Bizarre Symptoms, Desperately Need Help

[erikan]

So I've had my cat Velma since she was a kitten, and for most of her life she's been completely healthy. However, about a year ago she started having these weird "fits." She'd vomit a lot and then be super congested and sneezy for a couple days, and then she'd go back to normal like nothing happened. She also started losing a ton of weight shortly after this began - she used to be a little overweight and now she's basically skin and bones. She's still very friendly and active despite her condition, and she eats voraciously. It's like she's starving all the time.

Our vet did some tests and ruled out cancer, diabetes, and parasites. The tests also revealed that her kidneys are failing, so we switched her over to a specialized diet. She can usually keep the new food down, but she still has vomiting episodes about once a month and she's still losing weight. Our vet has no idea what's going on with her. Has anyone ever experienced anything like this? If anyone has any suggestions as to what the problem might be I'd be very grateful to hear them.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Hi. I am not terribly familiar with kidney disease but what stage did the vet diagnose your cat to be in? Vomiting and weight loss are relatively common when the kidney disease has progressed, but it is often accompanied by loss of appetite - so, perhaps that is why your vet is stumped.

I've included a couple of articles about kidney failure, in case they would give you some additional information and possibly some new questions you could ask your vet.

Chronic Kidney Disease: What Does Kidney Failure in Cats Really Mean?
Kidney Failure in Cats: What You Can Do

There are other members who have first hand experience with kidney failure who I hope will read your post soon and offer their advice.

 

[Furballsmom]

Hi!
I'm so sorry to hear this!
In case there's something here you haven't tried yet, --and is ok with your vet, maybe something will help supplement for the weight issue, hopefully ;

Try some raw egg yolk. Egg white must always be cooked, and some people cook the white and make a slurry of sorts by adding in the raw yolk.

Also you could try some Nutri-cal or similar product.

Try making these recipes - they're just as viable for an adult cat;
Kitten-Rescue.com

These can be used on their own or combined with food.

• Chicken, beef or ham flavored (pureed) baby food such as Gerber Stage 2 - make sure there is no garlic or onions in the ingredients

• Tuna and/or the juice, a low mercury/low/no sodium brand is called SafeCatch

• Salmon, mackerel

• Sardines (make sure there are no bones)

• boiled cut up chicken or turkey with no seasonings

• canned kitten food any brand

• Try mixing in Kitten Milk Replacer - there are recipes on the internet or store bought

• Fish, tuna or BBQ flavored canned wet food (I personally have never seen BBQ flavors, but...)

• Lickable cat treats or pouch treat 'gravy' poured over the food

• kitten glop (recipes in website link above)
• Bonito flakes
• fortiflora
• fish oil
• green beans, asparagus mushed up, lettuce, applesauce, mashed chickpeas, black olives
• whipped topping such as reddiwhip
• dry pasta

• goat milk, or no lactose cow milk
• whole cooked eggs (the white must always be cooked) or raw egg yolk now and then
• broth with no salt and no garlic or onion or seasonings of any kind
• There are also commercial toppers, Applaws is a brand that can work well as a topper
  
• Some good treats would be freeze dried Purebites, Orijen, Meowtinis, Meowables, Only Natural Pet, Primal

• There are also Lickimats that you could spread types of soft food onto, even plain unflavored yogurt, and even freeze it. Licking something can help a cat to feel better emotionally The LickiMat - Food Puzzles for Cats
• shredded cheddar cheese, string cheese

 

[EmersonandEvie]

Have her thyroid checked. My mom's cat dropped weight like crazy despite eating more than she ever had. She takes a daily pill and she has put on almost all the weight she lost back on (she needed to lose a little to begin with).

 

[erikan]

Thank you all for replying! We have tested her thyroid, but it came back normal. She hasn't been diagnosed with kidney disease either; the vet said she has "kidney failure of unknown cause." She definitely drinks more than she used to. She's a picky eater and tends to throw up anything other than her prescription food, but I will be sure to ask my vet about those recipes.

A bit of additional information: she's 12 years old, her blood pressure is normal, she's energetic, she hasn't had any behavioral changes, and she hasn't had any visible changes other than weight loss. We have another cat (her brother, his name is Fred) and he's been healthy his whole life apart from a benign tumor when he was a kitten. Not sure if that's relevant, but I figured I'd mention it just in case.

