Re: [Felvtalk] What to feed a finicky, sick kitten?
Very good news, Amanda, I never had any of my FelV cat PTS until they were no long active or playing or eating. I keep them going as long as I can. Lorrie On 05-05, Amanda K. Payne wrote: Thanks again for the responses. I'm not sure if my original reply has been posted yet or not. Fortunately, Polli decided she liked food again late Thursday night and has regained her appetite somewhat. She's extremely thin now but is active and assisting me with cleaning and gardening. She also realized I keep some of her snacks in the fridge and has started going to the fridge and meowing whenever she wants food. I realize that more than likely her life will be a short one. She isn't the first FeLV+ cat that has found me and I doubt she'll be the last (they literally show up at my door or in my yard). However, I feel that as long as she's up and about, using her litter box, playing and drinking water, I owe it to her to try to get her to eat. -Amanda ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
Re: [Felvtalk] What to feed a finicky, sick kitten?
Do cats with this have problems with their anal glands? I'm sorry for your loss. Chris C. -Original Message- From: dlg...@windstream.net Sent: Saturday, May 04, 2013 4:38 PM To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] What to feed a finicky, sick kitten? I do know one thing, never trust a vet that says euthanize with no other alternatives. My vet is great, he tells you what could happen and then says it is up to you to keep them or not. My Annie is still going strong at 8 years (she was 4 when I got her). Nitnoy gave up her fight for life after I had her 2 years. It was not the FELV that killed her, but blocked anal glands. The ER vets missed that on sunday and I did not know until I took her to my vet on Monday. He checked her glands first thing, took care of them and I took her home to feed and love her. It was too late, She died purring as she kneaded my shoulder. You can believe that I drive the rest of my pride nuts checking their glands. That is one thing I will not be remiss on again. We learn as we go and each one of our babies teaches us something new. Maybe when it is my time to go, I will have learned all there is to know. In the meantime, I do my best, that is all I can do. Margo toomanykitti...@earthlink.net wrote: Hi Amanda, I'm sorry you're having this problem. First, I'd join Feline assisted feeding; http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/Feline-Assisted-Feeding/ It is very omportant you address this immediately, to avoid liver problems. You will probably have to learn to syringe feed, at least for a short time. Cats who stop eating (for whatever reason) can forget how. They need to be reminded. First, I'd ask your Vet for an appetite stimulant, I use cyproheptadine (Periactin) but Mirtazapine is also recommended. Buy a few cans of a/d, and a 10cc luer slip tip syringe. Hills a/d is a concentrated, pureed food that is meant to be syringe fed, and is easy to use. There are others like Clinicare, which is a liquid, but it's not readily available, and is really meant for tube feeding. Please don't second guess yourself, it's worth trying. My FeLV boy, Gribble, was in very bad shape at one point, and not expected to live. I syringe fed him for about 2 weeks after he decided eating was not something he wanted to do. That was in April. Today he's playing tag with the dog (his best buddy) and generally making life interesting for the rest of the cats in the household. You might want to check and see if the anemia has returned, that might be somewhere to start with treatment. Gribbs is on Interferon and DMG, but that's it right now. All the best to you both, Margo -Original Message- From: Amanda Payne amandak.pa...@gmail.com Sent: May 2, 2013 9:11 PM To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Subject: [Felvtalk] What to feed a finicky, sick kitten? Hello everyone! This is my first time using this forum :) I have a ten month old kitty, Polli, who was diagnosed with FeLV about two months ago. At that time, she started licking the walls and our potted plants in addition increasing lethargy. I took her to the vet where she was diagnosed with severe anemia related to FeLV. We were told we'd have to assist her to the rainbow bridge within days of the diagnosis. Thankfully, she's a fighter and is still with us. However, her appetite has been cause for worry. She's crazy about Temptations Treats and deli ham (I know, not the most nutritious diet but I'm thankful for anything she eats). The last two days, though, she won't eat. I've offered her baby food, Tiki Cat, Ziwi's wet food, lunch meat, tuna and her favorite treats but to no avail. I understand that the end may be near but I want to give everything a shot before I make that call. So, my question is, what do you give your cat that they just can't say no to? I'd love and appreciate any suggestions! Thank you, -Amanda ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
Re: [Felvtalk] What to feed a finicky, sick kitten?
Thanks again for the responses. I'm not sure if my original reply has been posted yet or not. Fortunately, Polli decided she liked food again late Thursday night and has regained her appetite somewhat. She's extremely thin now but is active and assisting me with cleaning and gardening. She also realized I keep some of her snacks in the fridge and has started going to the fridge and meowing whenever she wants food. I realize that more than likely her life will be a short one. She isn't the first FeLV+ cat that has found me and I doubt she'll be the last (they literally show up at my door or in my yard). However, I feel that as long as she's up and about, using her litter box, playing and drinking water, I owe it to her to try to get her to eat. -Amanda ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
Re: [Felvtalk] What to feed a finicky, sick kitten?
