Cat diagnosed with IBD - Appetite Issues

[kingcurtis73]

I have a 15-year-old cat that was diagnosed with IBD in mid-November whose appetite is all over the map. I should preface this by saying he had blood work and an ultra-sound performed, but no biopsy so the vet cannot say for certain it's IBD and not lymphoma. He was prescribed Prednisolone, 5mg twice-a-day for two weeks and then he would begin tapering off after those two weeks. Those first two weeks on Prednisolone Lido had a ravenous appetite even eating his Hill's Science Diet Z/D (canned). After he began to taper off of the Prednisolone his appetite waned. During the 4th week when he was taking 5 mg every other day he even vomited for the first time in weeks and his appetite was worse. The vet decided to bump his dose back up to 5mg twice-a-day. This didn't seem to help as he wouldn't even touch the Hill's Science Diet anymore. He would only eat turkey slices, Fancy Feast or tuna. Last week I decided to try a raw food diet. The first night he ate all 3 ounces that I placed on his plate. The next couple of days he'd eat 1.5 ounces at a time in the morning, but less as the day went on. He started to get picky about the raw food, sometimes he'd like it warmed-up while other times he'd only eat it cold. Over the last couple days he hasn't been all that interested in the raw food, so I picked-up some Entyce from the vet. After two days of treatment, he still isn't eating as much as I'd like. He'll take a few bites and then move onto something else like turkey slices or chicken salad or pumpkin. He seems to want to eat, but his behavior is inconsistent. Last night, I blended-up raw turkey into the blender and he ate all of it. Did the same procedure tonight and wouldn't touch it. He ate some pumpkin and turkey slices.

My concern is he's not getting enough calories, especially considering he's only eating one decent sized meal per 24 hours. It's odd that his appetite returned for two weeks while on the initial high dose of prednisolone, but now that we're on round 2 of the high dose his appetite hasn't fully returned. His weight has remained steady for the past 7 weeks at around 11.2 - 11.4, but I fear it's going to drop into the 10 pound range soon if he doesn't start eating at least 175 calories a day. He's probably only taking in around 125 calories per day, even less than that this past week.

He seems like a Zombie taking all of this Prednisolone, so I'm wondering if it's causing him some undo stress, which is affecting his appetite. I understand cats can be extremely finicky eaters while suffering from IBD, but the inconsistency in his finicky eating is hard to deal with. He likes one meal one day and won't eat it the next. Is that IBD or a sign of something worse like lymphoma?

 

[daftcat75]

Have you discussed your concerns with the vet? Perhaps he can prescribe an appetite stimulant to get through the tapering. Or perhaps the dodgy appetite might mean you're tapering too soon. I can't tell you that. You'll need to discuss that with the vet.

In the meantime, can you reduce his portion size and feed him more often? It could be that he waits too long to eat because he feels bad when he does. Then he eats too much and feels bad afterwards and it repeats. If he's eating twice a day, try splitting that into four smaller meals (6 and 10 am and pm works for Krista with timed feeders to cover the time between 10 and 6.)

 

[kingcurtis73]

I have discussed my concerns and that's when the vet bumped his Prednisolone back to 5mg twice-per-day. We're now at a week later and his appetite isn't quite where is should be and quite honestly it's tanked the last couple of days to where he's eating a couple times a night and skipping breakfast. He wants to eat, just takes a couple of bites from several different meals I serve and walks away. I usually try and serve .5 oz of food at a time throughout the day. If I'm at work then I attempt to feed him in the morning and then a couple of times at night. Oh and the food stimulant Entyce, which I've tried that last couple of days didn't improve his appetite. Since I haven't seen any improvement this past week I'm considering cutting back to Prednisolone once-per-day to see if that helps.

 

[daftcat75]

I have discussed my concerns and that's when the vet bumped his Prednisolone back to 5mg twice-per-day. We're now at a week later and his appetite isn't quite where is should be and quite honestly it's tanked the last couple of days to where he's eating a couple times a night and skipping breakfast. He wants to eat, just takes a couple of bites from several different meals I serve and walks away. I usually try and serve .5 oz of food at a time throughout the day. If I'm at work then I attempt to feed him in the morning and then a couple of times at night. Oh and the food stimulant Entyce, which I've tried that last couple of days didn't improve his appetite. Since I haven't seen any improvement this past week I'm considering cutting back to Prednisolone once-per-day to see if that helps.

Don't change the pred dose without vet approval. Steroids shouldn't be freestyled.

