Is Bitsy anorexic?

10 days ago, Bitsy almost died from anaphylaxis after her vaccines. Last week I stayed in touch with the vet because she wasn't eating or getting around. The vet put her on antibiotics and showed me how to feed her Science Diet AD mixed with water. I have to feed her with a syringe and she only eats about 15 ccs at a time. The vet said cats can get anorexic. I honestly can't tell if she is going to the litter box because I have another cat. It doesn't seem like she is.
Today she is alert and sitting up, but she hasn't come out from under my kitchen sink all week. She has lost weight. She is drinking water. I am going to go back to the vet today.
I dont know what to do. Will Bitsy get better? Will she waste away? Has anyone heard of this problem before?

Gosh I've never heard of that before. Poor wee Bitsy, like anaphylaxis wasn't enough. It's understandable that a cat would go off its food when ill, I didn't know it could develop into anorexia though. Keep up with the feeding and you're doing well by keeping in touch with the vet. Good luck.

Is she on any medication other than antibiotics? I do not understand why a cat would be on antibiotics after anaphylaxis. Steroids would be a much more appropriate drug.

You probably already know this, but you should never, ever vaccinate Bitsy again.

She will start eating once she feels better. Anorexia just means not eating. In Bitsy's case it has absolutely nothing to do with the anorexia nervosa, the eating disorder that most of us think of when we hear "anorexia". She will not voluntarily starve herself to death, but the reason for her refusal to eat does have to be resolved before she will start eating again.

I would not say that anorexic would be a good description. There can be quite a few health problems associated with not eating. When they don't feel well, they can stop eating, and hide like you are describing. When you go to the vet, I would request a chemistry panel just to make sure it's not just from the vaccine reaction, then you can go from there.

I'll ask the vet if she should get more steroids.
They did blood tests, and that's when they found an infection.
The vet already told me she doesn't have to have any more vaccines.
I just hope she lives long enough to think about more vaccines.

This is the most caring and supportive website I have ever found!
Thank you all so much for letting me share this with you.

You might also ask the vet about appetite stimulants, like cyproheptadine. They can work wonders in getting a cat to eat again.

when john moms cat stoped eating....shes 13..... the vet put her on steroids, and told johns mom to start feeding her babyfood (meat ones)....I guess she loves it and has been gaining all her weight back....

the steroids will stimulate appitite...and babyfood..i guess just tastes good...

good luck...I hope she gets better.....

Just talked to the vet again. She says Bitsy might have had a stroke or hypoxia when she had the initial reaction.
We're going to try Nutrical and the doctor is researching cyproheptadine.

Two weeks ago Bitsy was doing double summersaults in the air playing with her toys. Now she only eats from the syringe and stares into space all the time.

I'm going to have to make a decision sometime how long this should go on. She's only 1 1/2. Tears.

Originally Posted by Kathylou

Just talked to the vet again. She says Bitsy might have had a stroke or hypoxia when she had the initial reaction.

We're going to try Nutrical and the doctor is researching cyproheptadine.

Two weeks ago Bitsy was doing double summersaults in the air playing with her toys. Now she only eats from the syringe and stares into space all the time.

I'm going to have to make a decision sometime how long this should go on. She's only 1 1/2. Tears.

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I am sooo sorry..... ..I hope bitsy will be ok.......

I have seen cats who have had strokes recover, and they were much older cats...so I will be praying......

but if you have to make any hard decisions, know that we are all here to support any decision you make......

good luck to you...and good vibes for sweet Bitsy....

Originally Posted by Kathylou

Just talked to the vet again. She says Bitsy might have had a stroke or hypoxia when she had the initial reaction.

We're going to try Nutrical and the doctor is researching cyproheptadine.

Two weeks ago Bitsy was doing double summersaults in the air playing with her toys. Now she only eats from the syringe and stares into space all the time.

I'm going to have to make a decision sometime how long this should go on. She's only 1 1/2. Tears.

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Ask your Vet right away about giving her some Vitamin B12 injections. This is a known appetite stimulant for cats and it improves their emotional state. Cats that go off their food for too long can develope serious liver disease that can be difficult if not impossible to cure.
She must eat. Try enticing her with some baby food made of meat. (check to make sure it has no onions in it). Try any and all meats until you get her to eat something, they don't have to be cooked....just extremely fresh.
Cats eat what smells good to them, she may be tempted to eat, if the meat you serve up is bloody. (Yucky for us, but cats are carnivores!)
The syringe feeding isn't going to be enough, do your best to stimulate her appetite, so she wants to eat on her own. If she does, encourage her, this often helps.
If your Vet balks at the B-12 shots, find a Vet that supports holistic vet care.

Don't give up on her yet, I've been in your shoes and often the light at the end of the tunnel is dim, but it can get bright real fast!

I am very sorry to read all of this. I also have to caution, as I see some information in this thread that I don't believe is accurate. Anorexia - loss of appetite, can occur just from the cat not eating for a bit (for whatever reason) it will not just go away with the cat feeling like eating again. It becomes a viscious circle and can become it's own health issue as cats can develop Hepatic Lipidosis after rapid weight loss. Pleaseclick here and read this article about this

If Hepatic Lipidosis does become an issue, it requires aggressive treatment, with many times a feeding tube suggested. It sounds as if they are concerned about damage from hypoxia? I will keep my fingers crossed that is not the case, and that if your vet decides to prescribe the cyproheptadine, that it will work well for her.

Bitsy's doctor is giving her the cyproheptadine and Nutrical. Does that have B12 in it?

I tried her favorite food - ham slivers - and no response.

For now, she is stable hiding under the sink and being hand fed.
She seems to have no pain. I will continue this for awhile, staying in touch with the vet of course.

She is not cleaning herself. Should I give her a bath, or would that be too traumatic?

I've been looking at pictures of you guy's cats. They are all beautiful. Thanks.

Originally Posted by Kathylou

Bitsy's doctor is giving her the cyproheptadine and Nutrical. Does that have B12 in it?

I tried her favorite food - ham slivers - and no response.

For now, she is stable hiding under the sink and being hand fed.
She seems to have no pain. I will continue this for awhile, staying in touch with the vet of course.

She is not cleaning herself. Should I give her a bath, or would that be too traumatic?

I've been looking at pictures of you guy's cats. They are all beautiful. Thanks.

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You can get what is called a no-rinse shampoo - some vets carry one brand, some petsmarts do as well. The ones I've used are a liquid you apply to clean off the area, and then towel dry - it allows you to not have to do the full bath routine, to just apply where needed, and is formulated to cleanse and deoderize...this would help clean off any urine if that is an issue as she can get urine scalding which is very uncomfortable.

Appetite stimulants I've used include treats such as tuna flakes (aka Kitty Kaviar or from an Asian Market, katsuobushi - which I am mispelling I am sure), stinky freeze dried salmon cubes (wildside salmon) any fishy food, baby food meat, rosie's rosedust, a bit of catnip sprinkled atop the food.