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Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

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Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

The litter tray

My 16 year old cat has stopped eating...

26 replies

CozyOtter · 16/12/2013 06:39

My lovely 16 yr old cat has stopped eating over the last few days. I've tried offering him different things, but he's just not interested.

He has always been a thin cat, but it seems like he has suddenly lost any spare fat

Saturday night he started sneezing too...its not looking good is it?

I'm dreading taking him to the vet - he hates going normally anyway!

When we went for his boosters last time, the vet convinced me to get a blood test done but whilst taking doing it, they didn't hold my cat properly and he jumped back. He brought him out to me covered in blood! The lab then lost the blood sample so we had to do it again...end result being blood tests came back ok!

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cozietoesie · 16/12/2013 08:50

Vet, I'm afraid, CozyOtter. They can get a bit picky when they're older but not eating for several days isn't so good. Have his teeth been checked recently by the way? Oh - and is he still drinking?

The sneezing could be residual cat flu. Not a whole load to be done there I think. (Seniorboy has that and last time he had ABs for some gingivitis and that seemed to clear up his nose at the same time so it might have been a secondary infection.)

I know what you mean about taking bloods. Seniorboy (of whom the vet said somewhat admiringly - 'He's still got a fine wriggle in him!') is almost impossible to get blood from and I'm not looking forward to his visit in early 2014. Another poster's vet had some success by giving the merest whiff of gas - just enough to be calming - and I'm thinking of suggesting that. It would mean leaving him there but on balance, I think it would be less traumatic for him.

Best of luck and let us know how he gets on.

CozyOtter · 16/12/2013 15:59

Thanks for your reply Cozie - I'm going to phone the vet when I get in and arrange something. They are open until 7 tonight so I might even get in today.

He's drinking a tiny bit, but not enough...poor cat!

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CozyOtter · 16/12/2013 18:30

Just got back from the vets - it's not looking good .

They've taken blood to check his kidneys and have given him an antibiotic jab. There are a long list of things wrong with him, but he's too weak for them to do much for him at the moment.

On a positive note he has just wolfed down some sardines

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Fluffycloudland77 · 16/12/2013 18:39

Oh dear, at least he's eating something. Lets not give up yet.

cozietoesie · 16/12/2013 18:42

Good that he ate. That will give him some strength and might kick his system into some action. And you did just the right thing in taking him to the vets.

Did they do anything for him at all?

CozyOtter · 16/12/2013 18:49

They gave him the antibiotics to give him a boost. I've also got anti-inflamatory medicine to give him tomorrow with food.

They checked his teeth - one has broken and another needs taking out - the vet is worried that they problem with his teeth are due to something else. But they can't take the teeth out until we get his weight up - it has dropped to 2.5 kg - quite a rapid weight loss too as he was eating happily just over a week ago.

I'm really pleased he has eaten something - hopefully that will atleast perk him up.

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cozietoesie · 16/12/2013 18:57

Fingers crossed.

Might be as well though to keep him fairly close by/in the same room and have an opened newspaper close at hand (if you have one) in case he brings the sardines up again. (You should get some warning as they start to make plumbing noises and you can quickly position the paper in the right place.) You don't need him sneaking off and vomiting sardines all over your bed.)

CozyOtter · 16/12/2013 21:04

Good idea!

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cozietoesie · 16/12/2013 21:25

Hopefully it will stay down - it's just that a system which has not been working properly for some days suddenly loaded with wolfed-down nosh? Don't get despondent if he does vomit - just leave some more food and water down for him and see how it goes.

Good luck and let us know how he gets on and his tests turn out.

Lemsy · 17/12/2013 03:06

Hi,

Bit of insomnia and saw this. Maybe get some prescription food from the vet, i had a poorly cat recently and though he eventually didn't make it (had a facial tumour), he ate that pretty much till the end. It's very palatable. Called ID in tins.

Hope he pulls through x

CozyOtter · 18/12/2013 09:02

We got the blood results back and everything is looking alright - much to the vet's surprise!

The antibiotics have perked him up and he's eating now so that's good! They last for two weeks, so we've got to wait and see how he does and try and get his weight back up.

Just pleased he's eating again for now!

Thanks for all your replies!

