Re: Sassy - 19yr old (close to 20) - Not eating / Very Lethargic + losing balance

[miguel99nyc]

Oddly this morning, tried to give her these " bad " cans to her, she'd sniff it and barely lick the juice, have her dry food a bit and walk away. Just moment ago she threw up some very light brown frothy looking liquid. Wonder if her stomach is upset just from that bad can I made her try few hours ago (4 hours ago)?

She will eat some dry food but I really need her to eat wet food. I just finish applying some Mirataz gel into her ear, and hoping by time kicks in, I can give her Salmon Pate I hope.

Is Mirataz safe to give...as needed? I think I mentioned last time I gave her was 2 weeks ago, and not knowing WHEN these Friskies will, if ever, return to normal, I figured since one dose apparently lasts her for an entire week, wonder if I should just approach that way weekly? The label says to use only for 14 days... but I don't know.

I'll reach out to vet. I doubt she's sick again as she moving around just fine and petting things and scratching her post and such. Unlike before, she wouldn't want to even get up from my bed as she was sick. But now I'm trying variety differend kinds of food but she just not having it. Well she did one Fancy Feast Pate kind few days ago, thought I found her a new can. Made her try again early this morning, nope just barely ate it. Its like one day she will eat a new kind food just well, then the next no. Makes it just that much harder. Plus doesn't help her go to foods from Friskies is currently having issues though they keep denying nothing has changed - no formula or anything. Attached is a picture I took of the two canned food she loves. But as you can see, its mostly liquid and just smells different.

The two foods shown in picture are the Friskie Prime Filets - Salmon & Beef, and the other lighter color is the Tasty Treasures Ocean White fish Prime Filets with Scallops. In the two canned picture, the can on the left is what she loves and would eat (older can from months ago but got 2 left) and the can on the right is how they all come in - with so much liquid and a wierd smell to it.

It just looks horrible too

 

[FeebysOwner]

Is Mirataz safe to give...as needed? I think I mentioned last time I gave her was 2 weeks ago, and not knowing WHEN these Friskies will, if ever, return to normal, I figured since one dose apparently lasts her for an entire week, wonder if I should just approach that way weekly? The label says to use only for 14 days... but I don't know.

There seem to be plenty of folks who use Miratax a whole lot longer than 14 days, and all of the vets Feeby has seen are fine with it too. A couple of them 'scolded' me for not giving her a full dose every day, but she doesn't need it every day and can get by on 1/2 - 3/4 dose every other day. I personally think you are OK to give it to her as you see fit. However, I have never asked any of vets why they are so insistent on the 'standard' dose recommendations.

The two foods shown in picture are the Friskie Prime Filets - Salmon & Beef, and the other lighter color is the Tasty Treasures Ocean White fish Prime Filets with Scallops. In the two canned picture, the can on the left is what she loves and would eat (older can from months ago but got 2 left) and the can on the right is how they all come in - with so much liquid and a wierd smell to it.

Did you by chance share those pics with Purina when you reached out to them?

 

[miguel99nyc]

There seem to be plenty of folks who use Miratax a whole lot longer than 14 days, and all of the vets Feeby has seen are fine with it too. A couple of them 'scolded' me for not giving her a full dose every day, but she doesn't need it every day and can get by on 1/2 - 3/4 dose every other day. I personally think you are OK to give it to her as you see fit. However, I have never asked any of vets why they are so insistent on the 'standard' dose recommendations.

Did you by chance share those pics with Purina when you reached out to them?

I did in fact reach out to Purina. For one, they are saying its the first they hearing that. Which can't be true. Either people leaving reviews online for them canned food are fake, or they just don't care and don't complain to Purina. Ive shown them the pics and all Purina will do along with the batch # on cans, is pass it to quality team to see "Where it came from" and hopes it gets corrected? Nothing sounds assuring from them at all! And I'm just so depressed because I've been fighting this for well over a month. It's unfair. I'm fortunate that I did buy 2 cases of that Salmon And Beef Flavor back in May-ish and thus far has lasted her this long because she had other flavors to alternate with. But late June I was running low on both and when the time came to order early July, they all been coming like that watery. Plus forget chewy and their cases, its now even in local grocery stores as well and I'm just out of options other than to just throw variety of cans at her to see which she MIGHT like? Or give her Mirataz and force her to eat it.

Like right now, I gave her 3/4 dose of mirataz, She was crying a bit for food short while ago. Opened a new can of the Friskies Salmon Pate I got from grocery other day (same expiry date July 2024) and not only the smell is wierd, but again the color of it is just brown, not the pink it used to be. She wasn't eating it like crazy either as she used to, just gave it several bites/licks and that was it. And it just doesn't seem right to force her to eat like this as well. It breaks me.

