Question from a member:
Steaket said:
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Question about food for a member's cat with cancer
- Thread starter AbbysMom
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@ Steakat: I'm so sorry you and your cat are going through this.
My only thought about salmon oil, about any kind of fish oil really, is the SMELL, especially if she is nauseated. I've heard/read that Krill oil has relatively little smell. Keep in mind that the pill the oil is in masks any smell; it is when you open/puncture the pill that you smell the fish so don't pay a lot of attention to ads that say "no smell".
And if it is only the calories she needs from the oil: I would feed kitten food and/or KMR--you could try adding the powder to the kitten food or if dehydration is an issue, kitten food + powder + liquid.
Finally, if it is pallative care only, then I'd let the cat eat what ever she wants to eat, and that includes people food.
My only thought about salmon oil, about any kind of fish oil really, is the SMELL, especially if she is nauseated. I've heard/read that Krill oil has relatively little smell. Keep in mind that the pill the oil is in masks any smell; it is when you open/puncture the pill that you smell the fish so don't pay a lot of attention to ads that say "no smell".
And if it is only the calories she needs from the oil: I would feed kitten food and/or KMR--you could try adding the powder to the kitten food or if dehydration is an issue, kitten food + powder + liquid.
Finally, if it is pallative care only, then I'd let the cat eat what ever she wants to eat, and that includes people food.
The salmon oil is VERY good for her - it's anti-inflammatory and will also add a few calories. :nod:
Have you talked with the vet about B12 shots? These may really help her feel better too - and may help her absorb more of the nutrients from her food. They sure can't hurt, and they can show you how to do it at home. :nod:
Our Lazlo has lymphoma. We were able to give him chemotherapy, and he's in remission now (:cross: knock wood). But for a few months there, he was one very sick kitty, and he lost a lot of weight.
I don't know what meds you have your girl on, but Lazlo was very nauseous even before starting the chemo. The use of prednisone, an anti-nausea medication, and an appetite stimulant went a LONG way to making him eat more and feel a LOT better. The anti-nausea medication, Cerenia, in particular, really helped. If she's not on any of those meds, I highly recommend discussing this with the vet. :nod: Actually, if you're not already using pepcid a/c, that may work for the nausea, assuming she has some? The generic is famotidine, and I prefer those, as the pills are round - easier to break in half, and they go down better than those weird angular pepcid pills.
Does she show an interest in food, then seem to get picky about eating it? Does she smack her lips at all, drool, or do a lot of swallowing? Does she sit in the meatloaf position, looking uncomfortable? All or any of these are signs of nausea.
You can also add digestive enzymes to her diet. This will help her get more nutrition out of the food she eats. Prozyme original formula is a good one to use. :nod:
Feeding her a lot of small meals, obviously, will help.
Also, to help restore her lean muscle mass, she needs a high protein diet. A fatty food will help her gain weight: EVO 95% meats or EVO chicken & turkey for kittens is a GREAT food for this (the canned food). Another one to consider is By Nature 95% canned foods. The moisture from the canned foods will also help her feel better. :nod:
To help boost the nutrition and calories, in addition to the digestive enzymes, you can mix in a raw egg yolk to wet food 3 - 4x a week. In fact, many cats like egg yolk as a treat. See if she likes it!
Another thing is to find a "topper" - a meal enhancer, if you will, that she likes. For Lazlo, this would change. But what I mean is something you sprinkle over the top of her food, to help it smell more enticing. Lazlo liked freeze dried beef liver, freeze dried chicken liver, the probiotic called Fortiflora (don't use as per directed, you're not using it for the probiotic, just the taste. You can just tear of a little corner of the packet, and "fluff" it over the food, so a thin layer of "dust" settles on top). If she likes tuna juice, try drizzling that on there for her.
For the freeze dried liver, we use both Stewart's ProTreat (Gimborn), or Etta Says.
ALL of these things are available from Amazon, if you're in the U.S. (and maybe even if you're not? :dk: ).
