# Constantly Sick Kitty - IBD?



## Geek_Chick82 (Mar 21, 2009)

Hello! I don't post here much, but I'm hoping to get some insight in to what's going on with my poor kitty, Lancelot. M/DMH/8yrs old. I don't know his early history, but he hasn't had the best health since he adopted me 5yrs ago.

Quick back story: Kitty started having bouts of idiopathic cystitis about 4 years ago, it was VERY bad for about 16mos (at the vet every month), but slowed down, and now it's been about a year since he's had a flare up with the usual symptoms (Crying, frequent urination, blood in urine).

However, now he's having episodes of throwing up and not being able to stop  It use to be 1-2 times a year, now it's like clockwork every 3mos with no other symptoms leading up to it (He has no appetite during, obviously). Since he's never sick 9-5, we're now going to a 24hr vet, and his new vet thinks the throwing up might actually still be from the cystitis. During his last episode (last week) his urine test came back with some crystals, even though his litterbox is normal- his bladder area WAS very sore to her touch, though. She recommends trying to clear up the bladder with urinary food, and if/when he starts hurling again, we go the next step towards more invasive tests and biopsies to finally get to the bottom of this.

Has anyone ever had an issue like this with their own kitties? Does any of this sound familiar? I know there might also be a chance of some kind of digestive issues/IBD, though having him recently on Gastro food didn't help his flare-ups at all. We're just... tired. It's so stressful, he's the sweetest cat in the world and I hate seeing him in pain  I know this new vet will do all she can to help him, but in the meantime I'm walking on eggshells, wondering every day if my next paycheck is going towards vet bills or not.

Like I said, I'm switching him from Gastro to SO wet, since that seemed to help his flare-ups before. I know these are considered 'crappy' food, but Lance has been on the usual high-quality foods before too (Merrick, Wellness, Evo) and either got sick or blocked (Evo) on them all.

Thanks for reading!


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## catloverami (Jul 5, 2010)

Are the foods you mentioned kibble or are they canned? I'm not a vet or vet tech, but if I were in your situation I would get him on an all canned diet that has no grains (no wheat, barley, corn, rice, soy). Think meat that has fur or feathers.....that's a cat's natural diet. Read the labels and get a canned food that is _free of Carrageenan_ which can cause inflammation in the stomach. I think even Fancy Feast, altho small cans the ingredients don't contain grains or Carrageenan and is highly palatable and will likely get him interested in eating. Not only will avoidance of this additive be better for your cat, it will benefit your health as well. When you switch any foods, do it_ in a very gradual way_.....so an not to upset the digestive system any more.....say only a tsp. at a time until converted. Hope you're successful in getting to the bottom of your kitty's problem. Best of luck! Hope you'll give us an update.

http://www.prevention.com/food/heal...n-natural-ingredient-you-should-ban-your-diet

http://www.catinfo.org/


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## Geek_Chick82 (Mar 21, 2009)

Thanks so much, if there are any changes I can update 

Kitty's been on wet food for years now, I even add extra water, so it's more like meat soup. I'm sure it's helped him in the long run!


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## maggie23 (Mar 10, 2012)

I'm so sorry Lancelot is having issues again. If your pic is of him, he looks absolutely adorable and sweet. and I LOVE how he adopted you. being chosen by an animal is very special.

I had to look up idiopathic cystitis to see what it was. how frustrating that there doesn't seem to be a known cause.

as soon as I hear of a kitty throwing up, i immediately think ulcers because of my own little girl who has been getting Pepcid for a few years now to keep the acid in check. i have no idea if it helps with inflamed bladder issues, though. then, of course, there's just the anti-nausea medicine, but again, i don't know if that would help specifically for the bladder. but it seems like anti-nausea medicine is pretty general anyway, so MAYBE it could help?

the only other thing i read briefly online is that stress can bring on flare-ups. heck, stress is bad for EVERYTHING, anyway. but especially important to avoid it for our kitties with other health issues. I'm going to start being known as the energy healing cheerleader pretty soon, but i will go ahead and mention it again. if you have an animal communicator/energy healer in your area, maybe it's worth a call to that person. I just have become a big believer in it since i started dabbling in it myself and going to classes after my girl started having ulcer flare-ups more and more often requiring the use of Carafate. i swear once i started trying a little energy healing on her AND myself at the same time, she settled right down and she's been so much better and happier and healthier. just a thought.

good luck to you and Lancelot. :heart


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## LakotaWolf (Aug 10, 2012)

Hi Geek,

I haven't had a kitty with cystitis so I cannot offer personal advice/experience, but I have a 18-year-old kitty with a lot of other health problems that sometimes display symptoms like vomiting and inappetence, so I'll tell you what I can to maybe help that :} (my girl does have IBD, actually, the constipation form - she is on prednisolone and Miralax for that.)

