Suddenly stopped eating dry food

[daryl the cat]

I've only had Dodger since October. He was a stray living outside and super skinny. He gobbled everything I put in front of him. Like my other pets, I free-feed him dry food and he gets wet food for his evening meal. He had a very healthy appetite and rapidly gained weight. (He was 9 lbs when I got him.) I used to joke that I had to clean out his litter box 2 times a day.

Then he started getting patches of hair loss on his legs and belly. The vet suspected allergy to flea bites that he probably got when he was living outside. He was put on Prednisone, which I know can increase appetite. He started eating even more food. I started to worry he was getting too fat. Thankfully his hair has grown back and he's been off the Prednisone for about a month now.

Suddenly, a few weeks ago, he stopped eating his dry food. He literally just stopped touching it. I tried a couple different brands. No interest at all! He stopped pooping too. I added a pinch of Miralax to his wet food and that worked. I've increased his wet food and also giving it to him in the mornings as well; otherwise, he'll eat nothing all day. I try to get him to eat his dry food and he'll just sniff at it and walk away. He still eats treats, which are crunchy.

My other cat is prone to FORLs and this was my first thought. He never stopped eating his dry food though. Dodger is about 3 yrs old. I will take him to the vet if it continues but wondering if others have experienced this. He seems fine otherwise and still eats his wet food. It's just weird and scary to see such a drastic change.

 

[FeebysOwner]

This could be nothing more than Dodger realizing that the wet cat food is so much better than the dry, that he is willing to forgo eating it on the chance you will give him more wet food. My cat was once a dry food only eater/grazer; I introduced some canned food, and she stopped eating the dry - although it was a bit more gradual than your case seems to be.

The constipation is something to continue to monitor though. As is the hair loss; Prednisolone just helps temporarily if the 'culprit' cause is ongoing.

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

It's possible he's just picky now that he's not starving anymore and likes only canned food. Cats can be extremely finnicky about their food and when they are, they will hold out for what they really want. It's also possible that he realizes the dry food is causing his constipation and therefore wants only the wet food (am I giving him too much credit for that thought? probably!)

Anyway, I am of the mind that wet food is much better for him, particularly if he might have trouble in the pooping department. BTW, one of mine has had five FORLS, and even though he only gets fed wet food, he does get freeze dried treats, which are in the dried form. He still ate those even before those teeth were pulled.

All that being said, it's never a bad idea to have a Vet check-up whenever there is a change in behavior.

 

[daryl the cat]

Update!

After I wrote this he started getting worse. He started acting lethargic, no interest in playing, etc. He wasn't even eating his wet food that well. While sitting on the couch he would hunch over and his eyes were often shut or squinting. I took him to the vet this morning.

No temperature. Vet didn't see any redness of the gums or other dental concerns. He slightly flinched when she palpated his belly. He has lost 2 lbs.
Blood chemistry w/CBC - normal ranges except his glucose was quite high.
Pancreatic lipase test was inconclusive. (Vet said he could still have pancreatitis but on the tail end of it.)
Fecal cytology revealed imbalance of bacteria, but no other issues.
Vet thinks either pancreatitis or some intestinal imbalance causing discomfort and lack of appetite. However, she is concerned about the glucose and is sending his blood out for a fructosamine test.

Meds given: Cerenia, metronidazole, and gabapentin for pain.

He can't have any treats and only chicken wet food until we see how he does. After his first dose of each, he seems back to his impish self. He's been driving me crazy as I try to type this. . I am worried about the glucose though.

Any thoughts?

 

[fionasmom]

Glucose can jump up at the vet's, so wait for the results of the fructosamine test. If your cat were to be diabetic, it is a condition which can be managed, so don't panic. I have had two diabetic cats, one a pretty fierce former feral, and both were successfully treated for several years.

 

[daryl the cat]

Thanks fionasmom, that is comforting!

 

[daryl the cat]

I came home to a message on my machine from the vet. The fructosamine test did indicate diabetes. She wants to test his urine to be sure. Dodger looks miserable and still not pooping. Hopefully I can get him in tomorrow and start the insulin before the weekend. I had a cat with CKD and had to give her fluids every night. Diabetes is new to me. Dodger is only 3 years old and I've only had him 4 months. Feeling very overwhelmed tonight.

