Cat with URI will not eat. Going on four days!

So I have two cats. One of them got a URI, but it just consisted of a lot of sneezing and a little bit of a runny nose and it quickly went away. So, when my other cat picked it up, I wasn't too concerned and I assumed it would go away as well. However, it continued to get worse, and finally my cat stopped eating.  I took him to the vet on the second day of him not eating, and they gave him some treatment and sent me home and told me to come back the next day for more treatment. I went home, and he still wouldn't eat any thing and he seemed even worse. He became extremely lethargic and depressed. I took him back to the vet the next day (yesterday), and they asked to admit him into the hospital so they could continue to treat him and monitor him. I went to visit him today after he has been in the hospital for only one night and he seems much better. Not lethargic at all, his eye (which was swollen and had a discharge) is almost completely cleared up, but he is still congested and still will not eat anything. 

I'm getting extremely concerned with him not eating anything. I asked the vet about it, and they said that cats can go 1-2 weeks without eating anything and that when he is less congested he should begin eating again. However, everything that I read tells me that he is at risk for diseases such as hepatic lipidoses. He's in the hospital for another day, but if he's still not eating when he comes out I intend to start trying to syringe feed him. I'm just concerned that they're not trying to assist feed him while he's at the vet. Has anyone had any experiences like this?

I'll also mention, he's about 10 months old, up to date on his vaccines, and he is not overweight. I've also tried everything I can think of when it comes to trying to feed him: warming up his food, tuna, I even cooked chicken for him and he usually freaks out if he smells chicken cooking. I tried dabbing a little wet food on his nose and he didn't even lick it off. He just seems completely uninterested in food.

I think you're right to be concerned - I've never heard of a vet saying it's okay for a cat to go that long without eating. Normally vets will try something like Hill's a/d or syringe a liquid or paste dietary supplement.

They did give him fluids under his skin. I'm living in Japan, so I'm wondering if maybe they do things a little differently?

He did start eating a tiny bit and it looked like he was improving a lot and his appetite was returning, so the vet let me bring him home. He ate a tiny bit when he got home and seemed much less depressed, but now after being home for a few hours he seems lethargic again and refuses to eat... I'm not sure why he would get worse again after just being in the house for a few hours.

You are right to be concerned.  Cats that go 36-48 hours without eating are at risk for Hepatic Lipidosis (fatty liver) which greatly complicates recovery.  You need to do whatever you can to get your cat to eat.  Try warming a smelly type food, or try baby food chicken, try different things--anything to entice him to eat.  If he does not eat, you might ask your Vet for an appetite stimulant.  You might try syringe feeding thinned baby food or thinned Hills A/D.   For nasal congestion, you might try spraying "Saline Nasal Spray for Babies" in the nose.  Cats don't like it, but it does help open the nose. 

While I'm not a Vet, I do know that if a cat goes 1-2 weeks without eating, he most likely will have Hepatic Lipidosis...and may very well be dead!   If a Vet told me that, I would seek out a new Vet!

Thanks for the advice! I definitely have tried everything I can think of. Warming food, baby food, chicken, tuna, etc... he seems like the only food that he's a little bit interested in is his dry food, but he'll just smell it and move it around with his nose and then walk away. He ate a little bit of food yesterday and I've been syringe feeding him some baby food today, but I only have a tiny syringe so he definitely hasn't eaten much today.

His uri seems a lot better though. I'm going back to the vet today so he can get a nebulizer treatment (and a bigger syringe!), and he's on oral meds and medicated eye drops for his eyes and nose. He definitely seems to be recovering, so my concern now is definitely his appetite!

Please eat, Eugene!

Kamrie said:

Please eat, Eugene!

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Yes, definitely sending you vibes for your cat Eugene to begin eating normally, again. 

Does Eugene like any type of wet cat food?

So that if you have a blender, or can water it down, and blend it, perhaps he will lick the gravy, or like you mentioned....just syringe more of it, more times per day.

Is he on antibiotics for the URI? It might be affecting his taste buds, too. 

Some meds are given by pills, others by liquid.

