Our very senior ex-feral cat Fluffy has a list of issues including hyperthyroidism, anemia, and CKD. Lately we have noticed he takes a few bites of food and then tilts his head to the right and chews a few times and then walks away. We have tried all kinds of patte, food with chunks in it, same result. Now the weird part. If he gets steak he will eat all of it.. everytime. He has been to a cat dental specialist and two of our local vets have given him dentals in the past 2 years trying to figure this out. He has had 3 teeth pulled plus cleanings. This issue is not new but is definitely getting worse and affecting his health more now as he is battling the issues I mentioned above. I did a search on this site and did not see anything that we have not already done. Just wondering if anyone has seen this issue before and what was the resolution. He wants to eat. Because of his CKD we cannot give him the typical types of pain meds. We can give him buprenorphine and did try it once and it did not seem to help. Maybe he needs more than one dose. Our vets do not have any more ideas other than mirtazapine.
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Cat Chewing One One Side Of Mouth - Not Eating Enough
- Thread starter edandjill
- Start Date
Have you tried thinning paté food down to a lap-able consistency? I'd use water, low sodium broth or even KMR if your vet said it was ok. I'd also talk to the vet about trying Royal Canin Recovery or Hills a/d. These are prescription diets for sick cats, and are more nutrient and calorie dense than some other cat foods. They're also more liquid, and are used (when thinned out a little) for syringe feeding. I don't know how they'd be for a CKD kitty though.
Just thinking out loud here, I'm wondering if there's any kind of numbing gel (like baby teething gel) that would be cat and CKD friendly. That might be something else to discuss with your vet. Obviously, I don't recommend using anything like this without veterinary approval
Another option, as he's so keen on steak, might be to make your own steak-based cat food for him. There may be some recipes here that are CKD friendly (I know a few members here have made their own food for CKD kitties).
I find hand-feeding can help get elderly or sick cats going with eating food again. I used to spend up to 30mins at a time hand feeding my old CHM kitty (and later the same with my old greyhound), and it really can help. I know it's not pleasant for us humans, but sometimes its what's needed Warming the food to make it extra stinky and appetizing can help too 
How To Get Your Cat To Start Eating Again
Just thinking out loud here, I'm wondering if there's any kind of numbing gel (like baby teething gel) that would be cat and CKD friendly. That might be something else to discuss with your vet. Obviously, I don't recommend using anything like this without veterinary approval
Another option, as he's so keen on steak, might be to make your own steak-based cat food for him. There may be some recipes here that are CKD friendly (I know a few members here have made their own food for CKD kitties).
I find hand-feeding can help get elderly or sick cats going with eating food again. I used to spend up to 30mins at a time hand feeding my old CHM kitty (and later the same with my old greyhound), and it really can help. I know it's not pleasant for us humans, but sometimes its what's needed
Warming the food to make it extra stinky and appetizing can help too How To Get Your Cat To Start Eating Again
Chewing on one side usually indicates a dental problem. That's what happened with my cats and my vet asked me if I had seen that and I had but didn't put 2+2 together til he told me.
Do cats get TMJ, or something similar? Maybe an arthritic process? Wild guesses, I admit, but since he's had a dental check (was it recent?) I'm scrambling.
And steak can be thrown in a food processor and almost liquified if that would help him.
And steak can be thrown in a food processor and almost liquified if that would help him.
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- #5
Think we may have found the problem. We have been force feeding him the past few days so he gets all the meds he needs and to just supplement what he is eating on his own. I noticed his jaw was spasming / chattering when chewing. He would try to spit out the food and start to growl when this happened. I was gently keeping his mouth closed and that is when I felt it. It cannot be seen visually but I can definitely feel it. He was scheduled to go to the vet for an IV boost but now they are going to look closer at his mouth. Sounds like some type of bad tooth or jaw infection. Probably needs Clindamycin.
Ouch 
Poor little guy 
I hope the problem is quick and easy to treat, and that he feels better soon 
Poor little guy I hope the problem is quick and easy to treat, and that he feels better soon
Not purraising that he is having an issue, rather purraising you for actually being alert enough to feel something that will give your vet a leg up on diagnosing! GOOD JOB! Poor old boy. I hope there's an easy fix for this!
