Urgent! Cat won't eat. Is Convenia to blame? Please help

[concernedcatlover55]

Hi, all. Thank you in advance for any replies.
The short version of the story is my cat has had a cyst on his eyelid for at least 4 years but because he's a very timid former stray I've put off having it dealt with until February this year. He had bloods done and everything seemed fine, but the first week after the operation he hardly ate though his appetite was improving. Then for some reason he stopped eating altogether and also stopped drinking. The vet said he had a hard bladder so it was probably cystitis, a urine sample showed white blood cells and bacteria so a sample was sent away for culture. It took a week and I was amazed he survived, but fortunately I discovered he will eat Lick-e-lix and his results showed he had an e-coli UTI infection. He went for an antibiotic injection which the vet said was Convenia, which he'd apparently also had with his operation 4 weeks earlier. When I googled Convenia I'm sure you are all aware of the horror stories that came up.

It is now nearly 7 weeks since his operation and first Convenia, nearly 3 weeks since the second. For the last 4 weeks he has survived on nothing but Lick-e-lix and gone from a well fed ball of fluff to being extremely thin and weak. The (very expensive) operation and further tests etc mean I can't afford more treatment and I think the stress would finish him off anyway. He is drinking normally but refuses to eat ANYTHING. Not even tuna water, egg yolk or other things the same as or softer than lick-e-lix so I'm pretty sure it's not a mouth/issue. He had no symptoms of anything before the op or since, other than he now has severe loss of appetite. I am absolutley baffled as to why he will eat a box or 2 of lick-e-lix a day but won't touch anything else. But if I don't give him them he doesn't eat anything, I've tried.

I'm not saying it was the Convenia but what could he have already had that doesn't show up on basic bloods? And if it is the Convenia, will his appetite return when it's out of his system at 65 days, if not before? At the moment I'm trying to keep him going until it's out of his system because if it's kidneys or liver etc I sadly can't afford any treatment for him.

Any replies appreciated but please don't direct me to Convenia horror story sites, I've seen them all, I just want to know what might be wrong with him.

Thank you.

 

[Tobermory]

I’m so sorry that your kitty is going through this. It’s upsetting and frustrating when they’re sick.

According to the company’s website, one of the possible side effects of Convenia is lack of appetite.

If you need ideas to encourage him to eat, check out this thread where members have posted ideas that may have worked for them:
Any Good Tips To Get Your Cats To Eat? Share Them Here!

 

[concernedcatlover55]

Thank you for this and your reply but I've seen it before. He won't touch anything but Lik-e-licks for some reason. What I don't understand is why he will have a few of these but absolutely refuses anything else. Not even a bit of egg yolk which used to be one of his favourites. Either he has an appetite or he doesn't. It's baffling, frustrating and very sad to experience

 

[fionasmom]

I cannot say that it is Convenia either; however, my single experience with it was not good...and take a deep breath because my cat is still with me and returned to good health. Given to a 1 1/2 year old cat for a UTI, Rikki. The next day he basically collapsed and refused all food, so I brought him back to the same vet as an emergency and he recovered with fluids and support.

You can report this to Zoetis and open a case with them. I did this with Rikki. The told me that most side effects diminish within 2 weeks, which is the time that it is supposedly working, but that it does remain in the system for 65 days. Their website implies that it is usually given to cats only once, but that dogs may repeat if in 14 days.
Convenia
You can call them at the number listed on this page where it asks about adverse reactions. They are very polite; this is probably partly true as the pet owner has no hand in the administration of the drug which makes it "fail safe" from that angle. They will give you a case number as well.

Has your vet offered you an appetite stimulant of any kind? If not, I would ask if it is possible and if not, why not.

 

[FeebysOwner]

I, too, think your cat needs an appetite stimulant and possibly an anti-nausea med as well. I would strongly suggest both at this point!! It might enable him to get to the point of eating nutritionally complete cat food of some sort, which is what he really needs. He has gone too long without the proper nutrients, and some of his issues could well be from that.

