From Neglect to Shame

[amandag1]

Youve got to TAKE her into the vet.
Getting meds via phone calls isnt okay.
She needs to be evaluated and if you truly want what is best for her take her in,
Get her some High calorie gel, high cal food and take her to the vet. Poor girl

 

[amandag1]

Sorry if that came off harsh, but, I dont find it appropriate to hear all these symptoms without a doctor analyzing her.

 

[amandag1]

If shes too weak to be taken in, ask for a home visit.
With what you're describing, self medicating and guessing is not okay.

 

[moxiewild]

The issue with pumpkin is that it doesn’t address the underlying issue, nor does it tell you - if it works - whether kitty was in need of soluable or unsoluable fiber. I basically only use it until something more helpful is ordered online and received.

Instead of looking for a high fiber food, I would look for an easily digestible food, and enticing her to eat nutrient and calorie dense foods in the meantime. Then look into a probiotic like Jarrow S. Boulardii with MOS.

And all of this is only after - or simultaneously - having her physically seen by a vet. Make an appointment and try to catch a stool sample before you go, if possible, so that it can be tested. Or request a fecal loop in office.

You can supplement her diet for now with things like goat’s milk (raw preferred, but powdered or condensed will work), KMR, raw egg, meat baby food, unsalted butter (fat source). If you can get something to entice her, she may eat more. So things like Fortiflora, freeze dried treats like Purebites (this helped one of my girls when we were mere hours away from having a feeding tube inserted), tuna, chicken, sardines, mackerel - I have even used spray cheese and French fries just to get SOMETHING in a cat to help increase their appetite and break the inappetence cycle.

Yes, multiple cats are definitely an issue when it comes to monitoring food! We place dogs/foster dogs outside to eat since they go potty right after anyway.

Then we dedicated one of our kitchen counters to our younger cats who can make the jump (they are not allowed on any other counters, this one is theirs), and we feed the younger ones up there, and the older or more disabled ones on the floor to help us monitor. This in itself makes it easily very obvious if we see a younger cat near an elder’s bowl.

We have also bought several SureFeed feeders over the years to help - but prior to that, we bought a $30 microchip petdoor and cut out an opening in a cheap tote for it and that worked perfectly well too.

I completely understand where you’re coming from. I lost my soul kitty almost two years ago and I still never speak of it. I just can’t.

But he died, in large part, due to kidney disease - exactly one month, to the day, after his 20th birthday.

And then exactly one month, to the day, that he died, our other cat was diagnosed with kidney disease.

I was uncontrollably sobbing while scrolling on Tanya’s CKD site yet again - never did I think I’d find myself back there so soon.

And I just couldn’t do it. I put off (special) food, testing, medications for months.

The absolute only silver lining to losing my boy had been that he and I were both finally rid of that horrid disease. And then that, too, was ripped away from me in the blink of an eye.

I always knew I would face CKD again eventually. But having to do so exactly one month after it took my boy seemed like such a cruel and twisted fate. Like it was mocking me, hovering over the shoulder of my other boy and threatening to now take him too.

So it’s not at all rational that I delayed his care because if it - but I just simply could not face it. Not until months later when a foster was returned to me due to extremely severe and life threatening issues that demanded that I snap out of it, or else we would lose her, was I finally able to, just enough. Once she was stabilized, I was finally able to focus on my “new” kidney cat, too.

And ironically,, that same female was also just diagnosed with CKD a few months ago. But this time, I am dealing with it a lot better.

You’ll get there eventually too. Just focus on getting kitty to the vet right now. One step at a time.

 

[jefferd18]

I know it has only been a couple of days - but, how are things going??

Thank you for asking!

She is finished with her meds and seems to want to eat more. She is a little bit more active and doesn't seem so miserable.

She wants to sleep- a lot- and she is still very thin and out of it.

 

[jefferd18]

If shes too weak to be taken in, ask for a home visit.
With what you're describing, self medicating and guessing is not okay.

Thank you for replying to my post. I am not diagnosing, I am merely treating her symptoms in the hopes of making her more comfortable. .Vale has been taken to the vet since this thread was posted.

 

[jefferd18]

The issue with pumpkin is that it doesn’t address the underlying issue, nor does it tell you - if it works - whether kitty was in need of soluable or unsoluable fiber. I basically only use it until something more helpful is ordered online and received.

Instead of looking for a high fiber food, I would look for an easily digestible food, and enticing her to eat nutrient and calorie dense foods in the meantime. Then look into a probiotic like Jarrow S. Boulardii with MOS.

And all of this is only after - or simultaneously - having her physically seen by a vet. Make an appointment and try to catch a stool sample before you go, if possible, so that it can be tested. Or request a fecal loop in office.

