FIV+ barely eating, still drinking as much as usual & shedding more than before

tml1991

TCS Member
Thread starter
Adult Cat
Joined
Feb 22, 2017
Messages
149
Purraise
94
My 5 year old FIV+ cat Lee-Lee for the last few days has barely ate anything and has shed more than usual. His drinking habits seem normal and his energy is surprisingly good for a cat that has barely ate lately. I am going to take him in to the vet soon. I'm just confused and worried at what could be causing this. The lack of eating has me worried, the shedding is unusual too. His nails also seem to get hung a little easier in stuff than before too. He has stomatitis and had many teeth pulled last year because of it. He also has a heart condition that caused a heart arrhythmia last year during bjs dental operation and breaths fast sometimes. Just so many things make me fear the worst, then I see him still playful and up and about and worry a little less. This has been on my mind all day and has had anxious about the little guy. This cat has always been my sweet little friend and the thought of losing him tears me up. He follows me everywhere and wants to be with me all the time, has since he was little. I'm just concerned. Has anyone else's car showed similar signs before and been okay?
 

Norachan

Moderator
Staff Member
Moderator
Joined
May 27, 2013
Messages
32,610
Purraise
32,760
Location
Mount Fuji, Japan
Even in a cat that isn't FIV+ not eating enough can be very dangerous. I suggest you take Lee Lee to the vet as soon as you can. The longer you wait the more serious this will be.

Please keep us updated
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #3

tml1991

TCS Member
Thread starter
Adult Cat
Joined
Feb 22, 2017
Messages
149
Purraise
94
Even in a cat that isn't FIV+ not eating enough can be very dangerous. I suggest you take Lee Lee to the vet as soon as you can. The longer you wait the more serious this will be.

Please keep us updated
He ate half a can of cat food but I noticed would sometimes drop the pieces out of his mouth like it hurt, which makes me thinks it's his mouth again.
 

FeebysOwner

TCS Member
Staff Member
Forum Helper
Joined
Jun 13, 2018
Messages
22,322
Purraise
32,979
Location
Central FL (Born in OH)
It probably is his mouth. Not any experience with this but have read so many threads on this site about stomatitis and how many cats end up losing all their teeth over time.

Do you give him any immunity supplements? Some members use DMG to help cats with viral conditions. Won't help specifically for the teeth but might be of benefit for overall health.
DMG: A Nutrient for the New Millennium (exoticpetvet.net)
VETRISCIENCE Vetri-DMG Liquid Immune Supplement for Dogs, Cats & Birds, 28-mL - Chewy.com
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #5

tml1991

TCS Member
Thread starter
Adult Cat
Joined
Feb 22, 2017
Messages
149
Purraise
94
I couldn't take him today because my cousin's husband went into the hospital due to a heart attack and my cousin didn't have anyone to take her to see him due to car issues, so I had to take her. I returned home to find Lee Lee ate more of his food. That is a relieve. Not sure how long it took him to eat it, but he ate more of it. Still not as much as before though
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #6

tml1991

TCS Member
Thread starter
Adult Cat
Joined
Feb 22, 2017
Messages
149
Purraise
94
I also notice he licks all the juices of his wet food completely dry and will only eat the small chunks
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #9

tml1991

TCS Member
Thread starter
Adult Cat
Joined
Feb 22, 2017
Messages
149
Purraise
94
He's barely eating, which is more than before anyway. The vet said he needs all his remaining teeth removed.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #10

tml1991

TCS Member
Thread starter
Adult Cat
Joined
Feb 22, 2017
Messages
149
Purraise
94
He's eaten more now that I moved his stuff to a new dish. He still wants to mostly lick the juices though. I think he associates his old dish with pain too. He had the same issue with a litter box once.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #11

tml1991

TCS Member
Thread starter
Adult Cat
Joined
Feb 22, 2017
Messages
149
Purraise
94
He's eating quite a bit this morning. He did get an appetite stimulant, but he seems less nervous when eating and isn't dropping food now. He did also get an anti-inflammatory and antibiotics too.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #12

tml1991

TCS Member
Thread starter
Adult Cat
Joined
Feb 22, 2017
Messages
149
Purraise
94
He's eating more now, but it's just Temptations, puree tubes, and baked chicken. He needs to eat his urinary cat food. He avoids the wet versions of it but tries to eat the kibble version, which hurts his mouth. He also seems to have a fear in general of those latter three foods because he was trying to eat those the entire time his mouth was getting increasingly inflamed. He definitely still has an appetite not as much as when his mouth felt better, but it's still there, I can tell pain influences his choices a lot though. He tries to avoid chewing as much as possible. I feel bad for not noticing this earlier. He had 10 teeth pulled last year, which helped for a long time. He needs the other 10 pulled now. His decrease in appetite and grooming came on so gradually that I barely noticed. I feel horrible for that, but cats are good at hiding pain. I'm just glad he's eating some more now. What's better too about his eating today is that he ignored the item that had his appetite enhancer on it. So he still has an appetite, even without Elura. He just needs to eat his healthier options. He used to love the wet salmon canned food, but for whatever reason stopped liking it. This happened before his mouth got bad again too. He's always been a picky eater and in times like these, it's more of a problem.
 
Top