Artie and his Issues

[tarasgirl06]

For all those waiting, Artie Report:

Artie woke started waking up very early this morning, around 5AM. I tried my best to ignore him, but I could not; eventually, I woke up, early.

He took me directly to the litter box, where he proceeded to pee, and walked out. I had no sooner scooped, and he was back in there. He was pooping!! It was 6 x 1/2 inch softer poop.
Success!!! I am cutting back to 2.5 cc of lactulose today.

Artie is on a hunger strike. He is absolutely refusing his food. He wants none of it. He would rather starve than eat it. I am beyond belief at the extent of his own starvation. When He was fasting for his ultrasound, he could not wait to eat, anything.. now he is starving himself with the exact same food. I do not know what to do..

The NVet said to let him starve, thinking he will give up and eat the food.. nope..

The NVet is still off. I do not know what is going on with him. He has not even checked in with his Secretary. She is even upset at him.. He is scheduled to be in work tomorrow.
I am aware he is helping take care of his elderly, sick father... so who the heck knows what is going on. All I know, is that it is not like him to not check in...

Artie was after my chocolate covered raisins, last night. He is looking for anything, besides the prescription food, to eat. The NVEt told me not to give in..... but when is too much??

I really need to find out..

Yesterday morning, Artie was begging for cheese. I was making a salad and putting cheese in it. I gave him a slice. Today, I am having the same thing for supper.. and more cheese. I always have cheese in my salads...sigh.. he is going to get some Monterey Jack cheese today. I know, once I go into the kitchen, he will be right up against me...

This cat is just too stubborn,, or too spoiled....

Twice, within the past half hour, he tried to dig in his box... nothing came out..

"This cat" sure knows how to push your buttons, yes?! I wonder if grated jack cheese would get him to eat SOME of his food...? At least his eliminations are pretty good.
Oh, my empathy for the NVet. We can't know what's going on, but we can imagine it is stressful and concerning for him, especially if his father has dementia or is otherwise challenged. *PRAYERS* for them. And for you and Artie to have a good afternoon/evening! We know "this cat" is both stubborn AND spoiled. And would we have it any other way?

 

[artiemom]

V verna davies Well, I grated up some of the Monterey Jack cheese, mixing it in really well with his dry food... guess what? He ate around the dry food!!

 

[valentine319]

V verna davies Well, I grated up some of the Monterey Jack cheese, mixing it in really well with his dry food... guess what? He ate around the dry food!!

They are smart. Sprinkle parm maybe? He'd probably learn to just hoovers it up.

 

[tarasgirl06]

V verna davies Well, I grated up some of the Monterey Jack cheese, mixing it in really well with his dry food... guess what? He ate around the dry food!!

 

[Margret]

It's always a battle, isn't it? Don't forget to take care of yourself, too. It's much too easy to get so totally involved in the care of another that you end up sacrificing your own health and sanity, and that would be a great shame. Just because Artie thinks the world revolves around him (all cats have this particular delusion) doesn't mean that it does, or that you should.

Maybe if you hide the grated cheese mixed with dry food in a paper bag for him? Might make it a bit harder for Artie to separate them.

Margret

 

[tarasgirl06]

It's always a battle, isn't it? Don't forget to take care of yourself, too. It's much too easy to get so totally involved in the care of another that you end up sacrificing your own health and sanity, and that would be a great shame. Just because Artie thinks the world revolves around him (all cats have this particular delusion) doesn't mean that it does, or that you should.

Maybe if you hide the grated cheese mixed with dry food in a paper bag for him? Might make it a bit harder for Artie to separate them.

Margret

Grate idea! Makes it more FUN for Artie, potentially, too!

And while your statement is absolutely true, I always go with the philosophy that I need to be strong and healthy for THEM because if I'm not, how can I be a good servant?

 

[verna davies]

V verna davies Well, I grated up some of the Monterey Jack cheese, mixing it in really well with his dry food... guess what? He ate around the dry food!!

You've got one smart and stubborn at there.

 

[neely]

Here's hoping you were able to get a goodnight's sleep and Artie made a midnight visit to the litter box as well as his food bowl. Any updates this morning???

 

[artiemom]

Artie began waking me up at approx 4:30 AM.. He was desperately trying to get me up; to the point of meowing in my ear, walking on my pillows, walking all over me. I ended up lying on my stomach which he proceeded to lay down between my shoulder blades!!!

I had to get up. I could not ignore him any longer. I got up, well before 6 AM.

He had eaten about 1/8 of a cup of food, last evening--that was the stuff which had the cheese in it. I left an additional 1/8 cup overnight, which was untouched.

I should have gotten up when he wanted me to. I think he was trying to tell me that he needed the litter box. I found a one inch soft piece of poop on the laminate floor, another small piece on my bedspread, and a smear on my bottom sheet. sigh...
doing laundry now.

