Artie and his Issues

[IndyJones]

Haven't been around for a bit but I know all about the frustration of the Rx foods. My Kabby is on urinary so for his kidney stones and he gets bored of it. I really wish they'd offer more flavours and textures like they do for the renal care food. My vet insists the bulk of his food be the canned formula but Kabby gets bored of it easily he does love the dry food though. Vet told me to give him the dry after Kabby lost a ton of weight on canned only and he was anemic.

 

[maggiedemi]

My cats won't eat the urinary dry foods anymore. I don't know if it's the taste, the smell, or if they don't feel good on it. It does have kind of a sweet smell to it. I hope Artie is having a better day today. It's so frustrating when they won't eat.

 

[inkysmom]

Definitely take time for yourself. Compassion fatigue is very real and a major source of both emotional and physical burnout in many caregivers. I was my mom's sole family and she was disabled for 10 years and literally moved states to move in with me without even asking so I could help her. She did contribute with some finances and some cleaning but was also very intrusive on my schedule and personal life and wanted me to send every free minute with her. I also had to care for her pets as well as my own which I didn't look to have double the amount of cats. I loved her very much h and still miss her very much but she was very demanding and always insisting on being taken to the grocery store every oouple of days instead of every week or two like most people go. Then she was diagnosed with endstage terminal cancer and my dad figured out that her prognosis was lessentll

 

[artiemom]

I guess I should update. Artie is not doing well. He is on a hunger strike, still. He is now refusing the H&G lamb which he ate ravenously on Saturday.

And no poop since he had the diarrhea on Wednesday, the squiggles and 'presents' on Thursday & Friday... nothing on Saturday, or Sunday. Not even digging in the box...

I give up. I really do.. I do not know what to do.

I tried the Metamucil (Psylium fiber) mixed in with his food; turned it into a bowl of glop.. and I did not put much in there. Now I know why the Prescription food is in a dry form. It has to be, because of the psylium fiber.

This morning I tried Benefiber mixed in his food: refused!!!

He did not eat any food for 24 hours. The only thing he ate was a slice of deli-cheese (Land O Lakes), last night. I was having a couple of slices and he was all over me for some. He ate an entire slice.

Finally, I gave in, and opened up a can of ZiwiPeak Lamb. Gave him 1/2 of a can, with added miralax and benefiber. Artie Gobbled it up...

His stools have to be soft enough to come out, they are just not doing so. He gets enough lactulose and a bit of miralax, and a stool softener...
Artie really needs to eat the Prescription food. Without it, we are back to before~~~ constant enemas.

If he does not poop by Friday, he needs another enema..

I give up... kind of had a meltdown with the NVet's sec...

He weights 10.3 lbs.. skinny...

I even tried some baby food sweet potato, to see if he likes it.. you know.. added fiber... I put a tiny bit on his nose, and on his lips.. He licked it off, not running away. Was intrigued when I put some on a plate.. but did not eat it.. I tried giving him some again, and he ran away..

I have a bottle of clam juice in the cabinet. I need to know if that is ok, and what food do I try it with???
I am out of ideas.. my mind is mush...

I spent today, making some healthy snacks for Thursday. Came out really good for not baking.
Then I washed some clothes, threw out the trash, talked to a neighbor for a few minutes, and then finally sat outside with a book, and a cup of iced flavored seltzer water. I decided to try to ignore Artie.. He spent most of the time, huddled up in his quilt, napping and then going over to the food to see if it magically changed into something he wants...

sigh....

Right now he jumped down and went directly over to the kitchen.. we will see how long he stays with this food....perhaps the benefiber will help??

 

[tarasgirl06]

Definitely take time for yourself. Compassion fatigue is very real and a major source of both emotional and physical burnout in many caregivers. I was my mom's sole family and she was disabled for 10 years and literally moved states to move in with me without even asking so I could help her. She did contribute with some finances and some cleaning but was also very intrusive on my schedule and personal life and wanted me to send every free minute with her. I also had to care for her pets as well as my own which I didn't look to have double the amount of cats. I loved her very much h and still miss her very much but she was very demanding and always insisting on being taken to the grocery store every oouple of days instead of every week or two like most people go. Then she was diagnosed with endstage terminal cancer and my dad figured out that her prognosis was lessentll

Your account resonates with me, and I empathize. Another thing I would add is that, especially in these times, people are often very difficult and difficult to figure out, be around, share with, etc. Even people one has known for a long time -- even relatives -- can be like this at times. And especially when there are serious illnesses involved. In retrospect, speaking only for/as myself, I wish I had lost loved ones back with me, through thick and thin. Hindsight is, as they say, 20/20; and while one is going through stress, it's always difficult. On the other side, one is left with the loss, and for myself anyway, the love and the missing. So it is so important to show love and caring while loved ones are with us! As my beloved mom always said, "I want my flowers while I can smell 'em!"

 

[tarasgirl06]

I guess I should update. Artie is not doing well. He is on a hunger strike, still. He is now refusing the H&G lamb which he ate ravenously on Saturday.

And no poop since he had the diarrhea on Wednesday, the squiggles and 'presents' on Thursday & Friday... nothing on Saturday, or Sunday. Not even digging in the box...

I give up. I really do.. I do not know what to do.

I tried the Metamucil (Psylium fiber) mixed in with his food; turned it into a bowl of glop.. and I did not put much in there. Now I know why the Prescription food is in a dry form. It has to be, because of the psylium fiber.

This morning I tried Benefiber mixed in his food: refused!!!

He did not eat any food for 24 hours. The only thing he ate was a slice of deli-cheese (Land O Lakes), last night. I was having a couple of slices and he was all over me for some. He ate an entire slice.