First off - does the vet think there could be ANY other reason for the vomiting? Has Lancelot been palpitated/x-rayed for any blockages in his digestive tract? It's best to rule out things like that, even though the nausea and vomiting IS probably caused by the cystitis. 

This is a site for cats with kidney failure like mine, but there is also a LOT of helpful stuff for managing symptoms, including vomiting:

Tanya's Comprehensive Guide to Feline Chronic Kidney Disease - Everything You Need to Know to Help Your Cat

Specifically - 

Tanya's Comprehensive Guide to Feline Chronic Kidney Disease - Nausea, Vomiting, Appetite Loss and Excess Stomach Acid

Depending on when Lancelot vomits and WHAT he vomits, there are medications and/or treatments the vet could try. It could help relieve the vomiting, although it won't do anything for the cystitis - BUT I think he'll be a lot happier if the vomiting can get under control.

As for his inappetence, you can try offering him several other things, and see if you can coax him to eat. When my cat is having a "bad" day and she doesn't want her normal food (she is on a ground fully-raw diet) I will offer her:

-egg yolk. Raw, just the yolk, NOT the white. 
-a bit of Fancy Feast Classic - trash food, but sometimes it's the only thing she'll eat
-meat baby food. Make sure the ingredients are pretty much only meat and water - no onion or garlic powders or extra flavorings.

Tanya's Comprehensive Guide to Feline Chronic Kidney Disease - Persuading Your Cat to Eat

I also keep Nutri-Cal gel on hand, and CliniCare liquid meals, and CatSure liquid meals. My cat sometimes seems willing to lap up liquid on days she won't touch even the soupiest solid food. 

Also keep a check on Lancelot's hydration level - there is a simple fur/skin test and a gums test. Since he is puking a lot, he's losing water and he may not be drinking enough to rehydrate himself. 

Cat Dehydration Symtoms - Dehydration in Cats | petMD

I'll keep fingers crossed for Lancelot - he's certainly been through a lot, and so have you. I understand the frustration and fears that come with chronic kitty illnesses - especially when you don't know what's coming down the road.

And finally:

Feline Urinary Tract Health: Cystitis, Urethral Obstruction, Urinary Tract Infection by Lisa A. Pierson, DVM :: cat urinary tract health


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## Geek_Chick82 (Mar 21, 2009)

Thank you all so much for your thoughts! The idea of ulcers never occurred to me, I'll definitely keep that in mind and ask the vet next I see them! He has to go in for a teeth cleaning next month, so unless he's sick before then I'll inquire 

Kitty still has an appetite, he just doesn't have an appetite when he's throwing up- understandably. While he isn't thrilled with the bland vet wet food, his bowl is always empty when it comes to feeding him again. It's how I know if his puking is due to him feeling nasty, or him just trying to toss up a hairball 

He's had several ultrasounds/xrays in the past, not lately but within the time he's had this throwing-up issue. They've never revealed anything, but they're a next step if/when he gets sick again. He's truly a mystery, but he's a cute mystery <3


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## spirite (Jul 31, 2012)

Your poor little guy. I don't have any experience with cystitis, but it seems like the cyclical nature of his vomiting has to be important somehow. Is there anything that you can relate to the 3-month cycle? Does he get flea meds, or is there something that changes in your house or the surrounding environment that could be affecting him?


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## Geek_Chick82 (Mar 21, 2009)

Nothing I can think of. He doesn't get meds or food swaps and nothing happens at home to constitute that kind of cycle. The time of day is different, and severity is up and down. It's truly puzzling.


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## Arianwen (Jun 3, 2012)

I echo Lakota but want to add in a bit. I have an elderly cat (Lottie) - she has, latterly, had hyperthyroidism and has from the time of adoption had feline hyperthesia syndrome. Taking both those things out of the equation she also cannot eat certain foods. This is going to sound weird but she can, for example, eat real fish but not any wet food containing fish. It may be worth thinking of "allergies".


