Food options

[QueenOf6]

I have a 16 y/o Persian cat who was just diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, mitral regurgitation, and hypertension. He has been placed on the appropriate meds, and due to see cardiologist on October 3rd. He never had a large appetite and most he’s weighed is perhaps 12 pounds or so. Since all this started, he has become extremely stubborn about his eating. He is on prescription SO urinary food for hx of bladder crystals, he is now totally rejecting that food. I thought he might have bad teeth, had the vet examine him, no major dental issues, no infections. My other thought was nausea as he also has a paraesophageal hernia which can cause acid reflux but he’s not vomiting and very accepting of friskies lil soups salmon and tuna flavors which are meant to be used as toppers. He was 9.6 pounds at time of his diagnosis about a month ago and yesterday at recheck we found out that he’s now 8.6 lbs. granted some of the weight loss could be water loss due to being on lasix but still. I see him and he’s not consuming anything other than those food toppers. I have tried almost everything from petco…mousse, broths, minced, salmon flavors, tuna flavors, tiki foods, weruva kitten formulas, goal milk, friskies dry food, I’ve even tried syringe feeding. That bugger is so stubborn that he will go on hunger strike until he gets what he wants and the only thing he wants is those food toppers. He won’t chew anything including the salmon and tuna in the food toppers.
I am at my wits’ end. I don’t know where to go from here. He’s relatively stable from heart failure standpoint, tolerating the meds without issue. He doesn’t have loss of appetite because he wakes me up in the middle of the night for food, or when he’s hungry during the day. His labs are normal, just had kidneys, liver, thyroid checked.
Any suggestions or recommendations?

 

[FeebysOwner]

You could try baby food meats (Gerber Stage 2 or Beechnut Stage 1). They have served my cat well with her pickiness in foods, and has helped keep her weight up. I have even gotten EZ Complete to add to them to make them nutritionally complete. It works on all but the chicken flavor, due to a calcium conflict. The baby food meats contain a lot of moisture, so that should be helpful with his urinary issues. They also contain anywhere from 50 - 80 calories per jar depending on brand/meat type. It might be a kick-starter to getting him to eat other foods again.

The EZ Complete just takes 1/2 tsp per 2.5 oz jar of baby food meat. And, if you just want to test it out, they will send some samples to you.

Nausea can impact what a cat will want to eat and doesn't necessarily have to bring on vomiting. And, for whatever reason, it seems they tend to lean toward the 'treat type' foods. So, that is something else to consider.

There are toppers that don't contain meat bits - Lil Gravies, Lil Shakes, and Delectables Bisques are some that I use to enhance Feeby's foods as she hates anything with meat bits in them.

 

[QueenOf6]

I have tried baby food, he rejected it. Are food toppers ok to give as only food? He’s literally not eating anything else just ordered the lil gravies and shakes. I am willing to try anything he can’t afford to lose more weight. I’m also giving him verbac recuperation fluid.

Yesterday the vet mentioned we should work up pancreatitis once he’s seen the cardiologist. I’ll need to take him to an internist for abdominal ultrasound and workup for pancreatitis. His lab values are normal for amylase and lipase, he’s not exhibiting signs of abdominal discomfort, lack of appetite, nor is he lethargic. He whimpers and cries for me to feed him but he’ll only eat the lil soups. I duno if we need to do a million dollar workup here.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Sorry to hear the baby food meat is a no go. Food toppers are not nutritionally complete, but better than nothing. If the vet suspects pancreatitis, ask about a specific test for it before heading down the ultrasound path - it is abbreviated as fPLI.
Pancreatitis | Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine

 

[QueenOf6]

I tried the shakes, they were a no go as well. He’s really stubborn about what he wants to eat. He’s back to eating friskies lil soups, although he leaves the salmon chunks behind. The urinary food I got from petco, he initially accepted, now he’s eating maybe 5 kibbles a day. This morning he pooped and I noticed the last part of it was almost diarrhea. I’ll have to keep an eye on this. It’s either the urinary food or the Virbac rebound solution- maybe I’m giving too much Virbac and it’s causing diarrhea. I know it’s 3ml/lb for cats, he’s about 8.6 pounds, I might given him close to 40 ml, so will cut back.

 

[FeebysOwner]

The Lil Shakes have corn-starch and coconut milk in them as opposed to the Lil Soups which look to contain tapioca starch and powdered cellulose. So, one of both of those differences are something your guy apparently doesn't like. Try the Lil Gravies, they do have corn-starch in them, vs tapioca starch, but no coconut milk.

It is probably a good idea to lower the amount of Virbac. According to my calculations, his dosage would be closer to 25ml (3 x 8.6 = 25.8) and may need to be even lower to start with. Sometimes a cat's body has to adapt to a new food/supplement, so that could be part of the issue too.

 

[QueenOf6]

Ok will try the gravies. We skipped verbac tonight, will go back tomorrow. Thank you for doing the calculation, I was def giving him way more, didn’t think it could have negative effects.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Ok will try the gravies. We skipped verbac tonight, will go back tomorrow. Thank you for doing the calculation, I was def giving him way more, didn’t think it could have negative effects.

It seems with cats, anytime we think we might have figured out something, it so often turns out we didn't!!

 

[QueenOf6]

That is true story! Lol
Just an update, his appetite is better. He had an echo and the results are stable. Apt with the cardiologist in November. We’re headed in the right direction, God willing. Thank you for your help and support.