Sick stray won't eat

[shadowsrescue]

Yesterday I rescued a sick stray kitty.  She is very sweet, but quite sick.  I took her to the vet and she weighs just under 6 lbs.  She has the herpes upper respiratory virus.  Lots of sneezing and red runny eyes.  She's a bit wobbly on her feet.  Yesterday she ate a bit of cat food (AD from the vet heated with added chicken broth).  Today she won't eat anything.  I have tried Fancy Feast, baby food, tuna in juice, Friskies.  All warmed with added broth.  I tried putting some on her lips and she might lick it off, but she won't touch anything in the bowls/plates.

She did get wormed yesterday too so I know that can cause appetite suppression.  She did take her Clavamox today and eye drops, but just no food.

Any suggestions to get her to eat or when I should be worried?

 

[momto3cats]

You can try feeding her from a spoon or your finger. Sometimes a sick cat will eat a little that way if they won't eat from a dish.

Besides the worming, Clavamox can also cause appetite loss. If it continues you might want to talk to the vet about trying a different antibiotic.

 

[shadowsrescue]

 
You can try feeding her from a spoon or your finger. Sometimes a sick cat will eat a little that way if they won't eat from a dish.

Besides the worming, Clavamox can also cause appetite loss. If it continues you might want to talk to the vet about trying a different antibiotic.

Thanks.  I tried the finger and spoon and it was a no go.  My vet called with the results of her FIV and FelK test and she is negative for both!!  She wanted me to syringe feed her.  It went ok.  I got almost 1/4 can of the AD and chicken broth down her.  Will try more this evening.

I forgot about Clavmox causing appetite loss too.  Hopefully she will start to feel better and begin to eat on her own. 

 

[Columbine]

It's great that she's FIV and FeLV negative. At least that's two fewer things to worry about. It sounds like you're doing well with syringe feeding - I had to do that once for an FIV cat I had...it can be way harder than it seems like it should be. Hope she can eat on her own soon. Lots of healing vibes for her

 

[miscetera]

Ask your vet if kitty can have some calorie booster added to the syringe feeding.  Whenever one of the community strays gets sick, I use a calorie supplement for nutritional support until they're feeling better and eating normally again.

 

[shadowsrescue]

 
Ask your vet if kitty can have some calorie booster added to the syringe feeding.  Whenever one of the community strays gets sick, I use a calorie supplement for nutritional support until they're feeling better and eating normally again.

I have the AD  food which has other calories, but I will get some of the nutritional supplement with extra calories at the pet store.  I forgot about using that before.  Thanks!! 

 

[detmut]

have you talked to the vet about an anti-nausea medication? is she drinking water ok?

 

[snugglecat]

 
I have the AD  food which has other calories, but I will get some of the nutritional supplement with extra calories at the pet store.  I forgot about using that before.  Thanks!! 

I was wondering what the nutritional supplement is and where could I find it?

I hope she starts feeling better soon.

 

[shadowsrescue]

 

 
I have the AD  food which has other calories, but I will get some of the nutritional supplement with extra calories at the pet store.  I forgot about using that before.  Thanks!! 

I was wondering what the nutritional supplement is and where could I find it?

I hope she starts feeling better soon.

My husband found it at our local pet store last night, but I have also ordered it off Amazon.  Here is an example of one

 

[shadowsrescue]

I have done syringe feedings 3x now.  She does fairly well and neither one of us is completely covered in food!!  Yet it's a messy messy job.  She has eaten just over 1/2 can of the AD food since yesterday at 3pm.  I will try again early this afternoon.  I did just get a peak of her lapping up some of what was left.  I hope she will start to eat on her own soon. 

Now if she would only pee or poop.  She has peed once on Friday morning.  Nothing since. 

 

[shadowsrescue]

So today is day 3 of syringe feeding.  She likes to be fed with the syringe and is eating about 3/4 of a can of the AD along with the nutritional supplement which she will lick off my finger.  Yet she will not eat alone.  I put a small piece of dry food in her mouth and she just spit it out.  She seems to be feeling better with the extra food.  Still no poop.  I am getting concerned.  She has peed 3x.

I can tell she is feeling better as she is a bit more bright eyed.  I hope that she will start to eat wet food on her own soon. 

Any suggestions on getting her to eat on her own or is it ok to continue syringe feeding.  Also what about no poop.

