Ransom stopped eating on the 13th

I am copying & pasting this from a facebook group I posted in so you have some back history

I am sorry if this makes it confusing

This was on the 17th

My 5 year old boy Ransom hasn't eaten much more than a treat here and there or more than a couple drinks of water for the past 4 days. We went to the vet on what I believe was the 2nd day of him being sick and vomiting. (Was gone on vacation 4 days before) he had what looked to be a blockage show on the x-ray. We thought it was plastic since he's a known plastic eater. After two enemas and 4 hours at the vet the blockage turned out to be very hard stool. He was also given a anti nausea shot.

I called into work on the 3rd day to stay home and look after him. I managed to get him to eat some tuna flakes.

Later that night I went to Petco and bought all different kinds of wet food, treats and a tube of Tomlyn Nutri-Cal.

All the food was a waste...he won't have any of it. I've been putting the Tomlyn Nutri-Cal gel on his leg twice a day about a tsp worth and he licks it off eventually.

I sadly had to go to work today and have no idea if he ate or drink...i dont believe he did.

Tonight I've started force feeding him science diet A/D in a syringe. Ive been doing 6ml every hour and it takes a while just to get that down him. I'm not sure how much I should be aiming for?

I have an appointment with the vet at 2pm tomorrow. I'm afraid of fatty liver disease. He has started grooming himself again, but he kind of aimlessly roams around the apartment like he's looking for something. Does anyone have any suggestions of things I can try? Should I continue to force feed? I feel horrible doing it to him.

This was in the 18th

Update: We just returned from the vet and his blood work was all very good! I'm so relieved. As soon as I let him out of his carrier he went to his food bowl and is eating! It's like he figured out what to do to not go back to the vet. Lol thank you all! This has been a very sad and scary week for me.

This is of today 

I am sad to say that him eating was a fluke as he hasn't eaten since and I've been syringe feeding him every 6-8 hrs 6ml or the Science diet A/D food followed by 6ml of water about an hour later.

I haven't seen him use the litter box since Friday......although he could have when I am sleeping or at work..I don't think he has. I can't figure out what's going on and the vet can't see me until Monday. He often squints his eyes like he's in pain and seems to breathe a little heavier than normal. He spends 95% of the day sleeping.

My cat basically has stopped eating since the 13th of this month..could of been longer as I was out of town 4 days prior.

Is it possible that he has just associated his food with vomiting and there could be nothing really physically wrong? 

He now licks the A/d food from the syringe after I've put a little into his mouth. 

Has anyone ever experienced anything like this? I am so scared    I feel guilty every time I have to leave him to go to work.

Are his teeth ok? Dental issues can be really painful so a cat may not eat much if at all. "Regular" vets often don't know the first thing about dental health or what to look for. Some don't even look in a pet's mouth during an exam. You may want to seek out a veterinary dentist.

I don't know what is issue might be, but was that a typo when you said you are only feeding him SIX ml every 6 hours or so?  That's not nearly enough.  If that's not a typo, then no wonder he's sleeping most of the time.  I have no idea what his normal weight is, but he needs a whole lot more than that.  I would say he needs at least one full can of the A/D per day, plus the additional water.  Possibly more. 

Yes his teeth were checked and are fine.

mrsgreenjeens
That's not a typo the vet told me to feed him that amt. He's 11lbs well was last week. I think he was probably 12 or 13 before all this. I bumped it up to two 6ml syringes last night as it doesn't seem like enough to me eaither. Last time I went to the vet I told him that I had giving him 4 12ml syringe of the food the night before. He said that was too much as it is high calorie.

Hmmm.  It only has 156 calories per 5.5 oz cans.  Yes, it is high in nutrients, but still, he's barely getting 1/4 of a can (I'm guessing), with that small amount of MLs.  Honestly, I'd call the Vet again and double check that. 

When you originally posted you were feeding 6 ml every hour I figured that would be a good amount, although we don't normally see people assist feeding every hour.  But, no matter, I would ask the Vet how much TOTAL in a day he should be getting.  Maybe there was some misunderstanding along the way when you said he got 48 ml that night, he thought if you gave that every hour or something that would be too much.  I have no idea, but IMHO, he needs a whole lot more than he's getting, and I think your gut is telling you the same thing

mrsgreenjeens yes that amt is correct. I asked him more than once to be sure of what I needed to do. This is the food and I see now that they recommend 185-222ml! Wish I'd looked at this site sooner.i hope I haven't harmed him by underfeeding. I have no idea why my vet told me to feed such a small amt but i will have lots of questions when we return Monday. He has been moving more since I have upped the amt. how much would you recommend to feed in one sitting? I'm affraid of making him vomit. Thank you so much.http://www.hillspet.com/en/us/products/pd-canine-feline-ad-canned

