Cat not eating or drinking

Discussion in 'Feline Health - (Welcome & Main Forum)' started by Kraft, Mar 15, 2019.

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  1. Kraft

    Kraft New Member

    Joined:
    Nov 21, 2018
    My 10 year old cat isnt eating or drinking. Sometimes when I put her by the bowl to encourage her she will take a few licks and walk away.
    We took her to the vets Monday the 11th and got blood and urine tests done. He inspected her and said it could be a virus from our new cat and or stress.

    The blood tests came back fine, but the vet said to "flush out her kidneys" and encourage her to eat every two hours.
    I also have to give her Chlorpalm twice a day (5mls) for 6 days via syringe.

    I've been force feeding her for a week and she stopped drinking water on her own yesterday.

    I will encourage her to eat and keep the cats separate while doing so. But again, she doesnt eat very much. She smells the food and then turns away. Same with water.

    I dont know what to do as I've done mostly every trick in the book..
    I'll see if I can call the vets later today.
     
  2. MrWorfMen's Mom

    MrWorfMen's Mom Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Feb 18, 2015
    It can be very dangerous for a cat to not eat/drink and even more so with our diabetics.

    When your vet did bloodwork, did he test her for ketones? If not I strongly recommend you get some Ketostix from the local pharmacy and test your kitty's urine ASAP or take her back to the vet to have her tested there. Any ketone reading higher than trace ketones warrants at minimum a vet consult.
    Did the vet give you SubQ fluids to administer to "flush out her kidneys"? Did he suspect a urinary tract infection? Is that why he put your cat on antibiotics?
    Ketones can quickly overwhelm the cat's system and cause other imbalances which lead to Diabetic Ketoacidosis, which is a very dangerous and sometimes fatal condition. It is also very expensive to treat. The recipe for DKA is inflammation/infection, not enough food and not enough insulin along with dehydration but it can occur even if all of those prerequisites are not present.

    Did the bloodwork include testing for pancreatitis? It's common in diabetics and would also lead to the symptoms you are describing. Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, pain, lack of appetite. It can be treated symptomatically with anti-nausea and pain meds as well as appetite stimulants.

    The other problem that occurs when a cat is not eating well is hepatic lipidosis which is also a very serious condition requiring expensive veterinary care.

    From your description of what is going on with your cat (smells food and walks away, not drinking), I would strongly suggest another consult with your vet ASAP.
     
  3. Kraft

    Kraft New Member

    Joined:
    Nov 21, 2018
    I dont exactly what they tested for with the blood tests. They also did urine tests, and again I dont know exactly what they were looking for with that.

    The vet only told us to make sure she drinks lots of water.
    He didnt mention any kidney infections.

    He gave us Chlopalm as he suspected she might have a stomach virus from our new cat.

    She has stopped vomiting and having diarrhea with the medication. (Which was only a few times prior)
     
  4. MrWorfMen's Mom

    MrWorfMen's Mom Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Feb 18, 2015
    I'd get a copy of the bloodwork done to see what they tested for. It really sounds like your kitty is nauseated and with the recent history of vomiting and diarrhea, dehydration is likely. It's very important to make sure she stays hydrated even if it means you need to syringe some water into her. Just be very careful to do slowly and into the pouch at the corner of her mouth rather than straight in to avoid any possible aspiration. You can check if she is dehydrated by pinching up her scruff and seeing whether it immediately returns to its proper position or returns slowly. The other way to check is to see if her gums are nice and moist or sticky to the touch.

    I'd also be very careful with insulin if she is not eating well. If she had an infection that would likely have elevated her BG. As the antibiotic clears the infection her BG could drop meaning less insulin would be needed. Are you home testing her BG? If not, I would strongly recommend you so do. A human glucometer works just fine and we can help you learn to test.

    I'd contact the vet and at the very least ask for anti-nausea and appetite stimulant meds. You need to get her eating better ASAP. I'd also be sure to check for ketones as they can come on quickly in a cat that is not eating/drinking well.
     
  5. Jim Laura

    Jim Laura New Member

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    Mar 12, 2019
    Better observe your cats behavior. Consult a cat specialist once again. It will be a problem for her if she doesn't have her meals on times. My uncle's cat was also not having her meals and was annoyed. Then afterward it was clear that due to some allergies from some pests she was not eating her food. My uncle contacted Pest Control Roseville CA and availed pest control. It will be better to find the root was why she is not eating and then find a solution for it.
     
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