I don't know the consistency of Lik-e-licks, but if it is like a mousse texture, you could try Tiki Cat Mousse, Royal Canin Mother & Babycat Ultra-Soft Mousse, Nulo has a Freestyle Mousse as well. Wellness Core Tiny Tasters is another to consider. There are also others, and you might want to check with all of your available pet stores to see what they carry in the way of mousse. Most of these products are nutritionally complete.

You might also consider looking at the lickable treats that may be available to you - those are even 'smoother/soupier' than some of the mousse products. These type products are mainly not nutritionally complete.

I am not sure where you are located, but I suspect it is the UK? If so, you might not be able to find baby food meat (I have used Gerber Stage 2 or Beechnut), but many cats will eat them when they won't eat other foods. They are not nutritionally complete, but sometimes will help jump start a cat into eating again.

 

[concernedcatlover55]

As I said in my original post, that was the short version and didn't include details as I didn't want to put people off reading a lengthy report. After the operation I was ill myself so not thinking at my best as I took my puss back and forth to the vet, and even though he wasn't eating it didn't occur to me to ask for an appetite stimulant. Why they didn't suggest one I have no idea. Instead they seemed to think it was stress related (he is VERY timid) and/or pain related and gave him rheumocam, which didn't do anything and comes with appetite loss as a potential side effect. After several trips to the vet, no success and a lot of money spent I can't financially afford to go again and it stresses him so much I think it would finish him.

He was licking his lips and swallowing a lot as if he was nauseas but that stopped a few days ago. His only "symptom" now is only eating one thing which isn't very good for him. He has once or twice asked for food on Monday and Tuesday, which I gave him several choices and flavours of cat food, which he nibble for a couple of minutes and then refused more. He did accept lik-e-lix shortly after though, but if I put it on the cat food he refuses both.

Is there any kind of appetite stimulant or anti-nausea available that I could get elsewhere? Like a natural product from Amazon or a pet store?

Also, can someone please help me understand why most of the time he turns away at the site of his food bowl, or dish, or plate or my hand before he even knows what food I have, but will eat the lick-e-lix, but only from the tube, not from my finger or a bowl. Either he has an appetite or he doesn't. I suspect there is a psychological element to this now too.

Thank you all again for your help

 

[fionasmom]

Have you seen one of the vets (or the one who worked with you) recently enough to just call and update them? Ask for an appetite stimulant like Mirataz or mirtazapine and see if they will prescribe it. Around here, if a pet has been seen within the last year in person it is often possible for the vet to prescribe. Mirtazapine in pill form is not very expensive.

Some of this may be behavioral, especially if somewhere along the line he experienced nausea and associates it with a certain feeding ritual like the bowl or plate, but not the tube. Did you ever try to feed him with your fingers which might have caused the same association. I wonder if you could carefully syringe feed him with a more nutritionally dense wet food.

 

[FeebysOwner]

You really need, as suggested above, to see if your vet will prescribe an appetite stimulant to start off with. You can wait and see if that helps before adding an anti-nausea med.

Try using a baby spoon or a tongue depressor, or as also mentioned above, a syringe to get him to possibly try other foods. If the only way he will eat anything is from a tube, then mimic a tube. You can get a large syringe, cut off the tip so that it comes out similar to how food comes out of the tubes, and if you have to, tape an empty tube container around it.

Maybe these would work - you could make your own 'tubes' of whatever food you wanted to try.
Amazon.com: Reusable Ice Pop Mold (20 Pack) with Funnel. Popsicle Maker Bags to Freeze Homemade Treats for Kids. BPA Free.…: Home & Kitchen

 

[concernedcatlover55]

I have tried re-using an empty lik-e-lix tube with cat food in it and it did get a slightly better response, until he realised it wasn't what he was expecting. Also I forgot to mention, he has spent most of his time on my bed since the op and only with the odd exception has he even eaten lik-e-lix anywhere else. It has to be lik-e-lix, from a tube, usually on my bed. The most bizarre thing about this is that before his op he was a pig. He would eat absolutely anything without even chewing it. So sad that overnight he went to the complete opposite.

