Very healthy cat going thru deluge of health issues, now with food hesitation

[Babypinkweeb]

It's me, again. I really can't catch a break this year! Sorry for my long post, but I want to cover everything as clearly as I can to get some new advice as previous advice have all been exhausted.

Once again this is about my 11 year old cat Boogie. He always had hairball vomits but this year it's worse than usual, ironic since I started slowly transitioning him with some wet food from his all dry food life this year. Last few months have been bad, with June showing a huge vomit episode where he barfed multiple times a day. He also started not eating his food, which the vet concluded could be due to the nausea related to his vomiting, since he always goes to the bowl happily but walks away after a few licks. I managed to get him to my vet quickly and they gave him some fluids and anti nausea shot, as well as take home throat medicine for me to syringe. He got his appetite back for a few days... then it stopped again.

So I rushed him to the vet 2nd time, where they specifically did blood work, xray and exam focusing on his digestive system. The vet went thru the results with me over the phone and said they have not found anything at all that is off. He is even still well hydrated! His blood numbers all look good, all his organ numbers, xray shows nothing except some gas. He had decent appetite for a few days again after this, but it died off once more.

So then a week after my 2nd visit I had the ultrasound for his abdomen. The specialist made a point to tell me everything looked so good that he was happy. He came home and was sulky but had good appetite for a few days before his eating reduced ONCE MORE.... and this time we welcome a new issue that he has never had... Diarrhea. Between these weekly vet visits, he would barf a few times, less than his big vomit episode but like maybe 2-3 times a week. The latest few episodes involved clear liquid rather than his usual yellow liquid.

I called my vet again to tell her about him not eating much (maybe like a few teaspoons of food a day after multiple tries to offer with as many additions as you guys have recommended). I will once again ask her about dental issues, like everyone always suggests, but I have asked about his dental every visit since May so that's over 8 times and every time she says his mouth looks fine. She won't be able to get back to me until later tonight or tomorrow at earliest. Literally ALL vets in my area are booked for 2 weeks - 1 months out. I have been trying to balance finishing a very important work project that is due in August, as well as an upcoming business trip in August. I basically have to wipe his butt every single time he uses the litter box and still I find his skid marks on my furniture and his fur. He absolutely hates being handled and I have gotten a lot of scratch and bite marks from him these few weeks. I'm extremely worried about how the pet sitter who visits 2x a day can manage with my cat having diarrhea multiple times a day (very tiny amounts every time) and not eating his food. I fear I will come home to a dead cat and an apartment covered in wet poop.

What do I do in this situation where all the vets are busy??

PS: I no long have a car so everytime I need to take him out, whether it's to groomers for a wash and a butt trim, or a vet visit, it's around $40+ round trip of uber cost. I don't make a lot of money esp with covid and I just spend probably close to $3000 on this cat in the last 3 months in vet bills.

 

[daftcat75]

Chances are that food just isn't working out for him if there is nothing else in his bloodwork or ultrasound to indicate a possible GI issue.

It is quite possibly a gum or thickener or another non-protein related ingredient that is causing him distress. Carrageenan and agar agar both caused my Krista obvious physical pain. I could see her crunched in the pain crouch waiting for it to pass for about an hour after eating. Xanthan gum did not cause her pain. But it ripped right through her. Xanthan gum is used to make smooth foods smooth. It also makes poops smooth. Mousse in, mousse out. Guar gum, however, never gave her issues. All other things being equal, choose guar gum over the other gums/thickeners. Glucosamine also gave her explosive diarrhea.

Can you try a different wet food? I would pick up grocery store brands. Popular brands are popular with cats. They would not be on the shelves otherwise.

Another option you might try is homemade. The easiest place to start would be adding a premix powder like EZ Complete to poached chicken or turkey.
EZComplete Premix Information

If he is otherwise healthy, you could also feed him poached turkey or chicken without a supplement powder for about a week or two before it needs to be balanced with a supplement mix. But that should be long enough to determine if it is the chicken (or turkey) giving him issues or one of the other ingredients in his food.

 

[StanAndAlf]

I agree with above, it could possibly be a reaction to the new food he is on. Did you have any problems on his old food? Was there a particular reason you switched to a new food other than for a healthier option? If you know he likes the old food, you could try transitioning him to the old food again and see of it solves any of the problems you are having. That way you can leave the sitter with food you know he eats, until you get back from your trip and then transition him to a different kind of wet food.

Just something to try, if you would rather just trial another brand of wet food or different diet then I think that could be a good idea too.

Another thing I have recommended before is a sweet paste called Nutrigel (or equivalent). It has at least some of the nutrients essential for survival and works as an appetite stimulant as well. It just might help him feel good enough to eat again.

My cat started having problems with hairballs, so I have been giving him a little raw egg once a week, and it seems to have cleared things up. Another thing to perhaps look into after he is well again.

You clearly love this cat, and have done a lot to try and help him. I wish you the best, and please keep us updated!

 

[daftcat75]

Clear barfs are often stomach acid barfs. As cats age, their guts don't always age gracefully. You might find his vomiting easier to manage if you feed him smaller meals more often. If he was eating twice a day, split his breakfast and dinner into two smaller meals each. If you're finding he's barfing clear liquid early in the morning or late in the afternoon, you may need to put some food in a timed feeder for him.

 

[Kflowers]

When you switch wet foods be sure to switch manufacturer not just brands. Manufacturers tend to use the same base in all their brands, so switching could mean going to the same ingredient that was having a bad affect on your kitty in the new food.