Force feeding cat, hopeless?

Good morning, all.

I ended up bringing home a pair of cats from the pound last week. They were not together originally, and I have been keeping them separate so far.

Pan is 4 years old. He was owner surrendered, and the reason given was "unwanted". Of course, very little information is given about the animals that are surrendered, and whoever handled the intake doesn't remember anything about it the next day, so I knew when I took him home that I was getting a wild card.

Once home Thursday eve and put into his quarantine area, Pan ate a bowl of dry food (got same food as the shelter uses, run of the mill Science Diet) and seemed content if a bit confused as I expected. Friday morning he seemed more reserved, and ate only a few bites of kibble. I held him for a bit and tried to comfort him, knowing that change is stressful for a cat and hoping he would adjust if left quietly to himself. Friday eve, he would not eat dry kibble or canned food. He was sneezing and had watery eyes. Kitty colds/feline herpes virus is rampant in the local shelter, but I have always been able to nurse kitties through it with some stinky canned food and time so I made sure he had clean blankets and towels to curl up in and left him for the night. I also thought perhaps he would eat some of the canned food if he was alone.

Saturday morning I was out doing the barn chores when my husband called me in and said "You better check on Pan, he is making weird noises and smells bad."

(My husband loves our animals but was not raised in a home with pets, he leaves much of the decision making, feed, training, nursing, etc to me for now but he is learning. Wouldn't want you to think he's heartless! He's just afraid of messing something up. Like that time I found him trying to feed the cats nuts as treats, or when he tried to help with the feeding and gave them each two days worth of food, or when... You get the picture.)

Pan was cuddled into the blankets as I had left him, food untouched, litter undisturbed. He was gasping for breath from his mouth, so the subsequent drool was all over him. Also disturbing: he either could not or would not stand up. He had urinated all over himself and his bedding and was still laying in the soaked blankets. I grabbed him out of the wet bedding and tried to clean him a bit with some "kitty wipes", stuffed him into a carrier while my husband called our vet (who was open, thankfully), and drove him over to her office.

Pan stayed in the clinic until Tuesday afternoon, receiving intravenous fluids for dehydration, antibiotics, pain medications, fever reducers, and being syringe fed. He would not eat on his own and he was not using the litter box yet, but he was standing/walking on his own and was able to breathe normally though congested. Our vet felt he would be more comfortable at home with me (he doesn't know me well yet, of course, but likes to be pet and seemed cheerful on Tuesday) and that the less noisy/stressful environment might help him to eat/drink on his own. Tuesday afternoon and eve he did drink water on his own and used his litter box, but would not eat on his own even when offered tuna broth, etc. Smearing a bit of it on his lips does not entice him to even lick at his lips. Force feeding was a horrible experience for us all and then after he forgave me and purred while I pet him I set him in a shallow box with some bedding.

Wednesday morning (yesterday) he would not eat, but drank on his own and used the litter box. Wednesday eve was more force feeding trauma, and that eve he again acted unable to get to the litter box and urinated on himself and his bedding instead.

This morning he will not eat. Has not drank on his own since yesterday morning. Has severe congestion and acts very lethargic. Has not used his litter box. I have called the vet and scheduled to bring him in. But I am starting to think this is hopeless. I cannot keep taking him in for fluids every few days. I cannot syringe feed him every morning and evening. I cannot keep disinfecting his area and washing pee-soaked bedding every day.

I have the option to return him to the pound. My family thinks I should, because they might be better able to understand what is wrong with him. (Though I think that's unlikely. Our pound is a high kill shelter, and my reluctance is due to my nagging suspicion that they will just euthanize him as soon as I've turned my back.) The idea that he may have been surrendered because of health problems has been offered.

What should I do? A virus can last from 7 to 20 days, or somewhere in there, but keeping him at the vet is expensive (over $400, ouchie) and keeping him at home is emotionally exhausting. I have been up late into the nights, trying to tempt him with every food I can think of, including human foods like cheese, yogurt, etc. The anxiety this is causing my husband and I is very taxing, and the time I spend medicating, force feeding, cleaning, etc is taking away from other chores and needs. The other kitty is fine, getting over his kitty cold now, in fact, he has stopped sneezing and seemed to have only a little discharge this morning from his nose. He isn't getting the love a new kitty needs, either, because I spend all my time trying to wheedle Pan into not dying.

Thank you for reading this long missive. Should I take Pan back in for IV fluids and continue with force feeding, or should I return him to the "Adoption Center" and risk that they will euthanize him rather than help him?

I can not see many shelters doing anything other then euthanizing.  Based on numbers alone and the fact that if this spreads they may have to euth all their cats.  Personally I would try far as you can and when to much euthanize at the vet while being there with the cat(personal thing is I stay with my cats).  May be worth a  shot to call and ask if they have any experience/known cases of what yours has.  

Only thing I swear by is the high calorie supplement GNC makes that is sold at Petsmart.  Any calorie supplement in general is good but had really good results with that one a few times now.