Hi Amanda, That's what I washoping to hear big smile. We all know that our FurKids are likely to be with us far less time than we would wish, but we do the best we can. Good for you, Polli! All the Best, Margo -Original Message- From: "Amanda K. Payne" <amandak.pa...@gmail.com>Sent: May 5, 2013 1:17 PM To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] What to feed a finicky, sick kitten? Thanks again for the responses. I'm not sure if my original reply has been posted yet or not. Fortunately, Polli decided she liked food again late Thursday night and has regained her appetite somewhat. She's extremely thin now but is active and "assisting" me with cleaning and gardening. She also realized I keep some of her snacks in the fridge and has started going to the fridge and meowing whenever she wants food. I realize that more than likely her life will be a short one. She isn't the first FeLV+ cat that has found me and I doubt she'll be the last (they literally show up at my door or in my yard). However, I feel that as long as she's up and about, using her litter box, playing and drinking water, I owe it to her to try to get her to eat. -Amanda ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
Re: [Felvtalk] What to feed a finicky, sick kitten?
Agreed. As long as they act like they want to keep going, that's a good thing. Beth Amanda K. Payne amandak.pa...@gmail.com wrote: Thanks again for the responses. I'm not sure if my original reply has been posted yet or not. Fortunately, Polli decided she liked food again late Thursday night and has regained her appetite somewhat. She's extremely thin now but is active and assisting me with cleaning and gardening. She also realized I keep some of her snacks in the fridge and has started going to the fridge and meowing whenever she wants food. I realize that more than likely her life will be a short one. She isn't the first FeLV+ cat that has found me and I doubt she'll be the last (they literally show up at my door or in my yard). However, I feel that as long as she's up and about, using her litter box, playing and drinking water, I owe it to her to try to get her to eat. -Amanda ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
Re: [Felvtalk] What to feed a finicky, sick kitten?
Watch the fridge, my guys have learned to open every door and drawer in the house. Right now Harley is helping me on the computer since it is raining and he cannot go out. .,,,/ signed Harley Amanda K. Payne amandak.pa...@gmail.com wrote: Thanks again for the responses. I'm not sure if my original reply has been posted yet or not. Fortunately, Polli decided she liked food again late Thursday night and has regained her appetite somewhat. She's extremely thin now but is active and assisting me with cleaning and gardening. She also realized I keep some of her snacks in the fridge and has started going to the fridge and meowing whenever she wants food. I realize that more than likely her life will be a short one. She isn't the first FeLV+ cat that has found me and I doubt she'll be the last (they literally show up at my door or in my yard). However, I feel that as long as she's up and about, using her litter box, playing and drinking water, I owe it to her to try to get her to eat. -Amanda ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
Re: [Felvtalk] What to feed a finicky, sick kitten?
Not always, it is just a secondary infection that they cannot fight off. This just happens to be an infection that Nitnoy could not fight off. cer...@new.rr.com wrote: Do cats with this have problems with their anal glands? I'm sorry for your loss. Chris C. -Original Message- From: dlg...@windstream.net Sent: Saturday, May 04, 2013 4:38 PM To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] What to feed a finicky, sick kitten? I do know one thing, never trust a vet that says euthanize with no other alternatives. My vet is great, he tells you what could happen and then says it is up to you to keep them or not. My Annie is still going strong at 8 years (she was 4 when I got her). Nitnoy gave up her fight for life after I had her 2 years. It was not the FELV that killed her, but blocked anal glands. The ER vets missed that on sunday and I did not know until I took her to my vet on Monday. He checked her glands first thing, took care of them and I took her home to feed and love her. It was too late, She died purring as she kneaded my shoulder. You can believe that I drive the rest of my pride nuts checking their glands. That is one thing I will not be remiss on again. We learn as we go and each one of our babies teaches us something new. Maybe when it is my time to go, I will have learned all there is to know. In the meantime, I do my best, that is all I can do. Margo toomanykitti...@earthlink.net wrote: Hi Amanda, I'm sorry you're having this problem. First, I'd join Feline assisted feeding; http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/Feline-Assisted-Feeding/ It is very omportant you address this immediately, to avoid liver problems. You will probably have to learn to syringe feed, at least for a short time. Cats who stop eating (for whatever reason) can forget how. They need to be reminded. First, I'd ask your Vet for an appetite stimulant, I use cyproheptadine (Periactin) but Mirtazapine is also recommended. Buy a few cans of a/d, and a 10cc luer slip tip syringe. Hills a/d is a concentrated, pureed food that is meant to be syringe fed, and is easy to use. There are others like Clinicare, which is a liquid, but it's not readily available, and is really meant for tube feeding. Please don't second guess yourself, it's worth trying. My FeLV boy, Gribble, was in very bad shape at one point, and not expected to live. I syringe fed him for about 2 weeks after he decided eating was not something he wanted to do. That was in April. Today he's playing tag with the dog (his best buddy) and generally making life interesting for the rest of the cats in the household. You might want to check and see if the anemia has returned, that might be somewhere to start with treatment. Gribbs is on Interferon and DMG, but that's it right now. All the best to you both, Margo -Original Message- From: Amanda Payne amandak.pa...