Entyce isn't the only appetite stimulant and not even a very good one in my experience. I like mirtazapine but you should be aware of the side effects and that you may need to adjust the dose to balance the side effects with the primary effect. With oral mirtazapine (Krista gets transdermal now), I found 1.88 mg (1/4 of a 7.5 mg pill--use a pill cutter) every other day was plenty effective with Krista. Even at that dose, she'd get her "meowzapine" moments where she became more vocal and also more affectionate. I figure she gets a rush when the medicine kicks in ("who spiked my drink?") and just wants to be held and stroked until her rush calms down. Every cat is different and yours might have more or less of a reaction. But mirtazapine isn't the only appetite stimulant for cats either. If that one doesn't work for him, you can ask about cyproheptadine. There may be others that I'm not familiar with.

 

[kingcurtis73]

I've placed an order for the Mirtazapine, but the vet wanted to try Entyce first. Now that Entyce hasn't worked I'm going to try the Mirtazapine. I have to wait 3 days now for the Mirtazapine since I ordered it online. Woke up at 4 am this morning wanting to eat, but wouldn't ear any food I served. I gave him some Cerenia and Pepcid-AC to see if that helps. It's concerning at this point since he is refusing to eat and not being picky.

 

[LTS3]

Did your vet give you a prescription to buy Mirtazapine online?

Have you seen these two web sites with info on treating IBD?

Feline IBD

Address the root cause of IBD in your cat. Treat inflammation and gut dysbiosis with proper tools to restore health, not just manage symptoms.

www.rawfeedingforibdcats.org

IBDKitties – Helping Save Lives…One Paw at a Time

www.ibdkitties.net

 

[Joey's mom]

I have discussed my concerns and that's when the vet bumped his Prednisolone back to 5mg twice-per-day. We're now at a week later and his appetite isn't quite where is should be and quite honestly it's tanked the last couple of days to where he's eating a couple times a night and skipping breakfast. He wants to eat, just takes a couple of bites from several different meals I serve and walks away. I usually try and serve .5 oz of food at a time throughout the day. If I'm at work then I attempt to feed him in the morning and then a couple of times at night. Oh and the food stimulant Entyce, which I've tried that last couple of days didn't improve his appetite. Since I haven't seen any improvement this past week I'm considering cutting back to Prednisolone once-per-day to see if that helps.

Prednisolone does stimulate the appetite, the good thing about this steroid is once it's stopped it totally leaves the cats body as other steroids remain and can cause other issues. However, prednisolone long term use destroys the muscles weight loss. Mirtazapine is a stimulant I have used in pill form. It was only to be given to a cat no more than 3X/week. About 2 yrs ago it was discovered to be safe for daily administration. My cat had kidney disease and the vet also said IBD for which other medication was prescribed. Cerenia (I might have spelt that wrong) is good for nausea which could be a reason your cat doesn't want to eat. I eventually had all meds compounded in liquid form in marshmallow flavor for easy administration through an injector. My cat was seen daily at the vet (for subq fluids) giving pills was too stressful for him, he would drool and spit them out. B12 was inserted into the subq line so he wouldn't be poked twice, the meds in liquid form were combined in one injector or whatever the term is and given at once.

 

[kingcurtis73]

My cat also has moderate kidney disease.

After giving him some Pepcid AC and some Cerenia this morning he still wouldn't eat. He too is not a fan of pills, so I typically opt for liquid form for meds if available.

He ate some Bonita flakes and some baby food, but in very small quantities. He's drinking plenty of water, so that's good He appears to be going through some discomfort - sitting meatloaf style or hunched often times in unusual places. I placed a call with the vet this morning, so now I'm just waiting to hear back to discuss next steps.

 

[WMM201]

Would probiotics help with your cat? If he likes yogurt, maybe see if he would eat some plain Greek yogurt. You probably want to check with your vet first, if you haven't already tried this. My cat is going through some similar issues, but we haven't gotten to the stage of ultrasound test yet. Good luck with your boy!

 

[Joey's mom]

My cat also has moderate kidney disease.

After giving him some Pepcid AC and some Cerenia this morning he still wouldn't eat. He too is not a fan of pills, so I typically opt for liquid form for meds if available.

He ate some Bonita flakes and some baby food, but in very small quantities. He's drinking plenty of water, so that's good He appears to be going through some discomfort - sitting meatloaf style or hunched often times in unusual places. I placed a call with the vet this morning, so now I'm just waiting to hear back to discuss next steps.