I got 5 cans left of the old Prime Filets Salmon & Beef. I KNOW she will eat that. But once I run out of those old ones, thats it, she will have nothing at all. And Im surprised not many on here as well experiencing similar issue. Wondering now if its even an issue with my cat...but I don't know.

 

[miguel99nyc]

Update on Cat Food:

So Im still feeding my cat random flavors of Friskies and Fancy feast pates unfortunately...via use of Mirataz. Vet has indeed agreed that it is safe to use Mirataz on my cat Sassy as needed. And he noted that he often sees older pets use Mirataz every so often with no concurrent illness. Again, I don't believe my Sassy is sick, I have noticed her appetite diminished slightly in recent weeks which is a reason why I was tempted to use the gel, but now that food is extremely limited because I can't get a hold of her favorites, I use the gel now to just allow her to eat any foods I can get. Yes, I tried giving the food that seems bad...but she won't even eat that either. She knows the food is bad. Sad to see that too. But for now, just have her on Mirataz to keep her going, once a week, or as needed. Obviously she will eat her regular canned food but got few cans so just stretching those out.

In the interim, I have found out something. A customer service rep from Chewy, working from home luckily, was able to pull out a can of Friskies Prime Filets from her recent batch. Had the same expiration dates and Ive shown her pics of how my cans been coming for 2 months. And she was like "omg, no way that looks awful!!" And then she opened a Prime Filets can from her batch (variety pack one) Ocean Fish Tuna, and it was no where near as watery, and it smelled fine as her cats come up to her and devoured it right away. Keep in mind that the food had the same expiration dates as the one I have been getting too. While my stuff had been shipping from Pennsylvania, her food (being that shes in Texas) has been coming Dallas. Now makes me further believe its just a plant issue ongoing, and the good food DOES exist out there, probably away from NYC area...

So Chewy rep came up with an idea. She ordered a case of the Salmon & Beef my cat loves, and tested to see if that flavor comes in good. She got in mail yesterday. She opened a can and it looked very good, and her cats ate it as well. So the plan is for her to mail me a few of those cans to me so I can try and feed my cat with it. If she eats it, then BINGO! Good cans do exist but away from me for time being...until Purina resolves this. Ive contacted them but they are just dragging it out and being of no help unfortunately.

So just got off phone actually in midst of typing this reply here, haha. The Chewy rep just called me back and is going to send me the case of her Salmon & Beef to my house. I hope this will be the right food from what it seems according to her. And now wonder if so, and being a regional issue only, wonder if others could possibly help me on here similarly just for scouting purpose of the food I seek? Because right now as per Chewy, they can't choose which location the food comes from - only from warehouses nearby me in NYC. Which turns out to always be the watery food. I'd just need this help temporarily until Purina (hopefully) resolves this watered down food soon. I just don't get how Purina AND Chewy at same time make it sound like I'm the ONLY one complaining of such issues...yet you can reviews online themselves of others mentioning the exact same issue.

So if anyone could possibly help with that as well, would be greatly appreciated. Just don't want to keep having my Sassy on Mirataz weekly when I know she doesn't need it as she isn't sick...she just misses her old food.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Glad you are getting, what hopefully turns out to be, cans of the 'old' consistency/coloe/taste! It could be a processing plant issue, or it could be the timing of the production of food. Maybe more cans get processed/sold in the NYC area than in the TX area and so TX is still using up 'older batches'. The expiration date might not mean as much as the batch numbers. You should also probably contact Purina again with the difference in the cans between the two areas.

 

[Kflowers]

when considering whether or not to insist a cat eat food she is refusing, and particularly one that you think is questionable, remember that it takes hundreds of complaints of cats getting ill from food to get a recall. Put the name "Friskies" of Fancy Feast reviews and complaints in your search engine and read what you find. People who make complaints are very specific about which product, including flavor name, didn't work for them.

A cat's sense of smell is much better than ours, so she maybe picking up something in the food that you can't.

If you send the food to a lab to be investigated, it's important to know who owns the lab that does the work.

 

[miguel99nyc]

Hello Everyone,

So I've come across another issue with my cat Sassy...just as the food problem seems to be resolved!!

In a nutshell, Purina confirmed they had changed formula due to shortage of ingredients - resulted in watered gravy, maybe even altered taste a bit? But now it had been fixed and gone back to old formula as it was prior to this change. Apparently I was spot on with the dates - they confirmed This change occurred around Mid June and lasted through August. So now the latest batches are coming good - which I can confirm as I bought a case with a much later production date and it was good as before - and now Sassy eats it!! Was so relieved.

