caring for an older emaciated cat

tessalc · Apr 7, 2016

About a month ago, i came across and rescued a poor, helpless calico i found hunched over on the side of the road. This cat: stinks, is bony, had fleas, ear mites, and just so pitiful. I honestly don't even understand how she is alive, but shes a trooper that's for sure. She has been to the vet three times, where they treated her for her parasites, and put on antibiotics (she is off them now). The vet said there was no muscle left, and that she probably wouldn't make it. I really want to prove everyone wrong that tells me she is a lost cause. I would love to see her make a come back and get fat and become a good old house cat. By the look of her eyes and teeth, i know shes an older cat. She is week in her back legs, and breaths funny. Her breathing is heavy, but shes not panting or anything. I'm thinking the breathing and the weakness may be from how malnourished she is. I let her come up stairs most of the day, but at night i keep her in my laundry room, because i notice if she isn't in the same room as the litter pan, she will just go on the floor. Also, i feed her several times a day, wet cat food, baby formula, and turkey. she loves human food the most, but i try to limit it as much as possible because i know it can be hard on them believe it or not, shes a very picky eater.

Anyways, I really would like some advice from anyone that may have been though a similar situation. Maybe you rescued an older emaciated cat too, and your outcome was... I really don't want to put her to sleep, because i have faith in her. Besides the weakness and breathing, she eats, meows, wants to be pet, and in company of other. any advice would be so appreciated.

calicosrspecial · Apr 7, 2016

I wish I had great advice for you but I am confident that others will.

But I wanted to say THANK YOU so much for caring for this cat. You really are a special person for caring so much. THANK YOU for doing what you are doing and loving this cat.

I am wishing you and this cat the very best. Good luck.

stephenq · Apr 7, 2016

Tessalc said:
About a month ago, i came across and rescued a poor, helpless calico i found hunched over on the side of the road. This cat: stinks, is bony, had fleas, ear mites, and just so pitiful. I honestly don't even understand how she is alive, but shes a trooper that's for sure. She has been to the vet three times, where they treated her for her parasites, and put on antibiotics (she is off them now). The vet said there was no muscle left, and that she probably wouldn't make it. I really want to prove everyone wrong that tells me she is a lost cause. I would love to see her make a come back and get fat and become a good old house cat. By the look of her eyes and teeth, i know shes an older cat. She is week in her back legs, and breaths funny. Her breathing is heavy, but shes not panting or anything. I'm thinking the breathing and the weakness may be from how malnourished she is. I let her come up stairs most of the day, but at night i keep her in my laundry room, because i notice if she isn't in the same room as the litter pan, she will just go on the floor. Also, i feed her several times a day, wet cat food, baby formula, and turkey. she loves human food the most, but i try to limit it as much as possible because i know it can be hard on them believe it or not, shes a very picky eater.

Anyways, I really would like some advice from anyone that may have been though a similar situation. Maybe you rescued an older emaciated cat too, and your outcome was... I really don't want to put her to sleep, because i have faith in her. Besides the weakness and breathing, she eats, meows, wants to be pet, and in company of other. any advice would be so appreciated.

I would talk to my vet about Hills A/D wet food, a very high calorie and very tempting food that is used for sick or malnourished cats. Good for you for taking her in!

stephanietx · Apr 7, 2016

I echo what Stephen says about the Science Diet A/D. That stuff is really good for ill and malnourished kitties.

mister tigger · Apr 7, 2016

Hi there,

First of all, just want to thank you for taking her into your care...she's very lucky to have you, and you saved her life. I adopted a stray adult cat from the shelter three months ago, and he was VERY emaciated at the time. It took a few weeks at least before I stopped seeing his spine and hip bones jut out so much...I was feeding him dry food with extra protein (he won't touch wet food for some reason). The vet wants him retested for feline lukemia, but regardless, he definitely has come a long way since I first took him in. I don't know anything about his history or how long he was a stray for (shelter has no info either) which is hard, since he could have sustained fighting injuries, have other ailments/illnesses, physical issues I don't know about, etc.

