Civvie stopped eating, help!

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Squalliesmom

Squalliesmom

Member Since 2015
My civvie Candy, a picky eater at the best of times, and an IBD sufferer, has decided she doesn't want to eat any food I have offered her the past few days. I have managed to tempt her to eat a few bites using crumbled-up treats, but she loses interest in them, as well after a few bites. I can't afford another trip to the vet until after the 3rd of February, and I'm concerned I may have to start syringe-feeding her to get any reasonable amount of food into her. I have never done this, is there a particular protocol for it? Any information or suggestions would be greatly appreciated, thanks. I am very worried about her.

I don't know what is going on here but none of my 4 cats really seem to want to eat lately. I tried changing to other foods with no effect, have tried all the tricks, no joy, although they are eating a bit, more than Candy, at any rate. They are all also sleeping more than usual. Curious, and worrisome.
 
Hi Lucy, I'm sorry that you have had so much bad luck lately with sick kitties who need to go to the vet... :banghead:

Sending you this :bighug: to help you feel better.

I found this sticky
which should help with assisted feeding. I don't have any other suggestions... sorry. I hope you find a way to get them to eat.
 
Jan Radar said:
Hi Lucy, I'm sorry that you have had so much bad luck lately with sick kitties who need to go to the vet... :banghead:

Sending you this :bighug: to help you feel better.

I found this sticky
which should help with assisted feeding. I don't have any other suggestions... sorry. I hope you find a way to get them to eat.
Click to expand...
Thanks, Jan. And I really appreciate the hug! I don't know why all my babies seem to be sick or have problems this month. I'm exhausted just from worrying about them. I have probably made more trips to the vet this month alone than I usually make in more than a year. I told the vet my babies and I were just going to move in, and he said the front exam room was already ours, lol.
 
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Are they all eating a particular food? Are any of them showing signs of nausea? Could there be anything wrong with their sense of smell? Just wondering whether a mild respiratory tract problem might be affecting them all (bit like Eliz's brood a few weeks back)? Have you got anything really stinky like tuna that you could try to see if they're more interested in eating that?


Mogs
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Critter Mom said:
Are they all eating a particular food? Are any of them showing signs of nausea? Could there be anything wrong with their sense of smell? Just wondering whether a mild respiratory tract problem might be affecting them all (bit like Eliz's brood a few weeks back)? Have you got anything really stinky like tuna that you could try to see if they're more interested in eating that?


Mogs
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Click to expand...
I have a can of tuna I'm going to try tonight. I hate to offer it to Candy because I know it will aggravate her IBD but right now I just need her - and all the rest of them - to eat!

They all eat the same food, so it has to be a food that both Squallie and Candy can eat, which sometimes presents a challenge. I have been trying different flavors and brands but nothing seems to catch their fancy. Candy is the one who really worries me right now, though. I don't want to have to syringe feed her but if that's what it takes that's what I'll do.
 
Give it cold first, Lucy. If that doesn't work, try warming it up to see if that will make a difference. For Candy, maybe you could try just warming a little bit of the tuna water and putting it over some of her regular food to see whether it'll entice her to eat it?

Let us know how you get on.


Mogs
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Oh Lucy, I am so sorry you are having such worries with your kitties. I remember reading on the boards from someone about syringe feeding and it was suggested that you use a food that she is not too fond of anyway because after syringe feeding her she will develop an aversion to what every the food was. Hope that helps. Here's some other ideas for trying to get them to eat.

1) Chicken Broth or Beef Broth (no sugar added); could be made from bouillon cubes
2) Tuna or tuna broth/juice
3) Parmesan cheese sprinkled on food
4) Bonita Flakes sprinkled on food (get from Asian Market or possibly some local food stores)
5) Pepcid AC 1/4 tablet - may have to crush and syringe feed; wait 20 minutes and try feeding again
6) Boiled chicken shredded or pureed
7) Baked/broiled/boiled Salmon, White fish, etc.
8) Warm up regular food in microwave
9) Florti-Flora sprinkled on food (get from vet)
 
Baby food meat, no onion or garlic. Just meat and broth. Worked most of the time for Squeaker. If you do have to resort to assist feeding this is what I found is the best method to prepare the food. I would put it in a blender, add 25% water, blend it for 2 to 3 minutes, then push it through a strainer. If you have a pastry bag with a piping tip that is the best thing to use. Squeeze the food into the side of the mouth not toward the back of the throat, just a small amount at a time.
 
Squalliesmom said:
I have a can of tuna I'm going to try tonight. I hate to offer it to Candy because I know it will aggravate her IBD but right now I just need her - and all the rest of them - to eat!

They all eat the same food, so it has to be a food that both Squallie and Candy can eat, which sometimes presents a challenge. I have been trying different flavors and brands but nothing seems to catch their fancy. Candy is the one who really worries me right now, though. I don't want to have to syringe feed her but if that's what it takes that's what I'll do.
Click to expand...

You can also try Fancy Feast Elegant Medleys Chicken Primavera . This works very well for my cats as Emergency Food . It is not the healthiest option I know but it may get your cat eating ..
 
Thanks, everybody! We tried syringe feeding last night, oh boy, that was fun, lol. This morning she did eat a tiny bit from her dish, but I will likely need to syringe the rest. :( I'm concerned because I have to be away from home today, so she will miss lunch.
 
Hi Lucy,

Very glad to hear that Candy ate something under her own steam.

How long does she normally go between meals? Just wondering whether it might help her if you gave her a snack between feeds? (Wondering whether she might have a slight tummy acid issue.)



Mogs
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:bighug:More hugs coming, Lucy. I suspect your whole clowder feels the stress of the past few weeks. Cats are extremely good at sharing stress. Have you tried mixing tuna water in with their food? Are YOU eating right? That may sound silly, but I'm betting you are off your feed too.

Thanks for that link, Larry.
 
Well, she wouldn't eat her breakfast this morning. If she won't eat at lunch time I guess it's back to the syringe. :(
 
I feel for you-- I was syringe feeding Dre for a while before he started eating again. I hope she starts eating on her own!
 
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