3 Year Old Devon Boy Has Barely Eaten In Four Days

[lolliegoth]

Hey Guys - I really need some advice please.

I have three Devon Rex's (different colours and mothers/fathers). The two year old (Lady Niniane) and 10 year old (Princess Sparkles) are fine - they have a healthy appetite and regularly steal the three year old Sir Griflet's food (I know this behaviour and will segregate Griflet's feeding to another room though I know he hates this so I try to limit the segregation).

Grif has barely eaten for four days now though he has not had diarrhoea (I have tried his special treats - cheese, ham, eggs, roo and chicken- basically I would give him anything that he would eat normally but he will only take a bite then walk away). I would estimate he has had less than a quarter a cup of food in four days and at 3.4 KG this is not good? He is a 'big' Devon boy by some standards yet he is my gentle soul mate.

There are three drinking bowls in the house along with a 'Drink Well' system. All are regularly drained, cleaned and refilled. Grif seems to be still drinking.

Someone has been peeing on the Lounge room floor and pooing in the Laundry (right next to the litter boxes - all of which are cleaned of matter every two days and then changed weekly). I think the culprit is Griflet...though I may be misaligning my beautiful boy!

It is hot here now - I have the windows opened and ceiling fans on to help. All three cats seem to cope with 38 degree days (I live in a three bedroom single level house and they are all indoor cats).

Any advice on what I am doing wrong and how to help my little buddy would be appreciated (aside from more vet bills overall).

 

[Elfilou]

Please go to a vet as soon as possible. Cats can't go very long without food. There is really nothing we can do for you here other than speculate. Maybe he has a hairball stuck in his stomach, maybe he is nauseas for some more serious medical reason, maybe his mouth hurts too much, etc. It could be anything.

One thing is for sure though and that's that if he stops eating alltogether things can go downhill very fast, so if I were you I'd book that vet appointment for like right now.

Keep us posted

 

[Elfilou]

Please go to a vet as soon as possible. Cats can't go very long without food. There is really nothing we can do for you here other than speculate. Maybe he has a hairball stuck in his stomach, maybe he is nauseas for some more serious medical reason, maybe his mouth hurts too much, etc. It could be anything.

One thing is for sure though and that's that if he stops eating alltogether things can go downhill very fast, so if I were you I'd book that vet appointment for like right now.

Keep us posted

 

[lolliegoth]

Please go to a vet as soon as possible. Cats can't go very long without food. There is really nothing we can do for you here other than speculate. Maybe he has a hairball stuck in his stomach, maybe he is nauseas for some more serious medical reason, maybe his mouth hurts too much, etc. It could be anything.

One thing is for sure though and that's that if he stops eating alltogether things can go downhill very fast, so if I were you I'd book that vet appointment for like right now.

Keep us posted

Thanks - that was my thoughts too. I keep an eye on him because the Girl's steal his food. I'll keep you posted on the Vet's advice if that is OK? He really is a lovely boy and this is the second time (this time of year) he has had problem! Maybe time of year...anyway thank you.

 

[Elfilou]

Yes definitely keep me posted! I would love to hear if/when he's feeling better. Sending positive thoughts.

 

[lolliegoth]

Well it has been an interesting few days (I feel like I am raising infants again - hard to understand what is going on when they can't talk but you know they aren't well). Please keep in mind these are indoor cats - they don't have fleas, ticks or snake/spider bites. I have been severely affected by hay fever the last few weeks so I suspect this may be part of their problem....

1. Sir Griflet and the Vet: Went to the Vet on Wednesday afternoon. Still hydrated (YAY!), gums and teeth healthy, along with normal temperature. He was given one tablet of Mirtazapine (1.875 mg - $29.00!!!!) to stimulate appetite. He ate a small bit of mince when he come home. Ate a little bit yesterday and some today. Still drinking and urinating.

2. Lady Niniane: Stopped eating Wednesday night. Ate a small amount yesterday and a small amount today. Still drinking and urinating - bit lethargic but I suspect that is the hot weather. She is constantly cuddling her 'Yang' (Sir Griflet). Ninny is hard to work out - she is so laid back she is in yesterday. Her personality is like 'Wasup? Cool! When I want a cuddle or anything I'll come see ya! Griflet - I just want to sleep on your head'.

3. Princess Sparkles: Stopped eating Wednesday night. Vomited Thursday morning before breakfast (she has a history of vomiting but hasn't done so in 6 months). Hasn't eaten today but is still drinking and urinating. Had the most amazing noxious smelling diarrhoea this afternoon. Sparx also has Eosinophilic Granuloma Complex, complicated with Malassezia. After spending nigh on $2000 in specialist diagnoses, I have not been able to find a solution for her. She was also diagnosed with potential early signs of kidney failure. This Kitter critter is the one I am watching today and tomorrow.