Drinking plenty of water is a true sign of kidney disease. Cerenia is expensive, I also had it administered through injection for faster effectiveness. I think it should be one or the other Pepcid or Cerenia. Pepcid was suggested by a very good vet I had trying to help me save money. I chose Cerenia because I would not be able to medicate my Joey my attempts would have been too stressful for him. Because he was already getting daily vet treatments it was more comfortable for him to get everything all at one time. Perhaps you might want to ask the vet about the appetite stimulant it's a very tiny pill d depending on the mg; can be crushed mixed in food or crushed mix with a little water and an injector used. The compassionate, caring vet left the facility the new ones were a disaster. I received different info didn't know whose advice to take. I decided to stay with a treatment plan that was working. I tried various foods for kidney disease, none were acceptable to my cat. I went back to his regular foods because the most important factor was to make sure he ate. His illness was very costly for 2 yrs, I tried not to stress him out too much that's why I had the meds compounded. The local pharmacy told me marshmallow flavor was the most likable among cats and that's what I chose.

 

[Joey's mom]

My cat also has moderate kidney disease.

After giving him some Pepcid AC and some Cerenia this morning he still wouldn't eat. He too is not a fan of pills, so I typically opt for liquid form for meds if available.

He ate some Bonita flakes and some baby food, but in very small quantities. He's drinking plenty of water, so that's good He appears to be going through some discomfort - sitting meatloaf style or hunched often times in unusual places. I placed a call with the vet this morning, so now I'm just waiting to hear back to discuss next steps.

probiotics was suggested for my cat. At the time I didn't completely have trust in these new vets. My current cats whom I have for almost 2 yrs I started them on a probiotic since day one. I checked with a new vet what was recommended and purchased through Amazon at a lower cost. I bought Vetri Science Pro Line Entero Flora Pro, it's a tasteless powder I mix in the wet food 1/8 tsp daily.

 

[kingcurtis73]

Would probiotics help with your cat? If he likes yogurt, maybe see if he would eat some plain Greek yogurt. You probably want to check with your vet first, if you haven't already tried this. My cat is going through some similar issues, but we haven't gotten to the stage of ultrasound test yet. Good luck with your boy!

Have not tried yogurt yet. Gave him some Kefir last night. Took a few licks and stopped drinking it. Thank you!

 

[Joey's mom]

Have not tried yogurt yet. Gave him some Kefir last night. Took a few licks and stopped drinking it. Thank you!

Researching online is helpful and can also be difficult for us lay people to fully understand but we can pick up some info here and there. May I suggest you research kidney disease, IBD through any animal clinic at a major hospital, like Cornell or some other institution. I hope you have good, experienced knowledgeable vets as I started out. When these 2 vets left I had to see the new ones. Joey no longer received attention and care so his daily visits were administered by a tech in my presence while I held him. He was a very strong cat, 19 or 20 at the time of his death. I posted a new thread 2 yrs ago titled "2 vets withheld information." Joey's death was unnecessary, he was not ready to give up. He never went into hiding, still used the litter box, still interested in watching backyard birds, no one could tell he had a fatal disease, other than his weight loss. The good vet I had told me he never treated a cat that was so strong. I wasn't keeping him alive for me, he wasn't ready to let go. He never gave me a sign. Sometimes when he looked at me it was as if he was saying "if I could hold on, will you." I let Joey go because he had a seizure, an horrific experience for me, I thought he was going to die and after all he went through I didn't want him to die that way. Last Oct, 2019, the good vet returned to the facility. When I told him Joey's story he said he would never put a cat down for having one seizure, he said the doctors were wrong withholding information (and these are the doctors he's presently working with.) After Joey died the doctor who administered the fatal injection told me there was medication to prevent a seizure and she decided not to tell me about it. She also said Joey was anemic, which they never told me, and that's what caused the seizure. I had 2 seriously ill cats at the time. Smokey was anemic and I gave him iron injections. We put our faith and trust in vets because we don't know, understand anything about animal care. I learned a lot from what I experienced with 2 cats sick at the same time and will do research before I accept a vet's treatment plan. I learned a lot about vaccinations and now I can tell the vet where to administer them.