Thanks again for trying to help! I've read through the articles and I think we can probably rule out CRF since only a couple of the symptoms match hers.

(^ The girl in question)

 

[FeebysOwner]

What a cutie!! In that case, maybe a second opinion? No offense meant to your vet, but another set of eyes never hurts. And, you can get copies of all your records from your current vet, so tests that have already been done don't need to be repeated. Do you have a vet university nearby?

 

[rubydoo67]

First, You’re cat is gorgeous! I haven’t visited this site in a few years so how eerie to read your thread as my first. I came here because our cat has almost the exact symptoms! We are talking her back to the vet this week. We have had two opinions and both lean toward a cancerous growth/polyp in her sinus area. Unfortunately, the vets indicated cats nasal passages are too small for surgery. So, we have no 100% idea what is wrong but these two opinions. We

We did have a steroid shot given to her which seemed to help tremendously....for about 1-2 weeks. Sadly, her congestion is back and getting bad again

Just wanted to comment and say hang in there. This stuff sucks

 

[gorgod1]

Hi. I am not terribly familiar with kidney disease but what stage did the vet diagnose your cat to be in? Vomiting and weight loss are relatively common when the kidney disease has progressed, but it is often accompanied by loss of appetite - so, perhaps that is why your vet is stumped.

I've included a couple of articles about kidney failure, in case they would give you some additional information and possibly some new questions you could ask your vet.

Chronic Kidney Disease: What Does Kidney Failure in Cats Really Mean?
Kidney Failure in Cats: What You Can Do

There are other members who have first hand experience with kidney failure who I hope will read your post soon and offer their advice.

 

[gorgod1]

I hope you are able to find out what is going on. I guess it's like humans--sometimes the doctor cannot determine what the problem is. I assume you have been seeing your vet for some time?? Why not get a second opinion since he can't solve the problem. You can request that the office give you your cat's records and/or test results and bring them to another reputable vet. I have done that in the past. Good luck. I know it can be frustrating.

 

[erikan]

Thank you all for the suggestions. We've sort of gotten a second opinion already (our vet has consulted another professional and they weren't sure what was going on either), but my mother and I are taking her back for a checkup this weekend, and if he thinks her condition is still deteriorating then I will certainly look into asking another vet. I'll be sure to ask for her records and test results.
I'm pretty sure kidney disease isn't the issue, both because the vet said it isn't and because her appetite has increased rather than diminished.

First, You’re cat is gorgeous! I haven’t visited this site in a few years so how eerie to read your thread as my first. I came here because our cat has almost the exact symptoms! We are talking her back to the vet this week. We have had two opinions and both lean toward a cancerous growth/polyp in her sinus area. Unfortunately, the vets indicated cats nasal passages are too small for surgery. So, we have no 100% idea what is wrong but these two opinions. We

We did have a steroid shot given to her which seemed to help tremendously....for about 1-2 weeks. Sadly, her congestion is back and getting bad again

Just wanted to comment and say hang in there. This stuff sucks

Thanks for the support, it means a lot. I'm sorry to hear your cat's condition is getting worse. Hopefully both our kitties will be feeling better soon.

 

[LTS3]

Ask your vet to keep consulting with other vets. Vet schools offer courtesy consults for vets. This vet hospital offers courtesy consults. VIN.com is a vet-only forum where a vet can get the opinions of other vets from around the world on a head scratching case.

Were B12 levels checked? Low B12 levels affects nutrient absorption which results in weight loss.

Has the vet considered IBD or other similar gastrointestinal issue? Vomiting is one symptom.

 

[erikan]

Ask your vet to keep consulting with other vets. Vet schools offer courtesy consults for vets. This vet hospital offers courtesy consults. VIN.com is a vet-only forum where a vet can get the opinions of other vets from around the world on a head scratching case.

Were B12 levels checked? Low B12 levels affects nutrient absorption which results in weight loss.

Has the vet considered IBD or other similar gastrointestinal issue? Vomiting is one symptom.

Not sure about B12 levels - that's another thing I'll have to ask about. She and her brother are both chronic vomiters, so IBD might be a possibility. I don't know if that's something my vet has considered so I'll ask him this weekend. Thank you for helping!