Topic: unexplained aversion to food (Read 65040 times)

Skiddaw · « **Reply #30 on:** February 01, 2013, 15:15:42 PM »

He's gorgeous

Will keep everything crossed that they can both get to the bottom of it and treat it.

jrichemont · « **Reply #29 on:** February 01, 2013, 15:13:58 PM »

I think so! And he has a wonderful personality too; he takes everything life throws at him with calm equanimity. He's gentle with strangers, unbothered by other animals even dogs, enjoys travel - even ill yesterday in his box on the train he sat calmly and looked out of the train window with great interest at the lights going past; never a squeak out of him. At the vet's he sits still of the examination table without struggles, and, when the vet's done with him I put him on the floor and he walks back into his box and sits down.
All cats are wonderful of course but I can't help but feel my gentle giant is a little extra special...

Jeremy

Sue P (Paddysmum) · « **Reply #28 on:** February 01, 2013, 15:02:41 PM »

Aw - Jonah's beautiful - absolutely magnificent

jrichemont · « **Reply #27 on:** February 01, 2013, 14:58:50 PM »

I thought a picture of him would be nice...

Stuart · « **Reply #26 on:** February 01, 2013, 14:41:24 PM »

sending loads of positive vibes Jonah's way
and keeping everything crossed

jrichemont · « **Reply #25 on:** February 01, 2013, 13:04:29 PM »

Thanks again everyone. The hospital will call this evening with news and I will of course post it on here.

Jeremy

Sue P (Paddysmum) · « **Reply #24 on:** February 01, 2013, 12:54:20 PM »

Sending every good wish for Jonah, and for you too - is horrible when they're away from us.

Tigerlily (Allison) · « **Reply #23 on:** February 01, 2013, 12:44:57 PM »

Thanks for letting us know Jeremy. Sending lots of get well vibes for Jonah

Tiggy's Mum · « **Reply #22 on:** February 01, 2013, 12:14:57 PM »

Fingers crossed the fluid therapy and feeding tube help him to turn the corner, do let us know when you get the results back

Jiji · « **Reply #21 on:** February 01, 2013, 12:07:06 PM »

Sending good wishes to you both

Gill (sneakiefeline) · « **Reply #20 on:** February 01, 2013, 11:51:00 AM »

Sending all the best wishes I have for Jonah

jrichemont · « **Reply #19 on:** February 01, 2013, 11:35:41 AM »

Hi everyone and thanks for your kind thoughts.

At the vet's advice, Jonah was admitted as an emergency case to the Royal veterinary hospital outside London last night and placed on a drip.

Today he will get a set of tests - ultrasound, x-ray and a biopsy - to try and see what the issue is. Plus he gets a feeding tube in his neck to get some nourishment inside him. I'll know more when the results start coming in...

Jeremy

Tigerlily (Allison) · « **Reply #18 on:** February 01, 2013, 08:31:16 AM »

How very sad for you Jeremy

Stuart · « **Reply #17 on:** February 01, 2013, 08:26:17 AM »

sending tons of

It does sound like CRF to me also

with Jonah being an indoor only, have you noticed he is drinking / going to the toilet more?

keeping fingers crossed it's not, and that the Vet has discovered what's wrong

Sue P (Paddysmum) · « **Reply #16 on:** February 01, 2013, 07:03:50 AM »

Hello Jeremy

I'm hesitant to ask, but what news of your visit to the vet yesterday?

Gill (sneakiefeline) · « **Reply #15 on:** January 31, 2013, 17:26:55 PM »

Oh Jeremy I do hope they can find out what is wrong with Jonah quickly cos sadly I lost my birman last aug who suddenly lost all his weight in 24 hrs and that was kidneys.

He had been suffering with kidneys for a while but its such a shock when they stop eating and the weight just goes, he had just had his 19th birthday 3 days early and stuffed himself with a dish of chicken.

Sending you and Jonah some of the infamous Purrs vibes

Sue P (Paddysmum) · « **Reply #14 on:** January 31, 2013, 15:32:29 PM »

Good luck.

jrichemont · « **Reply #13 on:** January 31, 2013, 15:30:21 PM »

Thanks, Tiggy 's mum.

Yes I am frantic; Jonah is such a big part of my life. I and the vet hope the aberrant test was skewed somehow; she did say his urine was "very odd". The weight loss was sudden although try as we might he's always been underweight. He is drinking a little water now also but not much. Off to the vet's now; I'll update this thread later.

Tiggy's Mum · « **Reply #12 on:** January 31, 2013, 15:00:08 PM »

Welcome to Purrs Jeremy, sorry it's at such a worrying time for you

It does sound strange that all his blood results came back as normal coupled with the super-high protein/creatinine urine result, you say he has lost weight too - has this been sudden or more gradual? Have you noticed Jonah drinking more at all? Fingers crossed the vet visit this evening throws up some answers and hopefully solutions, do let us know how he gets on

jrichemont · « **Reply #11 on:** January 31, 2013, 13:31:14 PM »

Thank you, Sue and SamMewl.

I do hope it's not kidney troubles; if that's got him in this state I don't think there'd be much hope for him. However, I really would have expected to see some indication in the blood tests. And the x-ray idea is a good one; I will mention it to the vet later today. I thought that it was his old pallet problem too - it's never been 100% right - but who knows? The x-ray will show up either I guess though as it was a soft tissue growth it was subtle and hard to find the first time.

