Force Feeding Kitty :(

Hello everyone!  I'm here because my beautiful kitty, Princess, is sick.  We took her to the vet last week, and they believe that she has heart disease, though it may not be too advanced. She's still breathing okay, but I think she's throwing clots which is making her front left paw go limp and causing her distress. I don't know if she's in pain, because she is complaining, but not yowling like cats do when they are really hurting.   

At this point, what concerns everyone most is that she is not eating.  Me and my partner agreed that we don't want to stress her out, that we want to make things as comfortable as she can be because sadly we understand that heart disease in cats is incurable, and we want her time left to be full of peace and love.  I just don't want to lose her to starvation though. She hasn't eaten in a week (that I know of), except for maybe a spoonful of Fancy Feast or BFF Weruva cat food that she normally loves. I'm going to pick up A/D for her and some feeding syringes (does Pet Valu carry those, or will I have to get them from the vet?) 

Because I know how awful she is with taking her pills (she was prescribed furosemide), I know she's going to be awful with force feeding. I've looked at all the Youtubes on syringe feeding that I could, but all those cats seem so comparatively docile.  My kitty is aptly named... she's a Princess, if she doesn't want to do something, she won't.   It would be nice to hear how many people have had to to do this, and if their kitties got used to it eventually, or if it helped get their appetite back, and how long it took.  

I don't know how to help you, but others will.  I'm sorry to hear she is so sick.  How old is Princess?

@catwoman707

@Red Top Rescue

@ShadowsRescue

Thank you, your thoughts mean a lot to me!  She's thirteen years old.  

I am so sorry that Princess is not feeling well.  When cats get sick they often don't want to eat.  You can often get AD canned cat food from your vet that has extra nutrients and is very palatable.  You also may need to syringe feed her. 

I had a very sick kitty I took care of for 5 weeks.  I made bone broth as she too did not want to eat.  It was the only thing she would eat for almost a week.  Here is a video telling about it and how to make it.  Instead of cooking it on my stove top all night, I used a crock pot.  I felt safer that way.

You can also do a youtube search on how to syringe feed a cat.  Most vets can provide you with syringes.  I needed to try a few different sizes before finding one that worked.  Some people use giant feeding syringes, but the small ones worked best for me.

Thank you ShadowsRescue for the info and the vid. I'll take a look at that when I can. 

Another thing I should mention is that both me and my partner work generally full time. Once Princess is used to being syringe-fed (we hope), he might be more confident doing it by himself, but in the meantime, either I'll have to do it alone or have him help me.  So we have to schedule this morning and night. I hope that I can feed her once a little at a time a few hours in the evening before bed, get up early and try to feed her again. I just worry that there might be 8 hours or more in between where she's not eating while we're at work. I'm hoping she pulls out of this. She's still somewhat alert, and purrs sometimes when I pet her. She drinks a little bit of water at a time when I put it in front of her. 

Okay if your cat will not co-operate you are going to have to use force if you can not afford a feeding tube. I just force fed my cat for 5 weeks because she was not eating and she ended up having intestinal cancer.  Just be prepared, you might not want to hear it, because i didn't but you might lose your fur baby. So im sorry, to bring it up. *hugs*

Anyways what i hard to do was bind my cat up in a towel when i force fed her, and had to use my free hand to hold her head. She yowled and screamed in protest but she got better. You feel bad for doing it, but think of it this way, you force feeding your furry baby is going to keep it alive, you can do anything when it comes to that. I also had to give my cat SubQ aka saline everyday. Just be ready its a tough road, but they are our children, and its worth it to try and save them as long as they are not suffering. We had to put My spoiled princess down july 7th 2015. I am praying for you and your little girl. *hugs tightly* Hang in there!

If you can make the bone broth, she might be able to drink some of that by herself while you are gone during the day.  You also can try tuna juice and see if you can leave a few flecks of the tuna in the juice.  Many cats will lap up the juice from a can of tuna.

I syringe fed and did it alone.  It took anywhere from 20-45 minutes.  At first it was hard ( and it's super messy) but it gets easier.  Wear old clothes and cover yourself in towels.  Have a few wet wash clothes to wipe her up if needed.  My vet told me it the cat and I are not covered in food, then I am doing it wrong!!!

I would syringe feed in the morning again in the afternoon and again at bed.  Usually 3-4x a day.  Just do what you can.  I also would get the AD food from the vet and mix it with bone broth.  Then puree and syringe feed.  I could then leave some of the liquid food during the day.

Scottg said:

 
Okay if your cat will not co-operate you are going to have to use force if you can not afford a feeding tube. I just force fed my cat for 5 weeks because she was not eating and she ended up having intestinal cancer.  Just be prepared, you might not want to hear it, because i didn't but you might lose your fur baby. So im sorry, to bring it up. *hugs*

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Thank you so much for the thoughts and prayers, I really need them. I cried my eyes out Sunday morning when my partner was at work, and I was trying to entice Princess to eat on her own.  I gave her her favourites, warmed it, up, fed it to her by hand, she would literally turn her nose up at it.  

Because she has heart disease, I know it's something that may take her sooner than later.  We're both committed to trying to make sure she's comfortable and not stressed out.  

@ShadowsRescue

 If you can make the bone broth, she might be able to drink some of that by herself while you are gone during the day.  You also can try tuna juice and see if you can leave a few flecks of the tuna in the juice.  Many cats will lap up the juice from a can of tuna.

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I'm going to do what I can with tuna juice.  I have another cat too, and he will eat the stinky food if Princess won't.  Locking them in separate rooms isn't a preferable option because of the stress it causes them.  They both want free reign of the house, but if Princess doesn't move much anyway, I may have to lock her in the bedroom... that breaks my heart because it may stress her out more to be shut out.  

