Syringe feeding due to URI- how much to feed?

ty3535

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We are force feeding Enzo as he's too stuffy and won't eat for the past two days. How often and how much should I give him? I read somewhere that one jar of baby food twice a day is sufficient but I'm just not sure.
 

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your best bet is to feed him at least 2/3 of what he normally eats, calorie wise.  So, not knowing how big he is, or his age,or how active he normally is, it's hard to say exactly how much to force feed him.  AND, since baby food is not 100% nutritionally complete, you should not really be feeding only this for too long.  Can you not get some cans of PATE cat food and water it down to a good consistency for the syringe and feed him that?  At least then you know you are giving him something that is nutritionally complete.

Also, are you putting him in the bathroom with steam to try to help with his stuffiness?  Is he under a doctor's care?   Have you tried heating up the stinkiest cat food you can find to see if you can tempt him that way?  (usually a fish flavor)
 
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catwoman707

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our best bet is to feed him at least 2/3 of what he normally eats, calorie wise.  So, not knowing how big he is, or his age,or how active he normally is, it's hard to say exactly how much to force feed him.  AND, since baby food is not 100% nutritionally complete, you not really be feeding only this for too long.  Can you not get some cans of PATE cat food and water it down to a good consistency for the syringe and feed him that?  At least then you know you are giving him something that is nutritionally complete.

Also, are you putting him in the bathroom with steam to try to help with his stuffiness?  Is he under a doctor's care?   Have you tried eating up the stinkiest cat food you can find to see if you can tempt him that way?  (usually a fish flavor)
OP has a few threads about this kitty, who was recently diagnosed with IBD, it was me who recommended stopping all of his normal foods and going with 2 jars of turkey baby food and pediolyte to get him settled then starting the new food chosen.
We are force feeding Enzo as he's too stuffy and won't eat for the past two days. How often and how much should I give him? I read somewhere that one jar of baby food twice a day is sufficient but I'm just not sure.
Each jar of baby food has about 60 calories in it.

He does need to keep up more than 50% of his normal daily intake of cals, and 2 will do this.

If you find that it is just too much to get in to him per day, ask the vet for the high calorie nutrical, looks like toothpaste gel, squirt some of this in the mix also.

As far as how often, hard to say without knowing what he will allow you to syringe him in each sitting, as much as possible basically.

Just so that he gets those calories and will still settle down his gut and digestive system.

Is he on antibiotics? For an 8 yr old cat to be so sick is unusual.

I would steam him in a steamy bathroom several times a day and you can also unplug him temporarily with little noses baby nasal spray, it's harmless saline solution.
 

mrsgreenjeens

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 OP has a few threads about this kitty, who was recently diagnosed with IBD, it was me who recommended stopping all of his normal foods and going with 2 jars of turkey baby food and pediolyte to get him settled then starting the new food chosen.
Oops!  Mea culpa. 
  I didn't realize there were any issues other than a URI. 
 
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ty3535

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OP has a few threads about this kitty, who was recently diagnosed with IBD, it was me who recommended stopping all of his normal foods and going with 2 jars of turkey baby food and pediolyte to get him settled then starting the new food chosen.



Each jar of baby food has about 60 calories in it.
He does need to keep up more than 50% of his normal daily intake of cals, and 2 will do this.
If you find that it is just too much to get in to him per day, ask the vet for the high calorie nutrical, looks like toothpaste gel, squirt some of this in the mix also.

As far as how often, hard to say without knowing what he will allow you to syringe him in each sitting, as much as possible basically.
Just so that he gets those calories and will still settle down his gut and digestive system.

Is he on antibiotics? For an 8 yr old cat to be so sick is unusual.

I would steam him in a steamy bathroom several times a day and you can also unplug him temporarily with little noses baby nasal spray, it's harmless saline solution.
Okay, that's great to know about the baby food. It's the only thing he'll let us feed him via the syringe and I was worried it wasn't enough substance. We even tried the a/d but he won't eat it. He goes up and tries to smell it and when he can't he just backs away. We did get the nasal drops last night and we've been steaming/using a humidifier. He was given antibiotics when we first suspected a URI (Convenia) and now he is also on doxycycline.
 
