How To Fatten A Cat That’s Been Ill

[anni7]

Snowy is 7. He has multiple allergies and intolerance to food and insecticides. We can’t treat him for fleas and other parasites ( vet instruction )
He was given Depo medrol steroid for flea allergy dermatitis and got really sick with vomiting and diarrhoea. He had those injections without much issues just some lethargy months before.
So we got him back on plain chicken breast at the moment but it’s not enough to really increase his weight. Because of his bad reactions to foods we used to feed him just pressure steamed chicken breast for several years. I was worried but two vets said it was fine.
We then introduced biscuits in early 2017 but after his recent bout of severe gastro upset we put him back on just chicken. He also recently had kangaroo but not any more.
I know he loves butter spread and lactose free milk. I want to give this but my partner is worried and doesn’t allow.
He usually is around 5 kg, but when at the vets due to flea allergy he was only 4.3kg. However we were told it wasn’t too bad. However after steroid he’s gone down to 3.8kg due to dehydration and severe vomiting and diarrhoea; he couldn’t keep anything down for a few hours until we got him to the vets (only lasted for around 16 hrs on and off diarrhoea and vomiting but he lost 500 grams during that time and being 4.3 kg is small for him already)
I’m wondering is giving butter spread ok with chicken ? What about human grade lactose free milk? He’d eat anything so he’d even eat bread and corn at times, so the problem isn’t the appetite but his food reactions.

 

[abyeb]

What would be better to give him than lactose-free milk is KMR (kitten milk replacement, it can be used for adult cats too) or goat’s milk.

 

[ej x]

Kittens milk if he can handle it is full of nutrients, then you can give Virbac's rebound. I know I sound like a sales rep, lol but I just found it and fell in love with it. Cats love the test, is a recuperation formula with the nutrients they need. And did I mention my cats love the taste? (not many supps they like)

If he has lost soooo much weight he needs whatever he can get.

Also for food allergies have you tried hydrolized protein? Such as Hills Z/D?

For fleas a fe tips, they don't like vinegar so a bit of water mixed with vinegar and apply to coat. Yes it is not as effective but helps a bit. Look for other remedies online. Place a flea collar inside you vaccum bag and vaccum as frequently as possible.

Also there is this powder, can't remember the name but look for it online, that is basically all the nutrients the cat needs and is made so you can basically cook your own protein, add the powder and bam! it is a complete cat food. If that is not viable or too expensive, I would research the basic nutrients a cat needs, for example omegas, taurine, arginine, etc. Buy it in bulk for human consumption in swanson vitamins or bodybuilding.com and add it to the food.

 

[LTS3]

Try this: "liver Shake" Recipe For Inappetant Cats It'll provide some nutrients in addition to cat food.

Also there is this powder, can't remember the name but look for it online, that is basically all the nutrients the cat needs and is made so you can basically cook your own protein, add the powder and bam! it is a complete cat food. If that is not viable or too expensive, I would research the basic nutrients a cat needs, for example omegas, taurine, arginine, etc. Buy it in bulk for human consumption in swanson vitamins or bodybuilding.com and add it to the food.

A premix. EZComplete, TC Feline, UStew, and Alnutrin are some. Head over to the Raw and Home Cooked forum for more info on using premixes with cooked meat.

 

[Furballsmom]

Can he tolerate raw egg yolk maybe once or twice a week? --Note that egg white must be cooked.
What about freeze dried foods like minnows? I have to break them into small pieces, but my boy likes them, usually.
There's also beechnut and other baby food as long as it doesn't have onion or garlic, and you could try unflavored gelatin, which is protein.

 

[anni7]

We did Hills z/d but he had reacted to this food too.
I’m not sure where we can get this replacement milk because I m in Australia maybe different to where you are. I will ask the vet.
We will also be asking about the vitamins.
I’m aware no raw egg white and I want to give yolk even cooked but so far my partner whose cat it is hasn’t agreed, so I will call the vet to ask if it’s ok as well.

 

[ej x]

Here you go my friend

kmr

*Disclamer I know nothin about that site it was only a google search, but seems to be in AU so I guess you could ask your vet

 

[Furballsmom]

Hi - here are a couple recipes for kitten milk replacer. There are also Pedialyte recipes on the internet as well.

• 12 ounces goat milk

• 8 ounces plain live culture yogurt

• 2-1/2 ounces lamb baby food

• 2 egg yolks

• 2 tablespoons Karo white corn syrup

• 13 ounces unflavored Pedialyte

• 1 can goat's milk

• 1 cup Pedialyte (or generic equivalent, unflavored)

• 1 egg yolk

• 1 packet unflavored gelatin

• 1/2 teaspoon liquid infant vitamins

12 oz. boiling water
1 envelope Knox unflavored gelatin
Dissolve the gelatin in the boiling water, and add:
One 12 oz. can evaporated canned milk
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons plain yogurt
1 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 egg yolk

First two recipes from easy-homemade-recipes.weebly, last one from cat-recipes.blogspot
Also here's more info Emergency Kitten Formula, Kitten Glop, How to Make, Recipes - Dogs, Cats, Pets

 

[LTS3]

KMR is a brand of kitten milk replacer. It and other brands are available on Amazon's Australia web site amazon.com.au/s/ref=nb_sb_noss/357-2342005-1409254?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=kitten+milk+replacer

Pet supply web sites in your country should have some brand of kitten milk replacer also do local pet stores. mani might know of some good brands.

I'm not sure if premixes are sold in Australia. This thread may have info on premixes and supplements but do post on the Raw and Home Cooked forum for how to supplement cooked meat in Australia Australian raw feeders?

 

[mani]

This is the best I can find here:
Wombaroo Cat Milk Replacer

 

[anni7]

Hi - here are a couple recipes for kitten milk replacer. There are also Pedialyte recipes on the internet as well.

• 12 ounces goat milk

• 8 ounces plain live culture yogurt

• 2-1/2 ounces lamb baby food

• 2 egg yolks

• 2 tablespoons Karo white corn syrup

• 13 ounces unflavored Pedialyte

• 1 can goat's milk

• 1 cup Pedialyte (or generic equivalent, unflavored)

• 1 egg yolk

• 1 packet unflavored gelatin

• 1/2 teaspoon liquid infant vitamins

12 oz. boiling water
1 envelope Knox unflavored gelatin
Dissolve the gelatin in the boiling water, and add:
One 12 oz. can evaporated canned milk
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons plain yogurt
1 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 egg yolk

First two recipes from easy-homemade-recipes.weebly, last one from cat-recipes.blogspot
Also here's more info Emergency Kitten Formula, Kitten Glop, How to Make, Recipes - Dogs, Cats, Pets

Probably can’t give evaporated milk because he is very lactose intolerant. I don’t know about mayo -? Why would give cats mayonase ?
I’m unsure about gelatin but I do know he’s likely intolerant to corn (our vets said this)

 

[Furballsmom]

oh, drat, I didn't see that you'd replied, I'm very sorry about that.

Maybe this will have something you can make work for your cat, and/or there are other recipes available on the internet.
Emergency Kitten Formula, Kitten Glop, How to Make, Recipes - Dogs, Cats, Pets

...and if you haven't already, perhaps you can do as @ltse suggested above and post in the raw and homecooked forum, there may be help regarding kitten glop there as well.