@gmail.com Sent: May 2, 2013 9:11 PM To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Subject: [Felvtalk] What to feed a finicky, sick kitten? Hello everyone! This is my first time using this forum :) I have a ten month old kitty, Polli, who was diagnosed with FeLV about two months ago. At that time, she started licking the walls and our potted plants in addition increasing lethargy. I took her to the vet where she was diagnosed with severe anemia related to FeLV. We were told we'd have to assist her to the rainbow bridge within days of the diagnosis. Thankfully, she's a fighter and is still with us. However, her appetite has been cause for worry. She's crazy about Temptations Treats and deli ham (I know, not the most nutritious diet but I'm thankful for anything she eats). The last two days, though, she won't eat. I've offered her baby food, Tiki Cat, Ziwi's wet food, lunch meat, tuna and her favorite treats but to no avail. I understand that the end may be near but I want to give everything a shot before I make that call. So, my question is, what do you give your cat that they just can't say no to? I'd love and appreciate any suggestions! Thank you, -Amanda ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo
Re: [Felvtalk] What to feed a finicky, sick kitten?
How precious Amanda Thank you like all of us for taking on the trials of having a Felv kitty. It is heartbreaking at times but I would never take back bringing my baby into this house... I pray for you and pollis CHERI On May 5, 2013, at 4:52 PM, Beth create_me_...@yahoo.com wrote: Agreed. As long as they act like they want to keep going, that's a good thing. Beth Amanda K. Payne amandak.pa...@gmail.com wrote: Thanks again for the responses. I'm not sure if my original reply has been posted yet or not. Fortunately, Polli decided she liked food again late Thursday night and has regained her appetite somewhat. She's extremely thin now but is active and assisting me with cleaning and gardening. She also realized I keep some of her snacks in the fridge and has started going to the fridge and meowing whenever she wants food. I realize that more than likely her life will be a short one. She isn't the first FeLV+ cat that has found me and I doubt she'll be the last (they literally show up at my door or in my yard). However, I feel that as long as she's up and about, using her litter box, playing and drinking water, I owe it to her to try to get her to eat. -Amanda ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
Re: [Felvtalk] What to feed a finicky, sick kitten?
Hugs to u Margo CHERI On May 5, 2013, at 1:15 PM, cer...@new.rr.com wrote: Do cats with this have problems with their anal glands? I'm sorry for your loss. Chris C. -Original Message- From: dlg...@windstream.net Sent: Saturday, May 04, 2013 4:38 PM To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] What to feed a finicky, sick kitten? I do know one thing, never trust a vet that says euthanize with no other alternatives. My vet is great, he tells you what could happen and then says it is up to you to keep them or not. My Annie is still going strong at 8 years (she was 4 when I got her). Nitnoy gave up her fight for life after I had her 2 years. It was not the FELV that killed her, but blocked anal glands. The ER vets missed that on sunday and I did not know until I took her to my vet on Monday. He checked her glands first thing, took care of them and I took her home to feed and love her. It was too late, She died purring as she kneaded my shoulder. You can believe that I drive the rest of my pride nuts checking their glands. That is one thing I will not be remiss on again. We learn as we go and each one of our babies teaches us something new. Maybe when it is my time to go, I will have learned all there is to know. In the meantime, I do my best, that is all I can do. Margo toomanykitti...@earthlink.net wrote: Hi Amanda, I'm sorry you're having this problem. First, I'd join Feline assisted feeding; http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/Feline-Assisted-Feeding/ It is very omportant you address this immediately, to avoid liver problems. You will probably have to learn to syringe feed, at least for a short time. Cats who stop eating (for whatever reason) can forget how. They need to be reminded. First, I'd ask your Vet for an appetite stimulant, I use cyproheptadine (Periactin) but Mirtazapine is also recommended. Buy a few cans of a/d, and a 10cc luer slip tip syringe. Hills a/d is a concentrated, pureed food that is meant to be syringe fed, and is easy to use. There are others like Clinicare, which is a liquid, but it's not readily available, and is really meant for tube feeding. Please don't second guess yourself, it's worth trying. My FeLV boy, Gribble, was in very bad shape at one point, and not expected to live. I syringe fed him for about 2 weeks after he decided eating was not something he wanted to do. That was in April. Today he's playing tag with the dog (his best buddy) and generally making life interesting for the rest of the cats in the household. You might want to check and see if the anemia has returned, that might be somewhere to start with treatment. Gribbs is on Interferon and DMG, but that's it right now. All the best to you both, Margo -Original Message- From: Amanda Payne amandak.pa...@gmail.com Sent: May 2, 2013 9:11 PM To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Subject: [Felvtalk] What to feed a finicky, sick kitten? Hello everyone! This is my first time using this forum :) I have a ten month old kitty, Polli, who was diagnosed with FeLV about two months ago. At that time, she started licking the walls and our potted plants in addition increasing lethargy. I took her to the vet where she was diagnosed with severe anemia related to FeLV. We were told we'd have to assist her to the rainbow bridge within days of the diagnosis. Thankfully, she's a fighter and is still with us. However, her appetite has been cause for worry. She's crazy about Temptations Treats and deli ham (I know, not the most nutritious diet but I'm thankful for anything she eats). The last two days, though, she won't eat. I've offered her baby food, Tiki Cat, Ziwi's wet food, lunch meat, tuna and her favorite treats but to no avail. I understand that the end may be near but I want to give everything a shot before I make that call. So, my question is, what do you give your cat that they just can't say no to? I'd love and appreciate any suggestions! Thank you, -Amanda ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo
Re: [Felvtalk] What to feed a finicky, sick kitten?