And right now, the most important thing - just spoil her rotten. :heart2: I agree with Ritz - whatever she wants to eat, let her eat it. Right now all that matters is that she's happy and enjoying life as much as possible.
(Of course, do your best to make sure she's getting some real nutrition too. ).
Many vibes for you and your girl!
Have you talked with the vet about B12 shots? These may really help her feel better too - and may help her absorb more of the nutrients from her food. They sure can't hurt, and they can show you how to do it at home. :nod:
Our Lazlo has lymphoma. We were able to give him chemotherapy, and he's in remission now (:cross: knock wood). But for a few months there, he was one very sick kitty, and he lost a lot of weight.
I don't know what meds you have your girl on, but Lazlo was very nauseous even before starting the chemo. The use of prednisone, an anti-nausea medication, and an appetite stimulant went a LONG way to making him eat more and feel a LOT better. The anti-nausea medication, Cerenia, in particular, really helped. If she's not on any of those meds, I highly recommend discussing this with the vet. :nod: Actually, if you're not already using pepcid a/c, that may work for the nausea, assuming she has some? The generic is famotidine, and I prefer those, as the pills are round - easier to break in half, and they go down better than those weird angular pepcid pills.
Does she show an interest in food, then seem to get picky about eating it? Does she smack her lips at all, drool, or do a lot of swallowing? Does she sit in the meatloaf position, looking uncomfortable? All or any of these are signs of nausea. You can also add digestive enzymes to her diet. This will help her get more nutrition out of the food she eats. Prozyme original formula is a good one to use. :nod:
Feeding her a lot of small meals, obviously, will help.
Also, to help restore her lean muscle mass, she needs a high protein diet. A fatty food will help her gain weight: EVO 95% meats or EVO chicken & turkey for kittens is a GREAT food for this (the canned food). Another one to consider is By Nature 95% canned foods. The moisture from the canned foods will also help her feel better. :nod:
To help boost the nutrition and calories, in addition to the digestive enzymes, you can mix in a raw egg yolk to wet food 3 - 4x a week. In fact, many cats like egg yolk as a treat. See if she likes it!
Another thing is to find a "topper" - a meal enhancer, if you will, that she likes. For Lazlo, this would change. But what I mean is something you sprinkle over the top of her food, to help it smell more enticing. Lazlo liked freeze dried beef liver, freeze dried chicken liver, the probiotic called Fortiflora (don't use as per directed, you're not using it for the probiotic, just the taste. You can just tear of a little corner of the packet, and "fluff" it over the food, so a thin layer of "dust" settles on top). If she likes tuna juice, try drizzling that on there for her.
For the freeze dried liver, we use both Stewart's ProTreat (Gimborn), or Etta Says.
ALL of these things are available from Amazon, if you're in the U.S. (and maybe even if you're not? :dk: ).
And right now, the most important thing - just spoil her rotten. :heart2: I agree with Ritz - whatever she wants to eat, let her eat it. Right now all that matters is that she's happy and enjoying life as much as possible.
(Of course, do your best to make sure she's getting some real nutrition too. ).Many vibes for you and your girl!
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I thought kitten food too, and as many small meals a day as she wants.
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Wow!!!
This is awesome! Why wouldn't the vet tell me these things.
Such those nausea symptoms, yes she has them. She is a picky eater in the first place, only like's seafood, never wanted anything to do with beef or chicken, but after reading your information. It's opened my eyes. Where would I be able to get prozyme? Nutrition store?
And I do notice now that I haven't given her any salmon oil in the last few days (she fights me, doesn't like it all) that she isn't moving around as much. I am giving her kitten food, dry, hard to find canned Kitten food, but always looking. She loves any canned food that has gravy, so giving her as much as that.
What I was wondering can I give my Patches too much salmon oil?
This is awesome! Why wouldn't the vet tell me these things.
Such those nausea symptoms, yes she has them. She is a picky eater in the first place, only like's seafood, never wanted anything to do with beef or chicken, but after reading your information. It's opened my eyes. Where would I be able to get prozyme? Nutrition store?
