My poor cat with yet another probem :(

[PrettyKitty1]

Reports from the vet state the following:

Dillan’s Body Weight = 5 (Ideal weight)
Abby’s Body Weight = 9 (morbidly obese) borderline diabetic. This is JUST what I needed: A cat with chronic colitis, a history of fatty liver and now this!

They both eat the same food. Abby eats less than Dillan, but isn’t half as active as Dillan. Abby just won’t play anymore. I try to keep him active and motivate him but he spends his days laying around and sleeping.  See the situation? Nothing motivates him anymore. Since his last illness when he almost passed he has changed dramatically. He isn’t as playful. Still loving but not active anymore.  He is 3 y.o. What happened to him?????? Can an animal remain in shock after months of suffering a potentially deadly illness? What happened???

Now here is my issue: I am feeding him a special diet from the vet, specifically made for cats with food sensitivity and cats who have had hepatic lipidosis. I have made numerous attempts to get him to eat raw foods again but every attempt has failed. He just stops eating altogether. The food is dry so it doesn't help with the fact that he is already fat. ANY commercial wet foods WILL give him diarrhea because he is an IBD cat. Yay me!  He doesn't eat much to be THIS fat!!!! What's going on here? If you saw him......

[fanachan]

I guess I have rather large cats, because my smallest, a female is about 6 pounds.

Motivation is difficult for an overweight cat sometimes, but just like in the other posts, you may just have not hit on the *right* toys yet. Kirby, Geejo and Amy will play with just about anything - balls (Amy especially like pompoms), ping pong balls, anything with catnip and a fave of the three THE LASER! They will chase it for as long as I am willing to do it. Around in circles, across the floor and up the front door. Casey, on the other hand, prefers ribbon and other stringlike toys. I get them out of my craft box, he especially like the black ribbon and the green pearls. Try everything, ribbons of different colors, strings of beads, feathers and catnip makes everything look good! Once he gets moving, he should be able to drop some weight.

As for wet food, have you tried mixing it with the dry food? Generally, cats on a solid diet on dry food will have a looser stools with any sudden change in diet. This is why I don't give my cats milk unless I add water. Begin by adding just a small amount of wet food to his dry food and increase the amount slowly. This trick may also help with his eating his special diet. Also, check with your vet about the possibility of mixing the special diet with baby food. Or chicken.

I wish you and your fur-baby all the best.

[April2]

Hey PK, just popped in to check on little Abby.  He's high maintenance, huh? You sure he's not a female in disguise? Lol, just kidding! I guess males can be high maintenance too. :P
Poor little guy. You both have been through so much. I hope he bounces back well like he has in the past. We will keep praying!
Tell Abby Sakura still wants to meet him and play with him so he's got to get to feeling better!
Hugs and blessings!

[opus88]

PK...you did the best you were able to do, remember you weren't well yourself and have a new baby too. stop beating yourself up girl!

my book says the Vet has it right Abby needs a low carb, high protein diet...protein is converted more slowly into glucose and keeps blood gluc levels stable....diabetic(and IBD) cats shouldn't be fed grains, not even potatoes.....no cats should, but esp diabetics.

would Abby tolerate psyllium? Sandy Aora says "as human studies demonstrate soluable fiber like psyllium bind with blood sugar and reduces the need for insulin" 1/8 teas.(.6g) psyllium 1o 2 tablespoons water(28g).

don't know if any of that is helpful PK?....hope so.♥

[PrettyKitty1]

Abby is currently given probiotics and also digestive enzymes. When I say he is high maintenance I'm not kidding lol

Perhaps he is jealous because obviously he isn't given as much attention as before Noah was born. But, I try to cuddle with him every day. He still sleeps in our bed next to me. I have tried for this whole situation to not be so stressful for him. I've been taking him out for trips to our yard which he loves. I'm trying!

I think what happens here is that I miss early signs. Bottom line is I need to pay more attention to my cat. He just isn't a "normal" pet. I've owned many cats and dogs but Abby is unique in every way possible. Not saying it is a bad thing. It isn't his fault either. He just IS a very high maintenance cat.

