What Is Wrong With My Cat???

[sweetblackpaws]

My girl of 8 years started acting weird several days ago, hiding under the bed and "hammoking" under there. She would not eat unless I put food under the bed. I do not know why she was hiding (no changes in the house and I live alone).

One day, she ran out and was hyperventilating. I brought her to vet immediately, long story short, her liver enzymes up, but her free T-4 for thyroid was normal (high end). Vet said possibly hepatic lipodosis and suggested A/D wet food and mirtazapine. She said she was not dehydrated (which surprised me).

The meds aren't doing squat and she won't hardly eat. I told the vet, and vet said increase her mirtazapine and see if that helps. This is a feline only practice, and she is highly respected and I do like her. But I am really scared. She hardly ate today.

She is down from about 21 pounds to almost 17, but this is over a period of a few months. Vet had originally thought hyperthyroidism, but free T-4 confirmed it wasn't that.

She seems very calm and content and is no longer hiding.

 

[Furballsmom]

Try tempting toppers, some cat products such as lickable pouch treats and other pouch foods you can buy in the store, and here are some others listed in an article;
How To Get Your Cat To Start Eating Again

 

[sweetblackpaws]

I tried Cat Man Doo bonita flakes and Fancy Feast broths, which she usually laps up. Of course, I tried the A/D, too, which is supposedly "highly palatable". She did eat 1/2 a can of Friskies this morning, of all things!

Thank you for the link, I will read it now!

 

[sweetblackpaws]

Thank you, Furball'sMom...interesting article with some great suggestions. I think I will buy some rich kitten food, I have not tried that yet. Interesting about the possible lack of smell from respiratory issue? I don't know if vet addressed that or not. Article did say a large can per day was okay, so maybe I shouldn't panic. She did eat 1/2 a can this morning, that is something.

I just wish I had a diagnosis.

 

[Furballsmom]

She did eat 1/2 a can this morning, that is something.

Yes, it is - I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you both!

 

[sweetblackpaws]

I just don't understand. She is a young cat. I suppose hiding put her into the hepatic lipodosis state (if that is what she has), but I don't know what caused her to start hiding (vet said possibly fleas, for which she is now being treated).

She is the one in my avatar, I have had her since 10 days old.

Should I seek a second vet opinion?

 

[Furballsmom]

Possibly another vet, yes. Was there something that happened outside the house, another cat she saw outside, something fairly dramatic/scary from her perspective?

 

[sweetblackpaws]

There is a little feral outside that I have been feeding, but I have been feeding her for nearly a year.

The lawn guys are noisy, but they come every week.

Maybe maintenance came inside without my knowledge (she is VERY timid).

I just can't think of anything else.

 

[Furballsmom]

I'm wondering if there's another cat outside with your little feral - can you get a camera to see?
Anyway, have you tried feliway diffusers or some of the other calming products? There are quite a few different ingredients used, so if your furbaby gets upset again maybe a calming treat would help.
Hang in there!!

 

[sweetblackpaws]

I don't think it was another kitty, she was under the bed for days.

She won't eat a single bite, I am considering taking her to ER tonight. Tomorrow morning will be 24 hours since she ate something. I can't believe this is happening....

 

[Furballsmom]

Oh dear I'm so sorry this is happening. Sending you all sorts of good wishes, let us know what happens!

 

[epona]

Taking her to the hospital sounds like the best thing if she's not eating.

Don't be afraid if the vet suggests a feeding tube to keep her nutrition intake up while they investigate further - although it is alarming to have a tube into your beloved, it is generally well-tolerated and a lot easier and less stressful than trying to syringe feed via the mouth.

One of mine has a feeding tube at the moment after surgery - he would have died without it, but is getting a lot better now, and it doesn't seem to bother him (and if he carries on as he is it can be removed soon) - it can be a life-saver.

 

[sweetblackpaws]

I did not take her to ER last night, she seemed stable. I wanted to wait until morning to see if she ate and she DID!!! 1/2 can of Friskies pate which is fairly high in calories. It was a good breakfast.

Today I will increase her Mirtazapine per vet instructions (she only gets it every 48 hours).

Epona, I had been looking on Youtube at the cat feeding tubes and you are right - after seeing them, it wasn't as bad as I had it in my mind. Glad your baby is okay!

Furball'sMom, thank you for your support! I will keep you all posted.

 

[epona]

If she still has some appetite that is great, but please watch out for her losing weight.

And yeah I did the same thing as you - looked up "cat not eating" when my sweetie was in hospital, and the tube seemed far less frightening once I'd seen what it involved. For a start it is really narrow, it's not like a hosepipe going into him. Also the vet gave me and my husband (who is nurse for humans btw, so is already halfway there on doing this sort of supportive care for animals, he does PEG feeding regularly in his work) a training session on how to tube feed and change his bandage before discharging Radar into our care.

And since then he's been recovering at home. I'd be lying if I said it had been easy - I've been emotionally all over the place, and recovery has been a little back and forth with steps forward and steps back - but there has been gradual progress.

I'm not saying that any cat with a feeding tube will get better - just in a cat that isn't eating, it can provide relatively stress-free (for the cat) and easier (for the human) ways of providing nutrition and medication in situations where a cat is not eating and may need the underlying cause of that investigated and treated. Or after surgery or injury.

 

[sweetblackpaws]

I am okay with her getting a tube (as last resort), but it bothers me that there is no official diagnosis. In your furball's case, he was recovering from surgery, so you knew the tube would be a means to an end just until his recovery. But in this case, I don't know what is causing her appetite loss.

Vet suspects hepatic lipodosis, but how? Why did it happen? Healthy kitties don't just stop eating at 8 years old. I am very scared and confused.

 

[sweetblackpaws]

I am glad she ate breakfast, but she would need at least 3 times that to maintain her current weight. But we'll see how she does with lunch.

If I try to feed her too soon, she'll walk away from it.

 

[epona]

I am okay with her getting a tube (as last resort), but it bothers me that there is no official diagnosis. In your furball's case, he was recovering from surgery, so you knew the tube would be a means to an end just until his recovery. But in this case, I don't know what is causing her appetite loss.

Vet suspects hepatic lipodosis, but how? Why did it happen? Healthy kitties don't just stop eating at 8 years old. I am very scared and confused.

But that's why a feeding tube may be preferable - the cause of hepatic lipidosis is generally not eating, and treatment for hepatic lipidosis is to get a lot of calories into her. That buys you a bit of time to find out what caused her to stop eating in the first place, and that time could save her life. Of course the news could also end up not so good, if there is something serious behind it that cannot be treated. But it might buy you time, if you want to try to investigate further. As you know, a cat cannot go long without getting nutrition before getting into serious health issues.

 

[maggiedemi]

Hi. Did you try giving half a can of Friskies for Breakfast, and the other half for dinner? That's 5.5oz, so that should be pretty good for the day.

 

[sweetblackpaws]

Tried, but she won't eat dinner.

She ate 1/2 can yesterday morning and 1/2 can this morning. Increased her meds this morning, per docs instructions. Vet said if that doesn't help, will switch meds. She didn't say anything about a feeding tube.

 

[maggiedemi]

Did you try skipping lunch and just feeding breakfast and dinner?