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## Geek_Chick82 (Mar 21, 2009)

UPDATE:

Kitty had not been himself for a few days- uninterested, and generally 'off'. I thought I was imagining it for awhile, but tonite it came to a head when he kept to the very end of the bed and I couldn't get him to purr (He's a purr machine!). So I decided even if it was for state of mind only, to take him to the vet.

New vet this time. We talked about his history etc. I asked to have an x-ray done to cover ALL the bases if he did happen to have stones.

No stones, but... Ooh. Lance's intestines are looking MEAN. Inflammed and gassy  So now we're looking at possibly IBD rather than cystitis, and she recommended a L.I. Natural Balance food she's had good experience with. We'll give it a shot and take it day by day, if the food doesn't help/he gets sick again, it's time to biopsy. She sent him home with the necessary meds, and I'm going to start transitioning his diet tomorrow.


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## spirite (Jul 31, 2012)

Poor Lance! Is he pooping ok when he's not vomiting? 

I guess the Natural Balance will have to be a protein that he hasn't had before. I hope you have more success with it than I did. When the vet thought my cat might have food allergies, she gave me the duck and green pea to try. My fussy one starved herself for about 30 hours, until I caved. 

I hope Lance isn't that fussy and that this food will resolve the vomiting and make him feel better.


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## Geek_Chick82 (Mar 21, 2009)

Thanks, the vet recommended the chicken one, because the others (Duck, Venison, I won't feed him the fish) are a very acquired taste (We already know he won't eat duck). If nothing else it eliminates all the grains in his current diet, and has a higher protein content.

He's eating and using the litterbox just fine, small miracles.


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## kwarendorf (Oct 12, 2009)

IBD, if that's what's ailing Kitty, may not be curable but it is manageable. Granklin was diagnosed with IBD when he was 1 and he's now 8. The only way IBD can be truly diagnosed is by biopsy. Without the biopsy you'll never really know if it's IBD or food allergy or...

If it is IBD then you will likely have to put Kitty on prednisone maintenance regiment. Franklin has been getting various doses since he was diagnosed. During flare ups it's as high as 10mg/day and when it's under control it's been as low as 2.5mg every other day. Until last month, when his IBD flared again, he had eaten Natural Balance Chicken & Green Pea LID for years. The diet and pred kept things largely in check. Following a recent flare up I've had to switch him to Hills i/d. He likes it and seems to be
back to his awesome self &#55357;&#56842;

Kyle


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## Geek_Chick82 (Mar 21, 2009)

*Kitty may have IBD- Questions*

Hello!

After a couple vet visits in the last few weeks, it looks like my kitty Lancelot might be suffering from a case of IBD, or is on his way to it. I have a couple questions specifically about this condition.

Quick Recap:
Kitty has had vomiting episodes every few months, at first the vet thought it had to do with previous urinary problems, but an xray last week showed he has inflamed intestines. His last blood test (Dec) showed nothing wrong. Kitty is now eating an LID canned food to see if this will help, steps to diagnose IBD/allergies/other issues to follow if it doesn't.

Currently his litterbox activities are all normal, and he's eating (tho I needed to spoon-feed him the last couple nights).

Questions:
*When your kitty began having IBD-like symptoms and made a diet switch, how long was it until you began to see a difference?* Lance has been eating only canned Merrick LID Chicken for 4 days (unfortunately I couldn't transition him, as soon as he tried the Merrick he IMMEDIATELY stopped eating his vet food). He seemed like his old self Monday night, not so much last night. His vet wants him on a strict single-protein diet for 8wks, but I'm curious as to if/when I could start seeing an improvement? I've read 1-2wks is a possibility.

*Was a diet change helpful with your kitty? How much did it help? *I'm not hopeful for a miracle, but an improvement would be wonderful. He's swapped out a vet diet for a high-quality meat + grain-free diet, so if nothing else I don't expect him to get WORSE in the next few weeks.

*If a new diet was not successful, what were your next steps?* I assume diagnostics/blood+enzyme tests/eventual biopsy to determine if it's IBD or allergies or otherwise.

