Food for dying cat

sharpsburg

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My precious cat has been diagnosed with terminal cancer. I can't save her but want to help all i can. Should she be on special food to help keep her strength and weight up for as long as I can? Anything by IAMS possible? Is there anything else I can do to make her comfortable for as long as possible?

Mary
 

sharky

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Talk to your vet... if she has a low appetitie some times the vet will say to try baby food the stage one meats with meat water and salt
 

Anne

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You should definitely consult your vet. The type of cancer and any medication she is on may be a factor as well. If she is not eating, she may also be signalling that she isn't comfortable anymore...
 

goldenkitty45

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Personally I'd spoil the cat - why restrict their diet - give her as much as you want of her fav foods. Shredded cooked chicken would be a good protein food.
 

semiferal

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Definitely talk to the vet. The specifics of what she eats probably matter very little at this point, the main goal is probably just to get her to eat. Fancy Feast, plain meat baby food, Cat Sip/Cat Milk, Kitten Milk Replacer (if she can tolerate the lactose), any kitten food, cooked chicken or fish, and canned tuna are just a few things you can try to coax her appetite.
 

booktigger

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I am sorry to hear about your cat. You could ask your vet for Hills a/d, it is a convalescing food so has lots of protein etc in it for her. And I have never known a cat refuse it.
 

kittypaw1018

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I would ask your vet what is best suitable for your cat so that it helps her through her digestion if she's that ill. I know when cats get very ill they have trouble digesting certain foods. I owned a cat and he was diagnosed with kidney failure and he drank alot of water and that's why I got him checked out because of that action he was doing.

when I found out the vet said that i could put him on a special diet but since he was so old and I didn't want him to suffer I put him down as I thought it was the humane thing to do.


I know when one of my pets is ill I give them some cooked rice. I would ask your vet though if you want your cat to live a bit longer.


Anne
 

esrgirl

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I am so sorry for your terrible news. You both will be in my thoughts. When Abby was diagnosed with Feline Leukemia and started going downhill I fed her the only stuff she would eat- wet food. I gave her Natural Choice pouches and Nutro cans, as well as boiled chicken, cat milk, and plain yogurt (she loved it a lot). Eventually she stopped eating completely and I totally lost it. I'm so glad your kitty has someone as loving as you to take care of her in her final days.
 

yosemite

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Originally Posted by semiferal

Kitten Milk Replacer (if she can tolerate the lactose),
I didn't realize the milk replacer for cats had lactose - I thought that was the reason to use the replacer instead of cow milk. I don't use a replacement milk since neither of our cats like it, but it's good to know for future reference.
 

ktlynn

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Originally Posted by Sharpsburg

My precious cat has been diagnosed with terminal cancer. I can't save her but want to help all i can. Should she be on special food to help keep her strength and weight up for as long as I can? Anything by IAMS possible? Is there anything else I can do to make her comfortable for as long as possible?

Mary
Mary, I'm so very sorry for this terrible news. Six years ago, my Louie had cancer, and when his appetite began to wane, we gave him just about anything he wanted. Baby food (poultry flavors), roast beef, roast chicken, turkey, and Hill's A/D. At times, I had to syringe (assist-feed) him. If you do that, make sure it's not too stressful for your cat. (Good information on that at www.assistfeed.com) During the short time I assist-fed Louie he tolerated it well. Sometimes Louie didn't want to eat from a dish, but would lick food off my finger. Do whatever works for your girl. Keep trying different foods and methods of feeding. Never a finicky eater before being diagnosed with cancer, Louie would keep me guessing from one day to the next as to what he wanted to eat.

You might also try adding some Prozyme to your cat's food - it helps ill and/or older kitties digest their food.

The best thing you can do is to try to treat your girl as if nothing has changed, and boy, is that hard to do. Cats know when you're worried or stressed and our emotions often filter down to them. The last thing you want is for her to be upset, so try (superhuman effort here) to be as cheerful as possible around her. When you need a good cry, make sure it's someplace she can't see or hear you. Whatever makes her happy, whether it's playing with a favorite toy, being combed, or snuggling with you- just do more of it. You might want to give her a gentle daily massage - cats usually love this and it's good for them - revs up the circulation a little which will help with digestion. There is also something called T-Touch which you might want to try - if you do a search you'll find some threads that members have posted who've learned this method.

My heart goes out to you because I know what this feels like. Treasure every day. Your kitty is so lucky to have such a loving mom.
 

crittergirl

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When my baby (RIP) was diagnosed, the Vet recommended kitten food to keep weight on. But she also said that he could eat any type of cat food as long as he did eat.
 

katiemae1277

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Originally Posted by esrgirl

I am so sorry for your terrible news. You both will be in my thoughts. When Abby was diagnosed with Feline Leukemia and started going downhill I fed her the only stuff she would eat- wet food. I gave her Natural Choice pouches and Nutro cans, as well as boiled chicken, cat milk, and plain yogurt (she loved it a lot). Eventually she stopped eating completely and I totally lost it. I'm so glad your kitty has someone as loving as you to take care of her in her final days.
Sorry you had to go through that.... FeLV is a horrid disease

Mary~ sorry to hear you bad news, I'm with the idea that give her whatever she'll eat
 

sashacat421

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Dear Mary,
We are going through the same thing, and your thread caught my eye.
My boy has Lymphosarcoma of the liver. He may have only days left....but he is eating. We poach halibut and chicken, and steam fresh ahi tuna for him. Lots of protein and carbs, he also gets eggs and treats.
Prayers to you my dear, I hope you are in peace as much as you can be~~
Love,
E.
 

semiferal

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Originally Posted by Yosemite

I didn't realize the milk replacer for cats had lactose - I thought that was the reason to use the replacer instead of cow milk. I don't use a replacement milk since neither of our cats like it, but it's good to know for future reference.
Formula that is meant to replace mothers' milk for very young kittens does have lactose. All milk contains lactose in its natural state and all baby mammals are born with the ability to digest lactose. They lose this ability as they get older and wean. The reason to use kitten milk replacer instead of cow milk is that it has the balance of protein, fat, carbohydrates, and micronutrients that kittens need. Cow milk is much too low in protein to allow a kitten to grow and develop properly.

Milk treats marketed for adult cats, such as Cat Sip and Whiskas Cat Milk, are lactose reduced because most adult cats, like most other adult mammals, do not have the ability to digest lactose. Unlike milk replacements meant for kittens, these milks are meant to be treats only.
 

lisahe

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I have no words to say how thankful I am of this thread. #samesituation My vet said to give anything to my cat, to spoil him like crazy, and yes, including baby food. #heartbroken
I'm sorry to hear you're going through something similar. We did the same when our cat was in her last weeks: she wouldn't eat much but took a liking to some foods I never would have expected her to like, including raw food! (Our vet, unfortunately, wasn't as cooperative as yours... but we fed the cat what she'd eat anyway.) Welcome to The Cat Site, though I'm sorry it was under these sad circumstances.
 

tuffsmom

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I am so sorry about your cat's illness. Know that both of you are in my prayers.
 

ej x

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I have you in my prayers, both of you. If she is terminal, just spoil her. Fish flavored cans all day long.
 
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