[nancyjac]

Have you ever tried probiotics for his IBD?  I use it both at home and at the shelter for cats who have any type of digestive upset or diarrhea and it seems to clear up the problems quite quickly.  

[Maddie6]

I'm so sorry there is the possibility of feline diabetes.  The spilling of sugar in the urine is a sign and drinking a lot of water.   Just the stress of a Vet visit can raise kitty's blood glucose, too.  I hope the diet will help bring down Abby's bg.  Keep us posted.  Hugs and prayers.

[LindaTX]

PK, do you think there's any way Abby could be a little depressed, you know, maybe a little jealous of Noah.  Does that sounds crazy?.....I hope he starts feeling more energetic...when did he start acting lethargic?  It won't be long until Noah will be crawling after the kitties..that will give Abby some exercise, ha-ha...and maybe perk him up a little.  I hope he doesn't develop diabetes. ((( Hugs ))) from all of us to you and yours.

[PrettyKitty1]

They did some blood work and urine tests. They found a bit of sugar in the urine! Sugar levels in the urine were very low and he is being closely monitored. The blood tests confirmed that he is practically a diabetic. His legs are not wobbly but he does lose his appetite often, and he drinks excessive amounts of water. I thought he was drinking a lot because his diet was dry. The vet said I needed to feed him a low carb diet (my vet is passive and does not rush into things I've noticed). But we also know about his IBD and anorexia issues. No insulin just yet because they want to see if it goes back to normal with just diet. I wish I could just switch him back to raw foods. All this cr ap wouldn't be happening right now.

Thank you guys. I will keep you updated on his progress...

[dominosarah]

Sending you and Abby hugs~~sara and Snickers

[Maddie6]

Hi Pk,
How recently have you had bloodwork on Abby?  Things can change in a couple moths' time?  Maggie has diabetes, and one way I was suspicious was that she urinated a lot and couldn't drink enough water to satisfy herself.  She was also overweight at the time.  Did your Vet test Abby's blood with a meter.  It would also show up in her bloodwork.  It sounds like the tests Abby had did not indicate feline diabetes?  I know you have so much going on with a newborn.  I wish I lived closer to help you.  Lots of hugs.

[Jade59]

I just had another thought, PK.  You could get a toy that you put Abby's food in and make him work for it.  I just read this in this months issue of my cat mag.  I know it's not the ideal exercise, but it would be *something* at least.  I would say this is not normal at all for a 3y.o cat.  Jade still plays a long time if someone will play with her and she's at least 10.  

PK, you are doing your best, never doubt that.  It's hard enough having a newborn, let alone dealing with a sick kitty at the same time.  I personally think you are Wonder Woman.  Oops, I think you're too young to know Wonder Woman, LOL.  Well, you are A wonder, woman!!!

xo

[zodiacqueen]

Hey girl,  I can't believe that he's close to being a diabetic!!  Did they test his sugar?  Or, was this a guess because he's fat?  Now, if this is a guess, I wouldn't worry as much about it, but I would try to get him to play more.  IF you know for a fact that he's not making a pig out of himself, then I'd play w/ him and stick Dilan in another room (since you said Ab doesn't play w/ him around).   I'm not sure how many minutes a day to suggest, since I've never had to do this w/ any of my cats.  Maybe the vet can tell ya about how many minutes.  That would be well worth a shot!  I wouldn't go messing w/ his diet since it has been awesome for his IBD.  I know you don't want to even go there again.

Good luck, sweetie!  I really think this will be an easy fix!!  =)

Hugs
ZQ

[Maddie6]

PK, You have done everything to help Abby, and I agree with Jade you have been the best Mommy.  I hope and pray you find some answers.  Lots of hugs and prayers.

[Jade59]

Hi PK, I'm so sorry Abby is continuing to worry you.  Poor Abby - he's really had a tough life so far.  He has the Best Mommy he could ask for though and please don't be thinking otherwise.  We all do our best with the information we have at the time.  

