Force Feeding Kitty :(

She is just beautiful.  I have a boy kitty that looks about like your boy kitty.  I am so hoping for the best.  Keep trying to get her to eat the best you can.  My vet wouldn't give the nausea shot, but was ok with giving me the pills. 

She is beautiful! He is handsome, as well

Thank you again @crimmie  and @ShadowsRescue. That picture was only taken three weeks ago. Every morning, my partner would get up early and go to work, and she and boy-kitty would jump onto his side of the bed and keep me company until I get up.  Then they'd both start whining for breakfast.    I would very much like to hear her whine for breakfast again.  

Small update: I don't think she's nauseous anymore, as she doesn't seem to be foaming at the mouth anymore. Tonight, I gave her her pill, and then syringe fed about a teaspoon of water into her.  I then kind of made a soup out of that Nutri-cal gel (about a teaspoon full) and Campbell's chicken broth (ingredients: chicken broth, barley yeast extract, dextrose, flavour, chicken fat, canola and/or soybean oil <-- do you think this is okay? There's no added salt). I  syringe fed her about a teaspoon of that soup and though she wasn't particularly happy, she didn't fight, choke, foam, spit or throw up! Strange what we consider good signs nowadays.  I think she didn't protest so much because she's really weak.  I didn't want to give her anymore, because I know you're not supposed to start feeding too much after you've been starved.  I will give her another teaspoon before I go to bed.  

But I even though she's sprawled across the hallway now, I can see her lift her head and look around once in a while.  I give her cold water in a dipping bowl, and she takes a few licks, but then rests her head on the bowl so her chin is in the water. I wonder if the cool water makes her feel good.  

My sister called asking how she was, and I was able to Facetime with her and my neice and nephews. They wanted to know how Princess was and visit her, but I told them it may not be a good idea, because I know how pre-schoolers and toddlers get and I wanted Princess to have plenty of peace and rest.  So at least we got to Facetime and they could see her. She did lift her head and look at them, which I thought was a nice gesture. I think somewhere inside she still wants to be the socialite that she's always been.  

I think anything you can get into her is good. Keep loving her, keep trying to feed her anything you can think of. I'm pulling for her with all of my heart

My partner is staying home today, so he will be able to keep an eye on Princess. He took that picture a little bit ago, she was in front of our couch.

Well Princess isn't getting worse, and she seems a little but more awake now. She has also been mewling a little and looking around, so it's not the greatest news but it's encouraging that she's still with us. She still doesn't have an appetite. This morning, I syringe fed her more of that Nutri-cal soup, some water and her Pred pill.

She's shiny in the picture because I just gave her a warm washcloth bath before heading out to work.

I also just heard back from the vet while I was typing this post. He'd like to see her again to do blood work and if necessary get fluids in her. Right now, because she is getting something in her and she seems stable, we're going to keep going on, and we'll bring her to the vet Friday or Saturday.

I just want to add my best wishes to you.  I have been through syringe feeding a cat, and it was a rough ride to say the least.  If she was on furosemide (Lasix) they must have thought there was some indication of fluid buildup from something like congestive heart failure (this is one of the things my cat suffered from when I was syringe feeding her).  I see where you said now they think maybe something else is going on with lungs and have stopped that med.  Either way, these are items that might affect her breathing (either buildup of fluid from the heart issue, or a specific lung issue), which will affect her interest in eating on her own. 

I hope Princess will respond well to some of these treatments and get back to where she is eating some on her own.  So far it seems like you are seeing some signs indicating a bit of improvement so we'll hope for that trend continuing.  Hang in there.

Thank you @2bcat  . We have an appointment with the Vet to do blood work on Friday.  Hopefully she won't need it by then, but they will see if she needs fluid injections or a feeding tube too.    Is it weird, me and my partner both are prepared to let her go if we know for sure that there's nothing we can do for her, but we refuse to lose her to complications from starvation.    

melaQ said:

 
Thank you @2bcat  . We have an appointment with the Vet to do blood work on Friday.  Hopefully she won't need it by then, but they will see if she needs fluid injections or a feeding tube too.    Is it weird, me and my partner both are prepared to let her go if we know for sure that there's nothing we can do for her, but we refuse to lose her to complications from starvation.    

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That's not weird at all.  Makes perfect sense to us.  It is essentially what we did too.  Amber had kidney disease going as well, and it was after 3+ years of treatment for hyperthyroid (during that time she was fine, it didn't really show as symptoms until she took a downturn and we started the kidney treatment with sub-q fluid and such).  What I would say is that if you get into a few weeks or so of doing this syringe feeding with little, you may want to think about other choices.  If there's reason to believe she would otherwise have good quality of life for a while except for the eating, you can maybe think about a feeding tube.  If there are other issues which are dragging down her quality of life, you may want to make a different choice.

