Finicky eater won't eat

[lisahe]

Oh no, Susanna72 , I'm very sorry to hear this. Had they given him anything else (other than Zofran) to fight nausea and/or improve appetite? It's so hard when they won't eat, particularly if they're hiding. When do you see the oncologist?

 

[kakers]

Oh dear poor thing! Definitely give the vet a call back if he's still not eating on his own in a day or two. They may want to give him and anti nausea or appetite stimulant to help him eat.

 

[Susanna72]

I gave him a buffet tonight and he licked some gravy and nibbled kitten pate. Maybe a fingernail size bit. So I gave him a few syringes of Recovery and one of water.

One good sign is Oliver always comes down the stairs when I come home. He has CH so it takes him a few. Well tonight he came downstairs! He meows to be fed but I put food down and he snubs most of it. It’s so weird.

Put some Mirataz on his ear in case that starts to work.

 

[Susanna72]

Oh no, Susanna72 , I'm very sorry to hear this. Had they given him anything else (other than Zofran) to fight nausea and/or improve appetite? It's so hard when they won't eat, particularly if they're hiding. When do you see the oncologist?

Our appointment is Thursday afternoon.

 

[lisahe]

He meows to be fed but I put food down and he snubs most of it. It’s so weird.

That sounds like nausea. I hope the Mirataz helps!

One thing that has helped Edwina is slippery elm bark syrup. I bought some SEB powder last year when she was sick with whatever was wrong with her, didn't want to eat, and the vet couldn't take her on a Saturday. She lapped up the SEB with freeze-dried chicken and then ate a small meal. It would be worth checking with you vet about SEB... I still give it to Edwina because it seems to help calm her stomach. It's apparently good for inflammation.
Here's some detail: Nausea & Inappetence in Cats - Raw Feeding for IBD Cats

 

[Susanna72]

lisahe I think you are right. He’s on half a Zofran right now. I’ll call to see if I can give him full pill. I’ll also ask about SEB.

Last night I put some Mirataz on his ear in case that starts to work. This morning he ate some of his food and ate almost two Churus, so maybe it did?

 

[Susanna72]

Today is the last day the steroid is given twice a day. Now it’s 24 hours. Is it best to give it in the AM or PM?

 

[lisahe]

lisahe I think you are right. He’s on half a Zofran right now. I’ll call to see if I can give him full pill. I’ll also ask about SEB.

Last night I put some Mirataz on his ear in case that starts to work. This morning he ate some of his food and ate almost two Churus, so maybe it did?

Yes, maybe the Mirtaz worked? I hope so! Nausea can be so frustrating because you see that the cat wants to eat but they just can't or won't. Here's hoping Oliver keeps eating today.

I have no idea about administering the steroid...

 

[kakers]

Today is the last day the steroid is given twice a day. Now it’s 24 hours. Is it best to give it in the AM or PM?

I'm glad he ate something! For the steroids I don't think it matters if it's AM or PM, as long as you pick a time that will work best for you for consistency.

 

[Susanna72]

I was heading out to the pet store to find some more high calorie treats and he followed me downstairs! Ate a little bit of kitten pate and most of a Friskies lil’ soup. Now he’s curled up next to me and I hate to go to the store. I feel like I have to take advantage and appreciate his company every chance I get.

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

Sounds like for him many, many small meals per day is going to be the ticket right now. That's what I needed to do for our last kidney cat. I even fed her two small meals in the middle of the night. Kept the 2nd one on an ice pak (on a towel) on the nightstand and moved it off the icepak once she ate the first one so it could get to room temp by the time she was ready to eat again. That way I never had to fully wake up to feed her

I'm glad he's coming around. That's a great sign. Enjoy this time together. The store can wait.

 

[kakers]

I was heading out to the pet store to find some more high calorie treats and he followed me downstairs! Ate a little bit of kitten pate and most of a Friskies lil’ soup. Now he’s curled up next to me and I hate to go to the store. I feel like I have to take advantage and appreciate his company every chance I get.