What I have tried: I have enticed them all with their favourite treats (ham, cheese, Devon [not a cat - processed meat]and cooked chicken mince) that I do not feed them regularly if at all (tried eating a Ham and Cheese Sambo around three cats?). At this point it is about getting the Kitters to eat anything and not wether it is healthy per se - then back to their normal diet.

So - this is where we are at! My personal opinion is that they 'feed' of each other. If one isn't well then the others follow suit (ie. Griflet stopped eating then the other two thought something was wrong with the food. I observed this behaviour with them before as a 'herd').

BTW - I think I there is a market for Cat drugs. I can just see my three Kitters in my car, stopped at a red light [windows down] enticing a stray cat with 'Hey - you want some Mirtazapine - cost only three salmon steaks 'cause you look cute.'.

 

[Elfilou]

Well it has been an interesting few days (I feel like I am raising infants again - hard to understand what is going on when they can't talk but you know they aren't well). Please keep in mind these are indoor cats - they don't have fleas, ticks or snake/spider bites. I have been severely affected by hay fever the last few weeks so I suspect this may be part of their problem....

1. Sir Griflet and the Vet: Went to the Vet on Wednesday afternoon. Still hydrated (YAY!), gums and teeth healthy, along with normal temperature. He was given one tablet of Mirtazapine (1.875 mg - $29.00!!!!) to stimulate appetite. He ate a small bit of mince when he come home. Ate a little bit yesterday and some today. Still drinking and urinating.

2. Lady Niniane: Stopped eating Wednesday night. Ate a small amount yesterday and a small amount today. Still drinking and urinating - bit lethargic but I suspect that is the hot weather. She is constantly cuddling her 'Yang' (Sir Griflet). Ninny is hard to work out - she is so laid back she is in yesterday. Her personality is like 'Wasup? Cool! When I want a cuddle or anything I'll come see ya! Griflet - I just want to sleep on your head'.

3. Princess Sparkles: Stopped eating Wednesday night. Vomited Thursday morning before breakfast (she has a history of vomiting but hasn't done so in 6 months). Hasn't eaten today but is still drinking and urinating. Had the most amazing noxious smelling diarrhoea this afternoon. Sparx also has Eosinophilic Granuloma Complex, complicated with Malassezia. After spending nigh on $2000 in specialist diagnoses, I have not been able to find a solution for her. She was also diagnosed with potential early signs of kidney failure. This Kitter critter is the one I am watching today and tomorrow.

What I have tried: I have enticed them all with their favourite treats (ham, cheese, Devon [not a cat - processed meat]and cooked chicken mince) that I do not feed them regularly if at all (tried eating a Ham and Cheese Sambo around three cats?). At this point it is about getting the Kitters to eat anything and not wether it is healthy per se - then back to their normal diet.

So - this is where we are at! My personal opinion is that they 'feed' of each other. If one isn't well then the others follow suit (ie. Griflet stopped eating then the other two thought something was wrong with the food. I observed this behaviour with them before as a 'herd').

BTW - I think I there is a market for Cat drugs. I can just see my three Kitters in my car, stopped at a red light [windows down] enticing a stray cat with 'Hey - you want some Mirtazapine - cost only three salmon steaks 'cause you look cute.'.

Wow. That sounds pretty bad and I'm sorry you and your kitties are dealing with this. A few questions:

Do they exhibit any other behavioral issues? (ex: Are they playful? Can you entice them to play? Do they knock things off tables? Do they meow a lot?)

What are they eating? Wet food, dry food?

Do they eat at mealtimes or do you/did you free-feed them?

Are they hiding in- and under furniture a lot?

When a cat stops eating it's usually the worst of the worst. Survival instincts are very strong, and for all 3 of your cats to just "give up" like that is very strange to me.

Keep us posted and I'm willing to brainstorm with you on what might be causing this, because its really no fun for any of you.

Last thing, look into Forti Flora. It's a little pricy but people say its the ultimate thing to get cats to eat again, and you don't need much of it for feedings it will last you quite a while. Hopefully by the time it runs out they will have regained their will to live.

 

[lolliegoth]

Wow. That sounds pretty bad and I'm sorry you and your kitties are dealing with this. A few questions:

Do they exhibit any other behavioral issues? (ex: Are they playful? Can you entice them to play? Do they knock things off tables? Do they meow a lot?)

What are they eating? Wet food, dry food?

Do they eat at mealtimes or do you/did you free-feed them?

Are they hiding in- and under furniture a lot?

When a cat stops eating it's usually the worst of the worst. Survival instincts are very strong, and for all 3 of your cats to just "give up" like that is very strange to me.

Keep us posted and I'm willing to brainstorm with you on what might be causing this, because its really no fun for any of you.

Last thing, look into Forti Flora. It's a little pricy but people say its the ultimate thing to get cats to eat again, and you don't need much of it for feedings it will last you quite a while. Hopefully by the time it runs out they will have regained their will to live.

