- Joined
- Feb 13, 2021
- Messages
- 3
- Purraise
- 3
Simba came to us as a rescue kitty at 2 months of age when he and his 3 siblings had contracted feline panleukopenia. Only he made it through, post-treatment. However, he's very scrawny- he's 1 year 1 month old now, and weighs about 3kgs. But weight aside, he's not particularly healthy. His teeth are thinner than my other cats', he's slightly anemic most of the time. He has been on general supplements since his recovery, and his appetite is the same as my other tomcat's, but somehow he just can't seem to get healthier. The virus affected him quite severely, and he ended up with poor co-ordination and balance (can't track anything with his eyes fast enough, trots like a dog as he can't really run, and falls every few steps, can't stretch his neck or move his legs quickly/moves them rather stiffly, can't jump). I've taken him to a couple of different vets several times, and have usually just come out with different supplements to try. I think at this point it's clear the virus has caused some lasting damage, including his continued scrawnyness.
I'd be happy to hear any suggestions you might have on what I could do to improve his general health? Anything related to diet, natural supplements or certain routines that might have helped with your cats?
Currently he's on a diet of mainly dry cat food. We're trying to include some wet food in hopes that that might be better. He's not very fond of wet food though, so we're still experimenting with that. His appetite is normal, his stools are normal, he drinks plenty water, and despite his underdeveloped motor skills, he's super energetic and loves to play (for all he's been through, he's a very happy cat!). It's just, his body doesn't seem to develop despite all that. He's still too thin for his age and height, with slightly pale gums, it feels like much of the nutrition doesn't stick to his body (if that makes sense). I'm not sure where we're going wrong here. Perhaps he needs to be encouraged to eat more? The supplements he's been on (including his current one - called 'viusid') haven't helped much, I don't think.
For his motor movements, we massage his legs with warm coconut oil a few times a week, and sometimes his neck too. I think that's helped him a bit, but always glad for suggestions or tips on that front too! His hind leg muscles had atrophied during the sickness, but from what our usual vet said, the only thing we can really do is massage. But anything else that you've seen be a help would be great to know!
I'm a little at my wit's end here. As (fortunately), nothing serious ever comes up in his regular check-ups, we really just get sent back with suggestions of another brand of supplements to try if we're not happy with the current one (and veterinary practice is not particularly advanced in my country), but I feel like we need a holistic approach to how we're taking care of him. I just can't figure out what to try, or where to begin looking.
Thank you!
I'd be happy to hear any suggestions you might have on what I could do to improve his general health? Anything related to diet, natural supplements or certain routines that might have helped with your cats?
Currently he's on a diet of mainly dry cat food. We're trying to include some wet food in hopes that that might be better. He's not very fond of wet food though, so we're still experimenting with that. His appetite is normal, his stools are normal, he drinks plenty water, and despite his underdeveloped motor skills, he's super energetic and loves to play (for all he's been through, he's a very happy cat!). It's just, his body doesn't seem to develop despite all that. He's still too thin for his age and height, with slightly pale gums, it feels like much of the nutrition doesn't stick to his body (if that makes sense). I'm not sure where we're going wrong here. Perhaps he needs to be encouraged to eat more? The supplements he's been on (including his current one - called 'viusid') haven't helped much, I don't think.
For his motor movements, we massage his legs with warm coconut oil a few times a week, and sometimes his neck too. I think that's helped him a bit, but always glad for suggestions or tips on that front too! His hind leg muscles had atrophied during the sickness, but from what our usual vet said, the only thing we can really do is massage. But anything else that you've seen be a help would be great to know!
I'm a little at my wit's end here. As (fortunately), nothing serious ever comes up in his regular check-ups, we really just get sent back with suggestions of another brand of supplements to try if we're not happy with the current one (and veterinary practice is not particularly advanced in my country), but I feel like we need a holistic approach to how we're taking care of him. I just can't figure out what to try, or where to begin looking.
Thank you!