This video might help for syringe feeding: http://www.thecatsite.com/t/227858/syringe-feeding-lucky-video-if-your-cat-is-not-eating      ...Post #1

Also, a helpful video is on youtube, by 'Treken Steve'...'How to Assist Feed/Force Feed Cat by Syringe'.

Are you able to get Eugene to the Vet, today, in Japan, to check about fever, or appetite stimulant, and other soft critical care foods? Not sure how the vets work, over there in Japan.

Wishing you all the best, to get Eugene healthy, again.

cat nap said:

Yes, definitely sending you vibes for your cat Eugene to begin eating normally, again.  :cat:

Does Eugene like any type of wet cat food?
So that if you have a blender, or can water it down, and blend it, perhaps he will lick the gravy, or like you mentioned....just syringe more of it, more times per day.

Is he on antibiotics for the URI? It might be affecting his taste buds, too. 
Some meds are given by pills, others by liquid.

This video might help for syringe feeding: http://www.thecatsite.com/t/227858/syringe-feeding-lucky-video-if-your-cat-is-not-eating      ...Post #1
Also, a helpful video is on youtube, by 'Treken Steve'...'How to Assist Feed/Force Feed Cat by Syringe'.

Are you able to get Eugene to the Vet, today, in Japan, to check about fever, or appetite stimulant, and other soft critical care foods? Not sure how the vets work, over there in Japan.
Wishing you all the best, to get Eugene healthy, again.

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Thank you for the advice! That link had a lot of good info.

He used to like wet cat food, but now he seems more interested in his dry food. He seems slightly more interested in chicken baby food than in his regular wet cat food, so I've been using that in the syringe. He was on antibiotics, but I don't believe he is anymore. Now he's just getting powdered medication "for phlegm" which I'm using the syringe to give him. There's definitely a bit of a language barrier, so things are explained to me in very simple terms, and it's hard for me to fully understand what medication they are giving him. I've had a lot of success with this vet it the past taking care of a uri and ringworm when my cats were kittens though, so I trust the meds they give.

I will be going back to the vet in just a few minutes and they'll take his temperature, give him treatment for his congestion (it's like a medicated humidity treatment) and I'll ask about appetite stimulants and see if I can get a better cat food for him.

Originally Posted by Kamrie  
Thank you for the advice! That link had a lot of good info.

He used to like wet cat food, but now he seems more interested in his dry food. He seems slightly more interested in chicken baby food than in his regular wet cat food, so I've been using that in the syringe. He was on antibiotics, but I don't believe he is anymore. Now he's just getting powdered medication "for phlegm" which I'm using the syringe to give him. There's definitely a bit of a language barrier, so things are explained to me in very simple terms, and it's hard for me to fully understand what medication they are giving him. I've had a lot of success with this vet it the past taking care of a uri and ringworm when my cats were kittens though, so I trust the meds they give.

I will be going back to the vet in just a few minutes and they'll take his temperature, give him treatment for his congestion (it's like a medicated humidity treatment) and I'll ask about appetite stimulants and see if I can get a better cat food for him.

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That sounds great @Kamrie.

I'm hoping that his URI is clearing up, and then Eugene will be able to smell fully, again, so that he begins to eat on his own.

The Vet might tell you to put him in a bathroom, with the room steamed up, if that will help to clear his nasal passages, too.

Or like the other member, @babiesmom5 mentioned, some saline baby nasal drops.

Since this Vet treated him before, perhaps he meant 1-2 days...not 1-2 weeks without food. Sometimes Vets speak very fast, even when you're speaking the same language.

When you get back, maybe you can give us an update on how things went, at the Vet's, and how Eugene is doing.

I know there are time-zone differences, but most of us here, like to hear updates, whenever we can.

And also good that at least you were able to get him to eat the chicken baby food.

All fingers and paws crossed over here, for a good return to Health.    

(oh, and BTW....Eugene is gorgeous looking.)  

Hi @Kamrie

I'm sorry to hear you've been having trouble getting Eugene to eat. Wet food seems to stimulate their appetite better than dry food, but if he prefers dry that's better than nothing.

