Force feeding an incredibly reluctant cat

On Friday 10/23/15 I took my 2 year old cat Sophie to the vet for an emergency visit, she had not eaten or drank anything for four days and the day before I had spent all day syringe feeding her water and kitten replacer milk, trying to at least see if we could get her to start eating or drinking on her own. She had thrown up multiple times and was starting to hide herself all day and not groom herself....Finally I coincided it was indeed an emergency and we couldn't wait any longer. The vet said she had a fever, and palpated her abdomen and found what she thought was a mass, (let me insert here, my sister being a vet tech, we do a lot of our vet care and don't have the money for extended vet visits, or expensive testing) we opted for x-rays to determine if it was a tumor because Sophie never eats anything she shouldn't and I really mean that, she is so picky about what she picks up its ridiculous. Any way, the x-rays revealed enlarged kidneys and a "gaseous mass" near her right kidney. They wanted to do exploratory surgery to figure out what the mass was, but that no solid blockage was discernible. We decided to forgo the surgery to see if subcutaneous fluids and antibiotics would bring her around. Today, 10/26/15 she still hasn't eaten anything on her own and the vet has no more ideas as to what it could be, I'm very worried about the rate she is loosing weight, she is a small cat and only weighed 8 lbs before she got sick, now she weighs 5! She throws up everything, all the time especially the antibiotics, which are given twice a day orally, this morning she threw up with the needle in, while we were giving the sub-q fluids. She is 100% against syringe feeding, she actively tries to fight it and I end up having to restrain her a lot more than I would want to. I cannot afford much more in the way of treatment for her the first visit alone was $250. This is day 6 of no eating and I'm worried my efforts to keep her alive are just causing her more pain. Any suggestions or tips for force feeding?    

I'm so so sorry you're in this position. Syringe feeding can be really difficult. I'm lucky enough not to have needed to do it for years, but the memories stay with me!

This is an old thread, but you might find it helpful [thread="227858"][/thread]

Thank you very much! Sophie is a lot more spiteful of the syringe and I can only manage to get her to swallow 10-12ccs at a time before she starts refusing to swallow and spitting it back out. We're gonna try switching canned food to something she previously enjoyed and add cat milk, our vet said since its lactose free she should tolerate it well and it adds calories instead of watering down. 

Is your kitty getting anything for nausea and vomiting?

I think one of the biggest 'tricks' with syringing is getting it aimed right. I had to syringe liquid meds to my VERY resistant old boy last year ( ), and getting the angle and speed right made a HUGE difference. It's explained so clearly in that video, but definitely takes some practice to get it as smooth and easy as she makes it look :nod:

In this situation, go with whatever works for you and her though. It's always preferable for them to eat under their own steam if they can. I'd probably persevere with the syringing as well for right now - its vital to get enough calories in her, and she might accept it better as she adjusts to the process.

Keeping yourself really calm and matter of fact during the process can make a huge difference. The mindset is kind of 'this is going to happen, it's perfectly normal and you're going to be ok with it and stay calm with me'. The energy you put out can really change the response you get. Think about the manner in which your vet will do an exam - everything is absolutely calm, but there is no suggestions that things won't go to plan. Try it. It helped me, anyway

They did not give her anything for nausea or the vomiting, they said to just try to get her to eat and that the antibiotics probably are causing the nausea, which is irritating to me, there has to be a better answer than keep forcing the thing thats causing the issue.

yes, she did very good feeding! I'm hoping the more it happens the more relaxed about it she'll be and we'll get better at it together. 

sspalmer said:

They did not give her anything for nausea or the vomiting, they said to just try to get her to eat and that the antibiotics probably are causing the nausea, which is irritating to me, there has to be a better answer than keep forcing the thing thats causing the issue.

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You're absolutely right. The nausea really does need addressing. There's no point getting food in if it's going to come straight back up again.

I've just re read your initial post (I skimmed before, saw the syringe feeding probe and didn't quite register everything else :anon: ). I hate to say it, but it's sounding like the surgery might be needed - or at least some more diagnostics. I'm just concerned that if you wait much longer you'll be risking her not being strong enough to withstand the surgery if it IS needed.

If money is an issue, this might help [article="32915"][/article]

 

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@sspalmer

At this point I would skip the syringe feeding and go for a feeding tube implanted in her.  Its very easy to administer food this way, she doesn't even notice, but without imaging her, its very hard to tell if she has a tumor, no?

That really does seem like the best solution for now. You can't let things continue as they are.

The x-rays did not show a tumor, they showed what they are saying is a "gaseous mass" which is something that is there but isn't solid, near her kidneys, in my personal opinion it looked like a pocket of dense infection that showed up. *****UPDATE***** we had confined her in an XXXL dog crate with all her favorite things, fresh water and her litter box, for 2 days we continued the syringe feeding, overall she got 40ccs of food every day along with 300mls of fluids and half her does of antibiotics to keep her nausea level down, last night she had enough energy to try to find a way out of the crate so we let her out, this morning she felt good enough to wake me up by knocking things off my dresser on her way to the window! 