Finally, I gave in, and opened up a can of ZiwiPeak Lamb. Gave him 1/2 of a can, with added miralax and benefiber. Artie Gobbled it up...

His stools have to be soft enough to come out, they are just not doing so. He gets enough lactulose and a bit of miralax, and a stool softener...
Artie really needs to eat the Prescription food. Without it, we are back to before~~~ constant enemas.

If he does not poop by Friday, he needs another enema..

I give up... kind of had a meltdown with the NVet's sec...

He weights 10.3 lbs.. skinny...

I even tried some baby food sweet potato, to see if he likes it.. you know.. added fiber... I put a tiny bit on his nose, and on his lips.. He licked it off, not running away. Was intrigued when I put some on a plate.. but did not eat it.. I tried giving him some again, and he ran away..

I have a bottle of clam juice in the cabinet. I need to know if that is ok, and what food do I try it with???
I am out of ideas.. my mind is mush...

I spent today, making some healthy snacks for Thursday. Came out really good for not baking.
Then I washed some clothes, threw out the trash, talked to a neighbor for a few minutes, and then finally sat outside with a book, and a cup of iced flavored seltzer water. I decided to try to ignore Artie.. He spent most of the time, huddled up in his quilt, napping and then going over to the food to see if it magically changed into something he wants...

sigh....

Right now he jumped down and went directly over to the kitchen.. we will see how long he stays with this food....perhaps the benefiber will help??

Good that he ate the cheese and the lamb! Yay, Artie! Love and patience, and keep trying this and that on him. He is a cat, after all! and he has to keep up the side in the best cat fashion.

 

[Mamanyt1953]

SIGH...just...and lots of for both of you!

 

[Margret]

We love you both.

Margret

 

[inkysmom]

Hang in there and know that you're doing the best you can. At least he's eating something. My dog with inflammatory bowel disease won't eat his prescription food either. He's gone 4 days not eating a single thing and lost weight. It's frustrating but you'll get through it.

 

[tarasgirl06]

Hoping for a more encouraging "Artie Report" today. How are you both doing?

 

[artiemom]

Last night before just before bed, I scooped his litter box. I found a 2 inch piece of hard poop!!
This morning there was a 4 x 1/2 inch piece of hard poop, and a 'present" outside the bathroom.

Artie is acting as if he has a tummy ache. I assume it is cramps/gas.
He is eating the ZiwiPeak really well. 2 cans yesterday, and 1/3 during the night. I think the 2 cans during the day is not the usual amount. he is just making up for lost time, with a different food.

He is not cuddling. In fact, he stayed away from me all day/night...That is ok..

I went out for a few hours this afternoon. I came back to find a good size piece of 'schmear' outside the bathroom door, a 2 x 3 inch glob in the litter box, a smear on his butt...

The NVet's sec called while I was putting groceries away.

The NVet approves everything I am doing.. it is trial and error...

As I walked around the apartment, I found a dirty puppy pad on his pillow bed, a few schmears inside his "tent" and on top of the quilt...
Clorox wipes first and then Nature's Remedy to the rescue, along with gloves and paper towels.

I cleaned up, placing puppy pads and the sheet cover on my bed.
I will completely wash the quilt after this episode is over, as well as changing out and washing the litter box.

This is better than the other alternative of constipation.

Artie had also eaten a bit more food--since last night it has been one entire can.
I feel bad that he has puppy pads down, but I cannot deal with the other alternative. That would be too much.

No stool softener today.. just a bit of lactulose--to keep things moving; and he had his miralax this morning. I am still going to try the Benefiber, to add some extra fiber to his diet...

Never-ending.

(((((HUGS)))) to all of you guys for putting up with me...

 

[neely]

No words of wisdom but lots of hugs and special thoughts being sent your way. You know Artie better than anyone else and whatever you feed him or don't feed him is your choice. You have done an amazing job but you don't need me to tell you that, even the N Vet knows it. We are all your cheerleaders.

 

[Margret]

So glad to hear that Artie is eating and pooping again. You know, I think maybe part of the problem is that, while Artie is definitely sick, he also still has a full measure of cattitude. It's always hard to tell whether a cat isn't eating because he has problems or because he's just asserting his feline right to be finicky.

Margret

 

[tarasgirl06]

No words of wisdom but lots of hugs and special thoughts being sent your way. You know Artie better than anyone else and whatever you feed him or don't feed him is your choice. You have done an amazing job but you don't need me to tell you that, even the N Vet knows it. We are all your cheerleaders.

Great news in the eating department! Now if you can just get the "magic formula" to keep everything "going" well!

 

[artiemom]

So glad to hear that Artie is eating and pooping again. You know, I think maybe part of the problem is that, while Artie is definitely sick, he also still has a full measure of cattitude. It's always hard to tell whether a cat isn't eating because he has problems or because he's just asserting his feline right to be finicky.

Margret

Absolutely!! Artie has too much cattitude! That gives him, his charm..and makes me love him..

 

[tarasgirl06]

Absolutely!! Artie has too much cattitude! That gives him, his charm..and makes me love him..

 

[Columbine]

I don't have words tonight (and others have said my feelings in a much more eloquent manner than I can ). Just and for you both

 

[maggiedemi]

Yay, I'm glad the poop came out, even if it was in schmears and globs, it sounds like it's getting better with a little added wet food.

 

[margd]

artiemom ! Artie really knew what he was doing the day he adopted you!

 

[Mamanyt1953]

Thank goodness he's eating again! Hang in there, and vent here as often as you feel the need! We are with you, through every smear and hiccup.