A few tips: If he still has a runny nose lowering his head to a bowl is going to make his nose run and that will make it difficult for him to eat. Try elevating his bowl so that it is at nose level for him.

When a cat's whiskers touch the side of the bowl it can be uncomfortable for him if he has a URI. Try offering him his food on a wide, flat plate.

Which part of Japan are you in? I know a few English speaking vets around the Tokyo area. My Japanese got a lot better once I had to try and work out what my vet was saying.

 

cat nap Just got back from the vet He was given the nebulizer treatment as well as a shot of a medication to help his immune system. They also gave me a couple syringes and a can of cat food that is in kanji but slso says a/d haha.

I'm happy to say that right as I was trying to leave for the vet Eugene decided he wanted to eat and I certainly wasn't going to stop him, and right when I got home he went straight to his food bowl and ate again. Still doesn't seem interested in wet food or tuna or anything that he normally likes, which is so weird to me, but I'm just so glad he's eating on his own! He seems overall like he's going to make a full recovery. I'm sooo relieved!

His congestion seems to be clearing up, so I'll probably just stick with the medicated eye drops without adding a nasal spray. The eye drops are already pretty traumatizing for him Bringing him in the restroom with the shower running does seem to help, if only temporarily

I'm pretty sure that they said 1-2 weeks because it was already the third day of him not eating and I was asking if I should start assist feeding and they basically told me not to worry about it. So weird! Super contrary to everything I've read. Even today, I still had to ask about a syringe; they didn't recommend it until after I asked. :/

Norachan those are great tips! The runny nose and the whiskers touching the bowl issues make a lot of sense. I had been noticing that he seemed more interested in food if I put it directly on the floor instead of giving it to him in a bowl, but then when he would go to eat it for awhile he would just chew the dry food and then let it fall out of his mouth without finishing it. Probably for the reasons you mentioned.

I live on a tiny island south of mainland Japan called Okinawa. The animal hospital I'm going to here has English translators, so we definitely get by, I just can't get as much in depth information as I could if I could speak directly to the vet and English was the first language. Did you live in Japan for awhile?

Okinawa! Beautiful place. I do envy you. I live half way up Mount Fuji, in all the ice and snow. I've been in Japan for about 15 years now, off and on.

I'm sure Okinawa is a good place to get help with English translations. They have the big US military base there, don't they? Must be lots of people around who speak English.

I'm glad to hear Eugene likes the a/d food.  It seems to work wonders with sick cats.

Please keep us posted, I'd love to see some more pictures of him

Kamrie said:

@cat napJust got back from the vet

He was given the nebulizer treatment as well as a shot of a medication to help his immune system. They also gave me a couple syringes and a can of cat food that is in kanji but slso says a/d haha.

I'm happy to say that right as I was trying to leave for the vet Eugene decided he wanted to eat and I certainly wasn't going to stop him, and right when I got home he went straight to his food bowl and ate again. Still doesn't seem interested in wet food or tuna or anything that he normally likes, which is so weird to me, but I'm just so glad he's eating on his own! He seems overall like he's going to make a full recovery. I'm sooo relieved!

His congestion seems to be clearing up, so I'll probably just stick with the medicated eye drops without adding a nasal spray. The eye drops are already pretty traumatizing for him

Bringing him in the restroom with the shower running does seem to help, if only temporarily

I'm pretty sure that they said 1-2 weeks because it was already the third day of him not eating and I was asking if I should start assist feeding and they basically told me not to worry about it. So weird! Super contrary to everything I've read. Even today, I still had to ask about a syringe; they didn't recommend it until after I asked. :/
...

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I second Norachan's request for more pictures of Eugene, and your other cat, too.

We love photos, here. You can post them here, or in the http://www.thecatsite.com/f/29/fur-pictures-and-videos-only  sub-forum.

@Kamrie ...I kind of smiled at your description of Eugene wanting to eat before and after going to see the Vet.  

It's like our cats hear us talking, and making plans to go to the Vet, and then decide, "Oh, boy, I better eat now, because who knows how long this will take. Or I better eat, and convince the humans, that everything is fine."

I swear, cats know exactly when we are talking about Vets and vet-clinic trips. Usually, they go off and hide, right before, too.