 

[FeebysOwner]

The good news is that diabetes is controllable with insulin injections. Not quite the same as sub-Q fluids, so won't take as long to administer. But wait and see what comes of the urine test.

Increase his Miralax perhaps? Did you talk to the vet about this?

EDIT: Diabetes can be reversible too, just keep that in mind!

 

[daryl the cat]

I did increase his Miralax tonight and he pooped a little. It was small and hard. Unfortunately, by the time I got home and heard the vet's message, it was too late to call them and discuss anything. Will call them first thing in the morning. All I've read about diabetes symptoms says that cats eat more, not less. So wondering why the lack of appetite? He still won't touch any dry food except treats. I've never noticed him to drink much water. This is such a shock to me. I'm wondering if I need to continue his other meds. They don't seem to be helping. Anyway, will discuss with vet in the morning.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Good idea to talk everything over with the vet. Not all cats that are diabetic have ravenous appetites.

 

[fionasmom]

Let us know what the vet tells you. Diabetes is a serious condition which has to be treated, so I am not trying to be sarcastic or flippant here, but I would rather give an insulin injection to a cat than to try to pill one. It is a tiny, thin syringe; the skin is held in a certain way and it is over in seconds. SubQ fluids are a much bigger production than insulin in the administration.

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

I would rather give an insulin injection to a cat than to try to pill one. It is a tiny, thin syringe; the skin is held in a certain way and it is over in seconds. SubQ fluids are a much bigger production than insulin in the administration.

Totally agree. And I also agree that often diabetes can be reversed with diet. Low carb is the way to go, which probably means an all wet diet, and even then, you will need to check on the carbs. Pates are the best foods to feed. Gravies usually are higher in carbs because of the thickeners in them, and of course, anything with vegies and fruits, wheat, rice that type of things are carb heavy.

 

[daryl the cat]

My poor Dodger. The UA confirmed diabetes and he also has ketoacidosis. I know this makes it even more serious. The lab results showed GLU 56 and KET 1.5. Give it to me straight. Is this bad?

They also gave him fluids because he was dehydrated and he got an enema.

The vet said this is the youngest cat she's ever seen with diabetes. She thinks he may have had it before he showed up at my house 4 months ago. He was very thin and had a ravenous appetite, but he had been living in the woods for a month, so I figured he was just hungry. Ugh... I wish I'd gotten lab work on him earlier.

So I gave him his first insulin shot tonight. No big deal after giving my kidney cat subQ fluids for 2 yrs. 1 U every 12 hours. I have to take him back Monday to have another UA done. The vet suggested that because of the ketoacidosis I should leave him with the emergency vet for 3 days to monitor him. I simply can't afford the $5K it would've cost. I will be home all weekend to watch him closely.

He perked up a little after the insulin and he got vocal again. He's conked out now. Poor guy was put through the wringer today.

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

I won't lie, it IS bad. Most cats with Diabetic Keto do require hospitalization for recovery. In hospital they are usually put on IV fluids and their blood sugar is checked frequently and insulin adjusted as needed. Of course, it really depends on the cat. If they aren't acting too sick in the first place, then that might not be necessary. Are you to give him fluids at home along with the insulin? And are they having you check his blood sugar?

I completely understand not being able to afford the hospital stay . Just let your Vet know that's not possible but that you are willing to do everything you can at home to help him and give it your best. He's young, as you said, so may come through this okay. Also, eating is absolutely necessary! That has a big effect on blood sugar.

 

[daryl the cat]

They gave him fluids at the vet on Friday but didn't send me home with any. They didn't have me test him either. I am dropping him off Monday morning and they're keeping him for a while to do the UA and monitor him. I know it's not ideal, but the vet is doing their best to work with me. They know I have two other pets and a dog dental surgery coming up.

