Senior(ish) Cat Post Dental Barely Eating & Drinking, Tried Diff Foods, LitterMate NonRecognition, P

Hi Everyone,

My 12 year old best buddy Sylvester had four teeth extracted yesterday and he is not eating or drinking...he seems interested, will sniff, lick his lips, sit up, stare at the food then wander away.  If I place the food in front of him again he nearly runs away.  I got him to eat a tiny bit of food (see below)...

Some info:

-He has never had health issues or had any procedure done (besides vaccines) at the vet

-He has been on Orijen for a year now

-Have tried slow and meticulous transitions to wet food to no avail in the past...

he showed little-no interest in any wet foods and stops eating if he has to eat wet food

-I'm sure there is the "right" wet food transition protocol out there for him, but that's for another thread...

-Blood work: Normal kidney & liver values, slightly elevated protein

-Silly began his fast at 9:00pm Mon night, did not eat at vet (got fluids via IV though)

-Vet gave him metacam during procedure and four post surgery metacam syringes (.92ml) for tonight & next three nights

-Urinated in his carrier on way home on Tues, poor boy

-Urinated twice more at home in his litter box

-Would not eat or drink at home Tues

-I tried variations of wet to extra watery, extra mushed to right from the can, cold to warm, but he refused:

     Weruva Chicken, Beef, Fish

     Nature's Instinct Duck

     Can Tuna & Tuna Juice

     Can Salmon & Salmon Juice

     Can Sardines

     freeze-dried Stella/Chewy's Duck, Chicken...

     Baby Food...only jar I could find at 3:00am was Chicken (ingred: Chicken, Chicken Broth, Rice Starch)

     Friskies

     Whiskas...

-Wed Morn: I used a dropper to squirt some water in his mouth and a little tuna juice.  He growled at me and I hope I didn't hurt him.  I then squirted some completely mushed wet food (only a tiny bit) because he growled again.

-This morning he ate 1 1/2 Primal Turkey pellets and after talking with my vet, vet gave the OK to give Silly dry food.  He seemed to scarf it at first, but I realized he was just spitting the kibbles out.  He keeps walking over to it, sitting, then walking away.  Silly has eaten max 10 little kibbles.  He didn't drink anything today but Vet gave OK to give first syringe of metacam which I gave a few hours ago.  He seems more relaxed and was even purring when I pet him on the head just now.

Vet said this is common and believes he will eat and drink more tomorrow as pain and swelling goes down...and said I could use dropper to squirt some Baby Food in his mouth tonight but not necessary.

What do I do to get him to eat if he doesn't? Should I worry?  (I was up all night reading about Fatty Liver and Metacam deaths...so I'm terrified for my tiny friend)

To Complicate Matters:

-Silly's fuzzy brother of 12 years and littermate, keeps sniffing, staring, and running around our studio apt. as if he does not know Silly very well...possible non-recognition?  

-Silly has been hyper-vigilant since he came home...he hasn't slept at all..he jumps at every noise and is normally very calm...he is acting like he's scared of another cat in the apt...possibly his brother.

-We live in a tiny studio apt. with a small bathroom

-To test, I set up some cozy areas in the bathroom and have Silly's brother there

-Silly came out of his hiding spot and is laying out in the open now (could just be metacam)

-Should I keep Silly's brother in the bathroom until I can do a slow re-introduction?  It feels cruel...but I'm afraid Silly won't eat or calm down with his brother around. 

-For what it matters, I am spending equal time in the main area with Silly and bathroom with his brother. 

Should I keep Silly's brother separate from him tonight?

Please help, any and all advice (even unnecessary) is appreciated.

I'd call the vet and ask for a different pain medicine. Buprenex is most often prescribed after dental extractions. It's a liquid that you squirt into the cheek pouch where it will be absorbed. It works really well for pain relief in cats. Many people refuse to give Metacam because of side effects.

http://www.thecatsite.com/a/metacam-for-cats-the-pros-and-cons-of-meloxicam-for-pain-relief

Keep offering food. Your cat needs to eat and get calories in or he is at risk of fatty liver disease. Syringe soupy canned food or baby food if needed.  The vet can prescribe a high calorie prescription canned food if that's needed. The ingredients aren't great but it's food and will get much needed calories into the cat.

