How to get a sick skinny cat to eat?

[auntie crazy]

I am so sorry you and your kitty are going through this, Nonay.

You're already getting a lot of good advice, and I don't know if any of this will help since your kitty seems to not want to eat at all, but just in cause, here's a list of things you can try putting on top of his food to entice him: A bit of tuna juice dripped over it, or some sprinkled cat nip, Parmesan Cheese, Forti Flora flakes, fish food flakes (weird, but it works), or some crumbled up freeze-dried meat treats (Whole Life's chicken has worked in many other circumstances).

Sometimes, too, if you put a little bit of the food and the "enticement" on your finger and either rub it on his gums, or rub it on his paw, it works to get the kitty eating again. Or simply offering it from your fingertip.

Hopefully, this new diagnosis and treatment will work to get your boy back on a healthy track ASAP!!

AC

 

[carolina]

Originally Posted by Autumnblueangel

Hills A/D Critical Care - wet food in the can. It's a prescription diet that is used for cats or dogs with dietry issues, poor weight gain or health issues. You'd need to talk to your vet and buy this from your vet. It's well worth it.

It will smell good to your cat, it will taste good, it's easy for him to eat, and because it has a high Calorie/KJ content it will help him gain weight if used regularly until he is well again. It works like a charm every time, that stuff tends to be irrissitable to cats, even the picky ones.

Alternativly, royal canin hypoallergenic, wet food in the sachets and then graduating to the dry food is good for a long term diet in situations where the cat has dietry issues and sensitive tummies.

I recommend Royal Canin for every day, long term use for both cats and dogs. You will see a difference in days. It's not cheap, but it's well worth it for your pets health and wellbeing.

The bright side, is that although not cheap, your pet needs less of it as it's so high in nutrients and calories that they don't tend to need to eat as much of it.

This is an approximation. A 3.5kg (7.7lb) bag of Royal Canin dry food will set you back about $50US, and for a cat that weighs 5kg (11lb) the feeding guide is 66 grams (2.2 ounces) per day.

That means theoretically if that's all your cat wants to eat each day (and it could be more) the bag can last one cat up to 52 days or 7 weeks and 3 days which works out to be $5-6 a week for fantastic quality food.

Hypoallergenic where I am is only available from Vet Clinics but isn't prescription. In some countries, it may be available at pet stores or online, I'm not sure, but I would recommend it either dry or wet. It's good for their teeth, their digestion and other things as well.

It also tends to include Lysine, which is in my opinion a miracle vitamin for cats. It surpresses nasties in a cats system, boosts their immune system and helps them cover from illness.

It's like super-charged vitamin C for cats. Also, vitamin paste for cats and dogs doesn't go to waste either, it gives them an added edge to a full, healthy recovery.

Autumnblueangel, the kitty is already on A/D... IMHO it is not a good idea for this kitty to be on dry food after the crisis, unless it is the recommended kidney diet, as this kitty has kidney disease.... It should be on either prescription or on wet diet - preferably kidney wet IMHO. I am not certain why the recommendation for hypoallergenic.... The kitty is not allergic or food sensitive

It is now on A/D because it is severely malnourished

To the OP: try wrapping him in a towel like a burrito - that should help you a lot. Feed him small meals, several times a day.... My syringes are 1/2oz, making it easy to feed... I do not need a lot of syringes for each feeding - also, I would aim now for a can a day - you can add a bit more later. But if you can feed him a can a day, he will be getting some good nutrition to start off. After a few days you can start to feed a bit more. As you can see on the feeding guide from Hills, from the third day on, you should not dilute it anymore - remember, the more you dilute the food, the more you have to feed.
Feed him about 1-2ccs at a time, wait for him to swallow, then do it again. Do not shoot it on the back of his mouth - he can aspirate it.... aim the food on his tongue, on the side of his mouth, or on the roof of his mouth. Never on the back. If you get a firm, good grip on his head with your hand, and go with the syringe on the side of his mouth, he will open it - squeeze a bit in - do not wait too long before doing it again. Keep a nice, steady rhythm, from start to end - feed, wait to swallow, feed again, wait to swallow, feed again.... All the while, of course, praising and soothing him with calming words

To make it easier on him, make sure you have all your syringes ready when you start feeding.
Also, before you start feeding, take a deep breath, calm down, and be confident. You are in control, and you are doing this for him - do not stress out or freak out... He will pick up on your stress

One feeding at a time... one day at a time.... Just think that every feeding he is getting better

 

[carolina]

Originally Posted by Auntie Crazy

I am so sorry you and your kitty are going through this, Nonay.