The best thing you can do for her now would be to keep her comfortable, warm, fed, and most importantly, loved. It's good you had the vet help you with her recovery. I wouldn't have her put to sleep unless she really is suffering immensely, and your instinct will tell you when. I had to put my first cat to sleep (also adopted) but knew I had no other choice when he stopped eating for two days, grew lethargic, hid in the closet, and was wheezing/panting whenever he tried to move. He just seemed like he had "given up" and it was unbearable to watch him in that state.

Hope this helps. Keep us posted!

catsknowme · Apr 7, 2016

You are such a wonderful guardian angel and BLESS YOU for all that you are doing for that calico cat! I have rescued 2 elder kitties over the years and they, too, were in very frail, dire condition. I was able to give them 3 more years. Both of my cats responded well with herbs such as slippery elm and marshmallow root but I don't recommend them to anyone else - it is better, if one has the financial means, to consult a holistic veterinarian for advice on using herbs ( I was raised to use traditional as well as modern medicines and use them on my family and myself so my experiences are probably different ). I also give unflavored Pedialyte periodically to ensure that the cat is properly hydrated with good electrolyte balance - their kidneys tend to not function as well - you can thin out the canned food with the Pedialyte.

I also find that elder kitties do well with lots of grooming and massage and also play time, especially with a small piece of string or a feather. Even when they are too weak and tired to actually swat/grab at the toy, the play time seems to perk up their spirits considerably and the massage/grooming helps promote healing bloodflow to aging muscles. Some light massage/acupressure on the front pawpads also seems to help.

Just so you know, my 2 rescues were in very dire straits - needed IVs because of severe dehydration and malnutrition. The first one, Sandie (rescued off the streets of San Diego) was a Himalyan whose claws had grown out so badly, they circled around and became imbedded into her paw pads and her fur clumps had bloody patches where the skin was being pulled out!! She was too weak to be treated for fleas so I dabbed her with warm salt water and applied soothing calendula oil mixed into a salve (coconut oil is an outstanding base). Also, I drove all night (almost 400 miles)to get her up here to be seen by a vet @ 6:30 a.m. because I was unable to pay the outlandish after-hours charges @ the city vets - the added plus was that the fleas cant handle the altitude nor the dryness so most of them left as we drove on through the night. It was over a week before Sandie could be sedated so the vet tech could shave the fur clumps off.

The 2nd, Gracie, was being attacked by my feral colony at the supermarket parking lot - it was below 0 when I caught her and it was touch and go all night - I gave her warm sugar water, little by little, for the first hour or so then switched to warm Pedialyte then warm chicken broth plus I kept her next to me all night so that she could be on a thermal pad. She was so weak that I couldn't trust her to move off the pad if she got overheated.

As I said earlier, both kitties recovered and although they were never young again, they lived long enough to know that they were valued treasures of a loving family.....many blessings for you & your calico girl

Please keep us posted!

cinqchats · Apr 8, 2016

They sell high-calorie goo that you can use to help fatten up cats as well. It's similar to hairball goo.

jmarkitell · Apr 8, 2016

When my male orange cat, Thor, had a blood disorder that caused him to lose a lot of weight, I would sometimes give him a little bit of whipped cream as a reward for taking his medicine. I know that dairy isn't always good with cats, but Thor would lick a little bit of this regardless of how bad he felt and put a little weight back on before falling victim to the blood disorder, similar to leukemia.

I don't know if this would be of any benefit in your case, and I'm sure that I'll get scolded for recommending cream for a cat, but Thor would enjoy this when he wouldn't eat anything else. I'm hoping for the best outcome for your new room mate. Keep them fat and sassy...but not too fat! Keep up the great work!!

Jim

LTS3 · Apr 8, 2016

Did the vet do any bloodwork? A physical exam often doesn't reveal much about what is happening in the body. Being skinny and having hind leg weakness could indicate diabetes or other health issues. Breathing difficulty could be asthma.