-Original Message- From: Lorrie felineres...@frontier.com Sent: May 4, 2013 8:04 AM To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Subject: [Felvtalk] What to feed a finicky, sick kitten? Amanda, I can tell you love Polli very much, but if the vet suggested euthanasia I think you should take his advice. Anemia is not an easy way to die, and the kindest thing you can do for Polliis is give her a gentle death. I lost three FelV kittens in two months and I tried to keep the first one going by forcing her to eat, but I realized I was only prolonging the inevitable. The poor cat gagged and struggled to get away from me, and I will never do this to a dying cat again. Force feeding or assisted feeding is advised when there is hope the cat will get better, but there is no cure for Feline Leukemia and Polli will suffer more each day that she is alive. Lorrie Lorrie, I'm very sorry that you have had such heartbreaking experience with your cats. Fortunately, it isn't always that way. Each cat (and human) is an individual, and wat was right for you and your cats might not have been right for another situation. Many Vets will suggest euthanizing any cat that tests positive. It was suggested to me because it is hospital policy to do so. My Vet knows me pretty weel, so what she said was It would probably be best to euthanize him. Now that I've said that, let's see what we can do to help him. And we did. Long story short, he was diagnosed as FeLV+ (previous test was negative) on March 2, my birthday. At one point before that his temp was 107+. His WBC count was 2.7 (Lab normal starts at 5). It was a long haul, but worth it. He is back to himself today. I didn't force feed. I assisted. I gave him 1/2-1 cc at a time, and only until he pulled back. Then we stopped until later. He never struggled. As he gained strength, he objected more quickly, but would eat a bit more on his own. His appetite returned, slowly. He is not suffering. He will never be cured. He will always be FeLV+, though someday tests may show him -, as they did when I first got him. Is his lifespan likely to be short? Yes. Perhaps no more than a few months. But right now, life is good. And none of us know just how long we will be here. This is a very tough situation, and may require really gut-wrenching decisions. But it isn't cut and dried. Not every FeLV positive cat must be euthanized for the good of the cat. Symptoms may respond to treatment, and anemia is VERY treatable. Will it work? I don;t know. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Some do survive. Maybe Polli will be one of the lucky ones. Maybe that's not to be. Pollt may not respond to treatment, or may be unduly stressed by it, and it won;t be reasonable to treat her. But Amanda knows her Furkid better than anyone, and I'm sure she wants what will be best for her. Amanda, my thoughts will be with you and Polli. Your heart will tell you what to do, and such decisions are never wrong. I will support whatever choice you make, hard as it may be. All the best, Margo ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
Re: [Felvtalk] What to feed a finicky, sick kitten?