They have all perked up heaps (sorry for the lengthy response below).

Firstly Merry Christmas and thank you for your help!

Heya - well some success today and last night. All three have eaten breakfast and dinner (commercial canned food but it is currently in their bellies - I hate giving them that stuff and expect some horrible litter episodes [yep- that was one]). So - tomorrow is Christmas day and they can have some prawns and then back to BARF. SO - I have no idea what happened (it did happen about two years ago but only to two not all three). Do you know of anyone else that has similar issues before? It scares the hell out of me and the tablet the Vet gave Grif did nothing - he and the Girls are coming good on their own (fingers crossed).
To answer your questions above:
1. They don't have any behavioural issues per se (tight knight group with their own dynamics). They rarely 'meow'. The older one had been at the open window watching me outside and 'complaining' before she became sick too. She got off her tush today and wandered back to that room to complain at me. All three have basically spent the week in my Study sleeping, drinking and peeing. The younger two normally play and started again at 3:00 am this morning.

2&3. They normally have BARF only twice a day in winter. Dry in the morning and BARF at dinner in summer. Normally these guys are like dogs and don't self regulate their food intake which is why I normally have a regimented feed time so I can keep an eye on who is eating and segregate where necessary. For the last few days I have left three bowls of dry out and two bowls of wet (mince, salmon etc.) for short periods then put the wet back in the fridge (it is 30 degrees in the house so no food is left out for more than about ten minutes max).

4. These guys are Ninja's when they are well though have their favourite public spaces in some parts of the house (window sills and top of the couch in the sun) for short periods. I literally spend an hour trying to find them to put them to bed in Winter! Lumps of fur on any semi solid surface when unwell (includes the toaster when I forget to put it away). They have avoided their favourite public spots I think due to the heat.

 

[Elfilou]

They have all perked up heaps (sorry for the lengthy response below).

Firstly Merry Christmas and thank you for your help!

Heya - well some success today and last night. All three have eaten breakfast and dinner (commercial canned food but it is currently in their bellies - I hate giving them that stuff and expect some horrible litter episodes [yep- that was one]). So - tomorrow is Christmas day and they can have some prawns and then back to BARF. SO - I have no idea what happened (it did happen about two years ago but only to two not all three). Do you know of anyone else that has similar issues before? It scares the hell out of me and the tablet the Vet gave Grif did nothing - he and the Girls are coming good on their own (fingers crossed).
To answer your questions above:
1. They don't have any behavioural issues per se (tight knight group with their own dynamics). They rarely 'meow'. The older one had been at the open window watching me outside and 'complaining' before she became sick too. She got off her tush today and wandered back to that room to complain at me. All three have basically spent the week in my Study sleeping, drinking and peeing. The younger two normally play and started again at 3:00 am this morning.

2&3. They normally have BARF only twice a day in winter. Dry in the morning and BARF at dinner in summer. Normally these guys are like dogs and don't self regulate their food intake which is why I normally have a regimented feed time so I can keep an eye on who is eating and segregate where necessary. For the last few days I have left three bowls of dry out and two bowls of wet (mince, salmon etc.) for short periods then put the wet back in the fridge (it is 30 degrees in the house so no food is left out for more than about ten minutes max).

4. These guys are Ninja's when they are well though have their favourite public spaces in some parts of the house (window sills and top of the couch in the sun) for short periods. I literally spend an hour trying to find them to put them to bed in Winter! Lumps of fur on any semi solid surface when unwell (includes the toaster when I forget to put it away). They have avoided their favourite public spots I think due to the heat.

I'm so glad to hear they are doing better! Fingers crossed that it stays that way. I haven't heard of anything like this no, not where all three cats suddenly stopped eating. What I have heard of is cats just up and deciding they don't like a food anymore. Usually people link this to that it is a logical choice for wild cats to switch protein sources. If switching to a different food has done the job, then great! Perhaps look into different flavours (different animals - different protein sources) as their raw food? Or maybe pour some hot water over it to create more scent/flavor. Perhaps they were just having a food strike so you would try a different food? LOL. Cats.

 

[lolliegoth]

'Quick' update. All good again - they now expect breakfast, lunch and dinner . I was watching their feeding behaviours over the last five days. Princess Sparx loves prawns, Sir Griflet is so so but Lady Niniane doesn't rate them. Nini would watch the other two eating and then go for their bowls because obviously they had something better right? She would then come up to me and paw for something else. I really think Grif became sick and for whatever reason stopped eating (maybe me calling him chubby was the catalyst) and the other two observed his behaviour and thought something was wrong with their food and went on a hunger strike. Anyways - all good and starting to progress with Sparx skin too (different post).

 

[Elfilou]

Very happy to read that! Sounds like your little cat family is back in a good routine