Jeremy

Sue P (Paddysmum) · « **Reply #10 on:** January 31, 2013, 13:17:28 PM »

Am so sorry to hear about Jonah's sudden decline, Jeremy. It's very distressing to witness when one of our cats loses ground like this so quickly.

Has your vet suggested an X-Ray? Am just wondering if anything might be causing him pain when he eats, and sometimes cats can ingest remarkable items, like a needle and cotton for example, which may be a problem. It may be the case he's already had an x-ray, but if not, it might be worth investigating? If he's had a problem with his palate in the past it could be indicative of something amiss now?

Am hoping yuo can get to the bottom of this and everything crossed here for the vet visit..

SamMewl · « **Reply #9 on:** January 31, 2013, 13:11:43 PM »

I'm sorry Jeremy. It does sound like it could be kidney failure, which can be so quick and cats can go into a sharp decline with a lot of weight loss. It looks like you and your vet are doing everything.

fingers crossed for you and Jonah xx

jrichemont · « **Reply #8 on:** January 31, 2013, 12:53:38 PM »

Thanks, Liz.

Yes I tried that. We made some chicken broth with tiny bits of soft chicken skin and meat and gave that to him at blood temperature. He would only eat it if I held it in my hand and even then only a soup spoon full. He should have eaten the lot and begged for more as he's a big cat. All skin and bones now of course but he should weigh around 14lb. His current weight is 8lb. I hardly notice when he stands on my lap any more.

We'll see what the vet says but I suspect hospital and a drip is coming up for him...

Jeremy

Liz · « **Reply #7 on:** January 31, 2013, 12:46:39 PM »

Have you tried warming foor in the microwave for 10 secs I have had good results with that, also jars of baby food and catmilk are all good to

Hope the vets visit goes ok xx

jrichemont · « **Reply #6 on:** January 31, 2013, 10:49:47 AM »

Thank you, Dawn F.

Sadly he's a bit more than off colour; unless he eats he won't be with us long. It may be that he will have to go into hospital to keep him alive while he recovers from whatever has got to him. He's a fighter I know; when he was a kitten he had a huge growth above his soft pallet that required surgery to save him. He's made funny snorting noises ever since but not been ill again all those years until now. I know he's not given up!

Jeremy

Dawn F · « **Reply #5 on:** January 31, 2013, 10:23:38 AM »

good luck at the vets, does sound he Jonah is feeling off colour, hope it is something that can be sorted quickly

Jiji · « **Reply #4 on:** January 31, 2013, 10:15:09 AM »

Please let us know how you go on

jrichemont · « **Reply #3 on:** January 31, 2013, 10:06:41 AM »

Thank you, Jiji.

Yes, the vet checked his teeth; they are ok for a cat his age. His temperature seems high to me but the vet checked twice and said it was fine. I have tried everything to feed him and he's not normally a fussy eater. I have bought him chicken, white fish and tuna (all favourite foods normally which he'd get a bit of for a treat). He did manage tiny strips of the chicken plus the skin from two breasts but yesterday evening and this morning refused everything.
I am taking him to the vet's again this evening (they just called me) so maybe I'll know more then. The only test that was abnormal was protein : creatine ratio which was reported as 4000%. Since the average is ~1% the vet thought something had skewed the test but... his symptoms do look awfully like kidney failure. Still; I'd expect some of the blood test to show that up, not just an anomalously high urine reading.
I'll update this thread after the visit.

Jeremy

Jiji · « **Reply #2 on:** January 31, 2013, 09:42:39 AM »

So sorry to hear Jonah is unwell

I assume his teeth, mouth and temperature were checked at the vet visit. Have you tried giving him more pungent food such as sardines or tried warming the food first? Maybe you could ask the vet if an x-ray or scan may be appropriate as things have not improved.

jrichemont · « **Reply #1 on:** January 31, 2013, 08:36:36 AM »

Hi. My cat, Jonah, has in the last few days, turned from an older (13.5 years) but lively animal to a shadow of his former self. I took him to the vet of course and an extensive array of tests were performed on blood and urine. However, almost every result was normal and the vet has no answers for what may have happened. He has never been a fussy eater; he normally prefers to eat whatever I am eating with favourites being pasta, chicken skin, cheese, avocado etc. I am feeding him now through a syringe. He still meows in the morning and exhibits his old behaviours but any food - even tiny slivers of old favourites hand presented - is refused.

I understand that he's reaching the end of his natural lifespan (and he's a Maine Coon which are not that long lived) but what I cannot understand is the speed of the decline. Seven days ago he was bouncing around the place hunting (largely imaginary) mice, eating whatever he could lay his paws on and being as fit as a flea. Now he looks like he has days to live and nobody has any idea why. He is an indoor cat and cannot have been fighting or eating bad things because he can't get out unless I let him. Which I did, of course! but he just follows me around outside and does not go adventuring solo. We go for walks together; he's never more than 3 metres away from me.

If anyone has any idea what might be wrong I'd love to hear it; I have loved my cat every day for thirteen and a half years and he's disappearing fast.

Jeremy

Author Topic: unexplained aversion to food (Read 65040 times)