You can supplement her diet for now with things like goat’s milk (raw preferred, but powdered or condensed will work), KMR, raw egg, meat baby food, unsalted butter (fat source). If you can get something to entice her, she may eat more. So things like Fortiflora, freeze dried treats like Purebites (this helped one of my girls when we were mere hours away from having a feeding tube inserted), tuna, chicken, sardines, mackerel - I have even used spray cheese and French fries just to get SOMETHING in a cat to help increase their appetite and break the inappetence cycle.

Yes, multiple cats are definitely an issue when it comes to monitoring food! We place dogs/foster dogs outside to eat since they go potty right after anyway.

Then we dedicated one of our kitchen counters to our younger cats who can make the jump (they are not allowed on any other counters, this one is theirs), and we feed the younger ones up there, and the older or more disabled ones on the floor to help us monitor. This in itself makes it easily very obvious if we see a younger cat near an elder’s bowl.

We have also bought several SureFeed feeders over the years to help - but prior to that, we bought a $30 microchip petdoor and cut out an opening in a cheap tote for it and that worked perfectly well too.

I completely understand where you’re coming from. I lost my soul kitty almost two years ago and I still never speak of it. I just can’t.

But he died, in large part, due to kidney disease - exactly one month, to the day, after his 20th birthday.

And then exactly one month, to the day, that he died, our other cat was diagnosed with kidney disease.

I was uncontrollably sobbing while scrolling on Tanya’s CKD site yet again - never did I think I’d find myself back there so soon.

And I just couldn’t do it. I put off (special) food, testing, medications for months.

The absolute only silver lining to losing my boy had been that he and I were both finally rid of that horrid disease. And then that, too, was ripped away from me in the blink of an eye.

I always knew I would face CKD again eventually. But having to do so exactly one month after it took my boy seemed like such a cruel and twisted fate. Like it was mocking me, hovering over the shoulder of my other boy and threatening to now take him too.

So it’s not at all rational that I delayed his care because if it - but I just simply could not face it. Not until months later when a foster was returned to me due to extremely severe and life threatening issues that demanded that I snap out of it, or else we would lose her, was I finally able to, just enough. Once she was stabilized, I was finally able to focus on my “new” kidney cat, too.

And ironically,, that same female was also just diagnosed with CKD a few months ago. But this time, I am dealing with it a lot better.

You’ll get there eventually too. Just focus on getting kitty to the vet right now. One step at a time.

Thank you so much, for such a heartfelt reply. I am so sorry for the lose of your special kitty companion, he sounds like he was quite a cat. They break our heats.

Nine months after losing Jeff I still can't bear to go back to the shed that I found her in. I needed my snow shovel yesterday and knew it was there but I couldn't bring myself to go in and look for it. I just stood outside, with tears running down my face.

Thank you for providing helpful suggestions for getting my girl to eat again. She is only taking one small can of Fancy Feat and a bowl of warm lactose-free whole milk a day. I don't think that is near enough and she is still painfully thin. All she wants to do is sleep, which I guess should not be a total surprise since she is almost 18.

 

[jefferd18]

Youve got to TAKE her into the vet.
Getting meds via phone calls isnt okay.
She needs to be evaluated and if you truly want what is best for her take her in,
Get her some High calorie gel, high cal food and take her to the vet. Poor girl

Thank you for replying to my post. Vale fell sick during a weekend, so I was doing the best I could with the hope of alleviating her suffering. She has since seen my vet.

 

[jefferd18]

Sorry if that came off harsh, but, I dont find it appropriate to hear all these symptoms without a doctor analyzing her.

It did not come off harsh at all- Vale has gone to her doctor.

 

[amandag1]

Is she ok?

 

[moxiewild]

Thank you so much, for such a heartfelt reply. I am so sorry for the lose of your special kitty companion, he sounds like he was quite a cat. They break our heats.

Nine months after losing Jeff I still can't bear to go back to the shed that I found her in. I needed my snow shovel yesterday and knew it was there but I couldn't bring myself to go in and look for it. I just stood outside, with tears running down my face.

Thank you for providing helpful suggestions for getting my girl to eat again. She is only taking one small can of Fancy Feat and a bowl of warm lactose-free whole milk a day. I don't think that is near enough and she is still painfully thin. All she wants to do is sleep, which I guess should not be a total surprise since she is almost 18.

I completely understand.

We had our boy put to rest in his favorite spot, the bed in the guest room. I always knew that would be hard on me, but I had no idea it would take me 6 months to finally step foot in there again because of it.

I just couldn’t look at the bed without seeing his body where I last held him.

That effect would have lasted longer, too - but again, I only snapped out of it and forced myself to go in there because we had to make room for that very ill foster that was returned.

So I understand, I totally do. I felt so embarrassed to still be that broken up over it... to still be this broken up over it...