Now? Just as the dust settles from that ongoing food battle with Purina...a new problem arises.

For some odd reason, I've noticed Sassy not...so alert/aware of things in front of her. I wanted to think along the lines of becoming blind? Since like last week, she barely makes eye contact anymore. Usually when she eats, she goes right to her bed first to clean her face off, then lays down just after fine. Now, she just turns around to face say my direction, or any direction really, and just meows. I don't get it. It's only as shes about to lay down after eating. Sometimes she'd just get off her bed and walk to drink water or just walk into hallway, before coming back to her bed. I tried making her blink as id flick my fingers in her eyes but she doesn't blink at all. It just seems her awareness or alertness isnt there anymore. She can still I guess see somewhat or in general direction of movement? say if I walk across her bed and her eyes open, shed track me down and such or anyone walking in hallway in her sight. but if i play with a string she doesn't track it nor a ball rolling. Well ball rolls she does track it a bit. She still manages to get to her water bowl, or her food bowl in my room when its time to feed her, she walks always to same spot as always. And clearly walks back to her bed just fine. She's had balance issues at times but that's been for months. Vet claimed was arthritis/old age.

But the real issue is that usually she'd eat her small meal, and go right to sleep. Now she just remains up and cries in her bed whether looking for me or not. However, if I leave her alone in my room in her bed, she'll go to sleep no problem usually. So I'm not too sure. I wouldn't think shes completely blind...as she hasnt bumped into things yet. I read the symptoms online - such as red around eyes, or one eye dilated more than the other, or constantly large even in daylight, or crashing into things...but she hasn't done any of that, not yet at least. Just not sure what is contributing to her cries before laying down peacefully and going to sleep. Eventually she does go to sleep within minutes usually. Plus, not sure when she looks in a direction, doesn't look focused or stares blankly into it. I wondered if its just her age. But the cries before her laying down gets to me at times. Can't tell if its pain or what. I could ignore it and she'd go sleep eventually. But wasn't like that at all. However, when its time for her to get up and walk to eating spot, no cries. Just walks fine.

An issue Sassy did have about week or so prior but was just about 2 or 3 days, her nose appeared really darker than normal. Her nose color would always be very light pink color - cold and wet to touch. Then suddenly one morning saw it all very dark red/burguny color almost. Showed pics to vet and he said was just pigmentation and nothing to worry about. That resolved within 2 or 3 days, but now week later its this alertness/vision/crying issues. Don't know if its even related?

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

 

[iPappy]

Hi,
I haven't read your entire thread yet, but when you said her nose changed colors, is it possible she had a fever? I was taking one of mine's temperature twice a day for awhile, and I could almost always tell if he had a fever because his nose looked much more red than pink. Do you have a way to take her temperature at home?
I hope she feels better. Poor girlie.

 

[miguel99nyc]

Hi,
I haven't read your entire thread yet, but when you said her nose changed colors, is it possible she had a fever? I was taking one of mine's temperature twice a day for awhile, and I could almost always tell if he had a fever because his nose looked much more red than pink. Do you have a way to take her temperature at home?
I hope she feels better. Poor girlie.

Hi there,

You know? I've thought that as well. Usually when my cats got a fever, their noses would get slightly dark, but not like this though. She had high fever back in May, but she was just extremely lethargic. Didn't move one bit nor got off bed back then and rejected to eat. She recovered from that however - maybe was some sort of infection? But this time around, her nose was almost like dark red/brown almost color however still cold to touch and wet. Usually when sick its dry and hot. Plus, she was eating fine and acting completely fine despite the darker nose. None of this lack of awareness and such.

 

[iPappy]

Hi there,

You know? I've thought that as well. Usually when my cats got a fever, their noses would get slightly dark, but not like this though. She had high fever back in May, but she was just extremely lethargic. Didn't move one bit nor got off bed back then and rejected to eat. She recovered from that however - maybe was some sort of infection? But this time around, her nose was almost like dark red/brown almost color however still cold to touch and wet. Usually when sick its dry and hot. Plus, she was eating fine and acting completely fine despite the darker nose. None of this lack of awareness and such.

If the vet said "it's just pigment", did you tell them that it's NOT her normal pigment? If not, I'd bring it up and if it's blown off again, I'd consider getting a second opinion if possible. Mine, during his fever, had an infection as well, and once it cleared his nose looked better. He was also eating and drinking as normal at the time. Has the vet checked her heart? ( I apologize if this was already discussed earlier in the thread!)