((Hugs))

[April2]

I'm so sorry to hear this about Abby, PK. :(
I don't know what I can tell you that can help. I noticed others mentioned Cushings. Willow had that, remember? Did your vet test for that? I'm assuming they tested for just about everything!
I hope that with some time and a calm environment, he will come around. You're right, you all have gone through a lot of changes and cats hate change.

I know as they get older they're not quite as playful but I would think he'd still be interested, even if he's not playing as much.
Sakura does that too, with the light laser. She's interested but the other cat (my son's kitten) goes after it first and since she's faster she kind of pushes past Sakura and Sakura gives up. But Sakura will still play with her and the puppies and try to mother them all.

I'm a bit in the same boat as you with the weight thing. I've noticed recently that Sakura has gotten quite fat. I didn't think she was eating that much, either, so I'm stumped. She acts healthy otherwise. I do feed dry food because that's what the other cat eats but I'm thinking I maybe should keep the cats food seperated and take Sakura to the vet and get a low cal diet for her.

Anyway, this isn't about Sakura, though. I do hope little Abby will start to feel better. Give him lots of love and cuddles. I pray things turn around soon for you all. Hugs to you and Abby!

[PrettyKitty1]

Opus dear,

As you know, IBD can be controlled with the proper diet. Had I known that when he was four months old I would have never given him steroids :( I didn't know steroids could make a cat diabetic!! Some say ignorance is bliss. Hmmm.........not all the time it isn't :) You are right. And we need to be careful when we give medication to our pets long term. There will always be side effects. A pill can improve something AND break something else at the same time!

Maddie,

Abby has been seen by specialists. I have had referals from his vets. The hospital I have taken him to is about 45 minutes from my house. I would drive almost every day to go see him after he had surgery. It was horrible!

Aligator,

Thank You!!! I appreciate the kind words. I'm afraid Abby will keep giving me heartaches, and I will always feel guilty. I will always feel like I could have done something to prevent it! You have no idea how much I pity him...

[aligator79]

Aww Man,  I was hoping it was a simple fix.  I should have known you had tried everything. You've been an excellent mommy and gone above and beyond what a lot of mommies would do.

[Maddie6]

Hi PK, I'm so sorry to hear Abby is not feeling well.  I'm just reading this and still half asleep, but have you thought about consulting a Specialist, like an Internal Medicine specialist at one of the animal specialty hospitals.  The only reason I throw this option out there is I was thinking back over two years ago when my Siamese kitty was so sick, it took a specialist at a big hospital to finally get to the bottom of his problems and diagnose and then treat.  The vets are great, but sometimes it takes a board certified internal medicine vet as a help, and they only treat by referral from an owner's vet.  It can be very expensive.  Hugs and prayers for you both.

[opus88]

yeah Pk thats what sometimes happens isn't it, but thats not your fault thats what some of these mediations do unfortunately...:((

[PrettyKitty1]

Opus,

Yes honey he was given lots of steroids. When he was a kitten, for his IBD, and then when his liver started malfunctioning. During that time, perhaps you remember? They performed a biopsy and found lots of fat in the liver and inflammation in the colon (IBD) So they gave me steroids. What you say then makes perfect sense.

In trying to get him all better I may created another problem!

[opus88]

yes PK, I was sure you had covered every possible base...don't ever blame yourself dear, you and baby Noah have been through a very tough ride this past year with the pregnancy and everything aftrwards....no matter how we want to we aren't super women and can't possibly do it all not even close. You didn't neglect Abby dear, you did all you could given the set of circumstances that you were dealt. You were barely able to care for yourself for months now, IMO you did amazingly well to hold it all together!!!!

You are giving Abby the best possible life you can for as long as you can, you can do no more than that!!! remember you are not in control of whatever is going on, if you should change foods he suffers another set of problems, therefore whatever is going on isn't within your controlllllllllll you are NOT a trained Vet.

lke I mentioned IF he had been on steroids during his illness this could now be causing hyperT or cushings......symptoms, depression,lethargy,pot bellied and diabetes...it may NOT have anything at all to do with food, I was just throwing out anything that came to mind............