*What were your kitty's IBD symptoms? How often were they sick?* So far Lance's main issue has been a continuous vomiting spell every 3mos, but he also has been acting stand off-ish lately (not all the time, he's still a late-night cuddler).

*Probiotics!* I want to get him on some high-quality probiotics, but don't know where to look and what the best options could be. I've read amazing things about Wholistic Digest-All+, and Amazon.ca carries it. Has anyone in Canada found this product in-stores? Or does anyone have a recommendation for some good kitty probiotics?

Any experience you have will be greatly appreciated! I want to do all I can for Sir Fuzzball!


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## bluemilk (Oct 3, 2005)

Great name!!! Hmm. Does Sir Lancelot go outside? COULD there be someone spraying their lawn, or someone who visits your neighbors every 3 months whose car leaks antifreeze?


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## kwarendorf (Oct 12, 2009)

Changing protien is a way to determine if a food allery is in play. If it is IBD changing foods may alleviate some symptoms, but it won't treat the IBD. I went through rabbit, venison etc. trying to identify that a food allergy was the problem. We also treated for every possible parasite. Nothing worked.

Eventually Franklin had a biopsy which confirmed IBD. We treat the IBD, for life, with prednisolone. Once we first got it under control he went back to eating a NB Chicken. He ate that for about 6 years ubntil recently. IBD is for life and it flared up. He was placed on a canned prescription diet designed to be easier on his digestive tract. He has responded well.

To the best of my knowledge the only way to diagnose IBD is by biopsy.

Kyle


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## Geek_Chick82 (Mar 21, 2009)

No, Lance is strictly an indoor kitty, he's always been. When it's warm out he does go out on my balcony and enjoys it, but I doubt the little dummy would know what to do if he ever made it outside 

Thanks, Kwarendorf, I'm not expecting this will solve the problem, but I'm hoping this new food will at least help. I'd prefer him on a high-quality food over a vet food, but it comes down to his comfort, in the end.

Turns out he's eating, but not enough calories that he should be getting (LID food is less calorie-dense, and I can't feed him his kibble snacks to make up for it), so he might need a different food or something to settle his tummy and let him eat more. We'll see tonite, I might try giving him some raw chicken for a snack.


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## spirite (Jul 31, 2012)

Is it possible to use something like famotidine (Pepcid), or would that not have any effect?


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## LakotaWolf (Aug 10, 2012)

Like Kyle's kitty, my cat is on prednisolone, 2.5 mg every other day. She has been on it for 4+ years now with no ill effects and will likely be on it for the rest of her days.

A competent vet can be reasonably confident with a diagnosis of IBD via ultrasound and palpitation of the abdomen, but biopsy is the only "beyond the shadow of a doubt" way, for sure.

Now to your questions!

*When your kitty began having IBD-like symptoms and made a diet switch, how long was it until you began to see a difference? *
-I immediately switched Wintressia to a fully-raw diet after her IBD diagnosis. The difference was nearly immediate. She has the constipation version of IBD, though, and not the diarrhea version. Not only was there a virtually immediate change in her bowel motility, she was SO much happier eating the raw food!

*Was a diet change helpful with your kitty? How much did it help? *
-I can't really break it down to its components, since my cat's treatment regimen was 1/4 teaspoon of Miralax daily, 2.5 mg of prednisolone every other day, and the raw-diet switch, but I do think the diet change was helpful. Win still occasionally has trouble pooping and I will sometimes find a log outside the box (because she tried to go IN the box and didn't quite, uh, completely push it out, then she got out of the box and it... basically fell off her heiny). I imagine that if I worked more fiber into her diet, such as canned pumpkin, it'd help her even more. I also do think the switch to a raw diet helped her in other areas as well - she has more energy now, her coat got softer and thicker, and she actually has an appetite!

*What were your kitty's IBD symptoms? How often were they sick?* 
-Win has constipation. She would strain in the box and would often poo little rabbit-pellets. Sometimes she would go several days without pooping at all. That was really it - she was never a puker or had diarrhea. 

*Probiotics* -
-There are a lot out there - I can help you do some research. Some people like FortiFlora, but I think it's mostly used as a "food flavor" since it's made with animal digest (the stuff companies spray on kibble to make it palatable). Hopefully someone with more probiotic experience will chime in :}

I've also started dosing Win with Pepcid AC lately as I think the antibiotics she's on is messing with her appetite/stomach acid. You could try that with Mr. Sir L - Tanya's CRF site gives a daily dose recommendation of 2.5 mg (1/4 of a 10mg tablet). 

