Just a little vent; kitty eating woes

nevroth

TCS Member
Thread starter
Adult Cat
Joined
Dec 11, 2013
Messages
148
Purraise
78
Location
Los Angeles, CA
My 3yr old spayed kit-cat Mephistopheles is hopefully on the mend with a bout of constipation. For two weeks she ate about 5-6oz Fancy Feast grilled varieties, with extra water and Miralax mixed in. Before that it was (for the two cats I have) 2/3 cup Blue Buffalo Wilderness Salmon or Chicken Recipe Grain-Free Dry  + 1 can FF daily. That was their diet for months and months- 1/2can FF in two plates for each kitty w/ 1/3 dry in the morning and another 1/3 in the evening.

When Meph stopped eating because of her constipation I switched her to all wet (w/ extra water & vet recommended Miralax) and as stated previously she would eat about 5-6oz. Her bowl movements have increased but since they were soft the vet recommended reintroducing the dry food. I added half an oz and she would preferentially eat that and leave a little wet food behind. 

She slowed down her eating to barely anything and the vet prescribed mirtazapine (went from 9lb to 8.5lb in 2wks) and it perked her right up! ate the full 6oz and 1oz of dry, probably wanted more. That was 3 days ago and the last two days she wasn't even touching the wet food anymore. For fear of her not eating I put more dry food and she would eat that at least.

Yesterday she ate 1.25oz of dry and no wet (I left 2oz dry & 1/2 can FF in total). She's not active at all at the moment. I was mixing less Miralax in with the wet so she didn't get any yesterday. This morning I had to syringe her dissolved mirtazapine and Miralax and she was NOT happy. I left 1.5oz of dry only for her (which it looked like she ate most of in the 45min I was getting ready for work).

The Blue bag states 1/4-1/2cup (4-8oz) for her weight.  I leave out a large bowl of water and she's peeing so hopefully she's drinking enough on her own. Should I just leave out tons of dry to make sure she eats? Maybe she senses the Miralax in the wet food and doesn't want to eat it anymore. Honestly I think it's the sound of the rain (we hardly get any in So. Cal and it's been raining for weeks now (COINCIDENCE?! lol) and it's making her anxious, but I'm just grasping at straws.

*sigh* The vet told me to "take a step back" and just observe her but I can't helping being a paranoid helicopter cat momma. This is why I can't have human children 
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #3

nevroth

TCS Member
Thread starter
Adult Cat
Joined
Dec 11, 2013
Messages
148
Purraise
78
Location
Los Angeles, CA
Thank you for that list!! I will definitely switch over because I feel really guilty giving the fancy feast but I've tried other higher quality brands without success. It doesn't help that my big boy Momo doesn't like pate *rolls eyes*

Do you think it's ok to try new food now before she gets better (better in that she has consistent bowl movements and her mood and appetite improve?) The vet told me not to try anything new (I had asked about probiotics) until she's gets back to pre-constipation normal. Maybe it was the food all along??

Anywhos, thanks for the great list.
 

greypaws

TCS Member
Adult Cat
Joined
Nov 21, 2016
Messages
219
Purraise
106
I hesitate to tell you to go against your vets advice. On the other hand if what he is suggesting doesn't work, then you have to be inventive. In humans most often if they are constipated they aren't consuming enough water and fiber. So taking that over to kitty, she isn't getting enough water. I've heard way to many problems with both dogs and cats that are fed Blue Buffalo to the point I'd never get that brand for my animals. Obviously lot's feed this successfully or else they'd not be in business. This is just my personal take on BB.

My suggestion from MizM's list, Natures Variety Instinct, LID  my boy totally loves the rabbit and the chicken is his 2nd fav. He has health issues and this is one of the foods I can feed. NVI is sold at my Petco, which was convenient to try a few cans before ordering a case. Once you pick up whatever new brand of canned food you want to try, only offer that one, don't do a rotation at this point. Don't feed any dry or treats of any kind for now until kitty is eating. Be sure to add just a bit of warm water, about 1-2 tbsp. You don't want it too soupy but you need to get extra water into kitty.  I actually feed three times a day, 1/2 a 5.5 oz can Am and late PM and a small bedtime snack about an ounce.

Cats will eat what is available when they become hungry enough. The caveat to this don't let kitty go without eating for more than 18 hours or you are risking serious health issues.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #5

nevroth

TCS Member
Thread starter
Adult Cat
Joined
Dec 11, 2013
Messages
148
Purraise
78
Location
Los Angeles, CA
Thank you for the reply. I only had a chance to go to Petsmart this weekend and saw the Nature's Variety LID turkey. I hesitated to get it because Meph wasn't eating the turkey flavor FF. Instead I saw Nulo brand and got a few cans of that (seems to have a good rep online) and an ingredient listed was pumpkin which I was pleased to see. I left some out today (but too late I read your post, I left a little of everything out- she barely ate yesterday and took the appetite stimulant this morning so I'm expecting her to pig out. At least this trend is consistent) so we'll see. I hope she likes it! If not I will try the NV LID. I was feeding them their dry with raw boost and they enjoyed it for a while. Then they got tired of it (or something, jeez cats) and the Wilderness was a hit.

