ANOTHER update on cat who won't drink!

Mandy still will NOT drink other than 1 teaspoonful of KMR once a day.

We saw the Vet Monday & he said she looks good; skin turgor is good & no weight loss. However she still had temp of 103+ so he is still not happy about the situation.

I told him I am having increasing difficulty in getting the 4 oz of water down her daily. (I hoped I'd get better with practice - instead she has gotten better at preventing me from getting the water down. (:>)

He said to continue to do the best I can & he wants to see her again Wednesday morning.

Today she has been eating about as normal but of course only of her dry food. I had some Soy Milk & she seemed to really like the smell; she just sniffed & sniffed at the container so I offered her some - of course she then walked away from it. Also had some lovely lean ground sirloin which she also refused. I believe I am more of a carnivore than my kitty is!

It's now 6:15 & I've gotten only 2 oz of water down her. Looks like this will be a long evening!

I just don't know how long I can keep up this pace!

Thanks for all your replies.

Betty & Mandy

I am sorry to hear Mandy is still not drinking water, must be getting hard for both of you

Reading your other posts about how she won't eat wet food got me thinking about a recipe used on rabbits when they won't eat.

It was fairly simple, grinding the rabbit food pellats and mixing it with banana baby food untill its firm but still soft enough to eat easily. I am wondering if you do something similar grinding dry food and mixing it with some wet food (the pate kind with no bits of meat in) as wet food contains a fair amount of water.

I hope she starts feeling better soon

Marie

Yesterday her appetite picked up & she ate her normal amount of dry food as well as 1/2 jar of Gerber's Beef. This morning she is also eating as usual. So now that she seems back to normal with the eating I can try wetting some of her dry food. Last week she one time ate some with tablespoon water. (Wouldn't touch it after the first time)

We go to the Vet at 11:30 this morning so will see what he has to say. Expect he'll tell me to just continue present course.

It's just after 6:30 so haven't pushed any water on her yet. Giving her a bit of peace to do her morning 'window watching' without being hassled.

Check the ingredients of your baby food you are feeding her and be sure there is no onion powder listed. Onion powder can cause some internal problems for kitties, so be sure it is not on the list.

It's my understanding that they stopped the onion powder a couple of years ago.
It now lists only - beef, water, corn starch and lemon juice concentrate (to maintain natural color)

It doesn't say how much water but I figure it has to be more than in the dry food.

Hi Betty

I reread your two most recent threads on Mandy. . .I don't know if any of these ideas will help but I thought I'd throw them out there. . .

1) you mentioned in the last thread that Mandy didn't pee for 14 hours but then you found a large pee ball and a little pee ball. One of my cats used to drink (and pee) a LOT when she was a kitty but then grew out of the habit. For the past 9 years, 2 large pee balls in 24 hours is her average; 1 large pee ball in 24 hours not unheard of. She has been checked annually (with blood panel) and she is healthy. On the other hand, I have another cat who pees maybe a dozen times a day.. .also healthy.

I am wondering if Mandy had a low grade kidney infection for quite awhile which made her drink and pee more. But now that she is on the antibiotic she no longer needs to?? Or maybe she is just out growing the drinking habit like my kitty? The fact that she has a fever is worrisome, but the fact that she is not dehydrated is good. I am not in ANY way suggesting you do something against vet's orders. . .just offering a different perspective.

2) Another suggestion would be to try to offer liquids in other forms besides the KMR and water. . .clam juice, tuna water, broth, jello?, milk shakes with lactaid, icecream with lactaid, baby cereal. . .I know they sound off the wall but one of my kitties will just go nuts over icecream and yogurt and oatmeal, but can't run fast enough from clam juice and tuna water.

Hope Mandy's fever clears up soon.

Thank you Maui for your reply, Your remark about your kitty's infrequent urination is reassuring.

We went to the vet this afternoon. Her temp was normal, 102.2 & since Monday she has gained 1-1/2 oz of the 2 oz she had lost. She really had good appetite yesterday & ate as much as usual before all this business.

His advice was to finish up her meds but to not try to force water on her; to see if she gets thirsty & starts to drink on her own. He said if I thought her temperature was not staying down & wanted to check could bring her in again Friday & he'd take her temp.

She got her last dose of Flagyl at 6pm & at 10:00 will get Chlormycetin & Clavamox. I think those will be finished tomorrow.

She was more upset about the visit today then has been before & until a few minutes ago has been sort of 'pouting'. Has been sitting under the coffee table & not coming out to eat or socialize. A few minutes ago she finally came out & ate & is now lying stretched out on living room floor in her customary position.

I certainly have appreciated the support received here. Thanks so much to you Maui and to Hissy, Sandy & Wibble. If I forgot anyone thanks to them also.

Now keeping fingers crossed that my Mandy will soon take into her head to get back to normal & start drinking as well as eating.

Many thanks from Betty & Mandy

Good news that her fever is down

Mandy may have been pouting after the vet visit cuz she's feeling more perky. I've noticed that one of my cats is more amenable to vet visits when ill. . .more feisty when well

I don't know if you have already done this, but having several water bowls around in different areas of the house may interest Mandy to drink more water. I have one cat that loves to make the tour of the different water bowls, then visits the litter box, whenever she comes inside. . .it's like reverse marking/spraying

I would have a positive outlook on her drinking more. Usually once they are feeling better and everything is working right, the eating and drinking return to normal. I think you guys got past the hardest part

Thanks for the encouragement Sandi, I do need it.
She ate up a storm Tuesday & OK Wednesday morninng. She has hardly eaten since then. Wasn't touching her usual food today so I put out some of the Chef's Blend she had gobbled up on Tuesday. She ate a bit of that once this afternoon.

She doesn't feel particularly warm to the touch but I may phone tomorrow & take her back for vet to check her temperature. Needless to say she hasn't been drinking.

Her last medication was at 10 yesterday evening so I thought she'd have a better appetite today.

Thanks again from one frustrated Kitty Mom.

Betty