BEEN THERE AND DONE THAT, BUT IT IS WORTH IT. Lee Evans moonsiste...@yahoo.com wrote: I have very good results from syringe feeding Hills A/D to anorexic cats. I saved the life of a cat with a corona virus using a combination of A/D and blended Wellness Canned Food, stuffed with liquid vitamins and acidophiles. I would sit her on my lap and feed about a quarter of the mixture 4 times a day. This poor cat had come to my yard looking fairly good but soon went downhill. She was pregnant but had a partial miscarriage in my yard. Then the vet said that she was too weak and underweight to spay and was running a fever. So he gave her something that would make her abort the rest of the fetuses. It didn't but it almost killed her. I dragged her back and told them to spay her because anything was better than what she was going through. Her temp was two points above normal and she was groaning. They spayed her. Amazingly she survived. They pumped her full of antibiotics and returned the poor almost bald skeleton to me. I took her upstairs to a flea-free isolation room, and began the two month protocol of syringe feeding and flea combing her. At the end of the two months, she was eating on her own, her fur was growing back and she was jumping in the air after a ping-pong ball, her favorite game. She soon began to get chubby and after all her fur grew back she looked like some type of calico breed. I sent a picture of her to a woman who knows breeds and was told this cat was a Turkish Van. She got adopted in 2005. I have had to syringe feed several cats, including one with feline hepatic lipidosis. I usually put a towel on my lap, wear a shirt that can be thrown into the wash afterwards. Then I place the cat on my lap and go to with the syringe and food. I pet in between squirts and talk softly and lovingly to them so they feel that they are having some quality time also.Always have a box or tissue handy to wipe the mess off their mouth after several squirts. This is not a neat situation and cats don't like food running down their chin. Spay and Neuter your cats and dogs and your weird relatives and nasty neighbors too! From: Margo toomanykitti...@earthlink.net To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Sent: Friday, May 3, 2013 7:16 AM Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] What to feed a finicky, sick kitten? Hi Amanda, I'm sorry you're having this problem. First, I'd join Feline assisted feeding; http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/Feline-Assisted-Feeding/ It is very omportant you address this immediately, to avoid liver problems. You will probably have to learn to syringe feed, at least for a short time. Cats who stop eating (for whatever reason) can forget how. They need to be reminded. First, I'd ask your Vet for an appetite stimulant, I use cyproheptadine (Periactin) but Mirtazapine is also recommended. Buy a few cans of a/d, and a 10cc luer slip tip syringe. Hills a/d is a concentrated, pureed food that is meant to be syringe fed, and is easy to use. There are others like Clinicare, which is a liquid, but it's not readily available, and is really meant for tube feeding. Please don't second guess yourself, it's worth trying. My FeLV boy, Gribble, was in very bad shape at one point, and not expected to live. I syringe fed him for about 2 weeks after he decided eating was not something he wanted to do. That was in April. Today he's playing tag with the dog (his best buddy) and generally making life interesting for the rest of the cats in the household. You might want to check and see if the anemia has returned, that might be somewhere to start with treatment. Gribbs is on Interferon and DMG, but that's it right now. All the best to you both, Margo -Original Message- From: Amanda Payne amandak.pa...@gmail.com Sent: May 2, 2013 9:11 PM To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Subject: [Felvtalk] What to feed a finicky, sick kitten? Hello everyone! This is my first time using this forum :) I have a ten month old kitty, Polli, who was diagnosed with FeLV about two months ago. At that time, she started licking the walls and our potted plants in addition increasing lethargy. I took her to the vet where she was diagnosed with severe anemia related to FeLV. We were told we'd have to assist her to the rainbow bridge within days of the diagnosis. Thankfully, she's a fighter and is still with us. However, her appetite has been cause for worry. She's crazy about Temptations Treats and deli ham (I know, not the most nutritious diet but I'm thankful for anything she eats). The last two days, though, she won't eat. I've offered her baby food, Tiki Cat, Ziwi's wet food, lunch meat, tuna and her favorite treats but to no avail. I understand that the end may be near but I want to give everything a shot before I make that call. So, my question is, what do you give
Re: [Felvtalk] What to feed a finicky, sick kitten?
Margo, To clarify what I wrote I NEVER euthanize any of my FelV cats when they are diagnosed as positive. I keep them as long as they remain healthy and active, which is usually 10 months to a year. However, when they become anemic, sick, waste away, and my vet can no longer make their quality life good, then, and only then, I feel it is time to help them over the Rainbow Bridge... This is a decision we each make, and it is never an easy one. I have a FelV sanctuary so I've had quite a lot of experience with the FelV virus. I have two positive cats that are still doing well at 4 years of age. It is different with each cat, and we each have to make our own decision about their care. That said, I hope Polli does well with the assisted feeding or whatever treatment Amanda has chosen for her. Lorrie On 05-04, Margo wrote: I'm very sorry that you have had such heartbreaking experience with your cats. Fortunately, it isn't always that way. Each cat (and human) is an individual, and wat was right for you and your cats might not have been right for another situation. Many Vets will suggest euthanizing any cat that tests positive. It was suggested to me because it is hospital policy to do so. My Vet knows me pretty weel, so what she said was It would probably be best to euthanize him. Now that I've said that, let's see what we can do to help him. And we did. Long story short, he was diagnosed as FeLV+ (previous test was negative) on March 2, my birthday. At one point before that his temp was 107+. His WBC count was 2.7 (Lab normal starts at 5). It was a long haul, but worth it. He is back to himself today. I didn't force feed. I assisted. I gave him 1/2-1 cc at a time, and only until he pulled back. Then we stopped until later. He never struggled. As he gained strength, he objected more quickly, but would eat a bit more on his own. His appetite returned, slowly. He is not suffering. He will never be cured. He will always be FeLV+, though someday tests may show him -, as they did when I first got him. Is his lifespan likely to be short? Yes. Perhaps no more than a few months. But right now, life is good. And none of us know just how long we will be here. This is a very tough situation, and may require really gut-wrenching decisions. But it isn't cut and dried. Not every FeLV positive cat must be euthanized for the good of the cat. Symptoms may respond to treatment, and anemia is VERY treatable. Will it work? I don;t know. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Some do survive. Maybe Polli will be one of the lucky ones. Maybe that's not to be. Polli may not respond to treatment, or may be unduly stressed by it, and it won;t be reasonable to treat her. But Amanda knows her Fur kid better than anyone, and I'm sure she wants what will be best for her. Amanda, my thoughts will be with you and Polli. Your heart will tell you what to do, and such decisions are never wrong. I will support whatever choice you make, hard as it may be. All the best, Margo ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
Re: [Felvtalk] What to feed a finicky, sick kitten?