He has not pooped. I think the urge passed.. He was holding it in for me.. sigh..
But I am so tired this morning. After speaking with the Sec, I ended up laying down for an hour.

I am only going to give him 2 cc of lactulose today.. seems his stool is soft enough.. just needs the fiber, to come out...hence the food...

Artie is flat out refusing his food; even our 'game'.. he wants to eat it, but is just resisting it.

I put some fresh out for him. He turned his nose up at it.. He is hungry.. begging for anything and everything.

I finally decided to take the food dish away. Perhaps if he becomes aware of it being missing for several hours, he may eat when I put it down.. who knows??

NVet is back today.. Sec is definitely going to inform him about this..

I have the sub-q's warming..I will give it to him in a bit..as soon as he relaxes.. right now he is in the kitchen trying to scrounge up some food..

I put his food dish in the microwave... God only knows what it will smell like when I take it out!

 

[tarasgirl06]

Artie began waking me up at approx 4:30 AM.. He was desperately trying to get me up; to the point of meowing in my ear, walking on my pillows, walking all over me. I ended up lying on my stomach which he proceeded to lay down between my shoulder blades!!!

I had to get up. I could not ignore him any longer. I got up, well before 6 AM.

He had eaten about 1/8 of a cup of food, last evening--that was the stuff which had the cheese in it. I left an additional 1/8 cup overnight, which was untouched.

I should have gotten up when he wanted me to. I think he was trying to tell me that he needed the litter box. I found a one inch soft piece of poop on the laminate floor, another small piece on my bedspread, and a smear on my bottom sheet. sigh...
doing laundry now.

He has not pooped. I think the urge passed.. He was holding it in for me.. sigh..
But I am so tired this morning. After speaking with the Sec, I ended up laying down for an hour.

I am only going to give him 2 cc of lactulose today.. seems his stool is soft enough.. just needs the fiber, to come out...hence the food...

Artie is flat out refusing his food; even our 'game'.. he wants to eat it, but is just resisting it.

I put some fresh out for him. He turned his nose up at it.. He is hungry.. begging for anything and everything.

I finally decided to take the food dish away. Perhaps if he becomes aware of it being missing for several hours, he may eat when I put it down.. who knows??

NVet is back today.. Sec is definitely going to inform him about this..

I have the sub-q's warming..I will give it to him in a bit..as soon as he relaxes.. right now he is in the kitchen trying to scrounge up some food..

I put his food dish in the microwave... God only knows what it will smell like when I take it out!

Awww, a setback, but hopefully only temporary. You know how Artie is! Hopefully NVet will live up to his reputation and your high regard and have some good suggestions to improve things for Artie and for you. Glad he ate his food -- some it it is a lot better than none! And, well, aren't clean sheets wonderful?

 

[artiemom]

I tried a new tactic. I am not leaving any food out until later; perhaps he will be hungry enough to eat it then?

I was out of the house for a couple hours. Artie came to greet me, begging for food. I put his plate down. It was in the microwave. He did not even walk over to it. He knew what it contained. Now he is hiding in his tent.

I have not heard from the NVet... left another message with Sec. Either he is going to call me, or she is planning on calling me later, or he is not in....strange..

I am not having a good feeling about this.

I honestly feel as if I am starving this poor cat. I know he needs the prescription food, but if he is not eating it, what can I do? I have tried everything I, and everyone else, can think of--- all to no avail....

Thinking that we are getting closer to the end.. I mean, if he does not eat the only food which improves his medical issues, then how can he live? We do not have any other food options; tried all of them, and nothing works...

It really bothers me to see him so skinny.. giving him an appetite stimulant, yet he is refusing to eat the food I am giving him... he must be so confused... and so hungry..
I feel so bad for him... he is really breaking my heart at this point. And no poops either... that makes it even worse...

Artie does not want to be brushed anymore. I tried 3 days in a row, and he jumps right down.. We used to love that time.. He would purr, and purr, and even drool.. he loves it..but now, he is refusing it also..

 

[verna davies]

I know this might sound like a silly idea but it works on my cat. Buzz is not a good eater and often walks away from his food. I get on my hands and knees in front of his food dish and pretend I am going to eat it. When curiosity brings him to the bowl to look at what I have, I talk any old rubbish and while I talk, eats. He will eat some, start to walk away and I tell him if he eats more he can have a treat...he eats more. If anyone saw me, they would send for the men in white coats but who cares, we will do what it takes.

 

[artiemom]

I have tried something very similar... Artie just looks at me, and walks away...

 

[maggiedemi]

Demi is like that, if he hates a food he will not eat it unless I sprinkle Catnip on top of it.