GOD this is so frustrating when we know something isn't right and we can't put our finger on what it is or why.

Has Abby had blood work done recently?..that will be the place to start at and I do hope your Vet can give you some answers.

If I find out anything relevant I will let you know, please keep us updated hon and please never ever blame yourself you are the best possible mommy out there we all know that already.....♥

[PrettyKitty1]

Opus,

Yes dear I have read a lot about feline obesity. There is also plenty of info on www.catnutrition.org. This is why I do not laugh about it when I say he is FAT. It isn’t funny but dangerous.

I have never thought of those possible problems, such as depression or hyperthyroidism. I will talk to the vet about that. Very interesting!

As for the dry food. Gosh honey I know and trust me…..I feel so bad every time he eats that c rap.  But it is the only food which keeps his IBD in control, and keeps his appetite good so his liver functions won’t be affected. This is the food that saved him! The vet recommends that I do not change diets, and I understand. With his history it is best to stick to just one type of food. He has been anorexic in the past and I don’t want to get to that point ever again.
I have tried ALL wet foods, including the very expensive, close to being more natural ones with zero good results. Zippo! I guess it’s the juice or perhaps the protein. I guess even though they claim the foods are natural the protein still goes through some sort of process which makes them bad for Abby. Or perhaps it is Abby who is super sensitive to anything other than raw foods. He had been doing so well on raw food. He was fit and his fur..Gosh it was perfect! But he refuses to eat it now!
He really doesn’t eat much of this food but he likes it. And I cannot offer less because my other cat is in perfect condition.  Dillan went through blood tests recently. I always tell my vet to test for absolutely everything. It all came back normal.  On the other hand, Abby’s weight is alarming.

Now that I think about it he does seem depressed. He is just not the same cat anymore and I have no idea how to bring him back or what is causing it. You know, every time Dillan approaches him he’ll growl. That’s a sign that he does not feel well. And this has been going on for months. But with my extremely difficult pregnancy and post-partum experiences I overlooked and pretty much neglected my poor Abby.

[opus88]

hi Pk, I know you are very aware of this site...but have you read on the obesity link?
www.catinfo.org/?link=felineobesity

as you are aware dry food is so much higher in calories than wet. and higher in carbs, cats don't digest starches thus abdominal obesity and diabetes are often a result.

another thought, was Abby on lots of steroids during his recovery?....could he have developed cushings disease?...symptoms of lethargy, pot bellied despite eating less, and development of diabetes.

Or hyperthyroidism and the inability to burn calories efficiently?
depression thus not interested in playing....or just plain not feeling well(?)

what is it about wet food that causes his IBS diarrhea? it must be something he can't tolerate int he food itself, do you know what ingredient? have you tried mixing some psyllium with it this maybe enough to prevent the diarrhea and also psyllium stabilizes blood sugar levels....just throwing some thoughts out there, I know you've done tons or research on your own and are probably way ahead on all this stuff so forgive me if I'm being repetitious.(?)

just don't want this lovely little guy to be ill again!!!
♥

[PrettyKitty1]

Oh dear, I have even bought a stroller for Abby. In my desperation, I have bought so many different types of toys I just don't know which ones are the baby's and which ones are the cats'!! If I take out the cat tunnel he won't play in there like he used to. He will sleep in there. The cat tree is like a gym to my other cat. Abby considers that a nice cozy bed. He used to play Fetch. Not anymore. I do notice that when I introduce new toys Abby will hold back and let Dillan have all the fun even though he is just as curious and wants to play just as much. The only thing I have that makes him run a bit is the laser. But when Dillan jumps in Abby stops playing. Always.....for everything we do....when Dillan joins us....Abby stops, turns around.......and leaves. This has been happening since he got sick with fatty liver disease. Yet he is the one who gets most of the attention. I do not get it.

But, I will keep looking around see what other toys might interest him :-)