And I do notice now that I haven't given her any salmon oil in the last few days (she fights me, doesn't like it all) that she isn't moving around as much. I am giving her kitten food, dry, hard to find canned Kitten food, but always looking. She loves any canned food that has gravy, so giving her as much as that.
What I was wondering can I give my Patches too much salmon oil?
Steakat, Fancy Feast makes a wet food for kittens, I found it at PetCo and PetSmart. (I used it for a pregnant cat, too.)
http://www.fancyfeast.com/kitten-food/
I could NOT find this at regular grocery stores.
Vets usually only have one semester -- if that -- of nutrition for animals, and it is often taught by corporate sponsors, i.e., Hills. Which is why sometimes we have to come armed with facts, figures and print outs when talking food to our vets.
http://www.fancyfeast.com/kitten-food/
I could NOT find this at regular grocery stores.
Vets usually only have one semester -- if that -- of nutrition for animals, and it is often taught by corporate sponsors, i.e., Hills. Which is why sometimes we have to come armed with facts, figures and print outs when talking food to our vets.
She she should only have 500mg of salmon oil a day. :nod: I just puncture the capsule - since you have just one cat, you can squeeze out half the capsule onto her food! If she doesn't like it, just mix it in. :nod: What I did was puncture one of them, count the drops I got out of it, then just give half daily. You can take the other half. If she likes her kibble, you can always just crush some, and sprinkle the powder from that on top of the wet food to entice her to eat it.
And as your girl is nauseous, definitely call the vet to ask about getting Cerenia. It was developed for dogs, but works in cats very well. The box reads "16mg for dogs." It's supposed to be used 4 days on, 4 days off, something like that. But for cats in chemotherapy or with cancer, it is used off label. She should be given 1/4 of a pill every day. Lazlo (our chemo kitty), took it daily for 7 months, and the vet has me keep some at home for any bad days, I just give him some. :nod: I expect having anti-nausea meds will make a BIG difference in her willingness to eat. :cross: It sure made the difference for our Lazlo. :heart2:
See how she does with the anti-nausea medication. If her appetite doesn't perk up as much as is needed, then get an appetite stimulant. There are two: one is mirtazipine, one is cyproheptadine. The mirtazipine is given only every three days, which is why most vets prefer it. On this medication, Lazlo was asking for food about every 1/2 an hour the first day, every hour or so the second day, and then ... a number of times a day the last day. :lol3: Some cats get a little loopy on it. If she acts too weird, then you'll want to try cypro instead. This has to be given every day (maybe every 12 hours? I'm not sure, I've never used it. The vet will know or can find out).
For the Prozyme, I'm not sure where to shop for it locally. I don't know if Petsmart or Petco carry it. Our locally owned pet shop does. You might want to google "pet shop" along with the name of your town, State and see what pops up. When I used it, I ordered it on Amazon:
You might want to look for a locally owned pet shop, because they may carry the EVO canned kitten food. It isn't chunks in gravy, but my cats only liked gravy food too. I just turned the entire portion I was feeding them into gravy by putting some in one of those $15 small "food processors" you can buy at Walmart or most pharmacies, and added a little bit of warm water, and whipped it up. :lol3:
I don't know what freeze dried foods Petsmart or Petco carry. Again, I get these from Amazon, or from the local pet shop.
If she likes her kibble, you can always just crush some, and sprinkle the powder from that on top of the wet food to entice her to eat it.And as your girl is nauseous, definitely call the vet to ask about getting Cerenia. It was developed for dogs, but works in cats very well. The box reads "16mg for dogs." It's supposed to be used 4 days on, 4 days off, something like that. But for cats in chemotherapy or with cancer, it is used off label. She should be given 1/4 of a pill every day. Lazlo (our chemo kitty), took it daily for 7 months, and the vet has me keep some at home for any bad days, I just give him some. :nod: I expect having anti-nausea meds will make a BIG difference in her willingness to eat. :cross: It sure made the difference for our Lazlo. :heart2:
See how she does with the anti-nausea medication. If her appetite doesn't perk up as much as is needed, then get an appetite stimulant. There are two: one is mirtazipine, one is cyproheptadine. The mirtazipine is given only every three days, which is why most vets prefer it. On this medication, Lazlo was asking for food about every 1/2 an hour the first day, every hour or so the second day, and then ... a number of times a day the last day. :lol3: Some cats get a little loopy on it. If she acts too weird, then you'll want to try cypro instead. This has to be given every day (maybe every 12 hours? I'm not sure, I've never used it. The vet will know or can find out).