Very glad that Eugene is getting better, and that his congestion is clearing up.

The medicated eye drops will also help his sinuses to clear up, since there is some sort of connection between the eye and sinus cavity.

(I think it's called the Nasolacrimal duct...but not entirely sure.)

Maybe you can just sneak the eye drops into him, or hold him in a wrapped towel.

If he likes treats, then give them after the eye meds, though Eugene sounds like you cannot tempt him, or coax him with treats.

As for your Vet, they do sound okay, but any time you have a gut feeling that something is weird, or does not sound right, it's always good to read up on it, online, or ask more questions.

My Vet, would often times forget to mention things, too, unless I asked about it first. Then they'd give their medical opinion.

For syringes and some cat supplies, sometimes buying them from pharmacies, or larger stores that have pharmacy sections, pet stores, or even online, makes it more economical, then at the Vets.

But I suppose it depends on your location, and how fast you need it, too.

Still sending Health vibes, and getting back to his playful usual-self vibes, for Eugene.  

The orange one is Kiro and Eugene is my Siamese [emoji]128513[/emoji][emoji]128149[/emoji]Eugene has pretty much completely recovered and his appetite is fully back. I'm so relieved! I really appreciate this site though. I was so stressed out and I kept googling things which basically made every symptom look like a death sentence. His condition was definitely serious for a little while, but it really helped to talk to some other cat-loving humans!

cat nap When Eugene ate before going to the vet, he literally hopped out of the cat carrier before I could close it and went to his foo bowl as if he was stalling [emoji]128518[/emoji]

Norachan What a beautiful area to live! I just climbed Mount Fuji in September. We stayed in Kawaguchiko [emoji]128522[/emoji]

Kamrie said:

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• kamrie
• Mar 6, 2017

The orange one is Kiro and Eugene is my Siamese [emoji]128513[/emoji][emoji]128149[/emoji]Eugene has pretty much completely recovered and his appetite is fully back. I'm so relieved! I really appreciate this site though. I was so stressed out and I kept googling things which basically made every symptom look like a death sentence. His condition was definitely serious for a little while, but it really helped to talk to some other cat-loving humans!

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@Kamrie   ...They are both beautiful cats.

So glad that Eugene has recovered, and eating well.

(You're right about googling information, at times, and reading about worst case scenarios. I'm always afraid of missing symptoms in cats, but I do try not to jump to worst cases, automatically.

I've got some good Vets, and they usually put my mind at ease, being so calm, and mentioning that cat guardians are usually more stressed than the cats, themselves.

It's hard not to be stressed when our cats are sick.) 

Kamrie said:

@cat nap When Eugene ate before going to the vet, he literally hopped out of the cat carrier before I could close it and went to his foo bowl as if he was stalling [emoji]128518[/emoji]

@Norachan What a beautiful area to live! I just climbed Mount Fuji in September. We stayed in Kawaguchiko [emoji]128522[/emoji]

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LOL...Eugene "hopping out of the cat carrier", and "stalling" ...sounds just about right.

I think our cats understand things, far better than us humans.

(If they could talk, they'd definitely have some 'strong opinions', for sure. Maybe, it's better, that they don't talk. We'd be having to listen to their complaints, on the way to and from the Vets.)

(I had to look up Okinawa, and it looks totally 'tropical' or 'sub-tropical' to me.    Wow.

@Norachan.'s..area looks beautiful, too, and not always "ice and snow". Norachan you made it sound like you're living in 'Game of Thrones' with all that ice and snow.

I guess it depends on how high up, you're at.) 

@Kamrie  I'm so glad he is feeling better.



They're both gorgeous. Did you bring them over with you or adopt them in Japan?

I used to live in Kawaguchiko, just a few minutes walk from Ohashi, the big bridge that crosses the lake. I'm about 10 miles from there now, up in the wilder part. I'm very impressed with you climbing Mt Fuji. I've been as far as the 5th Station. By bus.



@cat nap  We're pretty high up. Around 1000 meters above sea level. Not in the snow all the time, of course, but at this time of year it's easy to forget that.