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cozietoesie · 18/12/2013 09:12

Well good for him! (I'm more than a bit surprised that the bloods were fine given what you said about his age and condition.) I'm guessing that his teeth are a problem and hopefully the ABs will help there. Shall you be having those attended to once he's back in shape?

(Seniorboy had quite dreadful teeth and his current vet did a full GA procedure to sort them when he was 16 after previous vets had demurred due to his age. She was confident in her team's ability to do the best for him that could be done and the procedure was entirely successful - although it was a long op and a long day. He hasn't looked back, really: just the occasional touch of gingivitis. And we didn't really have much choice because they were so horrible that they were seriously affecting him.)

Anyway - so glad he's better and eating. You must be much relieved.

TalkinPeace · 18/12/2013 21:45

pilchards in tomato sauce seem to bringing my starving stray back to life ....
frozen blocks of coley microwaved in milk are good too

CozyOtter · 18/12/2013 23:03

Hopefully he'll continue to improve with the antibiotics so they'll be able to operate on his teeth. He has a heart murmur so any operation is always problematic, but with the added concern of his weight loss the vet thinks it might be too much for him.

He's still wheezy and sneezing but is eating.

I think the vet really thought his number was up when I took him in, but it looks like we've got a little more time together!

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cozietoesie · 18/12/2013 23:14

Seniorboy is on symptomatic care nowadays and ABs have helped his (few remaining) teeth on the occasions he's had them. I think that the fact that your boy is eating is a good sign.

You'll only be able to tell what's what really once he's back at a decent weight. All the best to him.

cozietoesie · 18/12/2013 23:26

I should have added - vet visit before last, Seniorboy had a slight heart murmur but last vet visit he didn't. I'm not sure you'll be able to judge anything properly in your boy's current poorly state. Once he's better you'll have a clearer idea. In the meantime, I'm sure he's getting lots of love.

Are you giving him special taste treats?

CozyOtter · 18/12/2013 23:41

He's had the murmur for about 5 years now so definitely there unfortunately .

The tins of fish were going down well...but we've had two bouts of upset stomach this evening. Will ring the vet in the morning...could be due to the metacam he was given yesterday so I haven't given him that today.

He's cleaning himself again now though so there are still some good signs!

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cozietoesie · 18/12/2013 23:53

Ah Dear. (The heart murmur.)

I wouldn't give up for a few blips. Ring the vet tomorrow morning and seek advice but remember that he hadn't eaten for a number of days and that can seriously upset their systems, just like humans. (Pity you can't give cats nourishing broth!) Like you, I think that cleaning himself is a good sign.

Is he using his tray at all?

cozietoesie · 19/12/2013 00:01

PS - I'd leave a little wet cat food down to see if he'll try it - a chicken flavour if you have it and maybe slightly warmed to bring out the smell. Tinned sardines are quite rich and he may be better off with something a little blander. (Or lightly cooked plain white fish or chicken meat if you prefer.)

fackinell · 19/12/2013 01:30

Glad his tests were clear. When mine go off their food I give them lik-e-lix cat yogurts. It always gets wolfed down. Just a tip if your trying to get something into him. There are chicken ones and salmon ones (since he loves fish.)

cozietoesie · 19/12/2013 08:32

Interesting fackinell. I've never tried that - must give it a go.

CozyOtter · 20/12/2013 18:15

Sad update I'm afraid.

It looked like he was doing better and he went outside this afternoon which I thought was a good development. But he didn't come back in after it got dark so I sent my dh to look for him - he found him down the side of the house . Going to bury him in the front garden tomorrow - he loved sitting in the front room looking out of the window.

Thank you for all your suggestions on how to help him, but it was all obviously too much for him.

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cozietoesie · 20/12/2013 18:29

So sorry, Cozy. You and he both tried so hard.

fackinell · 20/12/2013 19:56

Oh Cozy I'm so sorry. They often do take themselves off like that. Take comfort in the fact that you did all you could and gave him the lovely life he deserved. Toast him tonight with a or a

Kerrieferg · 12/05/2018 20:16

I've a cat who's now 16 years old.. She went missing for 3 days and has now gone off her food. Vet has checked her over given her antibiotics, painkillers and sickness injections. She still doesn't want to eat. She had ate on average 2 tablespoons of food.. Any suggestions to increas food intake??

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