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catwoman707

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Oops!  Mea culpa. 
  I didn't realize there were any issues other than a URI. 
You're too funny! That bag on head is one of my faves!! Heehee 


Just wanted to point that out as an fyi :) I could tell you didn't know.
Okay, that's great to know about the baby food. It's the only thing he'll let us feed him via the syringe and I was worried it wasn't enough substance. We even tried the a/d but he won't eat it. He goes up and tries to smell it and when he can't he just backs away. We did get the nasal drops last night and we've been steaming/using a humidifier. He was given antibiotics when we first suspected a URI (Convenia) and now he is also on doxycycline.
It's probably best to only give the baby food now anyway since you are working on getting his inners calmed down and non reactive.

Hoping it is mixed with a bit of pediolyte, it doesn't have to be half and half if it's too much to syringe in a day and he is drinking some on his own as well. Just need him to get cals and stay well hydrated.

I'm still a bit baffled as to why he is this sick at his age. Has he had a history of uri issues? Ever tested for a specific diagnosis? FIV/FELV tested?
 

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Short term the baby food is like paste and does not clog a syringe. Which only makes the whole issue of force feeding more unpleasant for the cat and the human.
 
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ty3535

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You're too funny! That bag on head is one of my faves!! Heehee :lol3:
Just wanted to point that out as an fyi :) I could tell you didn't know.



It's probably best to only give the baby food now anyway since you are working on getting his inners calmed down and non reactive.
Hoping it is mixed with a bit of pediolyte, it doesn't have to be half and half if it's too much to syringe in a day and he is drinking some on his own as well. Just need him to get cals and stay well hydrated.

I'm still a bit baffled as to why he is this sick at his age. Has he had a history of uri issues? Ever tested for a specific diagnosis? FIV/FELV tested?
We know why he's sick. We adopted a kitten from a local rescue league that came down with a URI. Unfortunately he didn't make it, he was too small and already undernourished. So the vet is certain Enzo caught the URI from second hand contamination - they were kept separate but she explained my husband or I could have been carriers if we hadn't properly washed our hands and so forth. And he was tested for both and was negative thank God!!
 
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catwoman707

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Okay that explains it then!

I had to know :)

I take it this was recent and this is his first and only uri?

Once he is well again it will likely not return despite the fact that the main uri's are basically considered for life.

So he was given a covenia shot how long ago, and how long has he been on the doxy?
 
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ty3535

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Okay that explains it then!
I had to know :)

I take it this was recent and this is his first and only uri?

Once he is well again it will likely not return despite the fact that the main uri's are basically considered for life.

So he was given a covenia shot how long ago, and how long has he been on the doxy?
Yep this is his first (and hopefully only!) URI. He was given the Convenia on Thursday, didn't get stuffy until Saturday, and just started the doxy Saturday. But from all I'm hearing the antibiotics will do little for his congestion and it's viral so I am really at a loss as to what else to do. We're steaming, using the humidifier, nose drops, force feeding. I'm told it can just take a little while for it to clear up so I'm just going to keep hoping it goes away soon! I don't know what else to do or what other medicines are available if I take him back to the vet.
 

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Just continue on as you are now, make sure he gets his doxy as scheduled, and he will get well again soon.

When a cat has a virus like this, usually/most times bacteria try to invade too, so their immune system has to work hard to keep this bacteria from invading, making it too busy doing this to work on getting rid of the virus.

So, when antibiotics are given, this will take care of keeping the bacteria away, so it frees up his immune system so it can focus on getting rid of the virus.

You see how that works?
 
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ty3535

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Just continue on as you are now, make sure he gets his doxy as scheduled, and he will get well again soon.

When a cat has a virus like this, usually/most times bacteria try to invade too, so their immune system has to work hard to keep this bacteria from invading, making it too busy doing this to work on getting rid of the virus.

So, when antibiotics are given, this will take care of keeping the bacteria away, so it frees up his immune system so it can focus on getting rid of the virus.

You see how that works?
That makes perfect sense. He seems better today, he's out of bed and acting normally other than not eating or drinking and I think that's because he's still somewhat stuffy.
 
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