Assisted Feeding your Cat

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• Cats cannot go without adequate food for extended periods like
  humans and dogs can. Cat's livers are inefficient. Without calories,
  the body consumes its own fat, the liver clogs and begins to die. A
  week or more of less-than-usual food consumption, or just a day or
  two of not eating anything, can become life-threatening to a cat.
  
  Without sufficient caloric intake, a cat can develop Feline Hepatic
  Lipidosis (`Fatty Liver Disease','Fatty Liver Syndrome'). FHL can
  easily and quickly be fatal. FOOD is the preventative and the cure.
  
  This is one of many veterinary sites that describe FHL:
  http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&C=189&A=1455&S=0
  
  The only thing that can stop and reverse FHL is a sufficient amount
  of FOOD. FHL rarely reoccurs because you become much more aware of
  what your cat is eating.
  
  Cats stop eating for any number of reasons INCLUDING change, stress
  and trauma, constipation, dental/mouth pain and most all
  diseases/conditions. There is not always a specific diagnosis.
  
  A cat must have MORE than a bite or a few licks of food or a few
  kibbles daily. Think in terms of about a "can a day" or equivalent.
  Of course, this depends on the size and age of a cat, as well as
  other factors --- but the point is: a few licks, a bite or two, a
  few kibbles is NOT enough.
  
  Trying to tempt a cat to eat especially-smelly cat foods, or human
  foods, etc, is often a serious waste of valuable time and health. If
  your cat has not eaten for 2 or 3 days, please start assisting NOW.
  
  A cat that won't eat voluntarily must be assisted by its human.
  While some are successful at getting sufficient food in by putting
  food on their finger or a small plastic spoon and then into the
  cat's mouth, oral-syringing is more efficient and with combative
  cats, safer for the person.
  
  Oral syringing should be done calmly, patiently, slowly and SAFELY.
  Get your cat in a comfortable position in a quiet place.
  
  Syringe from the side (corner) of the mouth --- NOT straight in
  toward the throat which can cause choking and aspiration into the
  lungs. Syringe 1cc (ml) or less, then rest a few seconds to give the
  cat time to swallow it (and yes, kitty may spit it out, but patient
  persistence is necessary), then syringe another cc or less, rest,
  repeat, etc.
  
  Small amounts fed frequently seem to work best with most cats. Try
  to syringe 15-20cc (ml) every two or three hours at first, during
  waking hours. If you work all day and cannot feed then, reverse the
  schedule and feed during the night. Then, in a day or two, slowly
  work up to larger amounts, increasing in 5cc increments every few
  feedings. As you progress, you can decrease the NUMBER of feedings.
  
  Syringes are available from vets, drugstores and bird stores.
  Smaller ones work best for most people, from 3cc to 12cc. "cc"
  and "ml" are the same.
  
  Good quality canned kitten food is high-calorie and nutrient-rich.
  There are also vet-prescribed "recovery" foods. Food may have to be
  thinned a little to be syringeable.
  
  Food should be room temp or slightly warmer, not cold from the
  fridge. Don't add food that has been out for a while back into your
  fridge-stored mixture. Throw it out.
  
  If enough food cannot be gotten into a cat by oral-syringing or
  other safe oral method, a surgically-placed feeding tube may be
  necessary. Tubes are not "cruel" - they are LIFESAVERS.
  
  Even after your cat is receiving adequate food for several days,
  he/she may get worse before getting better. This is not unusual when
  a cat has been deprived of food for many days or more. Do not give
  up, do not panic. Do not construe as "The End". DO consult your vet.
  
  Reglan/Metaclopramide (anti-nausea, motility), usually prescribed
  for 2 or 3 times per day, seem to be most effective when given 30
  minutes before certain feedings.
  
  Cyproheptadine/Periactin antihistamine may be Rxed to stimulate
  appetite, but does not work for cats that are not eating at all, and
  can make a cat agitated or lethargic.
  
  Lactulose/Enulose may be Rxed for constipation, but serious
  constipation blockage may require an xray to diagnose and several
  enemas or even surgery to relieve.
   

 Hope some members may find this helpful,Hugs C.

If assisted feeding your cat becomes a big battle and/or you are not getting sufficient food into him, please consider getting an E-tube put in by your vet.  This is NOT an expensive procedure and once it is done, you can feed the cat what he needs, including medicines, very siimply through the tube, which exits out of the back of his neck.  Here are two articles you will find helpful if considering the need for a feeding tube.  We have had a couple of members recently who opted for the tube and their cats are doing much better.  One is even eating now (they can eat with the tube in also).

http://www.iwillhelpyourcat.com/blog/2015/3/8/feeding-cats-that-wont-eat-at-all-pina-the-e-tube

http://consciouscat.net/2015/06/08/feeding-tubes-save-lives/

And here's a video of one our members assist feeding one of her gorgeous cats:  http://www.thecatsite.com/t/227858/syringe-feeding-lucky-video-if-your-cat-is-not-eating