We probably went through a few weeks of syringe feeding.  I don't know how long.  It was interspersed with periods of her maybe eating a little out of bowls but not much.  Really the problem was balancing sub-q fluid treatment with the fact that adding fluid was not good for the heart issue and affecting her breathing.  I was expecting to turn a corner though, with the kidney issue and getting her appetite back.  Instead she left us on her own, somewhat suddenly at home, before we got there.  We believe that was a complication from the heart issue.  The kidney values were not that advanced, and she was getting enough nutrition to not be starving.  She had energy enough to fight the feeding all the time, poor thing.  That is why it seemed like she would be ok, but a heart condition can be an any time sort of thing, a detail that I remember the vet telling me when he diagnosed it but didn't exactly remember in the middle of everything else we were trying to keep up.  It was not at all what I expected; I expected to have to make a decision some months later.

melaQ said:

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• melaq
• Jul 22, 2015

My partner is staying home today, so he will be able to keep an eye on Princess. He took that picture a little bit ago, she was in front of our couch.

Well Princess isn't getting worse, and she seems a little but more awake now. She has also been mewling a little and looking around, so it's not the greatest news but it's encouraging that she's still with us. She still doesn't have an appetite. This morning, I syringe fed her more of that Nutri-cal soup, some water and her Pred pill.

She's shiny in the picture because I just gave her a warm washcloth bath before heading out to work.

I also just heard back from the vet while I was typing this post. He'd like to see her again to do blood work and if necessary get fluids in her. Right now, because she is getting something in her and she seems stable, we're going to keep going on, and we'll bring her to the vet Friday or Saturday.

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More awake and talking back is a good sign She is so pretty! Hoping for good results on Friday

Today, we started her on the A/D.  I took about a spoonful of the stuff, mixed it in with a teaspoon of Nutri-cal and just a bit of warm water to loosen it up.  The first feeding with this went about as expected... with food all over her face. She doesn't seem to have an appetite at all, just zero interest in eating.  I just hope that I'm not stressing her out too much. She didn't seem so bad, but when she got tired of it, then she started scratching and trying to get away.  

First feeding, I managed about 15cc.  That was about 8pm. The second feeding was 11pm, and managed 20cc this time.  I've given her water pretty much the same way. 

I really hope that this is helping. Right now, she's just flopped over, as if she's drained from the whole ordeal.  She's about 10lbs (4.7kg last time she was weighed).  I've only started feeding her a couple of days ago, and I know I'm supposed to start slow, but how will I know that this is enough?  Did you have to start off with smaller portions, and if so, how long to start giving her more? 

Thanks in advance for any advice. 

P.S. I feel like I'm going to smell like cat food forever.  

2bcat said:

 
We probably went through a few weeks of syringe feeding.  I don't know how long.  It was interspersed with periods of her maybe eating a little out of bowls but not much.  Really the problem was balancing sub-q fluid treatment with the fact that adding fluid was not good for the heart issue and affecting her breathing.  I was expecting to turn a corner though, with the kidney issue and getting her appetite back.  Instead she left us on her own, somewhat suddenly at home, before we got there.  We believe that was a complication from the heart issue.  The kidney values were not that advanced, and she was getting enough nutrition to not be starving.  She had energy enough to fight the feeding all the time, poor thing.  That is why it seemed like she would be ok, but a heart condition can be an any time sort of thing, a detail that I remember the vet telling me when he diagnosed it but didn't exactly remember in the middle of everything else we were trying to keep up.  It was not at all what I expected; I expected to have to make a decision some months later.

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I'm so sorry to hear @2bcat  .  I do know what that's like.. trying so hard only to lose them. But you loved her, and she knew that.  Thank you for sharing, it means a lot.  I know if it is a heart condition, we have to be ready to let her go any time.

The smell of the A/D is forever stuck in my nose, also lol
I spent A LOT of time and energy calculating KCal/ml of A/d mixed with whatever....so find out how many mls to give her every day, divided by how many feedings per day. At the end of the day, anything you can get into her is awesome.
A/D is about 1.3 kcal/ml
My vet told me to aim for 1-1 1/2 cans per day. But you have to start slowly.
Day 1= 1/3 of can
Day 2= 2/3 of can
Day 3= 1 can
Day 4= 1 1/3 can....
Remember that mixing with water will change the calories per ml, since water has no caloric value. I mixed mine with KMR (the liquid, not the powder), and Nutri Cal

Read here: http://www.thecatsite.com/t/301163/added-calories-to-hills-a-d

It took me a few days to realize that if I wasn't calm, she would also not be calm.

I hope today is going better.  My sick kitty loved the watered down AD food.  It was her favorite.  It makes me so sad to see the spare cans I still have.  I used a Magic Bullet Blender to puree the  Ad and water.  I often used low sodium chicken broth or the bone broth for the liquid for extra taste and nutrition. 

Update when you can.

melaQ said:

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.

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No no no. You must NOT take ibuprofen with an ulcer. Two years ago I was quite ill and was taking ibuprofen to take my fever down. I had an ulcer I didn't know I had. It burst and I nearly met my maker if my ex hadn't called an ambulance. I was in hospital for a week. Please take paracetamol.
Ask your vet if he has Recovery made by royal canin. It's a very wet palatable pate. I fed my late Lotto this by hand when he wouldn't eat. It's very good. Please ask him. Sending lots of vibes to be.

melaQ said:

 
Today, we started her on the A/D.  I took about a spoonful of the stuff, mixed it in with a teaspoon of Nutri-cal and just a bit of warm water to loosen it up.  The first feeding with this went about as expected... with food all over her face. She doesn't seem to have an appetite at all, just zero interest in eating.  I just hope that I'm not stressing her out too much. She didn't seem so bad, but when she got tired of it, then she started scratching and trying to get away.  

