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Cat with fatty liver disease and feeding tube
Hi, I have a question but here's a little background first. My cat Lucy (9 years old) gradually stopped eating. She would pick at her food but her sister from the same litter is aggressive and pushy and will push her out of the way when it's time to eat, so I assumed that was her problem, and that she was going back to eat after her sister was done. However eventually she stopped eating anything at all. She'd walk up to the food, sniff it, turn around and away. After 3 days had gone by after I noticed she had stopped eating my husband and i brought her to an emergency vet, and the diagnosis was a bad UTI (she had shown no signs, aside from one episode of peeing where she wasn't supposed to, so I had no clue) and this is likely what caused her to stop eating, and because she stopped eating her body began to process her own fat causing fatty liver disease. Other than that she had a clean bill of health. She had to spend a few days at the vet hospital and was given a E-tube for feeding since she wouldn't eat on her own while at the vet. She has had the feeding tube since Wednesday last week, it is now the following Monday. She still won't even attempt to eat and I have offered her everything under the sun before every feeding tube feeding. Things I have tried include but are not limited to- various fish flavored cat food, various chicken and beef cat food (both the brand she was used to and other brands), beef or chicken baby food (no onion or garlic, don't worry), canned tuna, and her favorite cat treats. She will not even try.
I was just wondering if anyone had any experience like this? She seems so nauseated all the time. The vet gave her Reglan but it doesn't seem to be helping. i'm going really slow with the tube feeding, feeding her about 1mL per minute. They want me to give her 55mL per feeding, but we've had to cut it back to about 30mL so far because she'd throw it all up (and that left me extremely frustrated after spending an hour feeding her only to have it all end up on the floor). This morning I fed her 20mL, waited a half hour and gave her another 10mL, then when I came back to check on her an hour later found some cat vomit on the floor nearby. I have her in a separate part of the house from her sister, so it was definitely hers. The vet said it could take a couple of weeks, but I just feel so bad for her, she looks so depressed. I guess I'm just looking for some optimism from someone? I will definitely take any advice. I have been in constant communication with the vet, the vet we chose is 24 hours and I can call them any time, even in the middle of the night, so I already know what they say and think. I'm just looking for other's experiences.
I was just wondering if anyone had any experience like this? She seems so nauseated all the time. The vet gave her Reglan but it doesn't seem to be helping. i'm going really slow with the tube feeding, feeding her about 1mL per minute. They want me to give her 55mL per feeding, but we've had to cut it back to about 30mL so far because she'd throw it all up (and that left me extremely frustrated after spending an hour feeding her only to have it all end up on the floor). This morning I fed her 20mL, waited a half hour and gave her another 10mL, then when I came back to check on her an hour later found some cat vomit on the floor nearby. I have her in a separate part of the house from her sister, so it was definitely hers. The vet said it could take a couple of weeks, but I just feel so bad for her, she looks so depressed. I guess I'm just looking for some optimism from someone? I will definitely take any advice. I have been in constant communication with the vet, the vet we chose is 24 hours and I can call them any time, even in the middle of the night, so I already know what they say and think. I'm just looking for other's experiences.
Wonderful news.....Yeah!!! I am so happy to read this, we needed some real good news this morning....good for Lucy, may this be a start to the road of 'recovery'...♥
That is really funny!! My other cat is named Bella. If you have a cat named Bella too then that is REALLY scary lol
Fantastic news! Lucy started eating today! I brought her some wet food this morning before her first tube feeding, fully expecting her to sniff and bury like always. But she spent more time sniffing it, licked it, then actually started eating! She ate about a quarter of a can of food, then I brought her some dry food and she started chowing on that too! She ate so much I felt comfortable skipping the tube feeding. Then 4 hours later I went to check on her and found her eating her dry food all on her own! It's like someone flipped a switch, out of no where she's eating again!
Go Lucy!
This is almost scary... I have a grey tabby named Lucy and my name is Alison...
This is almost scary... I have a grey tabby named Lucy and my name is Alison...
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On page 5 of these posts there is a BellaBinky who posted that his cat was not eating because of depression. He reviews much of what he went through to get her back in shape. I know she too was on a feeding tube.
There were some 53 comments, so a lot of discussions on this kind of situation. This may help you to reread this post.
Also , might be a good Idea to private email BellaBinky and privately ask them any questions you may have. I am sure they would be more than willing to help out.
By the way Bella is doing great now, so things will get better.
Keep us posted.
CML