Your husband sounds adorable and mine is similar.  Tried to give the cats treats a few times and mainly cereal or something and they just look at him like really?

Thank you for your reply. My vet agrees with you - that he will most likely be euthanized if returned to the pound.

She has also ventured that his lack of progress might mean that he will not recover, and that we may need to euthanize him. I am trying to determine if I should keep him at the clinic on IV fluids for the weekend and hope for recovery knowing that if he is not well on Monday we will have to euthanize him, or if I should take him in to the vet to be put down tomorrow. My vet has seen two other cats in the past that had similar problems and they did not recover.

I am not willing to put him through the torment of the animal control system to save myself $40. I'll take him to the vet and stay with him. But am I giving up too soon?

I am already out over 400 in bills. I am not overly concerned, since I know that animals need veterinary care and budget accordingly, but I am not growing a money tree farm either, so another weekend stay bill will certainly be inconvenient.

I will take some time to think and talk with Pan about it. Any input is welcome. Thank you.

Personally I would consider putting Pan down if still the same tomorrow or even Saturday.  That is based on the vets previous experience and also for me having so many cats and having gone through a few similar cases. In my experience if it is an unknown issue treat with antibiotics and support and if that does nothing after a few days that cat ends up euthanized as they tend to get worse.

Only thing I would personally try is subq fluids at home if your up for that.  Very easy to do and may buy you a few days for his body to figure out if it can fight it or not.

Was this cat Felv/FIV tested? He recently neutered or fully healed in the back end?  Fighting males tend to be the ones to get the nasty diseases

What did the Vet think is the issue?  Have you discussed with the Pound about any reimbursement of funds since you JUST adopted him?  They should not have adopted out a sick kitty, and if they would possibly reimburse you some of your funds,then it would make your decision to keep him in the hospital over the weekend a little easier. 

I guess worse case scenario you could have an esophageal feeding tube installed and get nourishment in him that way.  I don't think they are too expensive, and you can feed and water and medicate him via that tube very easily.  That might give him a fighting chance.

The vet initially thought it was just a bad virus/URI gone wrong, but today mentioned that the other two cases had ended up being esophageal cancer... Mostly my vet is concerned that there has been no improvement despite the IVs, meds, etc for an entire week. She doesn't want me to spend hundreds more dollars on a cat that cannot recover or won't have any quality of life. 

I contacted the pound and let them know when he was in the hospital, on the off chance it was contagious that they probably needed to know. I tried to call but got too upset -- I'm an easy crier -- so I sent an e-mail instead. The person checking the e-mail replied that it had been sent to someone else in the organization to address. I have a hard time caring about the $40 adoption fee though... The shelter here services several different counties without shelters as operates as overflow when other shelters have trouble, so it is a chaotic, crowded facility and they can't catch every sick kitty that goes through.

My vet wanted us to syringe feed him, but I will ask more about why and ask about tubing him again.

I'm going to nurse him tonight and think, but I am worried that he is suffering. He acts so miserable and no amount of cuddles, freshly warmed blankets, or soothing words seem to comfort him. We will go sit in the sun for a bit and enjoy the nice weather.

Has he been tested for fiv or felv? What about fip?

If he tested positive for any of those I might consider euthanasia. If negative, I would assume this is a particularly bad virus and give him more time.
I know I've read about new treatment s for fip so even that killer is something beatable.

I would ask about the drug mirtazapine as that is often used in cats that are dying to improve appetite and to try and prolong life. It is not risk free but can work really well. I have a very rare disease and that drug is a miracle for me as it helps me eat when otherwise nothing would go down.

Good luck and bless you for trying!

He was tested for FIV and FELV. He was negative. I am not familiar with FIP? Is there a possibility of a false negative?

He was neutered prior to being surrendered. I do not know if he was an indoor only or indoor outdoor, though he does not prefer to be outside. He has no ear notches or scars that might indicate an outdoor life, though.

He has some blood coming out of his nose and mouth now. I am not willing to torture him tonight with more syringe feeding. Cleaned him and changed bedding, now going to try to get a little cat milk into him and take to clinic for subq.

Thank you all for your replies. I had planned on trying to hold out through the weekend as I mentioned, but with his rapid decline I will be asking the vets advice tomorrow.

And can I just say: this sucks.

What a tough situation to be in. It definitely sounds like sickness might have been the reason he was turned in. As if a shelter on a shoestring budget has all the time and money in the world to treat someone's pet.

I know it sounds painful, but euth might be the way to go. At least he has the option to be loved and go to sleep peacefully. If he gives you a sign that he's getting better, I would persevere though.

Is it possible this cat could have been poisoned? The bleeding from the nose and mouth certainly sounds a lot like poisoning.

Honestly, I think that is what is making this such an anxious decision for me... I haven't known Pan very long. A little over a week, and half of that he's been in hospital, and most of the rest he's been sick, miserable, or fighting me as I try to force feed him. If he would give me any sign, any sign!, that he was trying, I would hold out. Just twitch his ears a little or something. But he seems mentally far far away, and I am worried I am making the wrong choice.