Tanya's Comprehensive Guide to Feline Chronic Kidney Disease - Nausea, Vomiting, Appetite Loss and Excess Stomach Acid

Dr. Pierson also talks a little about IBD in cats here and advocates a homemade/raw diet:

Feeding Your Cat: Know the Basics of Feline Nutrition :: healthy cat diet, making cat food, litter box, cat food, cat nutrition, cat urinary tract health)


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## Geek_Chick82 (Mar 21, 2009)

Thanks everyone! Currently Lance isn't really eating on his own, he'll eat but I need to spoon-feed him. He's still on the grain-free wet, I'm also giving him some raw chicken for snacks. Whether this is because he has no appetite or doesn't like the food I don't know. I'm playing with the idea of picking up a couple LID foods from the vet, or trying him on raw... Anything to get him eating on his own.

I've given him a couple pepcid tablets (kitty-sized), didn't notice a change yesterday and he was zonked today. I picked up some probiotics from the vet in a paste, but he won't go near it. So yes, any suggestions on what to look for with another probiotic would be appreciated (if Forti-flora makes food more palatable, it might be a good option right now).


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## Augustine (Nov 27, 2014)

*Raises hand* I have some experience with probiotics. My dog has food sensitivities and needed them to help settle her stomach and digestive system. I give them to my cats as well, just for the sake of adding a little extra to their diet. 

There are a lot of powdered probiotics out there, but two that I have had good luck with (feline wise) are the following:

*1) Animal Essentials: Plant Enzyme & Probiotics;* my favorite one thus far, and the one that I currently use. It is one of the few pet probiotics I have found that DOESN'T have ANY fillers in it. It also seems to be tasteless, or at the very least doesn't reek like some other plant-based products, so all 3 of my cats have no problems eating it. So, it is a great option for finicky cats and/or those who have food sensitivities.

*2) Great Life: eNZYmes Pro +;* I used the powdered version of this for awhile. It worked well for my dog, but only two of my cats would eat it. (it has a bit of a strong smell, albeit a fishy-ish one) Moreover, it has a lot of what could be considered fillers for cats. (barley, carrots, parsley, yucca, milk thistle, fennel, etc.) It's.. not exactly a probiotic per se, it's more of a digestive aid that includes items they claim help the stomach/bowels, with some probiotics and such added in.

Honestly, I'm only recommending this because it worked so well for my dog. It definitely wouldn't be my first choice for cats.

*3) Ark Naturals: Gentle Digest Capsules;* This is a sort of middle option between the first and the second one, mentioned above. It comes in capsule form (meaning you'd either have to try and break it open or get your cat to take it as-is), but it works well, and only has two fillers: gelatin and rice flour. Now, the reason I rank this third is because I haven't actually tried this on my cats. It worked VERY well for my dog, but due to the whole capsule thing, I never even bothered trying to give it to my cats.


There are a lot of other really great natural probiotics out there - plain greek yogurt, plain kefir, raw goats milk, to name a few - but I've only ever heard about these being used on dogs, mainly to supplement their raw diets. Sooo I'm not entirely sure if it would be a viable option for kitties.

..But, then again, raw goats milk or kefir made with goat or sheeps milk could be something worth looking into. It is easier to digest than cows milk, so if your cat is able to drink/eat dairy products then it *should* be fine? The only issue I can think of is that you'll want to find your raw milk from a reliable source; drinking unpasteurized products CAN be risky if you buy it from the wrong place.

I know you can order some online these days, and I imagine a lot of co-ops, health food stores, and farmer's markets carry it. But if you're worried about the risks, then I think pasteurized goats milk would work fairly well too, albeit to a lesser extent.


Anyways, I'm sorry for all of the prattle. xD I've been reading a lot about different supplements lately, so I have a lot of random knowledge floating around in my noggin.


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## LakotaWolf (Aug 10, 2012)

FortiFlora might be worth a try - if not as a probiotic, then a "make food more delicious" option! XD

If you can check pet stores near you, see if they carry Rad Cat or Feline's Pride raw - if you want to try raw. Those are two good brands that I use in my rotation - I'm fond of them because neither contains fruits/veg or other unnecessary ingredients. Otherwise there are some good freeze-dried raw options out there too (just add water to rehydrate) - Stella & Chewy's has some good options.