So I'm making myself sick with worry... ulcer, sore throat, headache, not good for me. But I called the vet and updated them on her condition and they strongly suggested I get her back to the vet because of her limp paw and her not eating.  I'm stuck in meetings this afternoon but I got my partner to take her, even though he's physically drained from his job.   They are there now, and I'm so worried.  

I am sending good thoughts your way.  A vet visit is a very good idea.  They can give her fluids if needed.  Keep us posted.

Thinking of you all <3

Maybe the vet can send home fluids, needles, and an iv set so you guys can do sub q fluids at home.  It's not expensive and it will do so much good for her.  It sounds super scary, but it's very easy once you get over the fear the first time.  I give fluids to Crimmie daily, and she purrs the whole time!

 I also attempted to syringe feed her for a week.  I took time off to commit to it, even.  I was never able to get enough into her to make a difference, and it stressed her out way too much.  I then tried an NG tube for feeding.  Total disaster.  She finally got an esophagostomy tube and that was a huge relief.  She may surprise you and tolerate the syringe quite well!

Oh, also try kitten replacement milk, baby food meat (plain meat, like ham, chicken, beef), Nutri-Cal (it's a high calorie supplement, comes in a tube) some cats lick it right up...mine gagged, but it's worth a try.  

I'm sending positive vibes your way, and hers 

Thank you for your replies. This is a general update... I'm on my way home to see Princess. My man took her to the vet, and I'm so grateful for that. The doctor now thinks that she might have lung issues... Like pneumonia or an infection and told us to stop giving her her current drugs (furosemide) and prescribes new ones. She isn't that dehydrated yet, and he gave us some advice on how to feed her. I'll keep updating. Thank you for letting me post.. If anything this is helping me calm down.

I found the same relief in my time of need.  It's comforting knowing that others are worried, concerned, hoping, praying, feeling...right along with you.

Just love her as you have been 

Princess was asleep on the bathroom floor when I came home, and didn't have the energy to look up and say hello (or rather "where's dinner?!") like she always does. It was so heartbreaking seeing her like that. It turns out the doctor prescribed prednisone to deal with inflammation in her lungs. He took a second look at the X-rays and thinks that the problem might be more in her lungs and not her heart. Her heart is a bit irregular, but there is no murmur. I'm not sure what to think at this point, as my partner is telling me all this over the phone. The doctor also gave her an injection of some painkiller.

She was foaming at the mouth when she got to the vet's apparently, something she had never done before. After we had dinner, I went to check on her and offered her cold water in a little dipping bowl, which she likes. She had a couple of laps and then rested again. I also bought the Nutri-cal gel supplement that shadowsrescue mentioned. There's a malt-flavoured hairball remedy gel that she liked, so I figured she would really like this too. I put a fingertip-dab on her nose and she began foaming at the mouth again while licking it up. I tried a few more fingertips and she seemed to be getting used to it. It amounted to about a teaspoon, and then gave that a rest as I saw she was getting really distressed about the whole thing. I will try it again in a little while, but I think this might be the least stress method of getting her to eat something.

She is getting better about taking her pill... Either that, or I'm getting better at administering it. I'm sad for her condition, but I am also optimistic that she will get better, especially if she eats.

Thanks again for reading. This human at least got some food into her (I haven't had much of an appetite lately) to calm the ulcer down, ibuprofen for the headache, and neck pain, and hopefully will be able to get some sleep and not wake up at 3am with worry.

Do what ever you feel she needs from you
Sending all my love to all of you

Sorry that was crimmie that suggested the Nutrition-cal. Thank you to everyone who had suggestions.

I went into the Vet's office on my way to work and spoke to the vet tech who helped Princess last Friday.  I'm still a little confused about the re-diagnosis from a heart condition to lung problems, and changing her meds from the diuretic to prednisilone. But I have to trust the vets on this. It's a good hospital, they seem to care about Princess. They know and understand about my tight budget and are willing to work with us so kitty feels better.  

Princess still is turning her nose up at food and foaming at the mouth when I try to give her any. I'm sure she's now also feeling nauseated too. The vet tech told me that hopefully the prednisilone will make her feel better within the day and she gets an appetite back.  This morning, her head was up, and she purred when I pet her, protested mildly when I cleaned her up and brushed her.  Her paw seems to be a little bit better too.   She licked up about half a teaspoon of the Nutri-cal gel, but it was under distress.  I told the vet tech all this and we're still at a wait-and-see.  I'm waiting to hear back from the doctor today. I'm trying to be hopeful that her head is up, and she is purring and reacting.  

Three weeks ago she was fine, jumping up onto the bed every morning and greeting us with bright eyes.  Now I just feel like I'm losing her.  

Have you tried any kitten replacement milk yet? Ask your vet about medication for nausea. They can give her a shot for that so you wouldn't have to pill her.
Still sending positive energy your way

You could ask for an anti nausea pill.  I had to give some to my sick kitty when the pain meds were making her too nauseous to eat.  It did help.  Keep up with the Nutri Cal.  I used that too and my kitty would eat it.  Have you tried baby food?  Cats love Gerber stage 2 chicken or turkey.  It's in a small jar with a blue label and around $1 per jar.  The only ingredients are turkey or chicken, water and a starch.  Try canned salmon too.

You are in my thoughts.

I just wanted to share a picture of my Princess when she was feeling better, still active and social. She's the black kitty up front. Boy-kitty is behind her. (sorry, I tried to share a link instead)

crimmie and shadowsrescue , I'm going to talk to the doctor about anti-nauseants next. Tonight I'm going to use a medicine dropper to give her some tuna juice and see how she does with that, as well as much as the nutri-cal as she will have. I now have a/d as part of the arsenal, and you baby food is next. Thank you again.