Grief-Related Hunger Strike

Hi, Old Friends - Please forgive me for once again asking for your help. Lily's been terrific, and has stayed food controlled with spot BG checks in the high 70s to mid 80s since we started the Fancy Feast and weaned her off of Glargine. Just last week, we lost Lily's 15 yo sister and litter-mate Allegra. She went into sudden kidney failure and heart failure at the same time... my only comfort is that it was less than a day of pain (I wish it was none). Turns out that the low-carb diet that I've been feeding Lily had, unbknownst to me, been slowing killing Allegra. I have my own demons to face there, and I know this is terrible to say, but when Lily was diagnosed just a little more than a year ago, I started preparing myself for her loss, but simply wasn't ready for my "healthy" 15-year-old girl, Allegra, to go. When we lost Allegra, we both started grieving, and over the past week, it has become more evident for Lily. I had switched them both recently to Merrick BG (kicking myself for Allegra, now), but now I can't get her to eat any of the BG. I've tried going back to FF Mixed Grill (her old fav), and she won't touch it. Human foods don't work either. Tried raw tuna, cooked chicken and steak (all of which she usually loves). So, went to Petco and got some other Merrick low-carbs...not interested. Finally got desperate and bought some Wellness Core dry, which she will eat, but immediately saw increased water consumption, and then checked BG and it's up in the 120s.

I don't know what to do. She has to eat (I don't think I can do this again right now). She's already starting the "don't touch me, I'm grouchy" routine that's an early indicator that her BG is high.

I'm a mess and any and all help appreciated.

Love and hugs to all of you,
Laura (and Lily)

p.s. My (only when occasionally necessary) [/img][/img]vet said..."Just get her to eat and we'll put her back on insulin...she'll be fine." I'm not really liking that solution much.

I am so very sorry to read this...

My Mudcat greived Krueger last year. She lost 2 pounds in the process. She is a kibbler non-diabetic.

My heart ached and ached for her too. I took Krueger's ashes out of the container and she sat with them for a long time. It was sort of like she came to understand, but she still grieved.

Hand feed, syringe feed, forti-flora or I have been using Iam's chciken gravy for dogs as an enticement.

You are so sweet for answering so quickly. I don't know about forti-flora or the chicken gravy for dogs, but am researching even as we speak. I don't know if I should keep feeding her dry Wellness Core, or what. I've seen an immediate change (gone from just one pee a day to three) in a single day, and she's starting to show positive on urine strips. Sh*t, I don't know if it is better to make sure she eats or wait her out and only provide low-carb wet.

Thanks so much...researching your suggestions now...

--Laura

Maybe one way to deal with the issue is to pulverize some of the kibble and sprinkle it over canned food. It may entice Lily to eat. Another option may be to try baby food. Gerber Stage 2 or Beechnut both have just meat and broth. (The Gerber is a littler higher in carbs due to it's containing cornstarch. It's about 7%.) Most cats really like baby food.

I do think maybe sitting with Lily at meal time and perhaps finger feeding may also help. If she knows you share her loss, maybe it will help.

Oh, Sienne - Thank you. I'm crushing the kibble right now. She did like the baby food when she was so sick, so maybe that's another alternative... crushed kibble with baby food mixed with FF. Will try right away.

TY, TY, TY,
--Laura

I am so sorry about Allegra. It is so hard to lose our babies. We feel the same way about Zener, giving him dry food all this time and it being so bad for him. Sure wish we could change it but we can't.

Have you tried freeze-dried chicken? Someone called it "kitty crack".

Liz, filling in for Anne this week

Liz - I haven't but if there's Kitty Crack out there that's low-carb, then I need it! Will add it to my grocery list ASAP.

--Thanks, and hugs, Laura

OK - Don't have baby food yet, but the crushed kibble is not working....sniffs and walks away. Crap.

Oh I'm so sorry that you're dealing with both the grief of loss and the frustration and fear with lily. I don't have any suggestions but just wanted to send virtual hugs (((((( hug )))))).

I am so sorry for the loss of your dear Allegra. I too understand the pain of dealing with the sudden loss of a "healthy" cat as you are dealing with the health issues of another. Willie lost his 12 year companion Miss Jezebelle less than 2 weeks after he was diagnosed, and it was very difficult for him to be in our apartment. It was right before Christmas, and I did find that when we traveled and he wasn't confronted with her scent every day, he did much, much better. When I got home, I cleaned rugs, floors and furniture, got rid of pet beds and did tons of laundry. I also found that a feliway diffuser helped a great deal ($10 off coupon available here).

Is there maybe one room that you can get as scent free as possible and keep Lily in there as she grieves? As far as food goes, I'd echo the fortiflora suggestion. Willie always responds well to that. He loves baby food as well. Do you have any purebites? I will crumble those on Willie's food when he's not as enthusiastic as I'd like.

I hope that you find an answer soon!

Oh, thx so much to all of you. DH is at Walmart trying to find carb-free baby food, and I obviously have much to learn about helping a grieving diabetic cat through her own grief over the loss of her sister.

What would I do without all of you? You're my saviors.

Thank you.

