Sharyl,
Thank you for your input, I'd like to add that most kitties
initially don't like to be assist fed, this does not in most cases mean
they are ready to die. The process of not eating is a very vicious
cycle. When a cat doesn't feel good OR can't smell their food, they
most likely will not eat, even if they are no where near dying. A cat
with a bad URI may very well stop eating, I just went through this with
a stray my sister was feeding in her back yard. Kitty hadn't eaten for
a couple of days, I started her on antibiotics and in 2 more days she
started eating a little, then more as the antibiotics worked to clear up
her URI. If she hadn't started eating on her own I would have syringe
fed her, she couldn't smell her food and wanted to eat but wouldn't.
Once she could smell again and was feeling a little better she started
eating again.
When a cat is sick, they don't feel like eating, same as when a person
is sick, I have been sick enough several times in my life that food was
the last thing I wanted. Difference is for people not eating for a few
days is not life threatening, for a cat it very well can be. The longer
a cat goes with out food the worse they feel and weaker they get, the
worse they feel the less they want food ... you can see where this is going.
Syringe feeding a cat who has for whatever reason lost their appetite is
not torture, it can be a life-saver. I've had 3 cats I have had to
syringe feed, including Fred my CRF cat. He has been CRF for 3 years
and in the beginning while we were trying to get him regulated, he
stopped eating enough, he was eating but not enough. I syringe fed him
100cc or more a day, he hated it. After a few weeks I decided to get a
feeding tube put in to minimize the stress for both of us. He is alive
and well today, he is thinner, and his disease is progressing and it is
terminal and at some point nothing I do will help, but for now he is
alive and doing pretty well.
Many cats with cancer end up being syringe fed or with feeding tubes, I
have had 2 of these myself, both would have died sooner if not for the
syringe feeding and eventual feeding tubes. Buddie's quality of life
was very good her extra year, Bailey my positive not as good, because he
had constant diarrhea but except for that it wasn't horrible and if we
could have figured out what was going on with him before it was too late
... he developed and died of undiagnosed pancreatic cancer.
I personally will go to extremes if there is even a slim chance of
keeping my furkids going, you can't diagnose or find the correct
treatment for a dead pet, it is what I expect to be done for me. This
is my personal opinion and way of thinking and everyone has to make
their own decisions as to how far they will go, for me it is as far as
possible ... I have seen and heard of some miraculous turn-arounds and
that is why I feel the way I do.
ANY decision made out of love for your furbaby can not be wrong, you
must do what you are comfortable with, our furkids know whatever we do
or don't do is because we love them and want to do the best we can for them.
--
Belinda
happiness is being owned by cats ...
http://bemikitties.com
http://BelindaSauro.com
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