I plan to call the vet tomorrow and get her back in.

 

[Columbine]

She sounds like she's enjoying being pampered and waited on hand and foot (well...paw and paw).

It's good she's liking the syringing. With eating by herself, maybe she just isn't keen on dry food. Will she lick the AD off a saucer? That might be the first step, then onto watered down wet food, going to straight wet food and then try the dry again.

I don't know a lot about no poop, but with a severely malnourished human, constipation is common at the start of the re-feeding process. It's like the digestive tract goes into shock at having food again, and wants to hold onto it for as long as possible. Maybe abdominal massage (if she'll let you) would help - like you'd do for a kitten if hand rearing.

She sounds gorgeous. Hope the vet check goes well.

 

[shadowsrescue]

She sounds like she's enjoying being pampered and waited on hand and foot (well...paw and paw).

It's good she's liking the syringing. With eating by herself, maybe she just isn't keen on dry food. Will she lick the AD off a saucer? That might be the first step, then onto watered down wet food, going to straight wet food and then try the dry again.

I don't know a lot about no poop, but with a severely malnourished human, constipation is common at the start of the re-feeding process. It's like the digestive tract goes into shock at having food again, and wants to hold onto it for as long as possible. Maybe abdominal massage (if she'll let you) would help - like you'd do for a kitten if hand rearing.

She sounds gorgeous. Hope the vet check goes well.

I have tried to get her to eat the AD mixed with water off the saucer and she won't.  She might take one lick off my finger.  She doesn't seem too weak to eat on her own.  I am worried something else is not right.  He keeps her head down most of the time.  It's as though her neck hurts. 

I may try the abdominal massage.  She has stepped into the litter box, but so far has not used it.  The carpet is her choice.  UGHHHHH!  I may go out and try a different litter today. 

Thanks for helping!

 

[Columbine]

Eww....I feel for you having to clean up the carpet constantly. Is it worth trying puppy pads as an interim measure? At least that would make clean up easier.

I hope there's nothing serious wrong with her head/neck. I suppose all you can do is see what the vet says. Sending lots of vibes for the two of you

 

[shadowsrescue]

Eww....I feel for you having to clean up the carpet constantly. Is it worth trying puppy pads as an interim measure? At least that would make clean up easier.

I hope there's nothing serious wrong with her head/neck. I suppose all you can do is see what the vet says. Sending lots of vibes for the two of you

Puppy pee pads are a good idea.  I have some in the basement.  Fortunately she has peed on towels.  I just finished putting down towels and old throw rugs all over the room.  She hasn't been under the bed yet  so I hope she stays away from there.  The pee is easy to clean up, but when/if she poops it could be a major mess. 

I just did the abdominal massage.  She liked it.  We will see if it works. 

 

[Columbine]

glad she liked her massage. Fingers crossed that it does the trick.

 

[shadowsrescue]

I dropped Sadie off at the vet this morning.  Still no poop.  She is eating much better.  I am still for the most part syringe feeding her.  Yet she has eaten a bit on her own.  She also holding her head up better.  She peed during the night.  Still not in the litter box, but on the towels.  She didn't use the puppy pee pads

. 

She will have an x ray to check her back legs and also her colon.  I always seem to find the animals that need help. Cha Ching!

I so hope she will be ok.

 

[Columbine]

Glad she's eating better. I really hope she's ok too

Good luck with litter training. At least she's using the towels.

 

[shadowsrescue]

Just brought her home.  Wouldn't you know it as soon as I left her at the vet she pooped in the carrier!!!  That was great as they were able to do a fecal test.  It came back negative for parasites and bacteria!!  She also performed some neurological tests and she passed.  They believe she has muscle weakness due to the malnourishment.  She is on an appetite stimulant.

I also placed her in a large dog cage with a small litter box.  This is in hopes she will choose to use the litter box.  I hope this goes quickly so she can come back out of the cage. 

I really hope this is progress.  She is so frail.  I hope in the next day or two she will have enough strength to eat by herself. 

 

[Columbine]

Poor little girl. Sounds like she got to you just in time. Such good news from the vet...and about the poop. The about good timing

Fingers crossed that crating helps her catch on to the whole litterbox thing :cross:

I'm sure she'll improve quickly with such a good mom to care for her. Get well soon, Sadie