Thank you, this morning Silly was perky and excited when I put down fresh wet dehydrated food...he lapped all the water but pushed some of the meat away by doing so and did not bother picking the meat up...

I'm going to keep offering him food and syringe him food, if he isn't getting enough calories I'm going to ask my vet about switching meds.

Thanks again!

Jus to update if anyone views:

Silly was not eating/drinking enough after trying everything - I'm syringe feeding him the a/d anorexic diet canned food from science diet.  He is not the happiest camper but seems he is better than most and accepts it.  

He also licked up a teensy bit of the a/d before syringing it so I know he likes it, he may just be in a pain/under too much stress to eat on his own.

I only wish that I had done this from the start rather than following the "wait and see" approach advised...

I'll try to write updates.

It's great that you are able to keep a close watch over Silly, and to keep up with some syringe feeding.   Have you managed to talk to the vet about the medication options yet, and maybe again about how he is acting with his food still, and what they would expect ?   I hope your Silly starts to show signs of being happier really soon.

I syringe fed yesterday, but today, still no substantial luck getting him to eat on his own...he is clearly hungry.  He excitedly wiggles around when I open each can for him, sits patiently waiting, and takes one or two licks when I put his plate down...then he's off to another room.  If I call him back in, he does the same thing, sniff, jog away (if cats could jog).  Almost like he is in too much pain and too confused about something.

Because I live 40+ mins away from the vet and don't have my car right now, I called first thing in the morning before taking a cab to bring him in...my vet didn't seem concerned and said she would call in a prescription for mirtazapine for me to pick up locally and to finish metacam tonight...

I had Silly see the vet where I was picking up the mirtazapine, I'm glad I did.  The new vet tried the mirtazapine after discussing with my first vet, but felt Silly could have an infection brewing, and wanted to prescribe antibiotics, also wanted to take him off metacam.  He agreed Silly was not lethargic, was bright, purring, etc. and felt he may be in a lot of pain.

Silly is now on butrepinephrine & baytril (spelling??)

This vet also explained in more detail side effects/etc of metacam, butrepinephrine & baytril which the first vet did not, I appreciate that.

So far not a ton of luck, Silly is more eager than ever when I put food down, but has only managed to eat:

-10-15 little dry food kibbles

-1 bacon pill pocket

-1 chicken pill pocket mixed with water

Better than nothing I supposed, I'll keep trying and begin syringing in a bit.

I'll keep posting updates as I can!  Any and all advice is deeply appreciated!

Clutching at straws here - has Silly had any coughing or anything, and / or the vets checked his mouth and throat to make sure there's nothing stuck or sign of infection in his mouth or throat?

Mouse had tontilitis when he was about 9 months old and would just mouth his favourite treats and not touch anything else - by which time the infection was really acute.   Sometimes things can get stuck in a cat's throat too, and be painful as well as making it hard to eat.   After a while not eating though what tends to happen with cats is they start to feel nauseous and that puts them off eating too.  

Hope Silly starts to improve very soon.  He is very lucky to have you caring for him.

MServant said:

 
Clutching at straws here - has Silly had any coughing or anything, and / or the vets checked his mouth and throat to make sure there's nothing stuck or sign of infection in his mouth or throat?

Mouse had tontilitis when he was about 9 months old and would just mouth his favourite treats and not touch anything else - by which time the infection was really acute.   Sometimes things can get stuck in a cat's throat too, and be painful as well as making it hard to eat.   After a while not eating though what tends to happen with cats is they start to feel nauseous and that puts them off eating too.  

Hope Silly starts to improve very soon.  He is very lucky to have you caring for him.

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-Sorry for the late response, things are still not looking great...I keep going from elated when he has a bite to depressed when he immediately stops...I'll do a thorough update in a comment a little later.

-mirtazapine not working

-At this point straws are very helpful, nothing seems to be working, thank you!

-Vet #2 (who saw Silly first time yesterday) did look in his mouth a bit, Silly was growling and not happy.  From what he saw, he thought Silly might have an infection brewing...hopefully Baytril fixes that..I'm having so much trouble getting it in his mouth...but I got his doses in so far.