We did ask our vet about tubing her and they said they did not feel it was worth it for her and that she should "get better with just the antibiotics and fluids on her own and start eating when she feels like it" 

I was beyond mad! I wanted to yell at them hello! Cats develop Hepatic Lipidosis! For sure next time we have an emergency, and for our routine care, we are switching vets! They were also reluctant to tell me how many ccs of food I need to be pushing and wouldn't give me prescription canned feed. My sister-in-law who is a vet tech, who can't actually give out any medical advise since she's not a vet, had to tell me the "standard dosage information" and then helped me with the math to determine how much Sophie needs to be eating! 

Sophie is very slowly starting to be interested in eating on her own, she at least tasted some of the canned food I offered her this morning, and since we are staggering feedings she's only thrown up once, right after her antibiotic dose. 

Hi i agree with the others as per an E tube.calories and being 6 days hepatic lipidosis will be well on it's way plugging up her liver.Enlarged kidneys there is a reason and it won't be a good one.It does not mean cancer at all.Nausea should have been addressed and simply some kitties no matter what angle they use will fight.Also pain.Pain has not been addressed and we all know how kitty's hide pain.She will have pain.Look at her ears.At the base of her ears where they meet the head.usually with most cats the hair there is kinda thin and you can see the skin below.look for a slight yellowing tinge.Not bright but faint.Whites of the eyes can go yellowish as well hepatic lipidosis kicks in very fast.Only an E tube which is not a huge deal other than money but will be a lifesaver!!!! You knowing a vet tech can realize no food no kitty.When my Boy went off food i syringe fed him max Cal By iams (Vet food) 330 calories per 5.5 oz can.Daily & he weighed 8 lbs.Daily syringe feeding was 9-12 25cc of max Cal.So roughly 350-400 calories per day.he was also weighed on a baby scale daily.may I suggest quickly the assisted feeding tube at yahoo? They will also very likely know why your babes kidney's are enlarged because we have all been there.Dealing with multiple illnesses with our kitts.Some stay on one group, while like me I wonder all over the place.Everyone here giving you excellent advice as always,but we are critical now honey.Pls join & make an appt with A VET  asap. Sorry re: reading your very last post your vet is wrong!!!!  Food is Life now.You need her tubed.300 cc of subq fluid therapy or orally? If so subq why so much?.What an overload IMO on the kidneys.Yes they become very dehydrated and fluids are a must but 300 mls is way beyond what I would ever give.JMO Full blood panel & urinalysis was done I hope.But no time now all food period & a lot of it. Here is a blog"

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First step would be to measure and track how much food she's eating and specifically which food as each of the foods out there can really vary.   Once you know how much food you're feeding, then it's just a matter of looking up how many calories are in a can and doing the math (we can help you there if you need it!).  You also need to be weighing her daily on a baby (or postal) scale so that you can determine if feeding X amount of the X food results in weight gain, weight loss or stable weight.  The calorie target your vet gave you is a target -- and then that has to be refined based on what you see on the scale.  Further, an ill cat often requires more calories to maintain weight, so even if you know now that she needs, let's say, 275 calories to maintain his weight, he may need fewer -- or more -- later on as his health status changes.  This is why it's so helpful to track weight regularly at home even when the kitty is doing well.

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..Here is their link    https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Feline-Assisted-Feeding/info An average 10lb kitty consumes approx 180-200 calories per can.A sick cat requires much more.

Hugs to your baby.C

Good to hear that Sophie's doing better. I can't believe your vet's attitude though I think you're absolutely right to want to find a new vet after this.

I hope Sophie continues to improve

That's great that she's started eating on her own again! Surely with your continued care and attention to how much she's eating, she'll continue to improve.
I wonder what the "gaseous mass" was caused by? I would want some answers or at least possibilities from my vet.

sspalmer said:

Thank you very much! Sophie is a lot more spiteful of the syringe and I can only manage to get her to swallow 10-12ccs at a time before she starts refusing to swallow and spitting it back out. We're gonna try switching canned food to something she previously enjoyed and add cat milk, our vet said since its lactose free she should tolerate it well and it adds calories instead of watering down. 

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My cat wouldn't even eat tuna and was losing weight rapidly. Vet tech suggested meat flavored baby food and it was a game changer. Spoon fed it to him and he started regaining his energy and his normal spunk. I never would have thought of it and it made such an enormous difference that I felt I wanted to share the info with ppl desperately searching for answers and a little hope.

Babyfood is well known to be used for cats that are having problems.Gerbers stage 2 chicken has over 100 calories in that little jar.the nausea & if vomiting/pain has to be addressed via meds.Nauseous cat's don't have to vomit.Maxwell was on babyfood as well.Long term you are adding Taurine as there is none.Calories & lots of them.If kitty is eating on it's own it should be fed something that is high in calories.Wellness Core turkey 5.5 ounce can over 200 calories.Add a little bf & go.A/D from the vet is kitty crack to some.Very palatable &yes add bf.180 calories per can.So not that high.To reverse what has happened to the body, a huge amount of food has to be ingested.So the higher the calorie food you choose that kitty will eat which is KEY the less you have to serve.Mind you at this point If it were my kitty food would be available 24hrs.Great your kitty did great on the babyfood.it is highly used in the feline world..Hugs C.Food is Life.

Mister mookie man is back to his old self. It was difficult to get him to stay still even just long enough to get a pic!Thanks for the support!