I have never faced euth before, either. All of my pets have had the fortune (I guess?) of meeting death with grey fur and stiff joints, and usually peacefully save one that died in emergency surgery. I cannot let him suffer, but I feel like I'm just quitting, giving up on a life, abandoning him just as he was abandoned before.

Sorry. I am probably not making any sense because I'm emotional.

Weemomma, I'm not familiar with poisoning? Could it be reversed?? Should I ask for blood tests?

Antifreeze poisoning can cause bleeding of the nose and mouth.

However, reading back through your complete story, it sounds like there is something else going on.  If FIP is a possibility (and unfortunately from the environment he was adopted from, it is), it will either show in a wet or dry form.  Dry form is a bit more rare than wet form.  You would know the wet form because these cats have a pot bellied appearance from fluid collecting in their abdomen.  FIP is fatal.  There is no cure.  It's hard to diagnose.  Dry FIP will manifest in other forms.  Neurological symptoms like epilepsy, seizures, and difficulty standing are major signs that it is nearing the end.

HOWEVER...you need to ask yourself some questions without emotion involved.  Is he better than he was yesterday?  Does he show any sign of improvement?  I went through a fight with my cat about six months ago.  It was the hardest thing I've ever done.  She got way worse before she got better.  I firmly believe that to do due diligence, it's worth going through all of the options.  Talk to your vet about pinning down a plan.  If they believe that it's esophageal cancer, they need to offer proof instead of just saying that it looks like that.  Could it be a nasty URI that simply isn't responding to the medicine that is being given?  Does another medication need to be administered?  Why is he congested?  Why is he not eating?  What can be given to help that?

All of these things are signs that point to a larger picture.  Is he not eating because he's congested?  Is he not eating because he's nauseous?  Is he anemic?  These are all things that need an answer.

I will tell you that the urination on the sheets is simply because he's too weak to make it to the litter box.  Anemia can cause that, but he probably doesn't have the strength because there's been limited food and water intake.  Just like you and me, it's hard to get up and going when we haven't eaten.  The not eating is because he doesn't feel good.  He needs to eat however because it can turn into further complications.  The blood in the nose and the mouth could be caused by a lesion, by infection, by illness, by anything.

You need to feel comfortable in this situation that you did all you could within your power.  You fought for him when no one else would.  You gave him a home and if this is the end, take comfort in knowing that he had someone that cared about him.  

I agree get him cleaned and let him be as peaceful as can be.  Many towels as you can put to absorb urine.  

With any poisoning the sooner you get it/treat the better. Your talking quite a bit of time now assuming he got into something before he was turned in.  Did you do any blood tests at vet?  If you have not and have money(150 by me for a panel) may be worth it to see if anything comes up of interest.  

Sadly I have faced making the decision way to many times as I have a lot of cats so I run into issues that much more  A little bit of what to expect if you want to keep reading.  I do not want to upset you or anyone else on here.  MOST will allow you to stay till the end but ask as some will not.  They give a sedating shot that is easy and the cat will start to nod out a bit till it gets to point that it will be fully sedated and limp.  If very sick that shot usually takes pretty fast.  Then when at full effect and your ready they give the final shot.  That goes into vein and sometimes is hard to get in if the cat is dehydrated/very sick.  At this point is does not matter much as cat is to sedated to move.

With a cat that is bleeding you may expect to see some more when sedated or the final shot.

Thank you.

I have read a bit about FIP just now. I had not heard of it before. He does not appear "pot bellied" as described. He looks very very thin.

We are keeping clean bedding in a stack nearby, as I know it must be horrible for a cleanly animal like a cat to lay in that mess... I clean him with "kitty wipes" but they aren't a true bath. I can't bear the idea of putting him through even a short sink bath right now, and I have to be careful to avoid contamination so clothing, dishes, trash, etc are not permitted into the main house. Everything is taken outside and around to the mud room to be disinfected, so I would have to tub bathe him. Do you think I should try a tub bath?

He hasn't responded to any medicines for URI, though I keep shoving them in him anyway. He has not had a full blood panel, only a chest xray to eliminate lung/heart damage. Anti nausea medicine has been given, but there has been no improvement from the pain or anti nausea or anything. He perked up most from subq fluids, but he is worse now than when we first took him in.

He does move his tail some. He won't open his eyes much if at all. He does not acknowledge my presence much either, today.

I would NOT bathe him.  It could be to much given his current condition. Do your best witht he wipes and keeping his towels changed as soon as you notice them dirty. FIP has wet and dry.  

GUYS!!!!!

One of you is secretly a wizard or something. I went to check his bedding and he propped himself up and drank some water!!!!!!

It's my sign! It's my ear twitch! He IS trying!!!

We ended up petting/drinking water for about twenty minutes on and off, then he curled up for more sleep and I might have dozed off a bit too maybe, but before he went to sleep he opened his eyes and looked at me!!!!

I hope he comes around.  How upsetting for you.  The poor little thing.

Fingers crossed!  Good vibes that he can get past this horrible illness.

Keep us posted!