 

[miguel99nyc]

If the vet said "it's just pigment", did you tell them that it's NOT her normal pigment? If not, I'd bring it up and if it's blown off again, I'd consider getting a second opinion if possible. Mine, during his fever, had an infection as well, and once it cleared his nose looked better. He was also eating and drinking as normal at the time. Has the vet checked her heart? ( I apologize if this was already discussed earlier in the thread!)

Well I did mention it initially to vet it's not her normal color. But aside from color, there was nothing else wrong noticeable. And as mentioned, I think it only lasted 2-3 days? Then returned to its normal color. Her heart was checked in past visits - only deemed some kind of heart murmur. She'd get that ProBNP test and would be normal. Again her age is also 20 now.

The concern I have is how quickly her awareness seems to have gone. I could swing something in front of her face but she won't flinch. Rolled a ball on floor, that she MIGHT track it and turn her head in direction ball goes but barely. And she doesn't make much eye contact. Plus vocalizes more as shes about to go sleep or try to lay down.

I did email vet - just awaiting on his thoughts. At first I thought maybe it been some hidden High Blood pressure? That would cause blindness but that seems to be a sudden thing from what I've read? Plus if she was totally blind, she'd bump into things and not know where food or bowls or litterbox is? She seems fine in that aspect and manages to see her bed to get into as well. So I just got no idea.

 

[iPappy]

Well I did mention it initially to vet it's not her normal color. But aside from color, there was nothing else wrong noticeable. And as mentioned, I think it only lasted 2-3 days? Then returned to its normal color. Her heart was checked in past visits - only deemed some kind of heart murmur. She'd get that ProBNP test and would be normal. Again her age is also 20 now.

The concern I have is how quickly her awareness seems to have gone. I could swing something in front of her face but she won't flinch. Rolled a ball on floor, that she MIGHT track it and turn her head in direction ball goes but barely. And she doesn't make much eye contact. Plus vocalizes more as shes about to go sleep or try to lay down.

I did email vet - just awaiting on his thoughts. At first I thought maybe it been some hidden High Blood pressure? That would cause blindness but that seems to be a sudden thing from what I've read? Plus if she was totally blind, she'd bump into things and not know where food or bowls or litterbox is? She seems fine in that aspect and manages to see her bed to get into as well. So I just got no idea.

Are her pupils dilated at all? Have you used any flea control on her before you noticed her lack of awareness?
If she has gone blind or even partially blind, I wonder if she's memorized the lay out of your house and knows exactly where the furniture, bowls, and litter box is. My Mom grew up with a dog who was blind, and she said you never would have known it unless things got moved around, then she'd bump into them. If she has gone blind, it's upsetting but I really think they adjust better than we do and they can live a good life even without good vision. It might explain why she can find her way to her bed, food, and box, but won't even flinch if a toy is in front of her, and she manages to track the sound of the ball but doesn't follow with her eyes. If you took a toy and dangled it in front of her face, you could see if she reacts at all, then gently let it graze her whiskers and see if she is able to focus on it.

 

[Margot Lane]

I wouldn’t dare diagnose your cat, and it sounds as if others are wiser here, but, am experiencing a similar thing w/ some cans being watery, some not, and thought: “Either I am going crazy, or, maybe it’s just how it comes off the assembly line.” This is Farmina though. Different brand, same story? I WILL say if I order it directly from its own site, it takes forever, but is thicker. If I order it from Chewy, it’s slightly less predictable, but much faster. Fortunately my cat eats it all and none is old, but it gets you to thinking about supply & the increasing stress placed on workers….b/c of Covid more folks have pets.That’s a good thing, but also Catch .22 as far as possible food quality.

 

[Furballsmom]

Try getting her a purr toy, or a heartbeat toy for any time she seems distressed.

Cats are incredibly adaptable, and her hearing and sense of smell compensate for any lack of sight.

As mentioned, try and avoid moving things so that her mental map enables her to continue to get around so well.

 

[miguel99nyc]

Try getting her a purr toy, or a heartbeat toy for any time she seems distressed.

Cats are incredibly adaptable, and her hearing and sense of smell compensate for any lack of sight.

As mentioned, try and avoid moving things so that her mental map enables her to continue to get around so well.

Well her water bowl is in same spot...so I get that she knows how to get there. Her bed I usually move it but it seems she looks down to it once she steps in to make sure she's inside and doesnt step out of it? It has an edge to it so she clearly steps over it. And clearly as I walk around she feels it and looks in direction that i walk...or anyone walks. But even just now. I tried putting something so close to her eyes slowly but doesn't flinch. Could it really be shes blind? I don't see any difference in her eyes at all, pupils seem normal, one one larger than the other. Just something causes her to be distressed it seems as shes about to lay down, just can't figure out why. As long as I ignore it, she lays down. Other times, despite me being in chair, she literally walks off bed (before sleeping because she cries) and goes up to my bed thinking im up on top. It's that awarness of her and lack of it that scares me.