I do know one thing, never trust a vet that says euthanize with no other alternatives. My vet is great, he tells you what could happen and then says it is up to you to keep them or not. My Annie is still going strong at 8 years (she was 4 when I got her). Nitnoy gave up her fight for life after I had her 2 years. It was not the FELV that killed her, but blocked anal glands. The ER vets missed that on sunday and I did not know until I took her to my vet on Monday. He checked her glands first thing, took care of them and I took her home to feed and love her. It was too late, She died purring as she kneaded my shoulder. You can believe that I drive the rest of my pride nuts checking their glands. That is one thing I will not be remiss on again. We learn as we go and each one of our babies teaches us something new. Maybe when it is my time to go, I will have learned all there is to know. In the meantime, I do my best, that is all I can do. Margo toomanykitti...@earthlink.net wrote: Hi Amanda, I'm sorry you're having this problem. First, I'd join Feline assisted feeding; http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/Feline-Assisted-Feeding/ It is very omportant you address this immediately, to avoid liver problems. You will probably have to learn to syringe feed, at least for a short time. Cats who stop eating (for whatever reason) can forget how. They need to be reminded. First, I'd ask your Vet for an appetite stimulant, I use cyproheptadine (Periactin) but Mirtazapine is also recommended. Buy a few cans of a/d, and a 10cc luer slip tip syringe. Hills a/d is a concentrated, pureed food that is meant to be syringe fed, and is easy to use. There are others like Clinicare, which is a liquid, but it's not readily available, and is really meant for tube feeding. Please don't second guess yourself, it's worth trying. My FeLV boy, Gribble, was in very bad shape at one point, and not expected to live. I syringe fed him for about 2 weeks after he decided eating was not something he wanted to do. That was in April. Today he's playing tag with the dog (his best buddy) and generally making life interesting for the rest of the cats in the household. You might want to check and see if the anemia has returned, that might be somewhere to start with treatment. Gribbs is on Interferon and DMG, but that's it right now. All the best to you both, Margo -Original Message- From: Amanda Payne amandak.pa...@gmail.com Sent: May 2, 2013 9:11 PM To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Subject: [Felvtalk] What to feed a finicky, sick kitten? Hello everyone! This is my first time using this forum :) I have a ten month old kitty, Polli, who was diagnosed with FeLV about two months ago. At that time, she started licking the walls and our potted plants in addition increasing lethargy. I took her to the vet where she was diagnosed with severe anemia related to FeLV. We were told we'd have to assist her to the rainbow bridge within days of the diagnosis. Thankfully, she's a fighter and is still with us. However, her appetite has been cause for worry. She's crazy about Temptations Treats and deli ham (I know, not the most nutritious diet but I'm thankful for anything she eats). The last two days, though, she won't eat. I've offered her baby food, Tiki Cat, Ziwi's wet food, lunch meat, tuna and her favorite treats but to no avail. I understand that the end may be near but I want to give everything a shot before I make that call. So, my question is, what do you give your cat that they just can't say no to? I'd love and appreciate any suggestions! Thank you, -Amanda ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
Re: [Felvtalk] What to feed a finicky, sick kitten?