 

[kingcurtis73]

Drinking plenty of water is a true sign of kidney disease. Cerenia is expensive, I also had it administered through injection for faster effectiveness. I think it should be one or the other Pepcid or Cerenia. Pepcid was suggested by a very good vet I had trying to help me save money. I chose Cerenia because I would not be able to medicate my Joey my attempts would have been too stressful for him. Because he was already getting daily vet treatments it was more comfortable for him to get everything all at one time. Perhaps you might want to ask the vet about the appetite stimulant it's a very tiny pill d depending on the mg; can be crushed mixed in food or crushed mix with a little water and an injector used. The compassionate, caring vet left the facility the new ones were a disaster. I received different info didn't know whose advice to take. I decided to stay with a treatment plan that was working. I tried various foods for kidney disease, none were acceptable to my cat. I went back to his regular foods because the most important factor was to make sure he ate. His illness was very costly for 2 yrs, I tried not to stress him out too much that's why I had the meds compounded. The local pharmacy told me marshmallow flavor was the most likable among cats and that's what I chose.

I've probably spent over $12K on my lil' guy. He had few bouts of struvite crystals that caused him to be plugged. And now with this IBD issue I'm already another $1,200K in the hole, but he is worth it! I'm hoping that he's just going through a bout of nausea from the meds and it will eventually subside. You are right. Cerenia is about $45 for 8 pills. Unreal! Without getting a biopsy it's all about treating the best case scenario. If there is improvement after doing x,y and z then it's IBD. If there isn't improvement then further tests are required. It's unlikely I would opt for the biopsy as it's so expensive and it would do nothing, but confirm a diagnosis of lymphoma. As much as I love the lil' guy, he's 15 years-old and I can't continue to go into debt to give him another maybe six months of a great life.

 

[Joey's mom]

When you rub your hands over your cat's body do you feel any lumps.Sometimes vaccinations where administered create lumps. I had a cat with lymphoma close to the chest it was inoperative. I live in NY and paid a lot more for the Cerenia and also have spent thousands on 2 cats, Joey's care was the more expensive because of daily visits to the vet. It was worth it, it was my responsibility to do whatever I could for him and being single, living alone financially wiped me out. Smokey was 16 when he started with liver problems, I wouldn't put a cat that age through a biopsy, not only for the stress but for concern he was weak and would die on the table. He had the good vet at that time, and he also agreed. I just did 2 ultrasounds which cost $450 each. Smokey had struvite crystals and was treated with antibiotics, the purpose was also to prevent stones forming in the bladder and an infection. I think it's important for your cat to eat, and suggest the stimulant, probiotic or both. If you have a caring, compassionate vet I'm sure he/she will guide you in the right direction. I was fortunate when both cats came down with these fatal diseases they were under the care of 2 amazing vets. Smokey died at home, on his own terms, in the home he loved. For one yr the facility was a revolving door, I kept Joey on the treatment plan suggested by the first 2 vets. And now one of them is back at the facility

 

[Joey's mom]

My cat also has moderate kidney disease.

After giving him some Pepcid AC and some Cerenia this morning he still wouldn't eat. He too is not a fan of pills, so I typically opt for liquid form for meds if available.

He ate some Bonita flakes and some baby food, but in very small quantities. He's drinking plenty of water, so that's good He appears to be going through some discomfort - sitting meatloaf style or hunched often times in unusual places. I placed a call with the vet this morning, so now I'm just waiting to hear back to discuss next steps.

I forgot to ask is the cat's defecation pasty or solid. Mine with the IBD it was dark and pasty, not formed. So he was put on medication for that and his elimination was normal.

 

[kingcurtis73]

I forgot to ask is the cat's defecation pasty or solid. Mine with the IBD it was dark and pasty, not formed. So he was put on medication for that and his elimination was normal.

Its' solid. So I just spoke with the vet and he is fearing the worst since he didn't respond adequately to the Prednisolone. He said it's pretty common to see that initial improvement during those first two weeks of being on the drug, but then the poor appetite returns if it's something more than IBD. We're going to try some of the Martazipine to see if that at least can get his appetite going. This is certainly not what I wanted to hear, but lymphoma was certainly a possibility. Now I have to decide if we want to pursue other options/treatments. The vet was very candid and compassionate, so I appreciated his concern. He by no means said this fight was over, just that based on what I told him it sounds like something worse than IBD.

 

[Joey's mom]

Its' solid. So I just spoke with the vet and he is fearing the worst since he didn't respond adequately to the Prednisolone. He said it's pretty common to see that initial improvement during those first two weeks of being on the drug, but then the poor appetite returns if it's something more than IBD. We're going to try some of the Martazipine to see if that at least can get his appetite going. This is certainly not what I wanted to hear, but lymphoma was certainly a possibility. Now I have to decide if we want to pursue other options/treatments. The vet was very candid and compassionate, so I appreciated his concern. He by no means said this fight was over, just that based on what I told him it sounds like something worse than IBD.

