Sudden lack of appetite

[amaranth]

My 15 year old tortie Treacle has been diabetic for almost one year. She's on 1.75 units of ProZinc twice a day, 8.3lbs (down from 13lb when first diagnosed!), and after a massive struggle to get her from dry food to wet food, she finally got onto wet food about 4 weeks ago (3 pouches of Felix (UK) in jelly for 7+). She's a hungry cat too and always goes straight for her food.

On Sunday, she suddenly stopped eating. Not a single bite or sniff despite me trying with chicken, tuna, liver paste, or her normal food. However, her other behaviour was completely normal. Peeing, pooping, friendly, purring, not appearing to be in any pain. Sleeping a lot, but hey, she's 15. She normally does.

She had insulin on Sunday morning, but when she hadn't eaten anything during the day I didn't give her evening insulin. She ate a teaspoon of tuna overnight but it was barely anything so I didn't give her insulin on Monday morning either. I took her to the vet Monday mid-morning and he gave her a physical, which was fine. Then he did blood glucose, expecting it to be sky high in the 20s having not had insulin for 24 hours, and to his surprise it was within the upper normal range for a non-diabetic cat! So he's sent off a lab sample for a fructosamine test, said no insulin for now, and I'm trying to get her to eat. She ate a fair-ish amount of Hills diabetic diet pate (I was trying anything by that point) mixed with tuna last night, and then this morning I put down Felix, which she ignored before I went out to work. The vet has asked for a urine sample too but she's being evasive at the moment and I can't try until I'm working from home tomorrow. It's a bit of a medical mystery!

 

[Bron and Sheba (GA)]

Hi and welcome to the forum.
It is really important that all cats eat but especially important that diabetic cats eat. If they don’t they can risk getting ketones on their urine and blood, which can lead to the much more serious DKA …diabetic ketoacidosis. If indeed she still needs insulin (and the vets idea of upper normal is different to ours) then she is at added risk of getting ketones and potentially DKA because the recipe for DKA is not enough food, not enough insulin and an infection or inflammation……and it is possible that Treacle has an infection or inflammation that is stopping her wanting to eat.
There must be a reason that she is not eating. This is something that needs to be dealt with today in my opinion.
I would go back to the vet today and ask for some ondansetron (he will give you a script and you will get it from the pharmacy) or cerenia for the probably nausea.
I would ask for an fPL snap or an f PL spec blood test (they are not in the routine blood tests) and these will test for pancreatitis.
I would also go to the pharmacy and get a bottle of Ketostix so you can test for ketones in the urine….this is really important. Please don’t leave it for another day thinking it will be ok. Ketones is something that needs to be eliminated.
At this point I would let her eat whatever she wants because eating something is more important than just eating low carb food.
if you are at work today, I would call the vet for an antinausea medication that I suggested….don’t let him fob you off and I would get some Ketostix from a pharmacy.
Does Treacle have any food to eat during the day while toy are at work?

 

[amaranth]

The vet gave her an anti-inflammatory and an anti-emetic yesterday - Vetemex and Loxicom. I have to provide them with a urine sample later today. She has food to eat whilst I'm at work, yes. The lab came back and said there was an error when they did the fructosamine test so I have to take her in for another one tomorrow.

 

[Bron and Sheba (GA)]

Please let us know how it all goes.

 

[SaraMV]

I agree with Bron and Sheba. If it's pancreatitis, you want it treated now rather than later, and antibiotics won't help much (if at all). A cat will mask the symptoms of not feeling well up until they can't hide it anymore. By then, it's usually too serious to hide. If they're good eaters and suddenly stop eating, there's something really wrong. Good luck to you and your baby. I hope you get answers quickly.

 

[amaranth]

The vet has admitted her as a day patient today for more tests, IV fluids and an ultrasound scan. She ate the tiniest bit of food yesterday and this morning, about a teaspoon of pate in all. She didn't oblige with urine testing last night (she escaped out the window and peed behind the shed - I hadn't realised she could still move that fast!). The nurses will get blood and urine out of her.

 

[Bron and Sheba (GA)]

Thanks for the update. I’m glad she is being investigated. Please let us know how she goes. It does sound as if she needs an antinausea medication if she is not eating. Make sure ypthey gove you some to bring home…..ondansetron is the best one for nausea.

 

[amaranth]

Seems that Treacle's diabetes is in remission, according cautiously to the vet. To be observed going forward. Didn't explain the lack of appetite, so the vet is considering cystitis or other bladder infection as differential diagnosis and awaiting lab results. They sent Treacle home yesterday evening with Loxicom for nausea. She's eating more today, and in and out the cat flap every 10 mins to sun herself.