For the Prozyme, I'm not sure where to shop for it locally. I don't know if Petsmart or Petco carry it. Our locally owned pet shop does. You might want to google "pet shop" along with the name of your town, State and see what pops up. When I used it, I ordered it on Amazon:
You might want to look for a locally owned pet shop, because they may carry the EVO canned kitten food. It isn't chunks in gravy, but my cats only liked gravy food too. I just turned the entire portion I was feeding them into gravy by putting some in one of those $15 small "food processors" you can buy at Walmart or most pharmacies, and added a little bit of warm water, and whipped it up. :lol3:
I don't know what freeze dried foods Petsmart or Petco carry. Again, I get these from Amazon, or from the local pet shop.
I think you use the same salmon oil I do LDG... Isn't it the Wild Alaska Salmon oil that you use? It's what I use. It's not processed to death like some of the others.She she should only have 500mg of salmon oil a day. :nod: I just puncture the capsule - since you have just one cat, you can squeeze out half the capsule onto her food! If she doesn't like it, just mix it in. :nod: What I did was puncture one of them, count the drops I got out of it, then just give half daily. You can take the other half.
And as your girl is nauseous, definitely call the vet to ask about getting Cerenia. It was developed for dogs, but works in cats very well. The box reads "16mg for dogs." It's supposed to be used 4 days on, 4 days off, something like that. But for cats in chemotherapy or with cancer, it is used off label. She should be given 1/4 of a pill every day. Lazlo (our chemo kitty), took it daily for 7 months, and the vet has me keep some at home for any bad days, I just give him some. :nod: I expect having anti-nausea meds will make a BIG difference in her willingness to eat. :cross: It sure made the difference for our Lazlo. :heart2:
See how she does with the anti-nausea medication. If her appetite doesn't perk up as much as is needed, then get an appetite stimulant. There are two: one is mirtazipine, one is cyproheptadine. The mirtazipine is given only every three days, which is why most vets prefer it. On this medication, Lazlo was asking for food about every 1/2 an hour the first day, every hour or so the second day, and then ... a number of times a day the last day. :lol3: Some cats get a little loopy on it. If she acts too weird, then you'll want to try cypro instead. This has to be given every day (maybe every 12 hours? I'm not sure, I've never used it. The vet will know or can find out).
For the Prozyme, I'm not sure where to shop for it locally. I don't know if Petsmart or Petco carry it. Our locally owned pet shop does. You might want to google "pet shop" along with the name of your town, State and see what pops up. When I used it, I ordered it on Amazon:
You might want to look for a locally owned pet shop, because they may carry the EVO canned kitten food. It isn't chunks in gravy, but my cats only liked gravy food too. I just turned the entire portion I was feeding them into gravy by putting some in one of those $15 small "food processors" you can buy at Walmart or most pharmacies, and added a little bit of warm water, and whipped it up. :lol3:
I don't know what freeze dried foods Petsmart or Petco carry. Again, I get these from Amazon, or from the local pet shop.
The kitten food is good. Is this just maintenance for her at this point? If it is I would allow her anything she wants. You can try Nutro Max Cat. It's chunks in gravy. You can find info at http://www.nutro.com/natural-cat-food.aspx
Check with the vet on the salmon oil or maybe a couple of the other posters have experience with this type of situation. I think 500mg is about the right dose.
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Thanks for all of your information!!!
This is so helpful, I just want her to feel as comfortable as possible. It's nice to know there are folks out there that will provide information for the unhappy kitties
This is so helpful, I just want her to feel as comfortable as possible. It's nice to know there are folks out there that will provide information for the unhappy kitties
