Is There Such Thing As Too Many Calories For Sick Cat?

mikameek

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I'm just curious. Obviously it's really important to keep cats eating and with it being my goal to put weight on Mika is it possible to feed her too many calories?
She really wants to eat this wet food from Halo (the salmon, sigh) but its 211 calories for the whole 5.5 oz can. Plus she has dry food out too.

Should I just go ahead and feed her the salmon and see if she eats the dry too?
 

Daisy6

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Obviously it is important for Mika to gain weight, but after reaching that goal, yes she can eat too many calories. You need to make sure she does not overdo it.
 
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mikameek

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Personally, I don’t think so. It takes calories to get better. I would say feed her whatever she’ll eat. You can start worrying about it when she gets to a good weight. :)
Yeah, we've been having some trouble but I wasn't sure if I could be doing more harm than good. One she's feeling better and at a good weight, I'll definitely be keeping her calorie count at max 170.

Obviously it is important for Mika to gain weight, but after reaching that goal, yes she can eat too many calories. You need to make sure she does not overdo it.
I figured, I just wasn't sure if it would make things harder for her to cut back calories later or if it could do some harm to her.
 

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When my last cat lost 2 pounds in 2 months she was put on meowsapine, which is effective but has gross side effects.
 

white shadow

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Is There Such Thing As Too Many Calories For Sick Cat?

...Depends on the "sickness"

There's only one condition of which I'm aware where one would want to limit caloric intake, and then only 'briefly' initially and afterwards, over time, gradually increase it to the cat's full caloric requirement.....and that is severe Hepatic Lipidosis.

Cats who are extremely malnourished are the ones most at risk for another condition, refeeding syndrome/injury. There are protocols in place that lay out the initial amounts (by % of normal caloric intake) of food and a schedule of ever-increasing amounts over time.

(A recent popular example of this was that of the kids stranded in the Thailand cave. These children had to be carefully re-fed after a lengthy period of starvation - and were disallowed their fried pork...until probably recently.)

This may be a valid concern and should at least be evaluated in your cat. That said, I would have thought that, were the condition so severe,the Vet would have prescribed a gradual reintroduction of calories.

There is one other recommendation about the diet to be fed to such cats. It should be no/low carb and higer-than-usual fat content.

I went looking for a 'simple' (but reliable) reference for you without success....these two can be deciphered I think:
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mikameek

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Is There Such Thing As Too Many Calories For Sick Cat?

...Depends on the "sickness"

There's only one condition of which I'm aware where one would want to limit caloric intake, and then only 'briefly' initially and afterwards, over time, gradually increase it to the cat's full caloric requirement.....and that is severe Hepatic Lipidosis.

Cats who are extremely malnourished are the ones most at risk for another condition, refeeding syndrome/injury. There are protocols in place that lay out the initial amounts (by % of normal caloric intake) of food and a schedule of ever-increasing amounts over time.

(A recent popular example of this was that of the kids stranded in the Thailand cave. These children had to be carefully re-fed after a lengthy period of starvation - and were disallowed their fried pork...until probably recently.)

This may be a valid concern and should at least be evaluated in your cat. That said, I would have thought that, were the condition so severe,the Vet would have prescribed a gradual reintroduction of calories.

There is one other recommendation about the diet to be fed to such cats. It should be no/low carb and higer-than-usual fat content.

I went looking for a 'simple' (but reliable) reference for you without success....these two can be deciphered I think:
.
I think we might be passed this point? I'm not entirely sure because Mika's HL was as a result of her cholangiohepatitis rather than the original issue (if that makes sense?) Mika became anorexic because of her cholangiohepatitis which resulted in her having HL but all the lab results, ultrasounds and paperwork I have from all of the vets we've seen indicated mild HL rather than severe.

Mika is still living with cholangiohepatitis which is why I listed the forum as for a "sick cat".

Do you think we're at this point? She's been eating well for 3 weeks now with only a slight decrease in interest with her wet food. Calorie intake has been rising since she started eating. My main goal was weight gain, therefore I wasn't sure if I should be limiting her calories to her goal weight calorie intake or if I could let her intake as many calories as she needs till we regain the weight she lost and then tapper back out to her ideal calorie intake.
 

white shadow

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Do I think you're 'at that point'........I have no way of knowing.

The last symptomatic report I remember hearing was that she had begun to jaundice again......I don't know what may have happened after that by way of examinations/lab work/assessment.

Yes, I'm aware of the cause of her inappetence. IMO that would not change how the HL would be treated (IMO is critical there - I'm no Vet!).

Now, you say the HL was "mild".....so, perhaps, then, her feeding has been appropriate.

I was 'simply' replying to the thread title........

What's really needed, it seems to me, is for a competent Vet to determine her current needs....and, believe me, I don't want to add more stress into the situation.
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