FIV + kitty wasting anyone fed Babyfood?

[Oreo's human]

Our 13 year old with FIV and diabetes is loosing lots of weight. Our vet checked him over well and all his vitals are good. Is BG is under control but he has lost 4 more pounds since May. He is down to 6 pound and is healthiest at 12. The vet feels that this is the course of the FIV and has given him steroids and Iron-excel to stimulate his appetite. It appears to be helping so far. I was reading on line and often people with FIV + kitties will feed meat baby food but I was worried about his sugar. Anyone have experience with this? Thanks Blairanne

 

[Chris & China (GA)]

Lots of us feed babyfood when our kitties aren't interested in eating or have just had a dental since it's so easy to eat

Just make sure you get the kinds that only have meat and water as ingredients (although I think the Gerber may also have a little cornstarch added, it's still OK for our sugarcats)

 

[Ann & Tess GA]

Have you considered raw food, You want to feed something as high in calories as you can, many raw foods are 45 or 50 calories an ounce. FF can be down in the 20s. Gerber chicken is 40 calories an ounce and 8% carbs. However, baby food doesn't have a lot of the minerals a cat needs, so if you end up using it a lot you would wand a vitamin supplement.

I haven't heard of "steroids and Iron-excel" for appy stimulant. Many of us use cyproheptadine to stimulate appetite, if he is nauseous you may want to try ondansetron too. The two are often given in combination.

 

[Oreo's human]

I have tried raw, well almost raw or slightly boiled chicken. He just looked at it and me like REALLY? He was a dry only cat for years and it even took a bit for him to decide he liked wet in general. @Ann & Tess Do you get cyproheptadine and ondansetron via the vet? How is it given? Steroids often simulate eating and the Iron-excel is apparently loaded in B vitamins which the vet thinks will help. I can do the vitamins if needed. He is eating better but still we have a long way to go. Thank you both!

 

[Cat Ma]

The only way I can get my cats to eat raw food is by adding Forti Flora to it. There are other food enhancers you can add.

 

[Ann & Tess GA]

Most vets don't have them in stock and it's much cheaper to get them from a pharmacy. They usually recommend mirtazapine for appy stimulant, but that is an antidepressant w/ appy stimulation as a side effect but many cats get very spacey on it. Cyproheptadine is an anti-histamine, the appy stimulation is a side effect too. Ondansetron is for nausea. Usually you give both because the reason a lot of cats don't eat is nausea and the ondansetron is very good for that. I got prescriptions from the vet and bought the ondansetron from Costco and the cypro from CVS. Both are 4mg tablets, for the cypro 1/8 to 1/16 tablet , the ond 1/4 to 1/8 tablet. Just a little crumb seems to work better than more.

Start by offering a little scrap of raw chicken, then you can try commercial raw. Nature's Variety has sample packages for a a few dollars.

 

[Critter Mom]

Blairanne - if you're asking for an ondansetron prescription, check costs on the generic. (Zofran, the branded version of ondansetron is 10 times more expensive than the generic in the UK.)

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[Melanie and Smokey]

Cat milk has really helped with keeping weight on our seniors when they don't want to eat.

Since the weight loss is pretty significant, I think you may be at a point where low carb for the diabetes takes a back-seat to getting calories in. You can increase insulin to help with the increased carbs, but it's very hard to regain lost muscle mass.

 

[Oreo's human]

He is eating better and gaining some weight but he has lost sooo much. He seems happy though, hanging in his normal spots and getting lots of love. I just don't know how much fight the old guy has in him. He is a baby and I will keep it up as long as he wants me too. Thanks for all the help!