Wendy, Try to use carrot juice over V-8 as V-8 contains onion and it's not good for anemic cats at all.
I am sorry that you are torn. But please somehow get a permission from you husband to stay with Cricket - I am sorry, since Cricket can't ask you verbally, I am asking you and your husband on his behalf. He really needs you right now and needs to say with him. He is fighting for his life so hard and he needs you to fight with him right besides him. He does not have that much time left with you. This is probably the most critical time for him ever in his life. Please please stay with Cricket not go away - if I lived in Dallas, I would take care of him for you. Even he stays at a clinic, he will be very stressed, and won't eat and I am afraid that stress will further weaken him. Please consider staying with him. -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of wendy Sent: Friday, November 04, 2005 12:24 PM To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Subject: Re: Need help with Cricket's diet Dear Nina, Thank you for all the suggestions. I wrote them all down and will do my best before we leave to try some of them. I am very torn about leaving to go out of town and leaving Cricket. I keep hoping my husband will tell me he doesn't mind if I stay with Cricket, but I know he won't. He doesn't understand my love for my cats, although now that he has this puppy, I think it is helping. We have had this trip planned for a long time. It's a ministry opportunity that my husband really wanted us to take advantage of. I also promised to take my nephew to see the Texas State Aquarium while we are there. I keep telling myself that I am going to make myself enjoy this trip, but if I had my druthers, I'd just say I'm not going. But I don't want to let my husband down. And, he's already feeling a bit left out because I have been giving so much attention to Cricket lately. It's all I can do to take care of Cricket, not neglect my husband, take care of my nephew and stay on top of him regarding his homework, keep the house up, love my other kitties, make dinner, work 40 hours a week at my regular job, take classes two nights a week, and everything else in between. I honestly don't know how working moms (not to mention single working moms) do it. I really don't. I tried to find the liver shake recipe, but all I could come up with was this: 1 cup raw liver (beef or chicken) 1 raw egg yolk 1 tsp. kelp or spirulina 1/4 cup fresh filtered water 1 cup fresh carrot juice, V8, or tomato juice Is this the right recipe??? Also, what types of deli meat do you think would be most desired by a cat? Thanks again for listening and for your time and all the wonderful suggestions. We are trying to hang in there. :) Wendy --- Nina <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Wendy, > I'm very sorry to tell you this, but from what you > describe, if you > leave Cricket alone for 48 hours, there is a good > chance that he won't > be around when you get back, or he will deteriorate > considerably, (in 48 > hours, he may do that even with you home to > assist-feed him). His > condition sounds grave to me and since he's not > eating on his own and > his anemia is so advanced, he really needs to be > monitored and cared > for. If you can't find someone trustworthy to stay > with him, I'd > consider bringing him to a vet that will be able to > monitor him 24/7. > Just boarding him at a regular vet that closes up at > night with no one > in attendance won't be enough and will stress him > out without giving you > full benefit. > > As far as Cricket not eating... It's so frustrating > and upsetting > dealing with a kitty that will not eat, > unfortunately, I doubt very much > that he's eating when you're not looking and > refusing the tasty tid bits > you put down in front of him. Usually when a kitty > doesn't want to eat, > they will more readily lap at food. They start that > awful thing they do > with picking up pieces of food and then spitting > them out, like they've > forgotten how to chew. Oh, it's so terrible, I know > it is. Have you > tried the liver shake that has been posted on the > list? My Gypsy will > sometimes eat if I stay with her and encourage her > with soft words and > strokes. Try warming the goat milk and foods you're > offering, sometimes > the added aroma and feel of warmth on their tongue > helps. Also, if > Cricket turns his nose up and walks away, follow him > and put the bowl > down in front of him. I don't know why, but > sometimes they seem to have > to think about it and when they are immediately > offered food again, > they'll eat. For some reason they sometimes will > prefer a bowl over a > plate and visa versa, try switching what you are > serving the food on. > Offer the tiniest little bits of food, like a 1/4 of > a teaspoon at a > time, I think the sight and smell of a full bowl of > food may be > overwhelming for a kitty that doesn't feel good. I > think sick kitties > sometimes blame their discomfort on the food they > are eating. That may > be why they will suddenly refuse a favorite food, > but might try > something they've never eaten before, have you > offered Cricket lunch > meat in tiny little pieces? Also, assist-feeding > will usually cause an > aversion to whatever you are using, for example, if > Cricket has always > loved beef babyfood, he may not eat it after you've > been forcing him > to. Just something else to keep in mind. > > I'm sorry, my dear, I do know how hard this is. I > certainly don't want > to cause you any more upset than what you are > already going through. I > just wanted you to know that leaving him right now > could have > consequences that I wanted you to be aware of. If > it can't be helped, > it can't be helped. Everyone on this list is well > acquainted with the > "what if" syndrome. We end up beating ourselves up > over things we had > no way of controlling, we've gotten to be pretty > good at avoiding > anything that will later give us anymore guilt than > what we end up > suffering anyway. > > I'm thinking of you and feeling anguished for the > two of you, please > keep us informed. > Nina > > wendy wrote: > > >Hi guys, > > > >I am having a hard time getting Cricket to eat > right > >now. He is drinking water some and some tuna > juice, > >but it isn't much. I have been force feeding him > baby > >meat foods the past couple of days. He isn't very > >happy about it, but otherwise, he is going to be > too > >weak if he doesn't eat. I've tried tuna, salmon, > >goat's milk, yogurt, baby meat foods, and wet cat > >food-different varieties, and he doesn't seem > >interested in much of anything except for a little > >water and tuna juice now and then and some tuna > >flakes-just a little. I am hoping he is eating at > >night while I am sleeping or gone to work during > the > >day, but if he is, I don't think it's much. I have > >three other cats in the house and it's hard to tell > >who's doing what. He doesn't have any mouth sores, > >and he is dehydrated just a little bit. He's on > >prednisone still, and still making rbc's, but his > body > >is killing them as it makes them. He's still > anemic. > >We don't have the $300 to do a blood transfusion, > and > >that's not really an option anyway, since he is > making > >his own rbc's and the vet said the transfusion > might > >make his body try to fight the rbc's more. He's > still > >walking around a little, but weak due to lack of > >nutrients. He still purrs and sleeps with me at > night > >and goes outside to enjoy the air and sun, so I > know > >he's still enjoying life somewhat. But I don't > know > >what to do to get him to eat. Any ideas? Also, > we're > >going out of town tonight and I have to leave him > for > >48 hours. I am worried to death. My best friend > is > >going to stop by Sunday morning and give him his > >Prednisone and some fresh tuna, and we'll be home > >later that evening. Any thoughts or advice out > there? > > > >Thanks so much! > >Wendy > > > > > > > > > >__________________________________ > >Yahoo! Mail - PC Magazine Editors' Choice 2005 > >http://mail.yahoo.com > > > > > > > > > > > > > __________________________________ Start your day with Yahoo! - Make it your home page! http://www.yahoo.com/r/hs
