Jay is getting healthier and feistier by the day. I tried again to give him his subQ fluids and he would have none of it. My daughter was upset that I attempted it alone this time. "You wasted a needle." I was instructed to return them to the vet's office (I'm pretty sure it's illegal to throw them in the trash) and they can give me more if they want me to keep trying. They've been calling daily for progress reports and seem more concerned with his diet than my success with giving him fluids.
They sent him home with a prescription food, but warned me that you can't starve a cat into eating. They'll go into liver failure and die. He gave the reasons why but the only part I remember is "liver failure and die". I tried to add water like the vet wanted. Jay took a look, turned up his nose, and walked away. I gave it to him without additional water and he took two bites then looked at me as if to say, "You must be joking." If I mix it with some Friskie's canned cat food he'll eat some of it, but not happily. The goal is to add more and more of the new food until he's only eating his new diet.
Ironically Faith, who is usually the picky one, is happy to gobble down whatever Jay doesn't eat. I let her since I was also told that if I try to make her lose weight too fast, that will also cause liver problems and she'll die. We're hoping that switching her to wet food instead of dry will help her reach a healthier weight. According to the good doctor, dry food makes cats fat.
10 comments:
Jen--I have heard the opposite--That wet food causes and contributes to Kidney failure, do to high protein content. But maybe that is with the cheap food like you described. We have used IAMS dry on all of our cats and all lived over 15 years!
Some with Hairball control and some Healthy Weight for the Seniors of the group. I'm sure you Vet knows best however.
Best wishes for Jay!
John
hopefully he starts eating more...ugh...better than needles though....
Good luck with switching him over to the new food. Maybe he'll start liking it better.
Cats are obligate carnivores, so restricting protein doesn't make sense. I think it's other stuff in the cheap food, or not quality protein sources.
My daughter heard IAMS tests on cats in labs and doesn't want to feed that to them.
http://www.catsofaustralia.com/cat-kidney-disease.htm
Hi Jen. Happy New Year!
Yes, I've been a slacker with making the blogging rounds...but I always say that, don't I? lol
I expected a "man" post, or a "business" post, or "school" or "hiking." But it's a kitty post! Best wishes in getting him healthy.
We have six dogs at the moment (it's varied over the years considering all the strays we've taken in), so we don't opt for the more expensive foods. Still, I try to stay away from the cheapest.
We had a rottie girl (our Esther) who was diagnosed with chronic cystitis when she was a wee pup. They prescribed special food which I ended up mixing 50/50 with a store brand that had similar ingredients. What actually helped her most was when I began giving her cranberry capsules each day. She only had to have an antibiotic once more in the next 9 years of her life!
Hope Jay gets well very soon!!
Cats are resilient.
My cat was stuck in someone's roof for two weeks with no food or water.
We walked the streets looking for him and eventually heard his by now hoarse last moments of life type of meows form inside a roof.
We had to rescue him from the neighbors roof. How he got inside is a mystery. He looked half dead.
Well he got home and drank a lot of milk. We let him rest and he sure bounced back fast enough. These cats go outside and eat birds, mice,rabbits anything they can hunt and nothing bothers them. They live to up to 18 years with the least amount of effort. So I would not be happy paying 1000 dollars for kitty litter poisoning.That should not happen.
I'd use sand which then could be washed and reused again later.
Vets always want you to buy the most expensive food and the best thing for cats is dry food for 6 dollars a bag and water.The more you spend the more problems you end up with.
Thats from a woman who always had animals from her childhood. Today they care for animals better than they care for people. Is it me? or is something not right here.?lol
Jen--on a lighter note-- How about Cache and Bury???
And Jen--it is the amount and quality of Protein as well as additives in Canned Food that contributes to Renal Problems. But like you say--there are so many conflicting studies depending on who wants to sell what!
You are totally competent to handle you wonderful cats!!! Keep us posted on how they do, and what you feed them, and weight control! I'd really like to know, as we have two now- and one is a Lard A**.
J
If the cats are successfully hunting birds and mice, as opposed to dumpster diving, they are eating exactly what they evolved to eat. Cats fed exclusively dry food is not good, as I learned the hard way.
We don't want people thinking it's ok to bury caches...that's a no-no...I do love the name except for that tiny little issue.
OK--My Bad--but- DUH--like NOW I see the point! Sorry-- You learn me sumpin every day!!
J
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