-Poor Mouse! I think the vet yesterday checked his throat, I will mention this to the vet tomorrow.

 I'm wondering if Silly had some underlying unidentified issue that is coming to surface now?  

Yes, I was thinking he could be nauseous...poor thing.

Thank you, you know, I don't feel that way right now because I put him through this, so I'm dealing with a lot of guilt.  Fingers crossed he comes out okay!

Tonnes more postive vibes for Silly.            Hopefully the Baytril will work and some improvement start to show through - Silly has been through a lot with the recent dental extractions and with his brother's reaction when he got back home.

Really, try not to feel bad - the best thing you can do for Silly on top of keeping trying to get him to eat and taking him to the vet for checking things out when he still doesn't seem right is to stay calm and show him how much you love him.  The more you stress the more likely he is to feel stressed too.

MServant said:

 
Tonnes more postive vibes for Silly.  

         Hopefully the Baytril will work and some improvement start to show through - Silly has been through a lot with the recent dental extractions and with his brother's reaction when he got back home.

Really, try not to feel bad - the best thing you can do for Silly on top of keeping trying to get him to eat and taking him to the vet for checking things out when he still doesn't seem right is to stay calm and show him how much you love him.  The more you stress the more likely he is to feel stressed too.

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 Really, thank you...he's been blessed with zero health problems for 12 years until recently his teeth, and now this, and basically the same with his brother - this is the first time I've had cats with health problems and it is so difficult to watch him struggling.  I have had dogs with issues, but I find it so much more stressful with my kitty because I don't really have any idea what is going on in his head, and I know Silly is great at hiding things from me.  

You're 100% correct, I am sure he senses my stress...I'm trying to work on it!  And obviously I can't take care of him if I'm breaking down...this is a difficult time indeed but I'm hoping Silly and I get through it together.

I apologize for the long post and possible rambling/not making sense, I'm really exhausted at this point...

Update:

-Mirtazapine worked day 1, Silly was hungrily scarfing, but not really swallowing anything, just moving kibbles and wet food around the plate (as he always has with wet food), but he couldn't even throw back the dry like normally.

-He drank a TON (probably 3 tablespoons) of water on Sunday in one go (I wasn't sure if I should be worried or happy), hasn't had water on own since

-He had a soft/formed bowel movement Saturday and Monday (not sure how if he has had so few calories, I have been smothering his paws in wet food which he has growlingly licked away at times, maybe that was enough?)

-Monday Bowel movement was not solid colour - it was dark brown streaked with light brown (Is this BAD?)

-I gave 3 doses of baytril, first one good, second one was very difficult and he gagged and foamed at the mouth from the bitter coating, third one was good and I thought maybe I could get hang of it.

-The bupenorphine seemed like it worked well Sat, Sun & Mon (he is finished now with pain meds, not sure if that is good either)

-He saw the most recent vet again yesterday, I mentioned all of the above (plus much more)

-Vet said he did not seem dehydrated

-Vet quickly mentioned a different antibiotic we could try (me not registering there were 0 benefits compared to baytril)

-Vet injected CONVENIA

-Vet then mentioned "No guarantee it will work in the mouth area but worth a try"

-I was thinking, "Why? Why did this just happen if there's no guarantee"

-I googled Convenia at home and was devastated what I found - looks like it can cause anemia, inappetence, death, etc.

-I realized the ONLY  reason why the vet switched him off the baytril was because I mentioned Silly had foamed from the baytril one time and I was concerned it would be difficult to pill him...I don't think the vet trusted me to pill him, but I COULD  if I was faced between that and giving him Convenia

-I know some people have had good experiences with Convenia (it has been over 12 hours and he seems the same as before)

-BUT he is already weak, inappetent and struggling, why risk it?

-I was growing confident in this vet and now I'm concerned again

-Vet said I needed to try to get "some calories" into Silly 

-I syringe fed him 80% a/d can yesterday...not pleasant, poor boy.

