Sick cat won't eat. Tough questions.

My cat Gordon isn't doing so well. 

Some history, when Gordon found my sister he was 4 pounds mostly ticks and bones. We think he's around 4-5 years old. He suffered from renal damage as a result of being starved and since then has had mild seizures. He's now a 14 pound snuggly goofball.

Until Saturday, when I woke up to him breathing funny and being unresponsive to me stepping over him or talking to him. I called my mom who took him to the vet. This was the first time. The vet said it seemed like he had a inflamed central nerves system. She gave him steroids and told us to come back on monday.

He didn't improve at all, he wasn't eating or drinking or being himself at all. My family came over to say good bye to him because I thought I was going to have to put him down.

On monday the vet asks to do an x-ray to make sure it's not heart disease and finds out he's got pneumonia and a fungal infection. Her idea is that it's causing his preexisting neural issue to flare up.

She gave him subcutaneous fluids and anti fungal and antibiotics. He improved so much. He was walking around a little bit, he peed in the litter box. He came to me for comfort.   

I took him back today for more fluids. He's still not eating and he's isolating himself again. 

What are realistic expectations for recovery? Is me freaking out over his not eating premature given he's only been on these meds for 2 days? 

I feel like my vet is serving me soft ball because I'm a bit of a mess at the vet. Is this something after so many days should I put him down? Am I being cruel to him? 

You know when you save animals that they are going to be a little broken but that's okay because you love them. I'm so worried I'm not serving his best interests. 

I'm taking him back to the vet again tomorrow. 

It's realistic that he will recover, but you will have to be diligent with his treatment and be sure he eats and gets the medications he needs.  If you're not seeing improvement on one medication, call the vet and ask for something else.  He's only been on the current meds for 2 days.  Like with humans, I give it at least 72 hours before expecting any major improvements.  What med is he on?  Some meds upset the tummy and he might need something like a Pepcid or Cerenia (an injection that settles the tummy) or even an appetite stimulant.

What are you feeding him?  Is it wet or dry food?  Get some plain meat baby food and some plain pedialyte.  Put a teaspoon of the baby food on a plate and mix with a little bit of the pedialyte.  Warm it in the microwave for just a couple of seconds and offer it to him.  Also, get some of the original Classic Fancy Feast canned food.  It's a pate and is usually very enticing to kitties.  Put a little bit on a plate or in a bowl, add a touch of the pedialyte and then warm it up in the microwave for a few seconds or in a water bath and see if that will entice him to eat.

Is he also congested or is he sneezing?  Kitties won't eat if they can't smell their food.  That's why I suggested warming it up.  That enhances the aroma.  The Pedialyte will help keep him hydrated and his electrolytes in balance.

He's on fluconazole and zeniquin, she also gave him a antibiotic shot but I don't have the name of it. 

He has nasal discharge so I've been trying to feed him all the stinkest foods I can find, canned tuna, salmon, frisky's wet cat food. Also foods I never let him have but he tries to get like yogurt. 

Every time stick these stinky foods under his nose he retches.

Sounds like he's probably experiencing some tummy upset from the meds as well as possibly from the drainage.  Call the vet and ask about giving him some Pepcid (plain Pepcid) and how much, or if you can bring him in for a Cerenia shot.  Plain yogurt is okay for him to have.  Try plain meat foods such as turkey or chicken and see if that works.  You could also boil some chicken, shred it and add in a little bit of the broth (no salt or seasonings) to add some moisture and offer him that.  If he doesn't eat, he will start having liver problems, which he doesn't need.  If all else fails, you will need to assist feed him with a syringe so he's getting some much needed nutrition. 

What kind of fungal infection does he have?

I'll check about the tummy meds. 

I'm not sure what kind of fungal infection he's got. I should have asked that. 

How quickly doesn't fatty liver issues become a problem? 

I'm going to ask tomorrow about assist feeding. 

Liver issues can set in within a few days, especially if your cat is already ill, which he is.  You can try placing food on his paws because that will usually get them to lick their paws.  You can pick up a syringe at a feed store if you have one near, they pharmacy, or you can even use a dropper from the baby section of the store.  Try the plain meat baby food (chicken or turkey) and see if that helps.

He definitely sounds nauseated.  See if the Vet can give him an anti-emetic (Cerenia) to stop the nausea.  Also, possibly an appetite stimulant.  Then try all the things StephanieTX suggested.

Nothing will work, though, while he is nauseated, I don't think.  Not even force feeding probably.  It may just come right back out .  And it may be one of his meds that's causing it. 

You're right though, to worry about H/L.  That's why it's critical to stop the nausea.  And I'm not sure Pepcid will do it.  It's more of an antacid.  When they approach their food, then retch, that's not so much acid as nausea.

For the Zenequin, did the vet start him at a lower dose and tell you to work up to a higher dose?  That's what my vet advised when we had to give Zenequin to Hannah.  That's a VERY strong antibiotic and many antibiotics cause upset tummies and diarrhea.