Gonna keep fingers and claws crossed for Sir Lancelot :}


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## Geek_Chick82 (Mar 21, 2009)

Sooo, good (?) news in the trials that are Lancelot  I talked with one of the vets at the clinic yesterday about how he won't eat on his own, and she recommended RAW. A vet! I was shocked! Last night I tried him on Instinct chicken, he wasn't the biggest fan. Tonight I'm going to try some Primal pheasant from a sample pack. Rad Cat sounds awesome, but it doesn't look like they distribute this far east. I'm debating getting a sample pack of TC Feline to make some home made stuff... he still loves his raw chicken snacks 

I'm starting to think his eating issues may be due to the antibiotic he's on- it's the generic brand of Flagyl and one of it's possible side effects is loss of appetite. That makes much more sense to me that kitty suddenly going off his delicious wet food. He's done with the meds, so with luck his appetite will improve. If not he'll be back at the vet for more tests 

Augistine, I'll be on the look out for that Animal Essentials Probiotics! They look the best so far. In the meantime, I might get FortiFlora to help him eat.


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## Geek_Chick82 (Mar 21, 2009)

Lancelot Update:

This has been a bad week for the poor guy. Despite finishing his antibiotics he still was not eating, was lethargic and in discomfort. When we went back to the vet his tummy was still very tender. At this point having run out of options, the vet told me the best way to determine what has been going on with him was to finally do the biopsies. After deliberating I decided we should go ahead with it (it was a very teary night), and kitty went in for the surgery on Sunday.

While being a tough decision, in the end I'm glad we did it. While his intestines didn't look too bad, his liver was showing signs of hepatic lipidosis (which makes sense, since he hadn't been eating well), which secured the vet's decision to put in a feeding tube. His bladder was also looking rough, palpating it actually caused heart rate spikes on the monitor. She took biopsies of all of them, and we should have the results late next week. We did a full blood work-up the day before and everything was normal, so his liver issues must have been in the early stages. Pancreas and kidneys all looked well.

So Lance is home now, eating a little on his own during the day, and I'm tube-feeding him the rest with high-cal food. At night I let him out of the cone of shame so he can groom (NOT the incisions) and feel more like himself again. It's been... rough, but we haven't established a routine yet. I'm assuming it'll get easier.

He's being such a trooper, he totally charmed the vet techs at the clinic <3 Now we play the waiting game while he heals up and hopefully they have some concrete news for us next week. Will keep everyone posted!


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## spirite (Jul 31, 2012)

Oh goodness, poor little Lance. Hoping for good news when the biopsy results come back!


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## Geek_Chick82 (Mar 21, 2009)

*Cat's Appetite Missing for Weeks*

Hello! I'm desperate for any kind of help anyone can offer. My kitty Lancelot has been through a rollercoaster of vets and surgery, the most worrying issue right now being that he's lost his appetite almost completely.

In the last 6wks he's been at the vet several times- for a vomiting fit, discomfort, swollen intestines, and his not eating. He's also gone from gastro food to a urinary food to a LID food to help combat these issues. Since his vomiting episodes have been persistent for awhile now, the vet recommended a biopsy to rule out IBD, liver + bladder problems.

We had the surgery done about 10 days ago, and the results show no issues with intestines, bladder, or liver. No IBD or cancer, thankfully. The pancreas looked fine during surgery, his liver was a little off-colour (she called it a "Chestnut Liver", I can't find info about it online). During the surgery they put in a feeding tube.

Lasy week I was needing to tube-feed him 100%, a vet visit this last weekend had them switch out the meds he WAS on to simply painkillers and mirtazapine for his appetite. When he's just taken the mirtazapine he's his old self, but as it wears off his appetite slowly disappears again.

At this point the vet is puzzled. They did a full blood analysis before his surgery, and all levels + enzymes were fine (Cholesterol was a little high). Biopsy showed nothing. His litterbox activities are all normal, he's not vomiting. Right now we're working under the assumption that kitty might be stressed and/or depressed from so many vet visits, food changes, and the operation. One of the reasons mirtazapine may be helping so much is it's also an antidepressant. He may also have some hepatic lipidosis due to his poor appetite... Tho it'd have to be a mild case if no tests could confirm it.