Hi Amanda, I'm sorry you're having this problem. First, I'd join Feline assisted feeding; http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/Feline-Assisted-Feeding/ It is very omportant you address this immediately, to avoid liver problems. You will probably have to learn to syringe feed, at least for a short time. Cats who stop eating (for whatever reason) can forget how. They need to be reminded. First, I'd ask your Vet for an appetite stimulant, I use cyproheptadine (Periactin) but Mirtazapine is also recommended. Buy a few cans of a/d, and a 10cc luer slip tip syringe. Hills a/d is a concentrated, pureed food that is meant to be syringe fed, and is easy to use. There are others like Clinicare, which is a liquid, but it's not readily available, and is really meant for tube feeding. Please don't second guess yourself, it's worth trying. My FeLV boy, Gribble, was in very bad shape at one point, and not expected to live. I syringe fed him for about 2 weeks after he decided eating was not something he wanted to do. That was in April. Today he's playing tag with the dog (his best buddy) and generally making life interesting for the rest of the cats in the household. You might want to check and see if the anemia has returned, that might be somewhere to start with treatment. Gribbs is on Interferon and DMG, but that's it right now. All the best to you both, Margo -Original Message- From: Amanda Payne amandak.pa...@gmail.com Sent: May 2, 2013 9:11 PM To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Subject: [Felvtalk] What to feed a finicky, sick kitten? Hello everyone! This is my first time using this forum :) I have a ten month old kitty, Polli, who was diagnosed with FeLV about two months ago. At that time, she started licking the walls and our potted plants in addition increasing lethargy. I took her to the vet where she was diagnosed with severe anemia related to FeLV. We were told we'd have to assist her to the rainbow bridge within days of the diagnosis. Thankfully, she's a fighter and is still with us. However, her appetite has been cause for worry. She's crazy about Temptations Treats and deli ham (I know, not the most nutritious diet but I'm thankful for anything she eats). The last two days, though, she won't eat. I've offered her baby food, Tiki Cat, Ziwi's wet food, lunch meat, tuna and her favorite treats but to no avail. I understand that the end may be near but I want to give everything a shot before I make that call. So, my question is, what do you give your cat that they just can't say no to? I'd love and appreciate any suggestions! Thank you, -Amanda ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
Re: [Felvtalk] What to feed a finicky, sick kitten?
I have very good results from syringe feeding Hills A/D to anorexic cats. I saved the life of a cat with a corona virus using a combination of A/D and blended Wellness Canned Food, stuffed with liquid vitamins and acidophiles. I would sit her on my lap and feed about a quarter of the mixture 4 times a day. This poor cat had come to my yard looking fairly good but soon went downhill. She was pregnant but had a partial miscarriage in my yard. Then the vet said that she was too weak and underweight to spay and was running a fever. So he gave her something that would make her abort the rest of the fetuses. It didn't but it almost killed her. I dragged her back and told them to spay her because anything was better than what she was going through. Her temp was two points above normal and she was groaning. They spayed her. Amazingly she survived. They pumped her full of antibiotics and returned the poor almost bald skeleton to me. I took her upstairs to a flea-free isolation room, and began the two month protocol of syringe feeding and flea combing her. At the end of the two months, she was eating on her own, her fur was growing back and she was jumping in the air after a ping-pong ball, her favorite game. She soon began to get chubby and after all her fur grew back she looked like some type of calico breed. I sent a picture of her to a woman who knows breeds and was told this cat was a Turkish Van. She got adopted in 2005. I have had to syringe feed several cats, including one with feline hepatic lipidosis. I usually put a towel on my lap, wear a shirt that can be thrown into the wash afterwards. Then I place the cat on my lap and go to with the syringe and food. I pet in between squirts and talk softly and lovingly to them so they feel that they are having some quality time also.Always have a box or tissue handy to wipe the mess off their mouth after several squirts. This is not a neat situation and cats don't like food running down their chin. Spay and Neuter your cats and dogs and your weird relatives and nasty neighbors too! From: Margo toomanykitti...@earthlink.net To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Sent: Friday, May 3, 2013 7:16 AM Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] What to feed a finicky, sick kitten? Hi Amanda, I'm sorry you're having this problem. First, I'd join Feline assisted feeding; http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/Feline-Assisted-Feeding/ It is very omportant you address this immediately, to avoid liver problems. You will probably have to learn to syringe feed, at least for a short time. Cats who stop eating (for whatever reason) can forget how. They need to be reminded. First, I'd ask your Vet for an appetite stimulant, I use cyproheptadine (Periactin) but Mirtazapine is also recommended. Buy a few cans of a/d, and a 10cc luer slip tip syringe. Hills a/d is a concentrated, pureed food that is meant to be syringe fed, and is easy to use. There are others like Clinicare, which is a liquid, but it's not readily available, and is really meant for tube feeding. Please don't second guess yourself, it's worth trying. My FeLV boy, Gribble, was in very bad shape at one point, and not expected to live. I syringe fed him for about 2 weeks after he decided eating was not something he wanted to do. That was in April. Today he's playing tag with the dog (his best buddy) and generally making life interesting for the rest of the cats in the household. You might want to check and see if the anemia has returned, that might be somewhere to start with treatment. Gribbs is on Interferon and DMG, but that's it right now. All the best to you both, Margo -Original Message- From: Amanda Payne amandak.pa...@gmail.com Sent: May 2, 2013 9:11 PM To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Subject: [Felvtalk] What to feed a finicky, sick kitten? Hello everyone! This is my first time using this forum :) I have a ten month old kitty, Polli, who was diagnosed with FeLV about two months ago. At that time, she started licking the walls and our potted plants in addition increasing lethargy. I took her to the vet where she was diagnosed with severe anemia related to FeLV. We were told we'd have to assist her to the rainbow bridge within days of the diagnosis. Thankfully, she's a fighter and is still with us. However, her appetite has been cause for worry. She's crazy about Temptations Treats and deli ham (I know, not the most nutritious diet but I'm thankful for anything she eats). The last two days, though, she won't eat. I've offered her baby food, Tiki Cat, Ziwi's wet food, lunch meat, tuna and her favorite treats but to no avail. I understand that the end may be near but I want to give everything a shot before I make that call. So, my question is, what do you give your cat that they just can't say no to? I'd love and appreciate any suggestions! Thank you, -Amanda
Re: [Felvtalk] What to feed a finicky, sick kitten?
