Fortiflora/Feeding Transitions After Stomach Surgery/Hepatic Lipidosis

[DudeandElmo]

Hi,
My cat recently had hepatic lipidosis and also a stomach blockage of compacted kibble and hairball that had to be removed via stomach exploratory surgery at the emergency vet. He also had an esophageal feeding tube in place for a few days until he started eating on his own.

I’ve been offering him food many times a day and even in the middle of the night. The vet prescribed him Royal Canin Recovery. He likes this more than any of the other wet foods I’ve given him. He’s eating a good amount overall each day, though it’s hard because he’s never been a big fan of wet food and is very picky. I’m afraid to ever feed him kibble again because of the blockage, but he just doesn’t love wet food. We’re not sure if his initial inappetence was the result of the blockage (or if the blockage was the result of his liver and thus a slowed digestion), or because of a short 2 day trip where he and my other cat were left at home with their automatic cat feeder. I’m just nervous to take any risks with kibble now. He’s had Darwin’s raw before and loved it, so I’m looking into trying to strengthen his gut in order to be able to try that again.

Does anyone know if Fortiflora would be safe 3 weeks after his stomach surgery? I’m thinking the combination of it being appetizing and the probiotics might help him. I’m also wondering if I should start using milk thistle drops in his food- I just don’t want to risk him not wanting food again.

Now that he eats on his own, how long should I keep offering him food over and over and over again? I’m afraid of annoying him or turning him off of food but am also worried about not giving him enough. Is it safe for him to eat so much Recovery? I’m giving him other foods in addition, in hopes that he finds healthier ones he enjoys…but I’m worried about weaning him off of the recovery food. I’ve also noticed that he displays symptoms that look like feline hyperesthesia, which probably added to his initial hairball problems and is something else I need to take him in for the get looked at. This makes me want to try raw again even more, since I’ve read it might help. Whatever food I try, I also have to keep in mind that he used to get UTIs/crystals (I used to add water to his dry food to help some since he avoided wet).

Sorry for all the questions- not much sleep lately and just so worried about all of this so much. His primary vet seems clueless about his nutrition, and we can’t seem to get consistent answers from anyone there (we are in the process of finding a new vet and are still reeling financially from all of this). Thanks so much for your time and wisdom about any of this

 

[daftcat75]

Fortiflora is alright for a flavor enhancement. But it's not a very good probiotic.

Something I have used with my cats is Pet Flora from Vitality Science. It's a high quality and soil-based. Most probiotics are dairy-based which isn't always so well-received by cats. Additionally, it doesn't take very much.

I started my Betty who has been on a barf/spitup/regurgitation cycle every few days (never the same ejection twice.) And I know it's still far too soon to say. But she's been eating much better since I started her on it. My nibbler is becoming a gobbler. And she doesn't seem gassy or uncomfortable after eating like she did before.

Pet Flora | Cat Probiotics - Vitality Science

You can also get it cheaper as part of the Finnicky Cat Trial Pack. If you write their customer service, they can help you select the other samples based on what might be best for him.
Finicky Cat Trial Pack - Vitality Science

 

[DudeandElmo]

Fortiflora is alright for a flavor enhancement. But it's not a very good probiotic.

Something I have used with my cats is Pet Flora from Vitality Science. It's a high quality and soil-based. Most probiotics are dairy-based which isn't always so well-received by cats. Additionally, it doesn't take very much.

I started my Betty who has been on a barf/spitup/regurgitation cycle every few days (never the same ejection twice.) And I know it's still far too soon to say. But she's been eating much better since I started her on it. My nibbler is becoming a gobbler. And she doesn't seem gassy or uncomfortable after eating like she did before.

Pet Flora | Cat Probiotics - Vitality Science

You can also get it cheaper as part of the Finnicky Cat Trial Pack. If you write their customer service, they can help you select the other samples based on what might be best for him.
Finicky Cat Trial Pack - Vitality Science

Thank you for the suggestion, Daftcat! I will look into the Vitality Science probiotics. I’m glad to hear it’s working well for your cats. That sounds amazing- the possibility that probiotics can actually help increase their appetites. That’s what I’m really hopeful for with my Dude, too. The only wet food he is interested in right now is Royal Canin recovery and the gravy from Fancy Feasts, and sometimes a particular Tiki Cat pate.

 

[daftcat75]

I think in Betty’s case, she must have had gas, nausea, and tummy discomfort for awhile now. I don’t know how she was eating at the shelter or in her home before that. She came to me at a healthy weight. But she never seemed very excited by food. I got her eating enough by dropping a can of Fancy Feast and giving her twelve hours to finish it before she got the next can. Now her belly and gut must be feeling a lot better. I can get her to eat at least half an ounce when I set the plate down. And she’ll eat the next half ounce within a few hours. Once she’s had a first breakfast or first dinner in her, I trust her more to have a larger portion on the plate to finish over the next several hours. She still gets her two cans a day. But now I have to pace her on that first meal because she’s eating more like a cat should.

 

[daftcat75]

She still has her moments where she looks like she’s contemplating her digestion and I can’t tell if she’s hurting or content. But given enough time, she’ll curl up into her post meal nap. But the best is that she doesn’t frequent the fountain or the greenery as much as she used to. I think both were nausea behaviors. She was eating an old frayed cat tree (carpet and sisal fibers) which I assume was a cat grass substitute for her. Still. Cats being cats, that was a habit that needed to be nipped in the bud. I tossed the old tree and put a fresh catnip plant in its place. After a couple of days on the probiotic, she hasn’t been frequenting the catnip plant or the water fountain like she used to. I’m still nervous that it hasn’t been very long since her Friday regurgitation. But she definitely eats and looks better after eating than she did before the probiotic. I would definitely go with the Vitality Science probiotic over FortiFlora or another brand. If for no other reason, Vitality Science sells that sample pack and they have excellent customer service. Dude may also need an extra supplement like Feline Comfort or Super Food. But you’ll want to introduce them one at a time and slowly. I recommend dropping a note to their customer service and they’ll help you fill out the Trial Pack with what could help him the most.

 

[DudeandElmo]

She still has her moments where she looks like she’s contemplating her digestion and I can’t tell if she’s hurting or content. But given enough time, she’ll curl up into her post meal nap. But the best is that she doesn’t frequent the fountain or the greenery as much as she used to. I think both were nausea behaviors. She was eating an old frayed cat tree (carpet and sisal fibers) which I assume was a cat grass substitute for her. Still. Cats being cats, that was a habit that needed to be nipped in the bud. I tossed the old tree and put a fresh catnip plant in its place. After a couple of days on the probiotic, she hasn’t been frequenting the catnip plant or the water fountain like she used to. I’m still nervous that it hasn’t been very long since her Friday regurgitation. But she definitely eats and looks better after eating than she did before the probiotic. I would definitely go with the Vitality Science probiotic over FortiFlora or another brand. If for no other reason, Vitality Science sells that sample pack and they have excellent customer service. Dude may also need an extra supplement like Feline Comfort or Super Food. But you’ll want to introduce them one at a time and slowly. I recommend dropping a note to their customer service and they’ll help you fill out the Trial Pack with what could help him the most.

Thank you so much for the advice! I definitely will. Dude is one of those cats who needs the trial pack of anything, with his pickiness and suspicion of me mixing anything into his food. The Feline Comfort and Superfood also sound great because I’m hoping to improve his immune system after everything he’s been through the past month. I hope everything continues to improve with Betty’s digestion!