12 Year Old Cat stopped eating

[bethanney]

Merlin - my 12 old boy - stopped eating last Monda. He’s otherwise healthy; decent eater (he likes his wet food really slurpy with water) and he threw up a hairball Monday night. He then continued to vomit every 5 hours or so until I got him to the vet on Thursday. (I would’ve taken him sooner but we just moved & I had to find a new vet.)

His temperature was normal; bloodwork normal; wasn’t even dehydrated so the vet (whom I really like) didn’t feel a blockage and I knew Merlin hadn’t eaten anything strange so he gave him a Cerenia injection as well as a steroid shot. He also sent me home with a large syringe for assisted feeding. Merlin was pretty thirsty on Friday and I watched videos on feeding with a syringe but I’m terrible at it! I know there’s a learning curve but the most I’ve been able to get into him in the last few days is maybe a teaspoon full of baby food mixed with water.

I got excited this morning when he approached his food & water dish, only to be let down when he walked away from both. He did this a few times - like he wants to eat/ drink but he’s still nauseated? The vet seemed to think that the vomiting caused a loss of appetite, and once Merlin started eating again, that whatever this is will correct itself.

I’m contacting the vet first thing in the morning to see about a transdermal appetite stimulant and maybe another Cerenia shot for the nausea. I’m beside myself because an otherwise healthy cat stopped eating & drinking, and I feel so helpless to combat it by my poor assisted-feeding skills. (I’ve tried wrapping him in a towel; the syringe is too large & difficult to work with as it gets stuck & then squirts a large portion out. I have just been using the tip to shove tiny bits of food in but he’s not getting enough!)

Ive searched on this site, and know that people have successfully assist-fed their cats until they start eating on their own again but it’s so frustrating to see my beautiful void kitty wasting away! He did urinate in the litter box this morning (which is good) but I don’t know if he’s defecated this week as I have 2 other cats. (Having to work got in the way of being a 24/7 cat monitor…)

I‘d really love to hear from others as to their experience as from what I’ve been researching, this seems to happen frequently.

 

[Furballsmom]

Hi! Try a different syringe, try a popsicle stick, try scooping some on your finger, or his paw or his lip so he has to lick it off, set up a camera on the litterbox and also maybe there's something here;

Any Good Tips To Get Your Cats To Eat? Share Them Here!

 

[FeebysOwner]

I really don't have much to offer, but there is something wrong, despite nothing being found in routine testing. And I don't think the answer is that he is off from food because of vomiting because the reason for the vomiting has not been figured out in the first place, which is the 'true' cause. Also, ask about ondansetron which seems to work better for nausea than Cerenia, which is more for vomiting and less for nausea. Cerenia also usually doesn't work for longer than 24 hours anyway, so you need something you can give to him more routinely.

Will he eat baby food meat on his own? There is also Hill's A/D recovery food that most vets carry - high in caloric value - that might be another thing to try, with or without syringe feeding it to him.

 

[GranolaLouise]

I am rather new at this, BUT.. this week to get my cat to eat, the vet prescribed a cream to be rubbed on the inside of the tip of the ear each morning. In 2 hours she was eating everything in the dish! It is called Mirataz. You could ask your vet about that,maybe? Very expensive ointment, though, but it works.

 

[MeezeIfYouPlz]

I assume the vet checked his mouth carefully?

 

[stephanietx]

I would ask for an x-ray to see if there's potentially anything internal such as a mass or blockage. Then, I'd have a thorough dental check.

 

[bethanney]

Thank you all for your replies! He started drinking water last night & ate a few pieces of his dry food. He had zero interest in wet as well as Temptation’s Treats, which he normally goes crazy for. I tried to syringe-feed him some baby food, and shortly after, he vomited. I was so upset that maybe my force-feeding him caused it!

I couldn’t make it off work in time to get to the vet today but I have an appointment first thing in the morning. He has been drinking water & he ate a few pieces of dry earlier. He has managed to keep it down but I couldn’t get him to eat any of his wet food dinner.

I will talk to the vet about dental, as well as an X-ray to rule out blockage, and ask about other drugs for nausea (thank you so much for the suggestion!!) I also wonder if the acids/ bile that he vomited caused his throat to be sore…not sure if that’s a thing in cats.

I feel a small glimmer of hope that he is drinking water/eating on his own, even though it’s minuscule amounts.

 

[Furballsmom]

was so upset that maybe my force-feeding him caused it!

Probably not in this case.

Hang in there

 

[Margot Lane]

Please keep us posted. I hope it all goes well for your cat!