Dear Amanda, Here is a list of food I have been trying with my very picky Felv+, CRF stage 4, 16 yrs old cat: Can food: Soulistic glee fish based cans (Petco store brand, the crf group finds that it generally works works well to make cats to eat again) AvoDerm TunaCrab Fancy Feast, Classic tuna/salmon based can Canyon Creek Ranch, Trout Catfish Weruva, Tuna shirasu Tiki cat, Tuna BFF, Tuna Aspic Simply nourish (Petsmart store brand), tuna potato stew, salmon chicken stew, tuna chicken stew Treat: whole life http://www.amazon.com/Whole-Life-Pet-Products-Natural/dp/B00ATWNJIY/ref=sr_1_4?s=pet-suppliesie=UTF8qid=1367545823sr=1-4 If none of above works, I would probably try syringe feeding to maintain Polli's weight. For our cat, after her weight was low to some point, she just stopped eating. But after we brought her weight back this week, she starts eating by herself again (even though her anemic level has been almost the same, pcv 9%-12%). Other possibility is to ask vet to prescribe appetite stimulants like Mirtazapine, which I heard works pretty well. The CRF group has a page talking about how to tempt cats to eat, although it is not particular for FeLV + cats, but the techniques mentioned work on our cat. http://www.felinecrf.org/persuading_cat_to_eat.htm Hope this can help Polli... Catherine On Thu, May 2, 2013 at 9:11 PM, Amanda Payne amandak.pa...@gmail.comwrote: Hello everyone! This is my first time using this forum :) I have a ten month old kitty, Polli, who was diagnosed with FeLV about two months ago. At that time, she started licking the walls and our potted plants in addition increasing lethargy. I took her to the vet where she was diagnosed with severe anemia related to FeLV. We were told we'd have to assist her to the rainbow bridge within days of the diagnosis. Thankfully, she's a fighter and is still with us. However, her appetite has been cause for worry. She's crazy about Temptations Treats and deli ham (I know, not the most nutritious diet but I'm thankful for anything she eats). The last two days, though, she won't eat. I've offered her baby food, Tiki Cat, Ziwi's wet food, lunch meat, tuna and her favorite treats but to no avail. I understand that the end may be near but I want to give everything a shot before I make that call. So, my question is, what do you give your cat that they just can't say no to? I'd love and appreciate any suggestions! Thank you, -Amanda ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
Re: [Felvtalk] What to feed a finicky, sick kitten?
Basically, try anything in your refrigerator! But things I've found that sometimes worked: Fancy Feast Classic Chicken White Rose canned tuna (people tuna) Yogurt Cottage Cheese Gerber Stage 3 baby food-ham or chicken or beef or turkey Tuna water (from canned people tuna in water) Liverwurst Ham or prosciutto Kentucky Fried Chicken (boneless) Chicken soup None are recommended for long term use--but when you're basically just trying to get something in the cat, go for anything they want...Also, sometimes, just heating the food (not yogurt or cott cheese) a bit makes it have more of an aroma. -Original Message- From: Felvtalk [mailto:felvtalk-boun...@felineleukemia.org] On Behalf Of Amanda Payne Sent: Thursday, May 02, 2013 9:11 PM To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Subject: [Felvtalk] What to feed a finicky, sick kitten? Hello everyone! This is my first time using this forum :) I have a ten month old kitty, Polli, who was diagnosed with FeLV about two months ago. At that time, she started licking the walls and our potted plants in addition increasing lethargy. I took her to the vet where she was diagnosed with severe anemia related to FeLV. We were told we'd have to assist her to the rainbow bridge within days of the diagnosis. Thankfully, she's a fighter and is still with us. However, her appetite has been cause for worry. She's crazy about Temptations Treats and deli ham (I know, not the most nutritious diet but I'm thankful for anything she eats). The last two days, though, she won't eat. I've offered her baby food, Tiki Cat, Ziwi's wet food, lunch meat, tuna and her favorite treats but to no avail. I understand that the end may be near but I want to give everything a shot before I make that call. So, my question is, what do you give your cat that they just can't say no to? I'd love and appreciate any suggestions! Thank you, -Amanda ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org ___ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