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #8
Took him to the vet today because the issue is getting worse. Vet did a close look at his mouth today and he has blood by his back teeth on both sides. Vet said the enamel is wearing away and exposing nerves. Why this was not seen last time I brought him in I do not know. They will be doing a dental tomorrow morning. Vet said they will pull any tooth that looks bad and even ones that look like they are going bad. He does not eat dry food anymore anyway. This is going to be a somewhat risky operation given his kidney issues. But it has to be done. Please say a prayer for Fluffy.
Aww....Well this will make his life easier in terms of eating. I know I've got some teeth where the gum has pulled away and when you hit that it hurts. My female doesn't have good teeth and she's had a few pulled.
I'll pray for Fluffy for sure.
I'll pray for Fluffy for sure.
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Sweet Fluffy boy! I will keep him, and you in my thoughts and prayers. Hopefully he will have a short recovery time, and feel so much better!
Do let us know how he is after the surgery. Sending best wishes and good vibes his way.
Do let us know how he is after the surgery. Sending best wishes and good vibes his way.
Let me know what time this is being done, and I will get up and sit in prayer and meditation for him. Until then, a candle is lit!
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Ouch. I've had exposed nerve before on a tooth, and I'm amazed at a cats stoic nature by simply not complaining and just deciding how to tilt his head in order to eat (rather than hitting the ground on my knees and break dancing from the pain like I did!)
Keeping him and you in our thoughts! I hope all goes well.
Keeping him and you in our thoughts! I hope all goes well.
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- #13
Thank you everybody for the well wishes. The dental procedure is supposed to happen at 11am Eastern tomorrow.
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My best advice is to keep your phone on hand and stay busy doing something! Odds are he'll be great and come home a few hours later but when they're at the vets in surgery sometimes our imaginations like to be crazy.
Poor kid, this can't be comfortable for him and best to you and your vets for realizing this is very painful and needs addressing.
Please update us when you can!
How is he? I had planned to post and let you know that I was here with you, but we're having storms and my internet went out.
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- #16
I was told they pulled out all of Fluffy's molars and one canine tooth. Cleaned the rest. Picking him up at 6 pm
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #17
He looks much better than this morning. His eyes look much more alert. He sometimes sticks his tongue out when he's feeling good. So I am guessing he feels better.
What a Grand Old Man he is! I'm so happy that he's doing better. There's nothing more miserable than bad teeth.
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- #19
Just received some very bad news today. Took Fluffy in because his eating had begun to slow down again. Vet checked his mouth which is healing nicely. Kidney numbers were high but not much higher than they had been. Vet did an overall check up and felt a mass in his abdominal area. Did an x-ray and found a large mass in his stomach. Aspirate showed there is some cancer cells. Could not tell if it is malignant or not but it does not matter. There is nothing they can do for him. He currently has CKD, anemia, and now this. He is down to 6lbs now. Everybody thought the lack of eating was caused by the CKD and or bad teeth. I am sure they both contributed to it. But this tumor is also contributing. We will likely be euthanizing him tomorrow. Especially if he does not eat today. He has been put through enough. After losing three other animals to cancer recently I had sworn whenever an animal began losing weight that I would have a simple x-ray done. But with another cat battling mandible osteosarcoma and holding her weight and actually doing very well I guess I did not think about getting a scan done for Fluffy. Too consumed by all his other issues. At least we gave him a home for the last four years of his life. Please say a prayer for Fluffy. Soon he will be with his buddy Neptune who passed a few years ago. Neptune was a stray who we also took in when we bought this house. One of our neighbors thinks Fluffy and Neptune were owned by the previous owners of our house and when they passed Fluffy and Neptune were let go / released / abandoned by the owners kids when the house was vacated.
I am so very, very sorry. If you would like, you may certainly go tohttps://thecatsite.com/forums/crossing-the-bridge.19/ and post a tribute to Fluffy.
