Newly diagnosed cat won't eat! Help!

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Lisabee

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My cat got very ill last Friday. She stopped eating and became lethargic. I took her to the vet, they then sent us to the emergency vet. She was diagnosed diabetic with severe pancreatitis. She was left in the hospital and treated over the next 4 days. The diabetes were under control, the pancreatitis was healed, she was taken off the iv and given her medicine orally. I have had her home for just under 24 hours. I am giving her 1.5 units of insulin, pepcid, and a liquid steroid. She won't eat...she ate a bit of tuna and tuna water and some treats. She won't touch the prescription food. She is drinking water and peeing. The doctor says If she isn't eating, I have to send her back to the hospital and put a feeding tube in. I have already spent 5,000 dollars since Friday! I can't afford her to go back. Ay suggestions on what or how to feed her! I'm desperate!
Lisa and Francesca
 
Do you have any other food but the perscription food? If so give her something else, lots of cats don't like that food cause it uses alot of liver that cats don't really care for. If you have other low carb food try and get her to eat some of that but the most important thing is that she eats so if she will only eat higher carb stuff give her that. Right now the most important thing is that she eats something - I have no experience with pancreatitis but I'm sure others will give you some more ideas!!

Good Luck
 
Do you have any of her regular food that she was eating before she got sick? See if she will eat that, a lot of cats don't like the prescription stuff. First we need to get her eating then we can help you sort of the food question later.

You can also see if she will eat it if you give it to her off your fingers, sometimes they won't eat out of their dish but if you offer it to them off your fingers they will eat that way.

Or you can try sprinkling parmesan cheese on it, ground up dry food, or even warming it slightly in the microwave to help it smell more for them.

Mel, Maxwell, Musette & The Fur gang
 
When Ruby was first diagnosed she wasn't happy with the prescription food (dry or canned). We went thru several brands and flavors of canned food before finding some that she liked but then she took to it pretty quickly. If you can, pick up some of the Fancy Feast Classic flavors and try those. The popular ones at our house are the Chopped Grill, Beef & Chicken Feast, Beef & Liver Feast. She loooooves the Turkey & Giblets but it tends to give her a bit of a glucose spike. Just look for the word "Classic" on the label and you should be good to go.
 
Here's an older post that has some suggested foods that are good for both pancreatitis and diabetes: http://www.felinediabetes.com/phorum5/read.php?8,1259368. I would try a bunch of different foods--the pancreatitis could be creating a food aversion, and the best way around that is to offer up some different things and hopefully one will seem new and appetizing to her.

I don't have experience with pancreatitis, but from what I've read it can be very painful--is she on pain meds? If she has a lot of abdominal pain, that could also be why she doesn't feel like eating and that may be what's causing the food aversion.

If these don't work, hopefully others can give you some tips on syringe feeding at home. Sometimes feeding tubes are necessary though, and they can definitely save the cat's life. You don't want to go longer than 24 hrs without getting food in her, somehow.
 
Ask the vet for FortiFlora. It's a powdered supplement that you can sprinkle on top of food. Few cats, even sick ones, can resist the extreme yumminess of FortiFlora.

Try regular commercial canned foods. The gravy or fished based foods are usually irresitable to cats. The gravy food isn't ideal for diabetics but if your cat will eat it, then just feed it. You can make pate/loaf style foods soupy by adding water to it and syringe feed it. The most important thing is to get your cat to eat something.

You may also want to try this liver shake recipie: http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=30432

A feeding tube can save your cat's life if she just won't eat. Yes, it means more $$ but there are way to get help with the vet bills. See http://www.felinediabetes.com/vetbills.htm Diabetic Cats In Need may also be able to help: http://www.felinediabetes.com/FDMB/viewtopic.php?f=28&t=29083

Here are tips on how to save money in general for a diabetic cat: http://binkyspage.tripod.com/frugal.html
 
Wow. Im over whelmed by the responses. I've tried it all. She won't eat. She has only eaten once since last Wednesday. She has been hospitalized since Friday, but she has to get nutrition, now. I'm really worried and frustrated...she is not improving. Talked to the vet recently, he says our last hope is the tube, but that may not even work. Thanks again for all the love, support, and links!
 
We are totally new to feline diabetes, but old fogie to handling kitties with pancreatitis and/ or IBD without fd.!

Years ago a friend involved in kitty rescue recommended plain unflavored Aloe Vera juice when my older kitty was having issues and diagnosed with Pancreatitis. I was a doubter and didn't discuss with vet right away, finally asked him. He didn't know anything about it but said we could try it so we did. Gave via dropper to mouth drop at a time, initially like 1 cc/ day. Freckles did much better but being doubter thought it was other things vet used, until we ran out, came home and he threw up all over the place poor guy, looked like projectile war zone. :lol: cleaned up went and got more plain unflavored aloe juice, dosed him and next day he was out of meatloaf position running around with his brother. And eating and keeping food down.

Vet knew of good result, kept him on it rest of his life, gradual increased dose.
When Missy was diagnosed with elevated liver enzymes I didn't stop or ask just started her on aloe juice pronto, initially via dropper then mixed in one meal a day. Immediate appetite improvement. She's still on it, vet knows and recommends to others now.
She gets about 20 cc mixed in dinner of canned food, plain, unflavored Aloe Vera juice (NOT GEL).
I get it at whole foods and know it works.
Just my experience.

At this point she might need the tube feeding as probably with hepatic lipidosis :cry:
 
Thanks again everyone. I have given her her cat food purred with water through a syringe. She has gotten only 20 ml in her system, which I guess is better than none. She is still refusing to eat on her own. She will drink water, though. I'm waiting to hear back from the vet to see if we need to bring her in for the feeding tube. Oh, and to clear things up, her pancreatitis is better. If I keep her home, I will definitely feed her aloe juice! That's wonderful.
 
Just keep up the syringe feeding. Aim for about 5.5 to 6 ounces a day. I have syringe may cats. Presently not three of my diabetics do not eat that well and and have syringe fee them not infrequently. Please do not give up.
 
When syringe feeding think of it as feeding a newborn infant, small amounts often. Now Musette only went off her food because she had an upset tummy and I had to get food in her quickly as she was in very low numbers. But even so I feed her about every 2-3 hours until I had what would be her normal intake for the day. Don't give up on her, there are many cats that we have seen on here that have turned around with either syringe feeding or a feeding tube.

Mel, Maxwell, Musette & The Fur Gang
 
Francesca meowed for food. She ate about an ounce. I then got 2 more ounces of the same food purred with water in here as well.I will try again tonight when I get home from work. Thanks for all of your support!
 
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