Feeding Tube

Hi I hope someone can give me advice...

A few days ago my male bengal cat became really ill with a temperature of almost 106 farenheit. He was taken to the vets and was tested for everything imaginable. He was given 4 different antibiotics and nothing would bring his temperature down. He was refusing food too. After 3 days, the vets decided he most likely had a serious virus, but he recommended inserting a feeding tube into his neck, to allow him to get nutrition to fight the virus. He has had the tube now for 4 days and his temperature has come down.  The vet thought my cat was showing signs of depression and thought he may recover better at home. He is now at home with us and we are feeding him every 2 hours through the tube and giving him his antibiotics this way. 

Although I have been advised most cats tolerate the tubes well, our cat just isnt. He is gagging as we are feeding him and at other points too. We were told to encourage him to eat on his own and he is showing slight interest in his favourite treats, but then as he goes to eat he gags and then turns away. 

The dilema I have is that I think he would eat if the tube wasnt there, but I cant be sure. I worry that if we take the tube out he might not eat on his own, and he will get sick again. As it stands he is still quite depressed and i feel the tube is the cause. I am going back to the vets for a follow up appointment and was of the frame of mind that i was going to ask for it to be removed. Has anyone else had experience of their cat not tolerating a feeding tube? 

There are quite a few folks I know of here that had feeding tubes in their cats. They can definitely give more feedback.

Is it possible you are pushing the food into the tube too quickly? I know that is something that can cause gagging, and I think it's pretty common to do that (accidentally of course) at the beginning.

My kitty did tolerate the tube well.  He had it for fatty liver.  He had the same issue with beginning to gag but it was towards the end of the feeding and I would cut short the feeding.  He was also refusing to eat on his own but that is just part of fatty liver.   Did the vet check the placement of the tube with an ultrasound or x-ray?  If the tube isn't placed correctly it can cause issues.  If there are no issues with  placement then I think that your kitty is nauseated from whatever is going on with him rather than the feeding tube.  I would ask the vet to check the placement and then ask for an anti-nausea medication like Cerenia.

You might need an anti nausea drug. Make sure the food is neither too hot or cold. It should feel neutral on your skin of just barely warm.

My cat has a feeding tube right now but it's in her small intestine, so we haven't had any issues with it.  I'm sorry you're having trouble.  What did the vet say when you went back?