On the amount, I know some folks here with cats in the 10 lb pound have assist fed sixty mls (mixed half and half with water, so 30 mls food and 30 mls water in a soupy mixture to go into the syringe) four times per day.  You might need to work up to this, and, of course, go very slowly when feeding.  It used to take me about 20 minutes to feed my guy when he had a feeding tube, otherwise it all came right back out

Really, though, it depends on how often you can feed him.  you might start today with, say 150 ml total, divided into 4 or 5 meals, if you can, then tomorrow increase a little until you're up to at least the 185 mark.  

Have they done blood work? Also have you thought about getting a feeding tube placed? I know it sounds scary but it's a quick procedure and you'll be able to make sure he's getting the right amount to eat every day until you can figure this out.

More about the life-saving function of a feeding tube, written by a great Canadian vet:

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

It is with a very broken heart that I tell you that they found a large mass in an area where it can't be removed. I am going to pick him up in a few hours to spend his last day with him before he is put to rest. Please tell me I'm doing the right thing.

You are doing the loving thing for him.  It's very hard on us, but you have to put his welfare above your desire to keep him with you.  If he's not eating, his organs will start failing and that's just prolonging his suffering. Love on him well this evening and treasure your time together. It's never an easy decision.

I'm so sorry.  Now you know WHY he stopped eating, and to let him starve to death would be awful, so this is the right thing to do, not to prolong any suffering on his part 

I feel very torn now as he has went back to eating and drinking normally since he got home yesterday. I believe it's the pain meds he's on Onsior. The vet thinks I could wait longer if he doesn't seem to be suffering..of course that's the last thing I want. The mass is in his spine with all the nerves and veins going around it. He's vomited once so far today and went to eat right after. He's sleeping alot as I imagine since he just had his stomach cut open yesterday..I wish we could of avoided that. [emoji]128542[/emoji]
I just don't know how I am going to do this. I wish he could tell me what he wanted. I am looking into hospice so he can be warm in my bed when the time comes and not terrified at the vet.

Did they mention anything about giving him steroids or anything to see if the tumor might shrink a little bit, just to give him a little bit of comfort and perhaps a few more weeks?  Another member has a cat with a tumor and that's what they are doing.    I  didn't realize he actually had exploratory surgery to determine the cause.  Yikes!  Sounds like quite an ordeal and I guess now there really is no guessing about what the issue is . 

Anyway, I'm glad he's now eating...yes,it probably is the pain meds, but whatever, if he's feeling better, and not too drugged, then maybe it's not quite time.  

Many people chose at home euthanasia as it is so much easier on the furbabies.  Did you ask your Vet if they knew of anyone who would do that?  Your own Vet might even be willing...some are. 

Ransom is a very handsome fellow.  I hope you still have some quality time left with him.  When I posted earlier today, I was afraid I was already too late. 

They said nothing about steroids, but I will ask. He has two pain pills left and then he has to take a week break because it's so hard on the organs they said. I'm worried about that week in between. I just got off the phone with a Hospice near me called Greener Pastures. They were very nice and this is definitely what i want when the time does come. He has two adopted sisters and I've read that it's important for the other animals to see and smell them after they've gone. I didn't even know they had hospice for animals till today as I came across something online. It's only slightly more than going to the vet.

When they took the 2nd x-ray they still saw that weird black line in his colon. They decided they should open him up...turned out to be nothing and they discovered the mass.

Hospice is coming out tomorrow after I get off work to evaluate him. I feel they can give me the answers I need as if he can have any quality of life for any longer. I wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy..i just wanna curl up in a ball and go with him.

Believe me, I feel your pain.  I've had three kidney cats, and just knowing there was nothing I could do but watch them slowly deteriorate was heart wrenching.  But the greatest love we can give them is to let them go when the time comes.  Yes, it nearly kills us, but that's what we do, because we love them so much. 

Now, or whenever the time comes, you must be strong for him, AND for his sisters.  They will need you, and YOU will need them as well.   They will help get you through this.  I lost my 16 year old Callie earlier this year, and if it weren't for her two younger brothers, I don't know what I would have done. 

Just an hour ago with the help of hospice I let my beautiful boy go. One of the hardest things I've ever done. I can't image life without him. He was always waiting for me outside every door always at my side. I forever have a hole in my heart.