-Still no interest in any  food today

-I picked up 20 new types of food (I might have gotten every brand at this point)

-No luck wet food:

Lamb

Rabbit

Duck

Beef

Chicken

Turkey

-No luck dehydrated:

Turkey

Duck

Chicken

-Dry Food Better:

-Picked up a couple kibble of new brand, he ate a few kibbles of each

-syringe feeding took hours yesterday (I only syringed him 10 minutes at a time, then gave him a break)

-he growls but never bites even if my finger is in his mouth

-he doesn't hold any grudges against me and is just thankful when the 10 minute intervals are over

-he is such a sweetheart, this is breaking my heart.

Is there anything else I can try?

Cooked food?

Raw food?

FYI for anyone syringe feeding in need of help, this is a great video from a member on TCS that helped me:

I'm sure all my cats have had shots of Convenia with no issues and there are many more too despite reputation.  Your vet will be trying things in the hope a change triggers a postive response if something else hasn't worked.  If you usually trust him try not to let this affect your relationship there.  

It must be hard but keep up with the syringe feeding while it's needed.  I don't know about raw feeding , esp shortly after dental extractions but perhaps others have experience of this.  One thing people do try is feeding baby foods (as long as nothing like garlic in which can be toxic for cats).  Even little shreds of tuna in spring water if it gives Silly some interest in swallowing food.  I'd give my older cats anything they would eat when they needed to keep weight up ( to and try avoid what you are having to go through right now), even if they were like junk-food brands if it's food it's better than nothing or having to syringe feed.

Really hope he shows signs of picking up soon.      

I'm so sorry your Sylvester baby is struggling so much! You have gotten great advice here.

It sounds like Sylvester might not be eating because he is still in pain-growling when you get near his mouth. My baby girl had a number of extractions. I took her out of town to a dental specialist. She was in a fair amount of pain. I had to take her in to a local vet after her pain patch wore off. The vet told me that a cat's mouth will take about 2 weeks to heal. We put her on Buprenex for about 2 weeks. Around 2 weeks later, I could tell that she was not in pain anymore. It really helped her. You might think about asking your vet for more Buprenex to see if it helps.

My boy has had Convenia at least twice. I am not crazy about the injections. The first time, he was pretty lethargic. The second time, he did better, but it made him nauseated. Try not to stress. You have to weigh the pros and cons. However, I don't like it when vets push the injections when there are good alternatives. My girl got liquid ZydaClin (Clindamycin) post dental surgery. It is used frequently post extractions.

I really hope Sylvester is feeling better today! We are rooting for him!

MServant said:

 
I'm sure all my cats have had shots of Convenia with no issues and there are many more too despite reputation.  Your vet will be trying things in the hope a change triggers a postive response if something else hasn't worked.  If you usually trust him try not to let this affect your relationship there.  

It must be hard but keep up with the syringe feeding while it's needed.  I don't know about raw feeding , esp shortly after dental extractions but perhaps others have experience of this.  One thing people do try is feeding baby foods (as long as nothing like garlic in which can be toxic for cats).  Even little shreds of tuna in spring water if it gives Silly some interest in swallowing food.  I'd give my older cats anything they would eat when they needed to keep weight up ( to and try avoid what you are having to go through right now), even if they were like junk-food brands if it's food it's better than nothing or having to syringe feed.

Really hope he shows signs of picking up soon.  

   

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Hearing positive stories about Convenia makes me feel a lot better, thank you...it tends to be more negative on the internet probably because people don't necessarily write about it when they have a positive experience. I'm normally all about statistics, and not worrying about side effects and rare reactions, but when it's my Silly fuzzy, I can't help but get so emotional.

I just moved to the area, and Silly only saw the first vet once (for bloodwork and a checkup) before he got his surgery...so I have no history with either of these vets...it's hard to trust them because I don't have anything to go off of...but I have no doubts that they are both great vets...I'm just not trusting anything right now.

Yes syringing is not easy - especially because he is post-dental, so he is in extra pain around the mouth.  I am definitely getting the hang of it now, and figuring out which positions work better for him.  I will post my syringe-feeding tips once I have the chance. (not that I'm a pro, but just in case another kitty is like Silly and shares the same preferences)

For some reason, the baby food and tuna/salmon isn't working with him : (.  The only thing I've gotten him interested in is the Whiskas Turkey + Cheese, I'll happily keep offering this junky food if it means he will lick at it. By interested, he just licks it, doesn't really pick anything up sadly.