That’s why forums like this are nice. No one in in the “real world” would understand, but here, we’re not alone.

Try some fried chicken if you have a KFC (original formula), or even a Churches or just a grocery store near you. Remove the skin and serve it hot.

I am always dealing with seniors who are too thin and not hungry enough, so I know how much worry is involved with things like this

 

[jefferd18]

Is she ok?

Thank you for asking. She is doing better in terms of eating, now she has the appetite of a truck-driver. Her fleas are a thing of the past and that has made her more relaxed. Yet, she is still thin and she is fragile. I have to face facts that time is not on her side.

 

[jefferd18]

I completely understand.

We had our boy put to rest in his favorite spot, the bed in the guest room. I always knew that would be hard on me, but I had no idea it would take me 6 months to finally step foot in there again because of it.

I just couldn’t look at the bed without seeing his body where I last held him.

That effect would have lasted longer, too - but again, I only snapped out of it and forced myself to go in there because we had to make room for that very ill foster that was returned.

So I understand, I totally do. I felt so embarrassed to still be that broken up over it... to still be this broken up over it...

That’s why forums like this are nice. No one in in the “real world” would understand, but here, we’re not alone.

Try some fried chicken if you have a KFC (original formula), or even a Churches or just a grocery store near you. Remove the skin and serve it hot.

I am always dealing with seniors who are too thin and not hungry enough, so I know how much worry is involved with things like this

Thank you for sharing. I too, my friend, am still very upset about Jeff and most of my friends and family does not understand. They think that I should be out of it by now, or they are worried about my mental state of being. I kind of worried about that one myself.

I applaud you for being so strong and going into his room, believe me, I know how you struggled with that decision. What made it possible is that you did it for the right reason, to help someone else in need. I know your feline boy is so proud of you.

I will try the chicken, if I can keep my hands off of it.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Someone may have already mentioned it, but just in case they didn't - try some of the nutritional pastes as another mini-meal, since she is eating better. Many of them have a lot of calories, not necessarily all good calories but good enough to perhaps help her gain some weight back and boost her strength.

 

[SpecterOhPossum]

^ heres one that has 600 kcals https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petco...Gs-jKckF8oOMQcMAQxPHW3hjCsxjyt4AaAgZ_EALw_wcB

 

[jefferd18]

Someone may have already mentioned it, but just in case they didn't - try some of the nutritional pastes as another mini-meal, since she is eating better. Many of them have a lot of calories, not necessarily all good calories but good enough to perhaps help her gain some weight back and boost her strength.

Thank you!

Okay, just plain pasta, no sauce or butter? Vale still looks so bad, her coat is sparse and has patches of blacking grey on it. She use to look like a snow kitty.


I am getting some flea medication for my other senior- a 16 year old Tortie. She too has thrown the towel in when it comes to eating.

 

[jefferd18]

^ heres one that has 600 kcals https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petco...Gs-jKckF8oOMQcMAQxPHW3hjCsxjyt4AaAgZ_EALw_wcB

Thank you so much for your interest and suggestions.
Okay, clicked on, but it didn't really tell me much about the product- is it a high calorie treat?

 

[FeebysOwner]

Okay, just plain pasta, no sauce or butter?

NOT pasta - paste - just like the example provided by SpecterOhPossum . These pastes are high in calories and are to be used as supplements for food either to help get a cat to eat or to help keep a cat's caloric intake up. Here is another one - and, I included an article about them as well.
NaturVet Cat-Cal Nutritional Cat Gel, 5-oz bottle - Chewy.com

High Protein Paste for Cats

 

[jefferd18]

NOT pasta - paste - just like the example provided by SpecterOhPossum . These pastes are high in calories and are to be used as supplements for food either to help get a cat to eat or to help keep a cat's caloric intake up. Here is another one - and, I included an article about them as well.
NaturVet Cat-Cal Nutritional Cat Gel, 5-oz bottle - Chewy.com

High Protein Paste for Cats

LOL! Okay, I got it- no Olive Garden for Vale. The second one that you showed me I had actually gotten from a vet six years ago- don't know if I still have it.. I will go to my vet and get another. Thank you very much, FeebysOwner.

 

[FeebysOwner]

I am getting some flea medication for my other senior- a 16 year old Tortie. She too has thrown the towel in when it comes to eating.

Any of your cats that share the same space need to be treated for fleas. By putting flea treatment on Vale and not your 16 yo, she is getting the biggest brux of the flea bites now, and as long as she - and, any other cats you have - are NOT treated, you will never entirely be able to get rid of the fleas. As long as you have just one cat that is not being treated, you are no where near to having resolved your flea issue, even if you think you have. And, it will actually be months after they are all treated before you can even begin to think you are winning the battle against the fleas. Trust me!!!!!