I will look into an appetite stimulant from the vet but I suspect they will want me to take him in, otherwise they won't get their appointment fee.

Thanks, again

 

[concernedcatlover55]

Some of this may be behavioral, especially if somewhere along the line he experienced nausea and associates it with a certain feeding ritual like the bowl or plate, but not the tube. Did you ever try to feed him with your fingers which might have caused the same association.

I have considered this but when he wasn't eating anything originally, he ate lik-e-lix, plus if at any time he's had nausea since then, which as I said I think he has, he still ate lik-e-lix. I don't know what they put in it but they should make a high-quality nutritious version for poorly cats they would make a fortune.

He obviously has an appetite, if much reduced, I just can't understand why he won't eat anything else. I'm just praying that it's the Convenia and not actually a physical illness as he was fine before the op, and now it's about 20 days the side-effects will start to ease and his appetite starts to improve.

 

[fionasmom]

This may be behavioral, but there is a bigger issue with the lack of food that he is getting. It might be worth trying to get him in if they won't prescribe even though I do understand your reasons for not wanting to have to do that.

 

[FeebysOwner]

I am sorry your vet won't work with you other than to take your cat back in to them so they can charge an office visit fee. While you propose they give you an appetite stimulant without an office visit, maybe you should ask for a one-time injection of steroids to see if that would get him past the Covenia shot. Yes, that would require a vet visit, but might be worth it if it could counter-act the antibiotic.

 

[concernedcatlover55]

I just want to stress, I hope this doesn't come across as me not wanting to spend money. I've hardly slept for weeks worrying about him and since his operation, if I'm not at work I'm by his side either trying to feed him or online trying to find a solution. The other issue is he is so timid the vet is a major ordeal for him. I spent literally months when he was a stray getting him to trust me enough to let me properly feed him, brush his matted fur and take him to the vet. Before I knew him he had a broken leg which obviously healed without treatment so I massage him regularly to stop him limping. This is not simply a matter of money

 

[fionasmom]

We understand that and no one is blaming you for anything about this cat's care. You have obviously done a great deal for him and he is very lucky that he found you. I only have ever dealt with strays and ferals, including my pet cats are former ferals, so I do understand the stress of getting a cat like that to the vet.

 

[concernedcatlover55]

Example, I just brought him down to try to get him to eat some cat food. He walked straight past it. Then I put it in front of him and he vaguely sniffed it then went back upstairs. So I took him up a lik-e-lix and he had most of it. Furious licking then stops for a bit, has some more then done and turns away.
A plate of cat food is to be avoided but a lik-e-lix is fine. Makes no sense to me

 

[fionasmom]

I am not familiar with Lik-e-lix and did look it up. Is it nutritionally complete or is it like Hartz Delectables in that it is mostly treat food?

 

[concernedcatlover55]

It's definitely not nutritionally complete. It's treat junk food that I would normally never let any cat have. My sister brought some when he wasn't eating or even drinking and it probably saved his life at the time.

 

[FeebysOwner]

I am sorry that none of the suggestions given to you in this thread have worked, or that you don't think they would work. Short of the many ideas I, and others, have given you, I have no others to offer.

 

[concernedcatlover55]

Last night I realised that I still have an open thread to the vet on Whatsapp left from his original operation so I messaged them with the situation and asked if it would be possible to prescribe an appetite stimulant without having to bring my cat in. The reply was that the message has been passed to a vet who will be in touch. I'm not a vet and it never occurred to me to ask for that originally, but not one of the many that I saw suggested it, which in hindsight is very strange.

This morning my puss was asking for food as he occasionally does so I put some in a bowl, he licked it once and turned away, as is the case no matter what I give him. Still asking for food we eventually ended up at the lick-e-lix, of which he had 5.

 

[concernedcatlover55]

The vet has replied and said they can only prescribe if I take my cat in for an examination, despite me telling them the reasons why I am against this.