If anyone has any ideas I could bring to the vet this weekend (he's getting his staples out), it would be a HUGE help! I have appetite stimulant to last awhile, but I want to get to the bottom of the loss of appetite itself.


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## spirite (Jul 31, 2012)

Aw, poor little guy! It's great news that nothing turned up on the biopsies, but of course, that puts you in the position of not having any diagnosis, which is sooo frustrating. 

Just a note about flagyl: if flagyl works in a similar fashion in cats and humans, it might take a little while yet for Lance to get his appetite back. I was on flagyl 
and cipro in January, and they completely messed with my digestive system. It took at least a couple of weeks before I started to have any kind of appetite again. 

You said he still eats his raw chicken snacks, even though he has no appetite, so maybe it's worth looking into feeding some raw chicken? 

Fortiflora almost always worked on my kitty when she was having bouts of inappetance of unknown origin. The vet also gave me Periactin as an appetite stimulant, and that worked really well. 

I really hope he starts to feel better soon.


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## Geek_Chick82 (Mar 21, 2009)

Ooh, I didn't know that! If it was just the antibiotics causing this I'd be so thankful! I'm still feeding him chicken as a snack, but of course he can't survive on it. Right now he's on the junk food (Friskies and Whiskas) since they're his favourites. Of course, once he's back to eating it's healthy noms again.

Yes, I'm very happy his biopsy came up short. Once he starts eating again I'll be ecstatic, lol.

I have learned that Lance's favourite tv show while high on buprenorphine is How It's Made. He loves the conveyor belts


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## Geek_Chick82 (Mar 21, 2009)

Another update on kitty...

He was on 2 weeks more of painkillers and appetite stimulants, and he did well on them. This week I weaned him off of them, and he did well for a few days without. However, yesterday morning he was dry-heaving early in the morning, and didn't touch food much that day (though he ate last night).

This being said, he's still not acting like himself. He's eating, but timidly, rather than gobbling up his crack food. He seems uninterested in me, whereas he's always been my fuzzy buddy. I haven't seen him play or use his cat tree since the surgery, he will just sit/lay in a room and stare.

At this point, my current vet is running out of ideas. He may be stressed/traumatized by all of the visits and the surgery. I wouldn't blame him if he was, he's been through a lot. They said they have some anti-anxiety drugs they could put him on to see if they help, but they might mask behavior symptoms if he still has something physically wrong. With the tests they're run, they've found no problems with stomach, liver, pancreas, intestines, bladder, and his kidney functions all appear normal.

The vet gave me the name of a STRICTLY cat hospital in the city, which I think I may take him to next. There's also a diagnostic hospital in PEI, but that would mean being out of town for a few days, and I don't know how much that would cost.

This has been stressing me out beyond words, I've actually picked up some anxiety meds for MYSELF. I'm sure my stress can't be helping him, and might be making it worse, but at this point no one can give me an answer for what's wrong with him, and it's breaking my heart :*( He seems worse off now that he was when we initially started looking in to his nausea issue...


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## spirite (Jul 31, 2012)

I'm really sorry to hear that Lance is still not feeling himself. These mystery kitty ailments are so frustrating. 

Was he acting the same way when he was on the painkillers and appetite stimulants? 

Have they done an x-ray post-surgery?


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## Geek_Chick82 (Mar 21, 2009)

It's super frustrating -_- Especially since this has been one of Lance's many issues that have been idiopathic. No one can understand this cat.

When he was on the mirtz and painkillers he was more subdued, but not konked out as he was this week. Last night he stopped eating on his own AGAIN, but his personality came back! He didn't want to eat today, so he's back on the mirtz. Oddly enough, he had a much more extreme reaction to it this time (loud meowing, hyper), but it's been a few hours and they're slowly subsiding. I might try a half-dose with him next time.

He hasn't had any new tests since the surgery, we're going off all the previous ones. He has an appointment at the Atlantic Cat Hospital on Tuesday, and I'll definitely be asking if we need to be re-testing him for anything.


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## Geek_Chick82 (Mar 21, 2009)

Another update on kitty:

We're at a new vet now (strictly a CAT vet, upon recommendation of our previous vet), who took some new xrays, did a thyroid tests etc... they all came back normal. However, it looks like Lance had a nasty little ear infection, which might have put him off his food all those weeks ago.