Glad you're starting the martazipine, I would also give the Cerenia with it for a few days. I hope it's not lymphoma. Let me mention something else that might help. All throughout Joey intestinal lymph nodes initially began to swell and that interfered with his eating. I didn't want prednisolone because yrs ago I put a cat on it and didn't like the results, so I chose a powerful steroid injection to shrink the lymph nodes, this helped tremendously. With every visit the vet would palpate him to see if they were swollen. Without checking the records I think in the course of a yr and a 1/2 I ordered the steroid 6X maybe less. I don't remember the name without reading the file but for short it's considered Deppo. It's powerful, the vet warned and informed me it could effect the kidney issue that was the choice I had to make. It made Joey comfortable, able to eat, no swollen lymph nodes. This wonderful vet first wanted a trial of prednisolone, I wouldn't do it because of what I past experienced. He told me the good thing about the steroid but I chose the more powerful one. swollen lymph nodes were detected through palpitation. At 20 he was still feisty at the vet's office, still resisting medication, still running around at home and being himself. I chose a conservative treatment plan and it kept him fine. After the seizure he ate, ran around and was himself. I was stunned, didn't know what to do. It happened after vet hours and the emergency clinic was no help. I wasn't going to drive an hr to the emergency clinic so they could poke around an old cat when I know what his problem is and charge an outrageous fee. I wouldn't put him through a long car ride and unfamiliar doctors poking around. I was shocked by the seizure and listened to the vet when she said I got my sign. When a vet has a client who's willing to do whatever it takes to keep a cat comfortable, I think that vet should help the client, especially when you're paying thousands. I understand a vet has a difficult job, they deal with sick animals and death all the time. I guess after awhile it's gets to be routine, this is the profession they chose, and if they lose their compassion and desire to go above and beyond then it's time for them to retire. I do feel the pain you too are also suffering and hope things will improve, take the appetite stimulant, try cerenia, if you want an injection of cerenia is quicker action. Cerenia in my opinion is better than pepcid. I won't have a working computer tomorrow and will check back with you for an update as soon as I can.

 

[Joey's mom]

Glad you're starting the martazipine, I would also give the Cerenia with it for a few days. I hope it's not lymphoma. Let me mention something else that might help. All throughout Joey intestinal lymph nodes initially began to swell and that interfered with his eating. I didn't want prednisolone because yrs ago I put a cat on it and didn't like the results, so I chose a powerful steroid injection to shrink the lymph nodes, this helped tremendously. With every visit the vet would palpate him to see if they were swollen. Without checking the records I think in the course of a yr and a 1/2 I ordered the steroid 6X maybe less. I don't remember the name without reading the file but for short it's considered Deppo. It's powerful, the vet warned and informed me it could effect the kidney issue that was the choice I had to make. It made Joey comfortable, able to eat, no swollen lymph nodes. This wonderful vet first wanted a trial of prednisolone, I wouldn't do it because of what I past experienced. He told me the good thing about the steroid but I chose the more powerful one. swollen lymph nodes were detected through palpitation. At 20 he was still feisty at the vet's office, still resisting medication, still running around at home and being himself. I chose a conservative treatment plan and it kept him fine. After the seizure he ate, ran around and was himself. I was stunned, didn't know what to do. It happened after vet hours and the emergency clinic was no help. I wasn't going to drive an hr to the emergency clinic so they could poke around an old cat when I know what his problem is and charge an outrageous fee. I wouldn't put him through a long car ride and unfamiliar doctors poking around. I was shocked by the seizure and listened to the vet when she said I got my sign. When a vet has a client who's willing to do whatever it takes to keep a cat comfortable, I think that vet should help the client, especially when you're paying thousands. I understand a vet has a difficult job, they deal with sick animals and death all the time. I guess after awhile it's gets to be routine, this is the profession they chose, and if they lose their compassion and desire to go above and beyond then it's time for them to retire. I do feel the pain you too are also suffering and hope things will improve, take the appetite stimulant, try cerenia, if you want an injection of cerenia is quicker action. Cerenia in my opinion is better than pepcid. I won't have a working computer tomorrow and will check back with you for an update as soon as I can.

 

[LTS3]

Cerenia is about $45 for 8 pills. Unreal!

I just paid $13.63 for a box of four Cerenia pills from the vet hospital's in-house pharmacy. $45 for two boxes is pricey

I don't think probiotics would help a cat's appetite, especially not if the tummy is inflamed and hurt and the cat is nauseous.

Many people say a sprinkle of FortiFlora over food will get inappatent cats to eat. You may want to try that.