EXCELLENT !!! We had all the faith in you A&B !
Yay!!! Congratulations! You’re on your way now. After a while, it becomes part of the routine and you don’t have to think about it.
How often do you have to give him fluids and how much does he get? Have a great weekend and I hope Nigel is feeling good and eating good.
We’re thinking 100ccs every other day - I can do that every day if needed. We’ll see what he needs and go from there. I don’t think the vet expects much, but Nigel’s pretty happy right now, so I’m going to remain hopeful and do what we need to do to keep him that way.
YAY!! So glad to hear both bits of news: that you did the subq and Nigel is feeling better.
Onward! Upward!
I was able to do the subQs again today.
He’s drinking on his own, but not wanting to eat much. I picked up some different kinds of canned food today. I’ve been syringe-feeding him Science Diet kidney, but he HATES it. Hates the taste, hates the smell, hates me for making him eat it. So I thought maybe I could find something he hates slightly less.
The only thing that makes me feel better is that when he was really, truly, nearly-at-death’s-door sick with histo, I could syringe feed him with few problems. He’s fighting the feeding now. And the vet mentioned that when he’s not feeling well, he’s docile, but if he’s feeling better he’s a handful to deal with. I suspect he’s starting to feel sick, which was the point I’d hoped to avoid. I know that once they stop eating, it’s pretty much game over.
Good on subQ ! Keep up the good work and glad he is drinking on his own too.
Sometimes when I offer too many kinds of food = try too hard - and my cat is slightly nauseated - I think I make the situation worse. When I back off a bit - offer it - leave it … then if not touched - I remove the food … and try again after fluids when she/he is feeling better. Just what has happened here with several cat friends - don’t mean to preach … every cat is different and different every day ~
Sounds like you’re making progress - push onward ~ ((hugs)) for both of you ~
Will he eat non-kidney food? It would be better for him to eat the kidney diet, but #1 is probably to get him eating and #2 is for him to eat the kidney food.
They can be nauseated even if they’re not throwing up. You can try anti-nausea medicine or 1/4 Pepcid tablet and see if that helps.
Great job with the fluids! Hang in there. You’re still figuring out how to deal with things and this takes some time and trial/error.
No, preach away! I lost my Rascal to this last year (exactly same time of year) so I am fighting this as hard as I can.
I am letting him be as much as I can. He has several kinds of dry food available - the favorite is SD C/D. It is also everyone else’s favorite. He has hated canned food since he was sick last year, but with more moisture and less protein, I want to try to supplement with it.
He will eat some dry - he’s totally picky, it’s not just about the kidney diet, it’s all food.
I will try the Pepcid - I may have some. If there is a liquid, that would be easier!
I wish you were closer, I have a bunch of Blue Buffalo prescription Kidney wet food. My picky eater thinks it’s gross. It’s probably fine, she just thinks most things are gross. My healthy cat thought it was delicious, but she’s fat…
edited to add, the pepcid/famotidine (1/4 to 1/2 of a 10mg pill) is very small so not the worst to pill. Also it might be that once you a get dose or 2 in him he may be more likely to eat it in a piece of a pill pocket or some cheese, since he’s stomach might be a little more happy.
Dewey was a very picky eater too. I tried to give him so many kinds of wet food. He never ate any of them more than 1 or 2 bites. Most of them, he would smell it but not touch it.
I got dry Hill’s kidney food and he ate it OK. I was shocked because my other cats wouldn’t eat it. Most days, he ate some of the dry kidney food and some dry non-kidney food. I thought this was an acceptable compromise.
I may get that tomorrow, then - he hates the canned but I think the vet can give me some samples to see if he’ll eat the dry.
Thanks for the offer! But he is SO picky anyway, I don’t know what he wants. He came out a bit ago, and wanted to eat - clearly hungry! - but didn’t want anything I had. I finally syringed some RC kitten into him. He didn’t hate it as much as the SD. At least it’s food.
Try the Tiki Velvet Mousse. Ollie found that easy to eat even with the growth in his mouth. Or try the Sheba pate. It’s very soft and seems to dissolve in their mouths and they have to swallow it. The Wellness Core Tiny Tasters are the same and seem to be quite tempting. That’s the only thing that both Smudge and Ollie wanted when they were sick. Plus, all of those were easy to pull up in a syringe with the addition of a smidge of hot water. Or good old chicken baby food. Right now don’t be so concerned about diet, just get him to eat and you can figure out the rest when he is better. Poor guy - they don’t get that they feel sick because they aren’t eating and because they aren’t eating they feel sick.
Poor Nigel. I hope he takes a turn for the better. You take care of yourself and get some rest.
Looking in on you two this morning ~ hoping the fluids have administered smoothly and some cat food has been consumed ~
We know you are doing your best ~ and that it is not an easy assignment • physically and especially emotionally ~ push onward !
JINGLES & AO
Thank you, @Zu_Zu!
He’s holding his own, I think. He is eating a little - he refuses the food I got him yesterday, but likes a packet of Science Diet urinary dry food I had in the cupboard, so he’s eating that. I syringed some more canned into him this morning before I left for work, and he had a good long drink this morning as well. I didn’t do his subQ’s this morning - that’ll be when I get home tonight.
A quick update - Nigel isn’t feeling the best right now. I can definitely tell the difference between where he was Saturday and where he is today. But he’s still nibbling on dry, and tolerating me syringing his canned. SubQ’s are nerve-wracking, but going okay (he’s tired of it, though, I can tell). I got some Science Diet kidney dry yesterday, which he seemed moderately interested in, but didn’t really eat much of - just a few kibbles. I thought I’d try to soak some today and see if it’s something I can syringe instead, or maybe top it with some chicken broth or tuna juice.
I think I gave him a famatodine today - I cut the pill up, I clearly remember putting a quarter of it into a bit of canned food, but when I went to close the pill cutter afterwards, there was a piece on the counter that shouldn’t have been there. Yet I swear I put it in the canned food. Maybe it was a chunk of the mirtazopine that I forgot to pick up? Both are pink. I am choosing to believe that for now. I have been awake since 4am, so anything is possible.
Poor guy. Every time he sees me, he thinks I’m there to do something to him. I make sure to just sit and pet him when I can, just so he knows I’m not there solely to torture him. Which is what he must think right now.
Perhaps keep a written log/ date/time you administer pills or fluids ~ works for me - then I know • better than having to count pills and/or worry
Keep up the good work ~ enjoy your ‘cat’ day ~ The ZZ cat gang
- looks like I finally accomplished a pm to you … it was a challenge - just saying in case you received 16 strange messages !? Lol
My pm box is clogged permanently •
You’re doing the best you can. Take things one day at a time or one hour at a time. And you can only do what you can do. Sometimes you have to pick and choose what you do. There were a couple of supplements I could have given Dewey but I chose not to (it was a quality of life decision).
Hugs to you and Nigel. We’re here for you!
I think I only got 3, and thanks for them!