He's been on ear drops for a week, and while I've seen a definite improvement, he's still not 100%. He's eating, but very cautiously (especially when I'm home). The vet thinks not only might he have a food allergy, but food aversion after all he's been through (it wouldn't be a surprise, poor thing!).

He's going back for a recheck next week, until then he was eating the Purina Adult food fairly well without medication. We'll probably give him an allergy test and possibly an ultrasound to rule out anything else.

Oh, and he probably has a cold, because of COURSE he does -_-


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## Geek_Chick82 (Mar 21, 2009)

*Different Personality and No Trust- Please Help!*

Hello!
I'm hoping for any advice I can get for help with my kitty Lancelot. He has been through more vet visits in the last 3mos than any cat should ever have to go through in their entire lives. It's all taken a toll on him and now he's a different cat. I don't blame him for any of it, and would like to help him 'find his way back' as it were, to his happy, chipper self.

Brief Backstory:
In the last 3mos he's been to the vet almost two dozen times. He's had xrays, blood panels, too many medications to count, surgery (abdominal biopsies), a feeding tube, many different types of foods, ear swabs etc. It's been tough, and while he began taking it like a champ, by the time he was recovering from surgery, the 'light' was gone from his personality.

He's leery of me now, of course. I'm the horrible mummy that keeps taking him to the vet and shoving meds in to him. He's not affectionate anymore, and has less energy/curiosity. He's not eating well, and while it's TBD whether it's a food allergy or aversion, he use to be the type of cat to gobble up ALL his noms in one go. Now he sits and stares at nothing- before, he'd be out on the balcony watching birds, or chatting with me for treats. He use to ALWAYS wake me up with rough head-boops, now I'm up before him and he watches me leave. It's heartbreaking.

The poor thing's been put through the ringer, and he's reached his stress limit. I want to help him in any way I can, and am hoping for any suggestions I can do to help him back to his old happy self.

I've been either ignoring him/leaving the room at dinnertime, so he'll hopefully eat better. If he comes close I shower him with lovin's, but don't force them on him if he's being standoff-ish. I never give him meds when his food has been put out, so he doesn't associate food with that stressor. I try to be bubbly and happy around him, but frankly I feel like constantly crying seeing him like this, which he must also be sensing.

Is his behavior 100% psychological? We're still not sure, but we've tested for just about everything it could be. The worst part is, the medical stuff isn't done, yet. We have a recheck for an ear infection early next week, and still need to discover why he's not eating much. So I can't even take a break from vets/medication to get him to relax 

Please help! Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated! It breaks my heart thinking I've 'lost' him and he's so unhappy.


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## NebraskaCat (Jan 15, 2013)

Cats are amazingly adaptable, but often it takes time for them to regain their "light" especially if they've been through the ringer, medically and physically, as you describe. I think the steps you're taking to let him be by himself when he wants to be and give him attention and physical love when he seeks it, are good ones. It just may take a long time, especially if there is a possible medical issue that remains unresolved.


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## spirite (Jul 31, 2012)

Aw, I know how awful it is when you get those sad, untrusting eyes from your own kitty.  But at least it seems like he's slowly recovering, and as NebraskaCat said, he will come around, even though it may take a while. I think I mentioned that my cat, even after only 6 or 7 days of daily ear drops, won't come near me for over a week, so I imagine Lance is even more fearful. 

But even though it seems like distrust to us, I don't think it is. They're just wary that when you approach them, something unpleasant is going to happen. I'm pretty sure they don't blame you; they're just confused. 

I also agree that just giving him as much space as he needs and not pushing it is the best route to make him feel comfortable again. 

Hugs to you!


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## Geek_Chick82 (Mar 21, 2009)

Thanks everybody  I think kitty is turning a corner, he's FINALLY eating well on his own, and has started to become affectionate again. He still has the ear infection, we're on Round #2 of drops, we both hate them lol. After he finished the last bottle he was acting much more himself, so I'm confident he'll get back to normal once we're finally finished these ones.

I'm also looking to feed him a novel protein for awhile, to see if he does better on it than the standard chicken food he's been eating forever. Fingers crossed I can get him on raw in the future 

Thank you all so much for your feedback! It's been a terrible spring, I hope we've finally put all these health issues behind us for now!


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