 

[iPappy]

Well her water bowl is in same spot...so I get that she knows how to get there. Her bed I usually move it but it seems she looks down to it once she steps in to make sure she's inside and doesnt step out of it? It has an edge to it so she clearly steps over it. And clearly as I walk around she feels it and looks in direction that i walk...or anyone walks. But even just now. I tried putting something so close to her eyes slowly but doesn't flinch. Could it really be shes blind? I don't see any difference in her eyes at all, pupils seem normal, one one larger than the other. Just something causes her to be distressed it seems as shes about to lay down, just can't figure out why. As long as I ignore it, she lays down. Other times, despite me being in chair, she literally walks off bed (before sleeping because she cries) and goes up to my bed thinking im up on top. It's that awarness of her and lack of it that scares me.

If your vet is open tomorrow, could you call them and describe her pupils to them? She could be blind, or something else might be going on.
Cats use their whiskers for feeling, and they are good at using their feet for that too. So if she steps in her bed from the floor, that foot feel (floor feel vs. bed feel) probably makes her realize she's in her bed and she looks down, either to see, or by habit, depending on what is going on.
Do you think she hears much at all? If you talk to her, does she respond? If she acts confused, does your voice help her relax?

 

[Furballsmom]

Try some Cat Music for her, there's RelaxMyCat .com, Musicforcats .com, and Spotify and other sources have harp music written for cats. Some even have purrs added to the music.

I agree, your description of her pupils being different sizes, if I understood your post correctly, should be looked at by a vet .

 

[white shadow]

.
Hi miguel99nyc.

Everything you wrote yesterday is screaming: loss of vision, but this was the 'clincher':

Other times....she literally walks off bed

A common cause for blindness in elderly cats is high blood pressure (hypertension).....that's easily treated....and, where it has caused blindness, vision is often restored. BUT - the earlier this is treated, the better the chances of restoration.

Here is a short, reliable, plain-language explanation: Tanya's Comprehensive Guide....Hypertension: Blindness

...and another about the treatment: Amlodipine and Blindness​

A second potential cause is (even) a minor lower level of thiamine (Vit B1) Thiamine Deficiencies. Make sure that's checked.

A final point: you commented on a fairly recent sudden change in her nose colour, from her usual pink to dark red, almost burgundy. NOSEBLEEDS are also common in cats with hypertension, and I'm thinking that's what you were observing.

You said that her "heart" had been "checked" previously (and a murmur was heard) - measuring blood pressure is a separate and different procedure from the usual listening to the heart with a stethoscope, so ensure that's done properly, as it's crucial for determining HBP.

Don't wait any longer, though. Have her examined ASAP!
.

 

[fionasmom]

I am just going to second the idea that if your cat has suddenly gone blind in a home that is completely familiar to her, you won't see her bumping into objects and not finding food. I had a blind dog once who was fine....until we moved. In the meantime, rearrange nothing in your house. Walking off the bed is a definite red flag.

The one blind cat I had did go blind very suddenly, but it was from Cryptococcus. His pupils were greatly dilated; we did put him on atenolol, but the route to his diagnosis was very lengthy and it did not help. Definitely call the vet now.

 

[miguel99nyc]

I am just going to second the idea that if your cat has suddenly gone blind in a home that is completely familiar to her, you won't see her bumping into objects and not finding food. I had a blind dog once who was fine....until we moved. In the meantime, rearrange nothing in your house. Walking off the bed is a definite red flag.

The one blind cat I had did go blind very suddenly, but it was from Cryptococcus. His pupils were greatly dilated; we did put him on atenolol, but the route to his diagnosis was very lengthy and it did not help. Definitely call the vet now.

Well, she sit in her bed for a while cleaning her face, then gets off it to walk elsehwere but then returns to it. Like I know shes not I guess, THAT blind? Because even this morning, I shifted her bed in different area to where my desk is apposed to my bed, she looked down on it and wanted to get inside of it. Plus at times, Id walk in front of her slowly as she walks to see if she manuevers around my leg, without any whiskers touching me, and she managed to get out of the way. Plus she knows when im placing her food bowl down, no matter where it goes down. However, when I pour dry food into her plate she doesn't track that, but once she smells it then eats it. Sometimes. Also, she still knows at times where her scratching post is. LIke 3 days ago, i came home, she waits for me by door, sees me walk towards the room where I feed her, so she still follows me, and scratches her scratch post like normal. So is there such thing as maybe partial vision loss?