-Love and (((hugs))) back,

Laura and Lily

Laura: I am so sorry for the loss of your sweet Allegra. I hope Lily will start to eat soon. I also am not crazy about your vet's advice to feed her dry food and put her back on insulin. We also use the freeze dried chicken breast and bonito flakes....talk about kitty crack. I have two old kitties and one is very picky in her old age but I make her canned food very soupy, warm it, and crumble the freeze dried chicken breast and she licks her plate clean.

Also....for food...how about trying the Wellness chicken, beef/chicken, and turkey? Those are all canned, 4% calories from carbs.

Good luck and sending you comfort vines and Lily healing vines.

Laura, I can imagine how difficult it is for you and Lily now that Allegra has passed away. We are very sorry for your loss.
I don't have much to add about foods, but just a tip that you can buy the freeze-dried chicken breast in larger bags in the dog aisle at PetSmart and it is much less expensive than the tiny cat bags. It's called "pure bites" or something like that, and you can break the larger pieces up for your kitty. It is 100% chicken--no other ingredients--and zero carbs. Wellness canned food (4% carbs for the turkey, chicken, or beef) has good texture and you can add water to it to make it soupy.
When a beloved companion dies our pets need to grieve, just as we do. I think that if you spend as much time as possible with Lily, helping her grieve, she will gradually accept the loss of Allegra. Try talking to her and explaining that Allegra isn't gone, she has just moved to a higher plane. The kitties really do understand much more than we think they do.

Sending sympathy to you and Lily,

Ella & Rusty

Another option is Rescue Remedy. It's a natural product that is used to help relieve stress.

Re. the freeze dried chicken -- you can find it at Petsmart or Petco. It's usually with the dog treats.

Other options:
Parmesan cheese
Rotisserie chicken
Deli chicken, turkey or ham (make sure it doesn't contain sugar)

just sending you sympathy, laura, i'm so very sorry. i would just add to not blame yourself for allegra's passing. we can only do the best we know how to do. i'm sending all my strongest "eat!" vibes to lily right now.

my cats LOVE rotisserie chicken.

I am so sorry tO hear about Allegra. Don't blame yourself for anything. You were doing your best for your furbabies.

Have you tried plain raw chicken breast or thigh meat? give her a little taste when you are fixing dinner. Sometimes Tess goes off her canned food and feeding her raw chicken for a few meals seems to get her interested in eating again. It isn't a complete diet but it may get her eating again. I get a supplement powder to mix in that does make it a complete diet.

I'm sorry for your loss, and for Lily's grief. They do need to grieve, but they also need to eat. Going for more than a couple of days without food can be dangerous. Does she like people food? Lucy looooooooves Chick-Fil-A, and lots of inappetant cats seem to find KFC chicken irresistable. When Lucy first came home from the hospital, the thing she finally ate was some of those pre-cooked grilled chicken breasts that they sell at the grocery in little packages. I heated them up with some low sodium chicken broth. It was all full of preservatives and junk, I'm sure, but I was just happy that she ate it. Then for a while I added warmed chicken broth to her food to make it more tempting. Lucy is a chicken-holic. For some cats tuna juice or shrimp might work better.

Sniffing and walking away can be nausea not just grief. Does she show interest in food but then dissapoints you by not eating any or just licking? Are you sure she was eating well up until recently? Grief is a reason that cats do stop eating though - it is a big stressor to some cats.

I am glad you are aware of her appetite. Do you know about Feline Hepatic Lipidosis? This can hit quickly if a cat gets zero calories. Their liver clogs with the body fat they utilize for energy.

There is a great yahoo group Feline Assisted Feeding. Please do check it out. It will give you tips on starting to syringe feed, or finger feed. Sometimes a cat just needs their engines primed - a bit of food by assist feeding they may eat the rest on their own.

I'm sending you lots of hugs. I know the pain you are feeling. They take all the love we gave them in their lifetime with them.

thinking about you this morning, laura and wondering how you and lily are doing today.

Update: She's eating! Grief-Related Hunger Strike

Okay...you all are amazing! This is quite the formula but I've got Wellness beef and chicken, watered down, mixed with the Wellness core ground kibbles, and topped with the dehydrated chicken flakes, and SHE'S EATING! Mind you, she apparently is not a crack addict because she wouldn't even touch a piece of the freeze-dried chicken all on its own.

Believe it or not, the guy that helped me at Petco said that he has a diabetic cat, and he buys fresh catnip, chops it up, and mixes it in with her food, and she loves it. I'm skeptical, but I guess I can keep that as a backup plan...

If this holds, I'll back out the dry food.

Thanks so, so much to all of you! I'm weeping I'm so grateful.

-Laura

p.s. I'm washing up alot of the places where Allegra hung out today...I had actually thought that her continued scent might be comforting to Lily, but I can also see how it might be confusing...thanks for that tip, too.

we understand laura. you've hit the site full of cat lovers. i'd guess 99% of us have lost at least one beloved cat, we're all dealing with diabetes in our kitties, many people own multiple cats, and we get it.

so glad to hear lily's eating!!! the best news ever! if you need other help, just post. we're here.

Hi Laura. I know you don't know me, but I've been sick at heart, reading that Lily wasn't eating, because I watched Checkers grieve for his sister, two years ago. It was heartbreaking.

I am crying now for happiness, that Lily's eating. That is the best thing I've heard all day.

Barb

I'm sooooo glad you found something that worked. That is great news!
Liz