NB: Brainstorming here!
Couple of suggestions about things to investigate:
* Nausea (
look at this page for symptoms and treatments). Nausea is commonly secondary to an underlying health problem (e.g. DKA, pancreatitis, CKD, IBD).
* Possible problems with teeth/gums (pain may make a hungry cat reluctant to eat).
* Constipation/bowel obstruction - can cause nausea and inappetence.
* Respiratory tract problem (cat's won't eat what they can't smell).
* Vestibular syndrome - affects balance and can cause nausea & vomiting (think 'motion sickness') and can cause severe mobility problems. See this video:
Vestibular disease - symptoms and treatments
Video:
Whatever the cause, it's vital that your dad's kitty gets some supportive treatment
ASAP to help her eat so that she doesn't develop problems with hepatic lipidosis (fatty liver - potentially life-threatening).
The clinical signs related to eating you describe above sound very much like your great dad's girl may be nauseated. Anti-nausea treatment (Cerenia or ondansetron for general nausea; short course of metoclopramide for constipation-related nausea as it speeds up gastric emptying and helps normalise gut motility) and possibly an appetite stimulant (e.g. cyproheptadine or mirtazapine) can make the
world of difference to a kitty who's having difficulty eating. Assist feed if you have to.
If she were my kitty I'd be looking at another trip to the vet for a very, very thorough physical exam (including ears, respiratory tract, mouth, bowel), an advanced diagnostic work-up if applicable and,
as a major priority, a prescription for something to help her eat successfully. (Even if it takes the vets a bit of time to get to the root cause of her symptoms she
has to get food down in the meantime.)
If a general practice vet can't help diagnose the underlying problem, I'd suggest asking for a referral to a specialist.
Sending healing vibes to your dad's little one.
Mogs
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