Thank you so much for your kind words and advice.

ForrestMeows said:

I'm so sorry your Sylvester baby is struggling so much! You have gotten great advice here.

It sounds like Sylvester might not be eating because he is still in pain-growling when you get near his mouth. My baby girl had a number of extractions. I took her out of town to a dental specialist. She was in a fair amount of pain. I had to take her in to a local vet after her pain patch wore off. The vet told me that a cat's mouth will take about 2 weeks to heal. We put her on Buprenex for about 2 weeks. Around 2 weeks later, I could tell that she was not in pain anymore. It really helped her. You might think about asking your vet for more Buprenex to see if it helps.

My boy has had Convenia at least twice. I am not crazy about the injections. The first time, he was pretty lethargic. The second time, he did better, but it made him nauseated. Try not to stress. You have to weigh the pros and cons. However, I don't like it when vets push the injections when there are good alternatives. My girl got liquid ZydaClin (Clindamycin) post dental surgery. It is used frequently post extractions.

I really hope Sylvester is feeling better today! We are rooting for him!

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Thank you, I have my fingers crossed he will get better on this antibiotic!  Oh yes, excellent advice, so lucky to have this site!

Yes, I think it is definitely the pain - it is so unfortunate I have to keep opening his mouth.  I'm completely avoiding the left side with the syringe because this side is clearly more aggravating for him.

I took your advice when the vet suggested Silly finish his metacam (from earlier, he only did 3 vs. 4 oral doses)...I stood firm and said I felt the Buprenorphine appeared to work well, and he prescribed another round for 3 more days.  He purr'ed up quickly once I started his second round today.

Hmm I wonder if I should have taken Silly to a specialist...I think I know for next time.

You're right, I think the pros for the convenia outweigh the likely cons (not the unlikely ones, of course, but every cat reacts differently, right?)...I hope I didn't sound too angry in my last post....I was more confused and scared than anything...and a little, teensy bit angry ; ).  I'm certain the vets are all doing a great job...I'm just a skeptic when it comes to my kitties.  I agree - vets pushing for this when alternatives exist, grr.  I think in a perfect world he would have continued the Baytril, but if there was a chance it wasn't working, hopefully the convenia will.

Thank you, I'll let him know , and I'll keep you updated! 

Lots of positive vibes coming your way for Silly today.  

Along with the anxiety and exhaustion, doubt and anger are understandable and natural in a situation like this.  The important thing is to do what you can to see through the anger and anxiety to be able to see what positive things you, and everyone around you including the vets, cat do.  It is hard not to get eaten up by the thoughts and feelings which are not helpful.  I think you are doing well here to keep moving forward, questionning what you are seeing and what the vets are doing and being there to advocate for Silly as well as showing him how much you love him.  Hang in there.     

MServant said:

 
Lots of positive vibes coming your way for Silly today.  

Along with the anxiety and exhaustion, doubt and anger are understandable and natural in a situation like this.  The important thing is to do what you can to see through the anger and anxiety to be able to see what positive things you, and everyone around you including the vets, cat do.  It is hard not to get eaten up by the thoughts and feelings which are not helpful.  I think you are doing well here to keep moving forward, questionning what you are seeing and what the vets are doing and being there to advocate for Silly as well as showing him how much you love him.  Hang in there.  

  

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Thank you, this morning, he still has no interest in the foods I put down, i keep rotating tuna/salmon/rabbit/beef/lamb/chicken/turkey wet/dry/different brands, but obviously it is getting quite expensive because each of these only lasts a little while...next thing I'm picking up today is a junk food dry which I have not tried...still syringing in the mean time...

I had some turkey slices yesterday (organic/nothing added except sea salt), and he was meowing at me, begging, and showing a lot of interest...I gave him a little morsel and he ate it quickly, looking up for more...

It does have salt so I'm assuming he can't eat much of it...wish I could give him a couple round slices...he would eat them.

I'm baking him some chicken now in hopes he will eat some of that and enjoy it...there aren't too many sites out there discussing cooked chicken...hopefully I'm baking the thigh properly (not too long, not too short)

Yep I'm probably staying away from raw because of his condition, but I feel like he would eat it up...

