My 7 Yo Cat Won’t Eat After Exploratory Stomach Surgery Which Did Not Find An Obstruction

[vwills]

my cat hadn’t eaten, drank water or used the litter box for 36-48 hours, and was vomiting. We took him to the emergency vet, as I know liver failure happens pretty quickly when a cat doesn’t eat, and they recommended exploratory surgery of his stomach and intestine to check if there was a blockage.

There was no blockage identified. Since surgery my cat hasn’t eaten on his own. Surgery was Friday afternoon, and they finally force fed him Sunday morning. They have not let him go home and it’s now Sunday night, his third night at the hospital. We’ve gone to see him twice a day since the surgery and he is very distressed as there is so much loud noise there of pets crying and strangers voices. He is also in pain, mostly it seems from the IV in his paw. He can’t seem to get comfortable and is exhausted and cries non stop when we are there. I want to demand to bring him home Monday as I can force feed him myself if necessary and at least he won’t be absolutely frightened.

I’m concerned that there is no further diagnosis on why he wasn’t eating in the first place (his bloodwork was ok), but at the same time I want him home and comfortable. Would it be the right thing to do to bring him home tomorrow even if he’s still not eating on his own? I’m worried there is a revolving door of other pets at this emergency hospital and he’s not getting the care and attention he needs (other than having an IV). The place is unattended overnight as well.

 

[Stinky15]

my cat hadn’t eaten, drank water or used the litter box for 36-48 hours, and was vomiting. We took him to the emergency vet, as I know liver failure happens pretty quickly when a cat doesn’t eat, and they recommended exploratory surgery of his stomach and intestine to check if there was a blockage.

There was no blockage identified. Since surgery my cat hasn’t eaten on his own. Surgery was Friday afternoon, and they finally force fed him Sunday morning. They have not let him go home and it’s now Sunday night, his third night at the hospital. We’ve gone to see him twice a day since the surgery and he is very distressed as there is so much loud noise there of pets crying and strangers voices. He is also in pain, mostly it seems from the IV in his paw. He can’t seem to get comfortable and is exhausted and cries non stop when we are there. I want to demand to bring him home Monday as I can force feed him myself if necessary and at least he won’t be absolutely frightened.

I’m concerned that there is no further diagnosis on why he wasn’t eating in the first place (his bloodwork was ok), but at the same time I want him home and comfortable. Would it be the right thing to do to bring him home tomorrow even if he’s still not eating on his own? I’m worried there is a revolving door of other pets at this emergency hospital and he’s not getting the care and attention he needs (other than having an IV). The place is unattended overnight as well.

I'm sorry your baby is ill. Maybe you can ask the about giving him an appetite stimulant to get him back started eating? I hope your baby gets better.

 

[silkenpaw]

Welcome to the forum! I am so sorry your cat is not eating. I don’t know what they are feeding him, but maybe you can bring him something he loves to get him started. Stinky15 has a good idea about an appetite stimulant.

I think it’s totally reasonable to bring him home. If nothing else, he will get rid of the IV that seems to be bothering him. You can always bring him back if he doesn’t eat once he gets settled in again.

Good luck and please let us know what happens.

 

[di and bob]

Yes, bring him home, the stress is most likely causing a lack of appetite too. I have had cats not eat for 4 days and recover, so don't give up hope. Offer favorites and even something new, such as tuna, shaved deli turkey, and those squeezable pouch treats that my cats go crazy for. I get teh chicken and tuna ones and they have not been refused. Don't try to get him to eat until he comfortable with being home, he is going to be very stressed for a day. All teh luck and keep us informed!

 

[Leomc123]

i would wait till your cat starts eating at the vet if you can afford the vet stay. If your cat isnt eating there is a good reason for it, and maybe if symptoms show your vet can attend to it quickly. Did you vet say what might cause this sudden stop of eating ? How old is your cat ? I guess you know your cats personality and behaiviours better. Maybe when you go to visit your cat at the vet bring him some appetising food and see if it triggers him wanting to eat.

A cat will eat if its very hungry , they will also atleast try to attempt to eat but turns away from the food could be some illness.

I hope your cat gets well soon and makes a full recovery, all the best.

 

[vwills]

I'm sorry your baby is ill. Maybe you can ask the about giving him an appetite stimulant to get him back started eating? I hope your baby gets better.

Hi - they are giving him that but it hasn’t worked. My husband called this morning and he still hasn’t eaten overnight. Have an appt in 30 min with vet to ask about bringing him home.

 

[vwills]

Welcome to the forum! I am so sorry your cat is not eating. I don’t know what they are feeding him, but maybe you can bring him something he loves to get him started. Stinky15 has a good idea about an appetite stimulant.

I think it’s totally reasonable to bring him home. If nothing else, he will get rid of the IV that seems to be bothering him. You can always bring him back if he doesn’t eat once he gets settled in again.

Good luck and please let us know what happens.

Thanks, that’s what I’m thinking! Will update later today. Unfortunately appetite stimulation meds they gave him don’t seem to be working but maybe they will at home where he is comfortable.

 

[vwills]

Yes, bring him home, the stress is most likely causing a lack of appetite too. I have had cats not eat for 4 days and recover, so don't give up hope. Offer favorites and even something new, such as tuna, shaved deli turkey, and those squeezable pouch treats that my cats go crazy for. I get teh chicken and tuna ones and they have not been refused. Don't try to get him to eat until he comfortable with being home, he is going to be very stressed for a day. All teh luck and keep us informed!

Thank you very much, I’m going to buy all those things and stay hopeful he will get hungry over the next couple days.

 

[vwills]

i would wait till your cat starts eating at the vet if you can afford the vet stay. If your cat isnt eating there is a good reason for it, and maybe if symptoms show your vet can attend to it quickly. Did you vet say what might cause this sudden stop of eating ? How old is your cat ? I guess you know your cats personality and behaiviours better. Maybe when you go to visit your cat at the vet bring him some appetising food and see if it triggers him wanting to eat.

A cat will eat if its very hungry , they will also atleast try to attempt to eat but turns away from the food could be some illness.

I hope your cat gets well soon and makes a full recovery, all the best.

He turns away from food. During our visits the vet techs have put food out for him and he’s not interested. The vet did say (since his bloodwork is normal) that if he had stopped eating due to depression, that his empty stomach would make him nauseas which would make him not want to eat and becomes a loop. I don’t know, I pray to god there’s nothing medically wrong. We brought foster cats home for the first time a week ago. While they had no contact with each other whatsoever, it seemed at first that he might have sensed them (in the basement, closed door) and gotten depressed about it. Seems too big of a coincidence that he gets sick the same week as the first time we get fosters in. They are scheduling an ultrasound as next step (couldn’t do it over the weekend as it’s a third party) and rerunning his lab work but sending it out to a third party rather than running it in house.

 

[vwills]

He turns away from food. During our visits the vet techs have put food out for him and he’s not interested. The vet did say (since his bloodwork is normal) that if he had stopped eating due to depression, that his empty stomach would make him nauseas which would make him not want to eat and becomes a loop. I don’t know, I pray to god there’s nothing medically wrong. We brought foster cats home for the first time a week ago. While they had no contact with each other whatsoever, it seemed at first that he might have sensed them (in the basement, closed door) and gotten depressed about it. Seems too big of a coincidence that he gets sick the same week as the first time we get fosters in. They are scheduling an ultrasound as next step (couldn’t do it over the weekend as it’s a third party) and rerunning his lab work but sending it out to a third party rather than running it in house.

Sorry - forgot to mention he’s only 7. Never been sick a day in his life.