prescription and homemade alternatives - liver disease

Our cat has not taken to the hills, or royal canon prescription diet for hepatic/liver disease. I'm in the UK, in case these brands aren't familiar.

I tried warming it, flavouring with Tuna water, mixing with some of their favourite meat etc, she's just not having it.

She has to eat, to get her weight on, is on the denamarin each day, and steroid injection once a month. Anyone have any homemade recipes safe for liver disease? I've had a look online, but its usually all renal stuff... I've had to give her some normal food tonight, just to get her eating something today... [emoji]128557[/emoji]

Have you tried getting some FortiFlora and sprinkling a little on the food? You don't need to use the amount the pack says, as you only want it for the flavour instead of the probiotic. It's basically animal digest- the stuff they coat dry food in to tempt cats to eat it. I've not tried it myself, but a lot of people here have had great results with it. Hope your baby improves soon

When my cat was on Denamarin, my Vet didn't say anything about changing her diet, she just said to feed her anything she would eat.  We had a hard time even giving her the Denamarin, so now we just mix in a couple of drop of Vitamin E into her food once a day(PER the Vet), and call it quits.  So far, so good. 

Based on that, I would feed her what she'll eat, since you said she needs to put weight on.  Do you know what caused her liver issues in the first place?  Did she have an infection of some sort?  Did they also treat the underlying problem? 

Columbine said:

Have you tried getting some FortiFlora and sprinkling a little on the food? You don't need to use the amount the pack says, as you only want it for the flavour instead of the probiotic. It's basically animal digest- the stuff they coat dry food in to tempt cats to eat it. I've not tried it myself, but a lot of people here have had great results with it. Hope your baby improves soon

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2 of my cats Do like Fortiflora, but one of them HATES it

mrsgreenjeens It was just a thought. As I said, I haven't used it myself

Columbine said:

@mrsgreenjeens It was just a thought. As I said, I haven't used it myself

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Might work!  (unless she's got that oddball cat like I do who runs from it )

I'll see if I can source that in the U.K., thank you! I've never seen her this unhappy with food, she's generally easy to feed, and will munch her normal food, but the liver disease formulas must just out her off. I'm wondering if it's the higher carb, reduced protein element, they do have a 'malt' smell to me! Euugghh...

Our girls 21, so they aren't really looking any further than a liver enzyme count of 330, to suggest a stressed liver; renal and thyroid are all fine.

We are struggling giving her the denamarin, we have hepatosyl as a standby incase she isn't going to be happy 'pilling'.. We're only a day in, I hate the removal of food before and after with denamarin, it's hard to have 3-4 hours straight with her not eating, she's an all day crazer, not a 2/3 meal a day cat!

I'm in the uk too. FortiFlora is easy to find online (amazon and most veterinary supplies sites have it), although I don't know about 'physical' stockists.

If pilling is hard, liquid meds with an order syringe might be easier...they certainly were for my (late) chf cat. She'll adapt to the food removal in time - 3 or 4 hours isn't that long. Try to time meds around her sleepy times. That should help her not to notice the food removal.