You're already getting a lot of good advice, and I don't know if any of this will help since your kitty seems to not want to eat at all, but just in cause, here's a list of things you can try putting on top of his food to entice him: A bit of tuna juice dripped over it, or some sprinkled cat nip, Parmesan Cheese, Forti Flora flakes, fish food flakes (weird, but it works), or some crumbled up freeze-dried meat treats (Whole Life's chicken has worked in many other circumstances).

Sometimes, too, if you put a little bit of the food and the "enticement" on your finger and either rub it on his gums, or rub it on his paw, it works to get the kitty eating again. Or simply offering it from your fingertip.

Hopefully, this new diagnosis and treatment will work to get your boy back on a healthy track ASAP!!

AC

I think this baby needs syringe feeding for a while, but the above are great tips

To add to it, here in my house what works great is a spoon - That's actually how I get Bugsy to eat his wet food... the boy will not eat it unless it is fed from a spoon

What is a mom to do? Hey, whatever it takes to make sure he gets all his wet for the day!!

A spoon is a great tool for non-threatening assisted feeding

 

[auntie crazy]

Originally Posted by Carolina

I think this baby needs syringe feeding for a while, but the above are great tips

To add to it, here in my house what works great is a spoon - That's actually how I get Bugsy to eat his wet food... the boy will not eat it unless it is fed from a spoon

What is a mom to do? Hey, whatever it takes to make sure he gets all his wet for the day!!

A spoon is a great tool for non-threatening assisted feeding

Ah, I knew there was someone here who did that - I even started to mention it - but I couldn't remember who it was.

Whatever it takes, indeed.

AC

 

[nonay]

Thanks everyone. I think my baby Moe isn't going to make it. I fed him a lot his morning, but when I came home from work he was worse. He gets worse each day and I'm starting to realize that it must be his time... no matter how much I want him to stay. I've been crying all day because I feel so sorry for him and I think he must be in pain from being so weak. I also keep thinking about the xrays and how bad they were compared to a normal chest and it must be painful. I don't know how I am going to do it. I break down just thinking about it. And I keep thinking there is a shred of hope for him, but I don't know maybe I'm just being selfish.

 

[nonay]

Rest in peace, Moe.

 

[minka]

RIP Moe, you were loved more than anything.

 

[teamcarp33]

I'm so sorry to hear this. My best friend just went through a very similar thing with her oldest cat...the hiding, weight loss, anorexia, fluid in chest, lasiks etc. Sally Ann (the cat) had congestive heart failure, but at first cancer was a consideration as well. With treatment, she lived for another good couple of months, and felt well (and was incredibly spoiled) during that time. My friend did do syringe feeding during that time. In addition to AD food, Sally Ann would eat quite a bit of chicken baby food, usually warmed. In fact, I think at her sickest point, before the Lasik started to help, it was the only thing she would eat. But she would eat quite a bit of it. I've always used chicken baby food in the darkest of times with sick cats, orphaned sick kittens etc, and I've never had it turned down...

 

[ldg]

I'm so sorry to hear the news.

But sometimes letting them go is the best gift we can give them, even though it is so hard for us.

Fly free now, Moe.

 

[nonay]

Thanks everyone.

It was so hard, but I had to do it for Moe so he wouldn't suffer. He's an angel now.

Teamcarp, Yes that sounds just like Moe. They put him on lasix his last 2 days, but I don't think he was strong enough to pull through. Yes, he loved babyfood too...especially warmed up.

 

[auntie crazy]

Oh, Nonay, I am so very sorry you had to make that decision. Moe was clearly loved and I'm sure he knew it. Now he's one of the angels who watch over us all.

AC

 

[my4llma]

Moe

 

[nonay]

Thanks, guys. I really appreciate it.

So glad I found this site.