After sedation and enema care

[lomofirefly]

Has anyone experienced after care with a cat who has had an enema that wont eat? He drinks water and urinates with no problem at least after the sedation wore off but I can't coax him to eat anything and in about 4 hours it will be 24 hours since he's had the procedure. He hasn't really ate anything since Christmas, the veterinarian gave us some wet food labeled Purina Critical Nutrition but he wont touch it then again he wont eat anything. Should I give him a bit more time since he's older and had his first enema ever? I even used fortiflora and it was a no go.

Also is Critical Nutrition a decent food? I was speaking with our vet and she said all wet from now on which is great because I have preached this to my family forever but he's addicted to dry food its hard to transition him over this quickly.

 

[LTS3]

Also is Critical Nutrition a decent food?

No but it'll get calories and sustenance into the cat which is the most important thing right now. But it your cat won't eat it, no point of trying to feed it. Offer dry food if that's all the cat wants and will eat. You can work on a food transition later. Try Fancy Feast to start. Many cats like that, especially the varieties in gravy or are seafood based. Transitioning Your Cat From Kibble To A New Type Of Food – TheCatSite Articles

Ask the vet about an appetite stimulant if you can't get the cat to eat anything at all.

 

[lomofirefly]

Thank you. I was hesitant to offer the dry food but....if that's all he will eat currently then I may have to. I'll ask about an appetite stimulant, he acts like he wants to eat like he will sniff and take a lick but then lay down which made me wonder if he's still feeling nauseous from being sedated.

 

[shortykatyk]

Update: the vet said we can offer anything to get him to eat they suggested tuna, chicken, whatever to entice and gave use some Cerenia to help with any nausea he may have. Only trouble is getting him to take it

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

Did he eat the dry food? If so, and if he kept it down, then he's probably not nauseated. He probably just doesn't like the prescription food. Many kibble eating cats don't understand that canned food is actually cat food and think you are trying to poison them . Yes, cats who get constipated do best on all wet food, but if they won't eat it, them what are you gonna do? There are other things you can do if you can't get him to eat the wet food. You can try giving him Laxatone, which is a tube of oily gel you put on your finger and hope he will lick it off. If he doesn't, you can try putting it on the top of his foot and he'll lick it off. Or you can even give him some butter to lick. Pretty much any type of oil will help "grease the wheel" to help things move along. But make sure he drinks plenty of fluids. There are hydrating fluids out there for cats now, kind of like giving them the water from a can of tuna. Even kibble eating cats like that.

 

[shortykatyk]

Unfortunately he won’t even eat the dry food now it’s like he’s completely given up.I have thought about feeding with a syringe to see if he can keep it down.

 

[LTS3]

Update: the vet said we can offer anything to get him to eat they suggested tuna, chicken, whatever to entice and gave use some Cerenia to help with any nausea he may have. Only trouble is getting him to take it

Lots of pilling tips here:

Pilling Cats: Must-know Tips For Hiding Pills – TheCatSite Articles
The Best Pill-taking Secret I Know...
Pilling Cats and Dogs Safely
How We Give Our Pill Hating Cat A Pill
Getting Cat To Take Pills... Post Tips Here.

Any pet store will have Pill Pockets. Give that a try. If your cat won't eat an empty Pill Pocket, try one of the other tips.

What is the vet's recommended dose of Cerenia? 1/4 of a tablet is a common cat sized dose. It's really small so you can easily hide it in most things.

Unfortunately he won’t even eat the dry food now it’s like he’s completely given up.I have thought about feeding with a syringe to see if he can keep it down.

Yes, try syringe feeding to get any calories into the cat. Not getting enough calories is recipe for fatty liver disease. Water down some pate canned food and syringe it in. Plain cooked chicken is ok for now but not for more than a few meals. You can try meat only baby food as a temporary meal. Gerber and Beechnut have some meat only baby foods: Anyone else have an Only-Gravy-Licker? (click on Expand to see all the pictures).

 

[FeebysOwner]

As mentioned previously above, an appetite stimulant - in addition to an anti-nausea - may 'jump start' the process. The most common is mirtazapine, but there is a derivative of it that can be given transdermally, called Mirataz.

Baby food meat (Gerber Stage 2 or Beechnut) are generally well received by cats who are inappetent, and could be used to administer Cerenia or any other anti-nausea med, including the oral form of mirtazapine.

 

[shortykatyk]

The vet gave us four pills it says they are 16mg I’m not sure why he hasn’t mentioned an appetite stimulant yet. I looked for the pill pockets but I have to order them in my area since my local stores carry nothing

 

[FeebysOwner]

The vet gave us four pills it says they are 16mg I’m not sure why he hasn’t mentioned an appetite stimulant yet. I looked for the pill pockets but I have to order them in my area since my local stores carry nothing

I don't know about the dosage, but if the pills can be crushed, try mixing it with the baby food meats - most grocers carry one or the other that I mentioned above.

 

[shortykatyk]

We where finally able to get the pill down him and here in about an hour I’m going to try to syringe feed him. I’m wondering if he’s gone so long without food that he just doesn’t want to eat on his own.

 

[LTS3]

We where finally able to get the pill down him and here in about an hour I’m going to try to syringe feed him. I’m wondering if he’s gone so long without food that he just doesn’t want to eat on his own.

A whole 16 mg pill? That's a dog sized dose.

Amazon Prime will ship most things next day. Chewy usually takes no more than a few days. In the meantime, try the other pilling tips. A pill coated with ham baby food works for some cats.

 

[shortykatyk]

Oh gosh now I’m scared that they have him too much I myself hate pills

 

[LTS3]

Just keep an eye on the cat tonight. Call the vet first thing tomorrow and clarify how much of the Cerenia pill you are to give to the cat. Most cats only get 1/4 of a 16 mg pill, either once or twice a day depending on symptoms and what the vet recommends. It's shocking that the vet just sent you on your way with the pills and no dosing information.

 

[shortykatyk]

It says 1 pill a day for 4 days for him on the box but I’m worried now that it’s too high a dosage.

 

[LTS3]

It is a high dose. Definitely call the vet and clarify the dose. Cerenia is a dog medication but is used in cats too but at a much smaller dose.

 

[shortykatyk]

I’ll call first thing in the morning because he’s only about 12 pounds.

 

[LTS3]

My 11 lb cat occasionally needs Cerenia and the vet's recommended dose is 1/2 of a 16 mg dog tablet once a day as needed.

 

[shortykatyk]

I really wish I hadn’t given him the whole tablet now I’m worried about adverse reactions.

The good news is he’s eating when I syringe feed him he doesn’t like the food but it’s high in calories and he needs that right now. I’m focusing on half a can of the purina cn

Question could I feed him a raw egg with goats milk?

 

[shortykatyk]

Update I syringe fed him half a can of the critical nutrition (he did not enjoy the taste) and some raw egg told (no whites) he’s still not wanting to eat on his own though. He is older and maybe it’s taking him more time to bounce back because of his age.

And another update (sorry) the vets calling him in an appetite stimulant if that doesn’t work another round of fluids and if that doesn’t work then there isn’t anything else they can do