I said it in jest earlier, but I really do think it's the rain! We've been having many intense rainstorms in So Cal for weeks now. And it matches when she started having problems. She's always been an anxious cat and I think this tipped her over the edge. I'm going to make a post in the appropriate forum with some new insight a little about this.... Thanks again :)
 

greypaws

TCS Member
Adult Cat
Joined
Nov 21, 2016
Messages
219
Purraise
106
How are things going with Meph and her eating? does she like the new food, appetite and poos any better? Keeping you both in my thoughts.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #7

nevroth

TCS Member
Thread starter
Adult Cat
Joined
Dec 11, 2013
Messages
148
Purraise
78
Location
Los Angeles, CA
 
How are things going with Meph and her eating? does she like the new food, appetite and poos any better? Keeping you both in my thoughts.
Thank you Greypaws!! I need to get of picture of the Princess-topheles. She looks just like the kitty in your avatar. A beautiful fluffy black cutie pie with a Zsa Zsa Gabor tail. I gave her the appetite stimulant yesterday and she did indeed eat (about 5oz of wet and 1oz of dry) in the 24hr period. She munched a little on the Nula but since I had left FF out she preferentially ate that. We had one last intense rainstorm yesterday and when I went home check on her (during lunch and then after work) she did not want to come out from the bed. In the evening she gave the most pitiful meows that I think were "Please don't drag me out!!!!"  (She gave me those this morning too and ran away from me
) The vet gave me enough mirtazapine for another 2 weeks at least so if her appetite decreases I can keep administering it to her (in pill pocket form). The next dose will be given Thursday and maybe before or after that she'll be calm enough that her appetite stays consistent and I can stop or delay giving her more mirtazapine.

She didn't pee a lot yesterday so I put out two more water bowls and there was a huge pee puddle this morning. She pooped yesterday too (hooray! good consistency too!), a little small, but with her fluctuating appetite I think's ok. Although I want to switch the food I think I will stick to FF for a bit more, pate if possible, and then try the Nula again or NV (but the Nula did smell pretty good lol).

The rains have stopped (for the current 14 day forecast future) so hopefully if it WAS that, she can relax and gain confidence again. 

Thank you again for your thoughts, they are very much appreciated!!
 

greypaws

TCS Member
Adult Cat
Joined
Nov 21, 2016
Messages
219
Purraise
106
Gracious that is wonderful news. You may well be onto the horrible weather you've been having was the root of all her problems. My unprofessional advice, keep doing exactly what you are for now along with the med. I think right now that she is eating any canned is best.  Keep the kibble to a minimum, taking away a few kernels each time you feed it, maybe in time you can completely eliminate that or if you want to feed kibble, find something besides the Blue Buffalo. I can't feed kibble to my boy so am no help on what brands are better.

Mr Sparky has FLUD so it's important for me to keep him hydrated. I add 1-2 tbsp. of warm water to 1/2 of a 5.5 oz can of food, each time I serve it. He eats 3 times a day and if I see food left, depending on amount, I add a bit more water, sometimes more food also in between meals if he is hungry. Doing this I'm getting between 1/3 to 1/2 cup of water in him every day, along with the moisture in the wet food. His urine is pale, which is what we need. Maybe you can do something like this to get more water in her? He's not much of drinker even tho I've got 2 bowls and a fountain scattered around the house, so adding water to his food helps a lot.

I love your description of Meph, wonder what the male version could be of the ZaZa Gabor tail?


Keeping you both in my prayers.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #9

nevroth

TCS Member
Thread starter
Adult Cat
Joined
Dec 11, 2013
Messages
148
Purraise
78
Location
Los Angeles, CA
So Meph doesn't want to eat 


When I last posted (Tues, 1/24/17) she didn't eat anything until really late that night. Although the next morning there was poo and pee in the litterbox she only ate about 2oz of food (1.5ish wet, 0.5ish dry). I called the vet and asked if mirtazapine can lose it's effectiveness and if I could give her another dose a day early and the vet said it was ok but to bring her in if her appetite didn't pick up in a day or two.

Well last night she ate about 4oz wet + about 0.6oz dry and there was pee this morning but in the morning and at noon time she seemed so despondent. There was evidence she was in the litterbox (as I shake it flat each time I clean it) but no poo/pee.  This happened at least twice this week too. She seems in pain. I'm taking her to the vet in literally 15min and should be going.... will post afterwards....
 

greypaws

TCS Member
Adult Cat
Joined
Nov 21, 2016
Messages
219
Purraise
106
Oh no, that is not good. Hope the trip to the vets is successful and Mephi will be better soon. We are keeping our paws crossed here while waiting for the next update.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #11

nevroth

TCS Member
Thread starter
Adult Cat
Joined
Dec 11, 2013
Messages
148
Purraise
78
Location
Los Angeles, CA
Oh my goodness. After a negative pancreatitis test, much physical palpitations and observations, an xray showed that Meph was BLOCKED UP!! The xray was initially done to rule out (or in) a hair line fracture in her leg because she seemed so tense and the vet could tell she was in pain.


After the pancreatitis test but before the xray.

We were all surprised to see that she full of poo and a little gas because the palpitation did not turn up any hard stool. And she's been having bowel movements! So now the vet is concerned about megacolon, though by xray alone she doesn't show an enlarged intestine, but it's clearly a consideration if she's having trouble eliminating soft stool. She'll be on cisapride starting Saturday (when it'll be ready for pick up by the pharmacy) and until then the vet recommended lactulose as "its not just a stool softener but helps move things along too."

An enema turned out soft stool also. Through the indignity she was a relatively good sport, and her mood seems MUCH improved now. The vet recommend until I get it or in lieu of cisapride, Xantac (or it's generic) as apparently it also gets the gut contracting. I will look into it.

I really wanna try the probiotics now, but I can see the vet's sense of waiting until she's back to a sense of normalcy.

Thank you so much for your thoughts! They help, they really do!
 

greypaws

TCS Member
Adult Cat
Joined
Nov 21, 2016
Messages
219
Purraise
106
I've been holding my breath waiting for your update. We'll keep our paws crossed that it isn't mega colon either and the meds will do the trick. What did he say about what she should eat? Has she tried to eat since coming home? Will continue to keep Mephi in my prayers.
 
Top