dehydrated? I just don't know what to take as a good sign, or what to take as a bad sign. He seems to try liquids once, then not again. So far, we've gotten him to try tuna juice, 2 % milk, & kitten milk, but once he's had a few sips, he seems to walk away. I just hope it's not causing a food aversion, but at this point, I just want him to be able to try something!
Any suggestions are welcomed. We all just want Oliver back to his normal (though anti-social and tempermental) self! I rescued him from a barn when he was just a few weeks old, and he did have some digestive issues, and was put on Vetasil for the first few months of his life. Would anyone suggest continuing the Vetasil? As we cannot pinpoint the reason he stopped/slowed his eating, and thought it may have been a kitty "bellyache" that stopped it in the first place. The vet also prescribed Mirtazapine, but we haven't had much luck getting him to try eating that either. We're just at a loss!
Again, thanks for reading and I look forward to hearing any and all suggestions! We will continue the syringe feeding for now.
-Lauren & Oliver
I'm new to this community, but have been reading some threads on cats and their owners who have battled their way through Hepatic Lipidosis. My 5 year old male cat, Oliver, slowed his eating to about 3/4 of his normal eating about Thursday of last week. He has lost about about a pound or 2 (he's 10 lbs now - was about just shy of 12). We had him at the vet on Tuesday, who prescribed him the Science Diet A/D. She also said a feeding tube may be necessary if he doesn't start eating. He seems to turn his back on his water and food that's normally in a bowl, but we have been somewhat successful at feeding him pieces of chicken throughout the day and syringe feeding him the A/D - usually getting him about 25- 30 mL of the A/D per day. Sometimes more, when he's feeling more up to it.
His disposition is fairly normal, he isn't sulking or lonely, he does his normal activities of putzing around the house and watching the birdies fly by outside. I'm really not wanting to get him the feeding tube, he's normally not the most social cat and can actually be very aggressive towards strangers and the veterinarian. The vet said it may not be a possibility for him, due to his aggression, we may not be able toget close enough to even feed him, and he would have to be sedated constantly. That's not the life that I want for my cat for the next 4 -6 weeks. Without sedation, he is constantly hissing and screeching, when he's approached unwantingly, it's very upsetting and quite intimidating actually. But when he wants to be around people, he's been quite the cuddlebug lately.
He seems to be peeing about twice a day, so I'm wondering if that means he's not severely dehydrated? I just don't know what to take as a good sign, or what to take as a bad sign. He seems to try liquids once, then not again. So far, we've gotten him to try tuna juice, 2 % milk, & kitten milk, but once he's had a few sips, he seems to walk away. I just hope it's not causing a food aversion, but at this point, I just want him to be able to try something!
Any suggestions are welcomed. We all just want Oliver back to his normal (though anti-social and tempermental) self! I rescued him from a barn when he was just a few weeks old, and he did have some digestive issues, and was put on Vetasil for the first few months of his life. Would anyone suggest continuing the Vetasil? As we cannot pinpoint the reason he stopped/slowed his eating, and thought it may have been a kitty "bellyache" that stopped it in the first place. The vet also prescribed Mirtazapine, but we haven't had much luck getting him to try eating that either. We're just at a loss!
Again, thanks for reading and I look forward to hearing any and all suggestions! We will continue the syringe feeding for now.
-Lauren & Oliver