My 1/2 Siamese mix Scooter is about 12 years old and is an indoor cat. He's been eating dry Iams for most of his life. He was a healthy cat up until about a year ago when he started losing a lot of weight. He was around 15-16 lbs...now he is half that at around 8 lbs. He has been through an extensive amount of test by the vet. They found a tumor (thickening) in his intestines and they told me he has but one good kidney that may not have been formed properly at birth. He was given an antiobiotic to help with vomiting/diarrhea and I gave him z-fluids for about 2 weeks to help hydration. He was then put on prescription dry KD diet food as we are trying to get him prepped for surgery in removing the tumor. The vomiting/diarrhea have gone away and he continues to drink fluids pretty well, but he has lost almost all of his appetite and I am very worried he may be too weak to go through with surgery. What once was a solid muscled cat is now fur and bones. He hardly eats anything at all at this point. The vet prescribed some meds (some form of anti-depressant it seems) to try and bump his appetite. It's been about 2 weeks and there is no change.
After doing some research myself, I've noticed that this new diet (Science KD) lacks a few key ingredients to helping add weight.....fat, ANIMAL protein, and water (moisture). The vet stressed the dry KD diet food as it was low in protein and calcium-to-phosphorus ratios and would be easier on his one good kidney. My problem with this is in looking back, I believe he is missing the added water/moisture intake that this dry food source is sorely missing along with the fat and ANIMAL proteins only found in meats. The proteins in the KD diet food come mainly from plant material. He's essentially being cut off from the animal proteins/fat he needs. As a carnovore, I can't see how this can be good for a cat. I need him to eat and was wondering if anyone has a good, easy raw-food recipe or brand of healthy wet food that could possibly get him to start eating again???
Sorry for the lengthy post...I didn't want to leave anything out and my vet is on vacation. I'm reaching a new level of "worried". Thanks for any thoughts!
After doing some research myself, I've noticed that this new diet (Science KD) lacks a few key ingredients to helping add weight.....fat, ANIMAL protein, and water (moisture). The vet stressed the dry KD diet food as it was low in protein and calcium-to-phosphorus ratios and would be easier on his one good kidney. My problem with this is in looking back, I believe he is missing the added water/moisture intake that this dry food source is sorely missing along with the fat and ANIMAL proteins only found in meats. The proteins in the KD diet food come mainly from plant material. He's essentially being cut off from the animal proteins/fat he needs. As a carnovore, I can't see how this can be good for a cat. I need him to eat and was wondering if anyone has a good, easy raw-food recipe or brand of healthy wet food that could possibly get him to start eating again???
Sorry for the lengthy post...I didn't want to leave anything out and my vet is on vacation. I'm reaching a new level of "worried". Thanks for any thoughts!