It was a nightmare just getting the insulin and syringes from a pharmacy. The vet gave me a GoodRX coupon that they said wasn't for pets but the pharmacy should still take it. Nope. One was out of syringes, so I had to go to another pharmacy for those. Then they gave me the 5 increment ones instead of the 10, so I had to drive back into town and get the right ones. We're on the tail end of a snow storm, so the roads were terrible. And while doing the pharmacy circuit, poor Dodger eliminated the rest of his enema into the crate. I had to practically bathe him when we finally got home. OK, done whining.

Dodger seems alright. I wouldn't say great. He's not getting into things or playing, but he's as cuddly as ever. His eyes aren't squinting like before and he looks alert. He's eating the wet food well. I'm keeping an eye out for the danger signs the vet gave me. I'll take him to the emergency vet if I have to.

I'm still reading up on everything, but I have a few quick questions I'm unclear on:

-Since I'm giving him the insulin every 12 hours after eating, does this mean no food any other time?

-He's not urinating as much now. Hopefully this is a good sign? Since I'm not giving him the fluids, should I get some water into him with a needle-less syringe?

 

[fionasmom]

Are you giving him the low carb chicken based food that you mentioned earlier in the week? He should eat the majority of the meals at the 12 hours mark, but he can have some of the food at other times if he seems hungry. Just don't throw everything off so that he doesn't want to eat when he needs to in order to receive the insulin. All wet food, no treats or snacks or any other food that will be high carb. There can be disagreement about this; some vets say to feed only at the 12 hours mark, and others allow some food mid day.

Trying to offer him water is fine. I am a little surprised that they did not give you fluids. Some vets are more insistent about home monitoring than others, but it might have been good if they had let you do that. I realize you said that you are in the middle of a big storm, so going back out may not be on the table. Can you contact any vets this weekend if he needs support?

 

[fionasmom]

Feline Diabetes Message Board - FDMB

This is a very helpful group dedicated only to feline diabetes. I joined them with my second diabetic cat and they were very helpful and prompt with replies. They are highly knowledgeable about all aspects of feline diabetes, including some very fine points.

We absolutely want you to understand that you are welcome here on TCS, that we want to know what is going on with Dodger, and we want to support you.

 

[daryl the cat]

Fionasmom, I'm only giving him the chicken wet food. Not sure how low carb it is though. I will definitely join that group. Thank you!

After I wrote earlier, Dodger started to concern me. He got increasingly more sluggish, and then I saw him stagger a little like his back legs were giving out on him. I immediately took him to the emergency vet clinic. I was prepared to leave him there if I had to.

What the vet there told me was very baffling. He wasn't convinced that Dodger has ketoacidosis. I showed him the UA results that my vet ran. He said the KET didn't look that high to him. They ran a blood gas test and showed me the results. Everything was in normal range, including the pH. He thinks there's more going on than diabetes but he didn't have the other lab work to look at. When I told him about the possible pancreatitis, he thought that was more likely. He also said that Prednisone will increase glucose levels. Dodger was on Pred a month ago. I don't know... the vet was pretty certain on the diabetes diagnosis.

He thought Dodger was hypoglycemic from too much insulin. He told me to discontinue the insulin until I take Dodger back to my vet Monday morning. He said it would be better to withhold insulin than to give him too much. They also gave him a Cerenia injection.

Dodger is acting better. He was hungry and ate a lot of food tonight.

I don't know what to think. Different vets contradicting each other? I'm going to talk to them Monday when they have the ER notes to look at. At least Dodger is doing a bit better.

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

Very interesting. It is true that Pred can increase glucose. About diagnosing the Keto I have no idea but hopefully your regular Vet will be open to the suggestions by the emergency Vet. Did the ER take a glucose reading? I'm guessing they did. My hubby has hypoglycemia and when his blood sugar gets low he definitely gets wobbly, among other things. And he gets ravenous once his sugar levels go back up. And, yes, if it drops too low, it can actually kill you. We've had to call the paramedics before when we couldn't get his raised even with glucose tabs!

BTW, Vets DO contradict each other. That's why we often suggest getting 2nd opinions when things just don't sound right or if the patients aren't getting any better.

Let us know what happens after tomorrow's visit.