Not a treat but one of the highest calorie foods I've found is Blue Buffalo Wilderness Pate- chicken flavor. The adult variety actually has more calories than the kitten one! The turkey and duck flavors are almost as calorie dense just slightly lower but also worth trying! You may see if you can find a couple small cans to see if he likes it. I've gotten them at Petco in the past.

 

[lisahe]

I was heading out to the pet store to find some more high calorie treats and he followed me downstairs! Ate a little bit of kitten pate and most of a Friskies lil’ soup. Now he’s curled up next to me and I hate to go to the store. I feel like I have to take advantage and appreciate his company every chance I get.

Yes to enjoying his company! It sounds like he's feeling considerably better. The big thing is that he's eating... And getting more fluids into him, right with the Friskies soup? It may actually be good/best to let him eat lots of light meals for a day or two or three or more as mrsgreenjeens suggests, as his digestive system gets used to eating again after all he's been through.

 

[Susanna72]

Yes to enjoying his company! It sounds like he's feeling considerably better. The big thing is that he's eating... And getting more fluids into him, right with the Friskies soup? It may actually be good/best to let him eat lots of light meals for a day or two or three or more as mrsgreenjeens suggests, as his digestive system gets used to eating again after all he's been through.

The vet also said today to give him small meals. She also said it’s okay to give him the full Zofran pill.

 

[lisahe]

The vet also said today to give him small meals. She also said it’s okay to give him the full Zofran pill.

That's good, I hope the full pills help!

 

[Susanna72]

All Oliver wants to eat now is Churu and Greenie treats. Won’t eat regular food. Honestly I’m just happy he’s eating but is this healthy?

 

[kakers]

All Oliver wants to eat now is Churu and Greenie treats. Won’t eat regular food. Honestly I’m just happy he’s eating but is this healthy?

For short term it's OK. Most greenies are formulated to be nutritionally complete which means they provide all necessary nutrients that he needs. While we don't want treats to be their primary diet long term, it shouldn't hurt short term! And churu are great for making sure he gets a bit more moisture as well. If he were mine I'd be giving him all the greenies he wanted and giving churu for additional calories and moisture, while still offering a variety of wet foods or even kibble to see what he will accept.

 

[lisahe]

All Oliver wants to eat now is Churu and Greenie treats. Won’t eat regular food. Honestly I’m just happy he’s eating but is this healthy?

I'm so sorry to hear he's not eating regular food.

I'd also be happy he's eating something and would probably do exactly what K kakers suggests, to keep getting as much into him as possible... that said, having been through similar situations, I'd also be worried, both about nutrition (even though short-term would be okay, particularly if Greenies are complete) and the illness(es). Definitely keep offering her wet food, including baby food, since you never know what he might eat. When Edwina was like this last year, I fed her some Fancy Feast, which she ate... and got scolded at the vet's office because the vet tech didn't consider it good enough food!

They didn't send you home with a bag of fluids, right? Those can really help perk a cat up.

You only have a few days until the oncologist appointment if I remember correctly so fingers crossed that Oliver keeps eating, even if it's only an odd combination of regular food and treats, until then.

 

[Susanna72]

Oliver was ravenous this morning! Two Churus, a little bit of a Sheba pate(I’m trying everything), a tsp of pumpkin for the diarrhea, a Friskies lil soup. I didn’t give him Greenies because he threw those up last night and he hasn’t vomited in a few weeks.

 

[lisahe]

Oliver was ravenous this morning! Two Churus, a little bit of a Sheba pate(I’m trying everything), a tsp of pumpkin for the diarrhea, a Friskies lil soup. I didn’t give him Greenies because he threw those up last night and he hasn’t vomited in a few weeks.

I'm glad to hear it! I'm especially glad to hear it's the wet food he's eating. I swear by Sheba pates after they brought Edwina back after her surgery last year. What's most important, though, is that I hope Oliver continues to eat ravenously!