First feeding, I managed about 15cc.  That was about 8pm. The second feeding was 11pm, and managed 20cc this time.  I've given her water pretty much the same way. 

I really hope that this is helping. Right now, she's just flopped over, as if she's drained from the whole ordeal.  She's about 10lbs (4.7kg last time she was weighed).  I've only started feeding her a couple of days ago, and I know I'm supposed to start slow, but how will I know that this is enough?  Did you have to start off with smaller portions, and if so, how long to start giving her more? 

Thanks in advance for any advice. 

P.S. I feel like I'm going to smell like cat food forever.  

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Hope things have been going well, or as well as can be expected, the last couple days.  I remember feeding being a struggle and attempting to get maybe 30cc in one session but that was tough  we did a few sessions per day.  And yes you will be constantly smelling cat food probably from your cat and other places.  And you'll likely be really drained.  It's hard to know just how much food you need to get in per day (depends upon how much it is watered, if any) but just keep at it and remember to offer food in bowls in case she decides she would be interested in that.  Not entirely sure of the thinking but potentially you might want the food in bowls to be a different kind in case she associates the smell of the a/d with the (probably) negative experience of the syringe feeding.  Some cats take better to the syringe than others though.

I can't remember, has she been on any meds that might stimulate her appetite?  There's a couple of things usually tried for this.

Thank you everyone for your replies. 

My Princess passed away at home last night at 8pm.  I had been so hopeful that she was getting better... her head up more often, and purring when we come by to pet her. She had been taking to her feedings well. When I came home last night, my partner had been home, and she was where she usually was, in the bathroom. When I came by to say hello, she was on her side, and she barely acknowledged me.  I got ready to administer her pill, and picked her up to move her to the living room. I suddenly realized that she was really weak and had no muscle coordination at all on the left side of her body, but she was trying to get away.   I pushed everything away and assured her that we won't have to do anything tonight. She was so weak in my arms, but she made another attempt to jump out of my lap. I put her down gently, and she still tried to get up, but she couldn't, at which point I began to call for my partner.  

She didn't even make a noise. She started to have a seizure right in front of me. I laid down on the floor beside her and told her "You're so pretty..." over and over again.  My boyfriend came into the room just as she was having her last gasps, and then she was gone. 

I'm crying as I write this. I don't understand what happened. I don't know what signs I should have looked for.  I blame myself for not taking her to the vet sooner (even though I know they probably wouldn't have been able to do anything). I blame myself for not having enough money to give her the best care she deserved.  I blame myself for trying to give her her pill, and making her afraid when she just wanted to rest.  

Me and my boyfriend have been crying all day, missing her like mad. How she would always greet us when we came home by demanding food. How she would never jump onto the couch with us, unless we laid a cushion there just for her. How her fluffy tail was always up, and how I liked to play with the fluffy tip of it. I miss her voice, and I miss her purrs.   This morning, we brought her to a pet funeral parlour. In retrospect, I should have brought her to my vet, but I thought maybe the funeral place would treat her better. We opted to keep her ashes in a lovely oak box.

I told myself when my cat, Niko died, that I couldn't bear to bring another cat to a vet clinic to be euthanized, but it was so much harder watching her die at home.  I knew she might have died, I just wanted a little bit more time with her. Just feed her to get her over this spell, and then spend the rest of her life spoiling her with everything she wanted.  If I had known a month ago when she was feeling better that I was going to lose her, I would have given her all the Fancy Feast she wanted and taken her to the park with a harness so she can play in the grass.

I'm sorry I've written a lot here. I'm going to share her story in the Rainbow Bridge section, because everyone should get to know how wonderful she was.  

I'm so sorry. :-(

Please try not to second guess yourself too much. We all do that and it's normal but you gave her a great life and did your best to make good choices given the situation. We aren't perfect and our wonderful feline friends can't directly tell us in our own language what is wrong.

Remember all the good times. And take good care of yourselves.

I am so very sorry. You did your absolute best for her. She waited for you until you were home to say her final good bye. I know how very difficult this is for you and your boyfriend. You are both in my thoughts.

As time goes by and the tears still flow, try to remember the happy moments. She will always be with you and watching over you.

Don't beat yourself up. Often cats will seek out a spot to be alone near the end. She chose to wait for you because she loved and trusted you. My darling girl passed in the last week of June (probably right around her birthday if I calculated right). She knows you cared. And she is at peace now . Hugs to you both.

I am so sorry for your loss. I know how how easy it is to blame yourself, but try not to. Princess would want you to feel love when you think about her, not guilt. You and your boyfriend fought so hard for her, sometimes there isn't any more you can do. Rest in sweet peace, Princess
Sending love and strength to you both.