He was scratching at his mouth last night and this morning a couple times...I wonder if the sutures are bother him? I'm bringing this up at the next vet visit (tomorrow)

Fingers crossed again!

~Best to All~

I'm glad Silly showed interest in the turkey at least.  You are right though, the salt would be a problem.   Fingers crossed he appreciates your cooking.     

One thing with trying all the different wet foods and Silly only taking tiny bits and the rest being wasted.   A tip I got from someone else on site when I was trying different wet foods with Mouse to see if I could get him to eat small amounts - you can open a can, keep a small amount out and then freeze the rest in little portions, eg in an ice tray.   It might alter the nutritional content very slightly, I'm not sure, but it is still good and you can keep it that way for a month or so: juts take out cubes to defrost as and when you want to try them.   If you try it, best label what they are though!   I did it with a tiny tin of sardines in water and it worked fine.  (Mouse still won't eat anything wet other than Lick e Lix paste  though.      )

MServant said:

 
I'm glad Silly showed interest in the turkey at least.  You are right though, the salt would be a problem.   Fingers crossed he appreciates your cooking.  

  

One thing with trying all the different wet foods and Silly only taking tiny bits and the rest being wasted.   A tip I got from someone else on site when I was trying different wet foods with Mouse to see if I could get him to eat small amounts - you can open a can, keep a small amount out and then freeze the rest in little portions, eg in an ice tray.   It might alter the nutritional content very slightly, I'm not sure, but it is still good and you can keep it that way for a month or so: juts take out cubes to defrost as and when you want to try them.   If you try it, best label what they are though!   I did it with a tiny tin of sardines in water and it worked fine.  (Mouse still won't eat anything wet other than Lick e Lix paste  though.  

   )

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Yes, it is such a good sign - he is a hungry little fuzzball.  This sweetheart enjoys my cooking more than anyone else does, and right now his opinion is the only one that counts  .

This is such a great a tip, thank you!  I'm going to start saving some stuff this way tonight.  I understand there could be some nutrient loss, but I think it is the best option right now...I have thrown away more food than I can imagine.  I don't even want to look at the bills + receipts right now...ignorance is bliss  ...

Lick-e-Lix, very interesting...I've never heard of this before...this looks promising, I might try it. Thanks again!

Finally, some good news.

THANK YOU thecatsite.com & members...I wish I could pull up where exactly I read about someone's post-dental cat not eating and it was discovered a suture was irritating the mouth...I can't remember, I've read so much here...but I tried to be the best advocate I could (thank you MServant) and pushed for this at Silly's appointment today...

-Silly had explosive diarrhea in AM (not watery, but so much in litter box)

-Silly had blood test & urinalysis today

-Urinalysis = good

-Blood test = good except  he is mildly anemic (likely due to lack of nutrients this past week)

-Bringing up sutures again (thank you thecatsite, I would not have thought of this) was helpful...

-The vet discovered a long  dangling unravelled suture after prodding and picking at Silly's mouth (so much growling)

-The vet tech clipped suture

-Silly's temperament immediately changed

-The vet offered Silly a handful of i/d dry kibble

-Silly ate all  i/d dry kibble ravenously

-Once home, Silly had 2 tbsp of water on his own (mixed with dry), and 1 tbsp of i/d

-Since surgery last week, Silly has seen the vet 3 times and the unravelled suture has gone unnoticed because the suture is clear, and may not have been dangling down at the times of examination...is this normal to miss?

-Since home...

-Silly jumped on his favourite chair (which he has not done)

-Is meowing and chatting with me (like he was pre-surgery)

-Ate a small piece of turkey no problem

Is this nightmare over?  (For now at least?)

I don't want to get my hopes up, but it is looking a little better...

Should I syringe feed him again tonight?

He has eaten 2 tablespoons of dry food (he needs 10), so I will likely syringe unless I can get more kibble into him...vet thinks wet food is giving him diarrhea...so hopefully this nightmare is over and he eats 8 more tablespoons tonight, and drinks more water.

How can I help him recover from anemia?

THANK YOU