Lots of symptoms and no diagnosis

hi, i have a 12yr old ragamuffin. About 4 weeks ago he began to change his normal behavior/routine...normally very snuggly, he stopped getting in bed and following me around as much, he also stopped eating as much as normal. I took him to the vet, and he was running a fever 103, they did blood work, and found an elevated white cell count, and since I had said he had been sneezing a bit, they thought it was a respitory infection and gave an injected antibiotic. They also did a subQ of liquids because he was a bit dehydrated. For the next week, he ate/drank very little...even his treats that he normally gobbles up he didnt want. He also would no longer jump up on bed or couch, and was just lying about not moving around much. I noticed at that point a slight limp in his back leg, and because he had been off food and water I took him back to emergency vet where they kept him overnight and gave IV and ran numerous tests...more blood work, radiographs of chest and stomach, sonogram, they catherized him and tested urine. All his tests came back normal, kidney, liver, etc all fine, although still a fever and elevated WBC. They gave him some Clavamox, and he was on that for 2 weeks...no improvement. I had mentioned the limp, but they didnt find anything. After 1 week on Clavamox and before getting prescription refilled I went to vets to ask if there was some food that I could give that was extra vitamins/calories since he was eating so little and had dropped from 22LB (male ragamuffins are very large) down to 19LB and was still not drinking much - I hav to bring water and food right to him and place under nose to get him to eat. Vet gave me the 2weeks worth of Clavamox, and some special food for ill cats and dogs. Week went by on Clavamox, cat eating and drinking a bit more but still not much and only gets up to use literbox...otherwise stays laying down, will stand switch positions but that is it...if I sit him down on feet he immediately lays down. Took cat back to vet - still has fever, no improvement in eating drinking or energy. I made them test for Feline Lukemia and FIV even though he had been tested before - results negative. I showed her a video I took of him walking and the limp, they did radiographs on hind legs which showed mild inflammation in the back right stifle area. Vet said this might be the cause of the unknown fever, and suggested a shot of Aquadine or something like that and liquid anti-inflamatory meds every other days for 8 days. Said to check back in 4 days to see if improvement for another shot. So far 3 days no improvement and now not drinking again. Other than fever, not eating drinking much and total lack of energy...he has normal bowel movements, has not thrown up. I did notice that when he is eating the new soft food he kind of makes a funny grinding/crunching noise, and opens mouth wide after eating licking from side to side...he seems to lick his mouth a lot and open and closes mouth a lot after eating a bit of the wet food. He has always been on a hairball formula science diet dry, and is a bit of a picky eater...this is the only other symptom. But he is not doing any better on the joint/anti-inflamatory drugs although not limping as much...but still a little fever. Any ideas??? This is now 2 vets that can't figure out what is wrong emergency vet and my regular vet....very worried about him...i had to force feed water this morning with a syringe as its been 3 days since subQ and has only had a few sips of water.

My goodness, your poor kitty.  I hate to suggest this, but I would try another vet.  Obviously, he is not getting better with the two you have.  It has been going on so long now.

How about his mouth...teeth?? Were they checked?  He could have a tooth infection or gum infection.  Where there is smoke there is fire and you did see him chewing with difficulty.

I hope others can come up with something for you.  Is there a cat only practice near you? 

Many good wishes headed your way.

I second another veterinarian. I was also thinking oral problems... did they check his teeth out thoroughly?

Having just lost a cat to lymphoma - she was also tested for FIV this past week and tested negative for that but they know she had lymphoma. So your cat could potentially still have a type of cancer but hopefully not.

My cat had gone down in appetite and she licked her lips a lot as well - I was told by my vet that could mean she was nauseous, is your cat ever looking like he is going to throw up? 

How are his stools? For the little bit that he does is it normal or loose? 

Have your vets checked his eyes for jaundice?

Did the vets do an ultra sound? 

to answer some of the questions:

• strictly indoor cat, and only pet
• stools are normal...no diarhea (actually he has only had loose stools 1x as a kitten)
• no vomiting or retching or even choking
• seems a little depressed, but seems happy and "purring" most of the time except when i am having to give meds or force liquids
• no jaundice - they did ultrasound and radiograms of chest and stomach all fine
• i am going to check tomorrow with vet about teeth. on chart they mention gums looking a little pale, but thats it...and he does not want to cooperate and open for me...especially after our battles with Clavamox, but i have felt outside jaw, face and mouth and doesn't show any signs of sensitivity. and while he isnt eating his regular food, he has still been sporadically eating his treats which are a bit crunchy and seems to do fine. he has always been a bit of a funny eater...even the smallest piece of meat, he will lick, chew, put back down etc...never just swallows it up...so hard to tell if this is more or just him reacting to the soft food which he has never had before. 
• water...he has basically stopped drinking for me, I was able to get him to drink by bringing bowl to him, and playing in it with fingers...then he would drink...last 2 days no luck...but he had a subQ...today i gave him 20ml at a time in the syringe every couple hours. but each time i ahve offered the food today he has eaten a small amount....so makes no sense
• since his adequan injection on fri and his 2 doses of anti-inflamatory meds, he seems to not be limping on back leg as badly...plus he has been a bit more awake...giving himself a good licking...sitting up more than just lying down...but the water thing has me stumped.

update: took Frosty back to vet last Tues. had second Adequan injection and had no fever but he was on Metacam smallest dose every other day (4 doses). However he hasn't been drinking, but vet said he wasn't dehydrated because of the moist food w/ additional water added to it. Vet check teeth and jaw and found no problems, said gums looked fine as well. She took another sample of blood to see if the white cell count had gone down as well as to check thyroid. Blood work came back next day, thyroid is fine BUT - the white cell count is now 2100 - had been 1700 first visit, 1900 second visit, and now its even higher after a covena shot, and 2 weeks on Clavamox. So she wanted to start him on a different family of antibiotics so prescribed Bayfril - 1/2 tablet every day.

Still no diagnosis - all tests have been negative...and frosty is still the same only improvement is the limp.

Symptoms:

lethargic

not eating unless food brought to him and then just small amounts

not drinking

on and off fever

normal stool

normal urine

not throwing up or retching

What has been tested and had negative results:

Thyroid

FeLV and FIV

Urine and kidneys

teeth and jaw

Abdominal Radiographs

Ultrasound

Other just regular checks of:

heart, lungs, ears, etc all fine

Any ideas? Vet has shown his case to another vet (3rd vet to see his case) to see if they could come up with something and still nothing...no one knows whats wrong. The other vet did say after looking at xray of his knee that it was not serious enough to have caused fever and WBC count elevation.

I did notice that when he is eating the new soft food he kind of makes a funny grinding/crunching noise, and opens mouth wide after eating licking from side to side...he seems to lick his mouth a lot and open and closes mouth a lot after eating a bit of the wet food.

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Take him to the dentist! I will bet your cat has a bad tooth infection - yes, all those symptoms can be noticed (aside from the limp, which can be completely unrelated.
I would take him quickly.
And if he is not eating, feed him - syringe feed him, or do whatever you have to do, because with a cat that size and that type of weight loss, you can end up with Fatty Liver in no time. He has to eat the full amount he would eat normally. No more eating "small amounts" He needs full nutrition!!