An enigma - any ideas?

I have been to the vet 3 times in the past week, and end up calling her on the days we aren't in the office. This is a puzzle and I just thought I would throw it out to the forum and see if anyone has experienced anything like this.

Last week Puff wouldn't poop. After about 3 days, I finally got her into the vet. Her anal sacs were FULL, so they expressed the sacs, gave me LaxAire and sent me home. She still wouldn't poop, and then she started vomitting. She threw up one time a day, for 3 days in a row. I took her back to the vet and they did x-rays. Her lower intestines were clear, but the upper intestines were full. There was no sign of gas, bloat, firmness in the belly, etc... so we got Pepcid AC for the vomitting and stool softener pills. That night Puff pooped! The poopy problem seems to be pretty much over now, but...
Since then (last Thursday) she has refused any water and has eaten less and less each day. (During the poopy period she was eating and drinking regular) Now she is VERY lethargic, only eating occasionally when I put the food under her nose, and I am worried.
The x-rays were clean, the blood tests were "perfect", she doesn't have a fever, but I am worried because she seems to be failing.
Yesterday the vet prescribed some steroids, said they should make her feel better almost immediately. Well it has been over 24 hours, still no water, no energy and reluctantly and barely eating.
This is a puzzle and I don't know what to do next... Has anyone experienced anything like this?
Thanks Everyone!

Hi Puffs Mom-

I'm not sure what this could be, but I strongly urge you to get Puff back to the vet, preferably a new vet who might have a better idea of what's going on. Did they check Puff's heart carefully?

Please get some water into Puff. You mentioned she ate a bit of food, but didn't specify if was dry or canned (canned is preferable). She needs to stay hydrated. Use a sterilized syringe or eye dropper to get water into her if she won't drink on her own. Dehydration will make her feel miserable and may aggravate whatever is wrong.

If Puff were my cat, I'd get her into the vet ASAP, if possible, to a feline internal medicine specialist.

Good luck, please let us know how she is.

We did the iv fluids two days ago and I am adding water to the wet food that she is eating... She isn't dehydrated at this point...

Glad to hear she was recently hydrated. Adding water to the wet food will help, but unfortunately it won't be enough unless she begins drinking some on her own. You don't want her becoming dehydrated.

The diminished appetite and lethargy are worrisome so I think you'd definitely be doing the right thing to get her back to a vet.

Please consider getting her to a new vet. We lost our last cat to something like this. She had stopped eating, and all her tests and x-rays came back "perfect". She died a few days later, still "perfectly healthy".

In cases like this, I don't know what we could have done. Personally, I think my mother waited way too long to call the vet - almost three weeks before she said anything to me and I convinced her to get the cat to a vet ASAP.

Try and find a cat specialist in the area who has delt with problems like this before.

Good luck! Your kitty is in my thoughts.

A feline specialist is the way to go

Maybe you can find one here

I hope you'll update us on what is happening? Your instincts are right...she's telling you something is still wrong, and I hope you've found a specialist and gotten some answers. I hope she's doing better.

Agreed this is excellent advice, I hope you are seeing somebody but please do post when you feel like it....sending big hugs and strong vibes for your little one.

Thank you all. Puff is responding very well to the medications. The generally accepted diagnosis at this point is gastritis. She is eating again, has about 70% of her energy back, is using the litter box well, and is really picking up each day.
Your well wishes are so appreciated and it is so nice to have her yell at me again when she wants something... Her being quiet and laying on the bed was the worst part of it all.
Thanks again!

That is good news...glad to hear she is on the mend

I know how you feel - I get crazy when they rampage through the house or I find another broken flowerpot, but there is nothing so awful as having a cat lying there, looking at you, unable to tell you where they are hurting. And you can't tell them back that you are doing everything you can for them, while inside you are scared to death. I am glad she is doing well.