Young Cat Not Eating Or Drinking...vet Can't Find Anything Wrong

[DavidEichner]

Our 3 year old female shorthair cat stopped eating and drinking almost 2 weeks ago. She has been in and out of the vets office for IV fluids and extensive testing (blood, X-rays, ultrasound) but the vets can't find anything wrong. They sent her home to us again. Now she is having trouble walking...like it hurts her feet to set them on the ground. Has anyone seen anything like this before?

 

[FeebysOwner]

I don't have any idea what could be wrong, I am so sorry. But, there is something not being picked up by your vet. Do you have a vet university nearby that you can either contact directly or get your vet to contact?

Is she at least eating and drinking now? I am sure you are already doing this, but keep her food/water very nearby for her. Same for her litter box.

 

[DavidEichner]

I don't have any idea what could be wrong, I am so sorry. But, there is something not being picked up by your vet. Do you have a vet university nearby that you can either contact directly or get your vet to contact?

Is she at least eating and drinking now? I am sure you are already doing this, but keep her food/water very nearby for her. Same for her litter box.

 

[DavidEichner]

I have been forcing water and chicken baby food down her using a syringe...and she seems a little better now but it looks like she is now in a lot of pain from one of the back legs. She is not putting any weight on it.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Have you considered getting a copy of your cat's records from your current vet and finding another vet (in a different practice) to get a second opinion? The records will help to reduce redundant costs/tests. Unless money is an issue, a vet should be pursuing other testing/options.

Did her issue with her feet/leg/walking start at the same time as her eating problems? If not, it could be that her condition is worsening. Muscle mass loss from lack of proper nutrition?

Make sure the baby food contains no additives like garlic, onion, etc.

 

[maggiedemi]

Has she been de-wormed?

 

[Libby.]

Did the vet check her cortisol levels? Did the vet try prednisone?

 

[DavidEichner]

We are taking her back in to the vet tomorrow to see about getting a shot of prednisone and discuss the leg. The leg twitches now as well.

 

[DavidEichner]

Have you considered getting a copy of your cat's records from your current vet and finding another vet (in a different practice) to get a second opinion? The records will help to reduce redundant costs/tests. Unless money is an issue, a vet should be pursuing other testing/options.

Did her issue with her feet/leg/walking start at the same time as her eating problems? If not, it could be that her condition is worsening. Muscle mass loss from lack of proper nutrition?

Make sure the baby food contains no additives like garlic, onion, etc.

 

[DavidEichner]

It might be a muscle atrophy. She did go almost 2 weeks not eating on IV fluids.

 

[FeebysOwner]

It might be a muscle atrophy. She did go almost 2 weeks not eating on IV fluids.

That is treatable - it could be a long term endeavor, but it should be able to be reversed.

I am glad she is going back to the vet - but, I kind of wish it were with another vet for a second opinion. If your vet is truly stumped about what might be wrong with her, please ask them about consulting with a vet university.

Please keep us posted.

 

[white shadow]

.
Hi David and welcome to the forum !

I have been forcing water and chicken baby food down her using a syringe...

Two points in there that demand attention......

1. Please be extremely careful when you're syringe-feeding her. Cats are particularly susceptible to an often fatal type of pneumonia should they aspirate (breathe in) any of the foods used. And, because cats will naturally resist this kind of feeding, some degree of struggle is often part of the action - this is the perfect recipe for disaster. Take a moment and have a read of a detailed post with a video that I wrote to someone else on the how-tos: Cat Has Crystals + Diabetes
2. While we use baby foods to help cats over 'humps', they should not be used as mainstays of a cat's nutrition. In particular, there's one critical ingredient, the amino acid Taurine, missing from baby foods but an absolute must-have for cats.....without it, retinas degenerate (causing permanent blindness) and serious heart disease develops. IF she has not had a majority of her nutrition come from catfood-based products during this time (2 weeks, I think), I'd suggest you begin Taurine supplementation immediately. The effects I've referenced begin within a very short amount of time.

Taurine can be found in pharmacies and healthfood outlets. For me, capsules are easiest to use, breaking them open and mixing the powder into the wet foods. This is my preference: NOW Taurine Capsules. There's no overdosing Taurine - any excess is excreted.

Any wet catfood can be pureed and fed via syringe. You can also get one from the Vet that's formulated especially for this: Hill's® Prescription Diet® a/d® Canine/Feline - canned.

There's one other dangerous condition that can result from a period of less-than-necessary nutritional intake. Cats are the only species that do not efficiently metabolize body fat - the consequence is that the liver itself becomes fatty and loses function. The cat will become jaundiced and the condition is difficult to manage. And, overweight cats are most in danger. You must ensure that she is taking in a sufficient caloric amount - this will give you a 'ballpark' target: Calorie Needs for Cats.

I'm concerned as well about veterinary competence. Time and time again at TCS, we see general-practice Vets who are just not up to the task when things get complicated in feline medicine. I'd urge you to look for an experienced (long-practiced) cat-only (not "friendly", that's just marketing BS) Veterinarian. Post back if can't find one.
.

 

[MissClouseau]

We don't know the vet and what conversations you had with him/her so I might very well be being unfair right now but my rule is if a vet lets a cat go without eating on his own for a week without an explanation on the "why" and not even suggest further tests, that's not the right vet for cats.

The least s/he could do is to contact another vet to ask for suggestions. They all have other veterinarian friends from their school years, and some former work mates. To me not contacting one or more of them for help shows not taking the case as seriously as they should. Some vets hate when animals' humans talk like this but we pay for a diagnosis (and then more for treatment.) If you didn't get a diagnosis and you didn't, it's a part of THEIR responsibility to do more research/ask other vets for a second opinion. You might do your own thing and contact another vet yourself but at the same time if the vet didn't already, if I were you I would ask them to contact another vet like that university hospital.