 

[tarasgirl06]

I know this might sound like a silly idea but it works on my cat. Buzz is not a good eater and often walks away from his food. I get on my hands and knees in front of his food dish and pretend I am going to eat it. When curiosity brings him to the bowl to look at what I have, I talk any old rubbish and while I talk, eats. He will eat some, start to walk away and I tell him if he eats more he can have a treat...he eats more. If anyone saw me, they would send for the men in white coats but who cares, we will do what it takes.

Oh, no! I do this too at times. It works, too, to varying degrees with different cats at different times. It's a very good idea and it costs nothing to try!

 

[tarasgirl06]

I tried a new tactic. I am not leaving any food out until later; perhaps he will be hungry enough to eat it then?

I was out of the house for a couple hours. Artie came to greet me, begging for food. I put his plate down. It was in the microwave. He did not even walk over to it. He knew what it contained. Now he is hiding in his tent.

I have not heard from the NVet... left another message with Sec. Either he is going to call me, or she is planning on calling me later, or he is not in....strange..

I am not having a good feeling about this.

I honestly feel as if I am starving this poor cat. I know he needs the prescription food, but if he is not eating it, what can I do? I have tried everything I, and everyone else, can think of--- all to no avail....

Thinking that we are getting closer to the end.. I mean, if he does not eat the only food which improves his medical issues, then how can he live? We do not have any other food options; tried all of them, and nothing works...

It really bothers me to see him so skinny.. giving him an appetite stimulant, yet he is refusing to eat the food I am giving him... he must be so confused... and so hungry..
I feel so bad for him... he is really breaking my heart at this point. And no poops either... that makes it even worse...

Artie does not want to be brushed anymore. I tried 3 days in a row, and he jumps right down.. We used to love that time.. He would purr, and purr, and even drool.. he loves it..but now, he is refusing it also..

Yes, but you know how many, many times you've been here in the past, and things got a lot better! He is eating something, and eliminating, so this is all to the good. If he truly was not eating for more than a day, then I would discuss with his doctor(s) the plan of letting him eat just about anything he wants. As with humans, so with cats. I would not withhold something from someone at that time. IDK how you feel about this, but that's how I've always felt. Anyway, I don't think we're at that point now, because Artie IS still eating. It seems to me that he often gets moody when you go out. He misses you and he mopes. Understandable, yes?

You must have a selection of foods in the house still. Maybe try him on one or more of those. He may just be tired of eating the same thing. I know my cats are very much that way, which is why I have a very varied diet for them -- and even then, if it's hot, or if they just don't feel like what I'm serving is what they want, they turn up their noses and show me their tails.

 

[artiemom]

tarasgirl06 I just tried the sitting on the floor, pretending to eat... he walked away...
The problem is: if he eats the other food, he will not poop. That is the bottom line. No prescription food, no poop, he is miserable, he will not eat, he will vomit. He will need an enema.. after enema, after enema.. his colon will stretch out more. No matter how much more miralax or lactulose I give him, it will stop working.

He will have constant dribbling. and be miserable ... cramps and vomiting..

As I stated a couple weeks ago; We are at the end, medically with him. We cannot increase the dose of anything, without bad side effects to either his heart or kidneys.

Artie is literally starving himself to death.. I mean it.. and it is his doing; not mine. I have tried all that I can.. I do not know what else to do..

unless I just let him really starve... see how low his weight does go before he eats his prescription food???? or he gets hepatic lipidosis.

sorry if I sound nasty.. I am just upset.. trying to keep my cool.

If I give him a can of tuna, he will want tuna, until he gets constipated (sick). Then he will associate that food with him getting sick. Then that food is off limits ... and he will become constipated, no matter what I do .. no matter what I try adding to his food, Miralax, Benefiber, Psylium seeds, etc... he will sniff it out and refuse the food....

If by any chance, he poops, it will be from diarrhea... and he will be miserable from the cramps, constant dripping.

I think I will not respond to this thread for a while, until I can control myself a bit... teary eyed...

 

[mazie]

I know the last thing you want is Artie to live out the remainder of his life in constant pain. Maybe Cindy the time is drawing near. I know that is nothing any one of us wants to say out loud, but there it is. I know with your prayers, you will know what to do when the time has come. Goodness we all know that Artie is ever so lucky to have you as his mom. Now it sounds like you both are going "threw the ringer". With prayer and measuring the quality of life he is experiencing, only you and only you would know what to do. All I can say Cindy is to trust yourself and know that ALL of your decisions for this cat have been "top notch" another words, perfect!! You will know, trust God and your instincts which come from him. Love and strength to you.

 

[maggiedemi]

Artie Please eat little guy, we need you around... Demi would love to trade places with you and eat only kibble, he says to tell you kibble is the best! As long as it's the bigger kibble that he can crunch, he hates tiny kibble that just gets swallowed.

 

[cheeser]

Oh, hon. Sorry to hear about this latest setback. *hugs you tight*

Will keep you and Artie in my prayers.