You can give the prescription high calorie foods a try. The ingredients aren't great but right now your main concern is to get calories into the cat to help fatten her up. You can also buy high calorie supplements at the pet store.

ondine · Apr 8, 2016

No advice - you seem to have done everything right. But a big THANK YOU for helping. You are her guardian angel and I hope she recuperates and brings you joy for many years to come.

StefanZ · Apr 8, 2016

If you can get raw goat milk, fresh or frozen, its always a good tip for the weak ones. If you cant get raw, bottled or other is useful too, althought not as excellent.

Adding a raw egg yolk is useful. Why, raw egg yolk you can give to other foods too, if so is.

some nice probiotic, to be sure the stomach is working flawlessly. Observe, raw goat milk is inself a probiotic of sorts - one of the reasons its so good.

Likewise, if you notice a cat manages cow milk, so unpasteurized cow milk is better than processed cow milk - by roughly the same reason. But goat milk is milder, so pick it if you do have any choice.

You didnt mentioned vitamine pastes - there are several brands, so pick up some brand which you can find, and which seems nice and good.

Re an possible pts - the worst is now over, NOW there is no need. She will live. Unless you dont want an eternal recovalescent, if it turns so. But I dont think you are such a person.

Although I expect she will be better and better.

There is a risk with them emaciated into extremis. Sometimes they collapse when the worst seems to be over. Not because of any especial sickedness, but as result of extreme long time exhaustation.

But its now a whole months since you found her, so I hope this danger is over too.

Last, but not least - you can perhaps have a litter box also upstairs? Even if its not strictly necessary, she will surely appreciate it.

Tx for caring and helping this girl!

msaimee · Apr 8, 2016

It's so great that you've taken this kitty into your home and are caring for her. When you took the cat to the vet, was lab work done? Most dumped cats with parasite and fleas have anemia, and it takes a while for them to re-gain their strength. Maybe you could try feeding her some kitten chow, which is high in protein. Did the vet diagnose her with any other condition? If you have the financial means, maybe you could take her to a different vet and get a second opinion along with guidance on how to help her. In any case, you are giving her food and love, and making her comfortable--so whether she has a few weeks or several years left to her life, when it ends, it will end happy for her.

Norachan · Apr 9, 2016

Hi @Tessalc

Thank you for helping this poor cat. I found a very sick, skinny cat last year. She was only about 6 months old but tested FIV+ and had a lot of trouble walking and climbing at first because she had hardly any muscle mass. It took a long time but she gradually built up her strength and energy. She's doing a lot better now.

I found that little and often was the best way to feed her. It's very hard to get turkey over here, but she loves cooked chicken. Have you tried your cat with a little liver? High protein foods can help her gain her strength.

foxxycat · Apr 9, 2016

will the vet give sub fluids to help with dehydration? this is the #1 killer in cats who are malnutrition-any way you can get more fluids in her do so=babyfood is excellent-let her eat as much as she wants=sub fluids and wet food are the best thing right now.

mighty mouse · Apr 9, 2016

I have rescued a poor helpless cat. She was so thin I could pick her up in one hand.
Everything she ate gave her the most disgusting gas! About a month after I had her she too needed a lot of antibiotics. She was arthritic and grumpy and very sweet. She vomited non stop for about three months until I got her on DM Purina Pro.

I didn't think she would make it. My vet didn't think she would make it. She proved us wrong!

Sara was her name and she too looked to be older with her arthritis and limp. I had her for 3 years - it was the cancer that took her because by that time she had a big ole belly and spent most of her time sleeping in the sun.

I wish you the best I know it's hard. Keep the faith-it is a lot of hard work.

tessalc · Apr 26, 2016

Everyone, thank you for the great advice! She has been diagnosed with type 1 diabetes! Any advice on nourishment while giving her insulin & places that provide cheaper insulin as well? Preferably Lantus.

caring for an older emaciated cat

tessalc

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calicosrspecial

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stephenq

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stephanietx

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mister tigger

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catsknowme

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cinqchats

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jmarkitell

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LTS3

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ondine

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StefanZ

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msaimee

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Norachan

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foxxycat

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mighty mouse

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tessalc

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