? Purrfect won’t eat after 24-h traumatic escapade. Advice?

Hello, everybody.

Purrfect did a “naughty” yesterday and escaped from the house in the morning. I have a short-range TabCat tracker and found him 400m. from the house, unbelievably high up a tree 12m. (36 feet). It was 0 degrees Celsius (32 F) and there was a constant icy wind from the east. He must have had a terrible fright and sought refuge in the tree. No matter what we did, he would not come down. He spent at least 6 hours, maybe many more up there, and we were afraid he would get hypothermia. Eventually we left him at 6 p.m. and went back there at 11.30 p.m as snow started to fall. Luckily, he must have made his way down because he wasn’t there.

To cut a long story short we found him in the loft this morning. With his escape, he had missed two injections and his blood sugar was phenomenally high: 427 on a human meter (approx 590 on a pet meter). What’s even worse is he won’t eat anything (but is drinking a lot). He looks interested but won’t even eat chicken. He looks stiff and sore and is incredibly tired. We tested his urine for ketones and for the first time we saw trace levels (5mg/dL).

The vet said that his sugar is so high that even if he’s not eating we should administer his normal dose of insulin (4.75 u) to bring it down. The vet also said that it might be the high blood sugar which is making him lose his appetite.

We did a test at +6 hours and the level had only come down to 390 on the human meter. The vet said that it might take 48 hours to stabilise the high levels.

What does anyone think? Has anyone had a similar experience? Why isn’t he eating? We have given him a few syringes of pure chicken jelly stock in his mouth but should we try to give him more food in a syringe before his PM shot?

I'd be most grateful for your help and advice.
Astra and Purrfect.

 

What a scary experience! Poor kitty and poor you! Will he anything at all - canned sardines, salmon, tuna? You can try plain pureed meat baby food (no seasonings) - that tempts some kitties. Is there any FD illegal dry food in your house to try? If those things don't work try pureeing his wet food with some water and syringe feed him. He needs his insulin to get those ketones down. Syringe water into him too to hydrate him and help wash out ketones.

 

Hello, Kris,
Hope all goes well with you and Teasel. Thank you so much for your reply. I have tried his usual canned food, chicken, his favourite cereal-free meat sticks and Milkies, but no go. I do indeed have some illegal kibble for our other cats. I just took your advice and gave him one. Yes! He ate it! I don't know how many he would go for but this is good, hopefully. How much kibble do you think I could safely give him as a replacement for his usual wet food? Obviously, kibble makes their sugar shoot up high and we want to bring his levels down. What do you think, Kris?

 

Just as a P.S. to my reply to Kris, I've just tested him pre-shot and he's come down to 277 on the human meter, which is better. I've given him a slightly reduced dose of 4.5u.

 

I'm not sure about amount of kibble It's high carb so maybe 10+ pieces? Totally guessing though.

 

Wow! What a scary day! How is Purrfect doing today? The stress could easily make him not want to eat, as could the high BG, and ketones definitely disrupts their appetites. In a case like this, your vet was correct to give the insulin even without food, and the lowering BG would hopefully start to trigger his appetite. And also as you and Kris discussed, in crisis times, feed whatever the kitty will eat - even if it's higher carb. Hopefully his appetite is back this morning and the ketones are gone and everything is back to normal. Definitely keep a very very close eye on the ketones though, and don't hesitate to run to the vet if they don't disappear quickly. Ketones are the most dangerous thing out extra-sweet kitties face.

 

Thank you so very much for your replies, Kris and Djamila.

Yes, indeed, it was horrifying for us and terribly upsetting to see him stuck in the cold.

Well, to give you an update, Purrfect has gradually developed a small appetite starting this morning. Gosh, such a relief! Kris, you were so right and A1 with your advice - he did go for tinned tuna and around 15 pieces of kibble early this morning. He won’t touch his usual cereal- and sugar-free food though for the mo. His levels AM pre-shot were pretty high 323 on the human meter (higher than last night). But then again, he’d had kibble (and some in the middle of the night).

Djamila, I think you’re absolutely right that all the stress could have stopped him eating. Also, the pain and stiffness in his limbs from holding on for grim life for so many hours in a tree blowing in the wind.

He’s still drinking a lot. Yes, indeed, it is so important to keep an eye out for those ketones. I had a chance to test for ketones again this evening - this time I would say it was almost the totally neutral beige colour - perhaps, just perhaps, a tiny, wee bit pinker than neutral 0 trace. But, definitely less than the “Trace” level of yesterday.

I just hope that his blood sugar levels keep coming down to ‘normal’. I have to say that it’s still difficult under normal circumstances to get him lower than just in the 200s (human meter).

We went to the shops today (luckily the snow melted and we could get out!) and bought lots of types of food for him to choose from, such as Felix, Friskies, Ultima and Purina sachets and treats. No cereals but a bit naughty with some sugars or beet additive, but better than kibble. He ate a small chicken filet and an Ultima sachet and some treats - he can also move around better today and his eyes don’t look so tired.

Thank you so much for your advice, Kris and Djamila. Really, it has helped enormously and it’s so good to know you’re out there.

Have a lovely evening.
Astra and Purrfect.

 

As a quick P.S., I've just tested Purrfect PM pre-shot and he's incredibly high 436 (human meter). But of course he's had some chicken and a sachet of Ultima in addition to the kibble. If he'll possibly stick with just the wet food from now on with his better appetite, I'll cut out the kibble. I and my Mum think that it's best to put up his dose to 5u (from 4.75u) for this PM shot to counter this exceptional situation. Thanks!

 

Maybe get a +2 test to see if he's dropping quickly?

 

Hello, Kris, and thanks for your reply. Do you think he could drop quickly? Prozinc takes 2-3 h. to begin cutting in -- I don't know whether we'll be awake at that time. He hasn't relieved himself for 36 hours and I just wonder whether the kibble in his gut is still adding carbs absorbed through the intestines?
Astra.
EDIT: Did you think a test could be necessary just to see whether he's dropping or because you think he could drop too low?

 

Just because you're raising the dose and removing kibble. Either or both might elicit a response.

 

Oh yes, right, I see what you mean, Kris. It's true we're doing two things at the same time - I hadn't thought of that. Well, in that case, we'll stay up late and do a test!