# Older cat not eating



## NostalgicGranny (Aug 22, 2007)

Lady bug is about 13 years old. She is an indoor cat for the most part. Occasionally suns herself on the porch. She suddenly stopped eating. Because she is elderly, I gave Friday as a deadline to have her put down if she still wasn't eating. Friday came and went and I didn't have the heart to do it. I'm planning on taking her to the vet after the holiday. 

She did eat some beef baby food the other day. But ever since then I have had to use an eye dropper to feed her. She is rejecting pretty much everything. She obviously drinks water, because every day I clean the littler box. So I know she is healthy enough to make it there. But no signs of bowel movements for a couple days.

The thing is I noticed last night her breath smells like medicine. Why? 

Just prior to this I had to switch her cat chow to the indoor formula because they were out. She never has liked the indoor formula. And she always used to get a can of cat food after the evening feed for the farm animals. Believe me she was quite vocal about it if her food wasn't ready on time! And I also woke up early one day to find her eating dog food. Once since she got sick she wandered in to the dog food bowl and just stood looking at it, and then went back to bed.

Why the funky medicine breath?
How can I encourage her to eat?
Should I encourage her to have a movement? Or is she just not taking in enough food to go?


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## rider (Feb 11, 2003)

sometimes kidney failure will cause an odd odor as will diabetis you can sometimes get a cat to eat by putting garlic powder on thier food not a lot just so you can smell it you might try a bit of sugar water in your eye dropper and see if you can get her to take it might perk her up some good luck


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## Ravenlost (Jul 20, 2004)

Can you take her to the vet for a check-up? My first guess would be kidney failure too. Our cat, Casper, was diagnosed with kidney failure when he was 13. He would have spells of not eating. We had to put him down in January. He was 19 and over the past few years had lost most of his weight.


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## NostalgicGranny (Aug 22, 2007)

I plan on going to the vet tomorrow if our check clears the bank.

Was hoping to entice her to eat before we went. Forgot to try the garlic thing last night, so I will try it with this mornings feeding. Did try the sugar water.

Read somewhere (on this forum I think) that a little oil will help if she is constipated. Is that OK to give cats? Or more importantly are there any oils to stay away from with a cat?

She's not acting like she is in pain what so ever, which is comforting. 

Did not realize some cats can live to be 19. I thought 13 was really old for a cat. We have two dogs about that old too, so it is not like we thought we would not have to face the issues that go along with elderly pets.


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## Ravenlost (Jul 20, 2004)

On average, 13 is fairly old for a cat. Our tortie, Ginger, lived to be 23.


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## Terri (May 10, 2002)

Bump..


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## mnn2501 (Apr 2, 2008)

13 is fairly old for a cat, although there are always exceptions.
I would take it to the vet and if its something easy and inexpensive great, but if its kidney or diabetes, I'd have it put down (Yes, dibetes is treatable but time consuming and hard to control having said that I kept a diabetic cat alive 4 years with twice a day insulin injections)
Symptoms of diabetes is (greatly) increased thirst and increased urination.

We've got a similar thing going on with our 12 year old dog right now - the old body is just not working like it used to, I doubt she'll see Christmas.


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## airotciv (Mar 6, 2005)

I have had old cats, my cats have died at the ages of 25, 23, 20, and 18. We have 2 cats now that are 15 and 13 years old, There is nothing you can do to get a cat to eat or drink for that matter. If it is kidney failure, there is nothing you can do. But, just know that the cat will do what it needs to survive. Baby food is a good thing. But the cat will let you know what it needs. Just watch and learn.


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## NostalgicGranny (Aug 22, 2007)

Well it took an extra day for the check to clear because of the holiday. Then we had a plumbing emergency and I did not have a vehicle, so she went to the vet yesterday.

Basically she looks fine. No fever, pale gums, or gum disease that would cause her to stop eating. Also no obvious painful spots, or places where fluid or lumps had collected. She was purring to loud for a really good listen to her heart  but the vet said it sounded good as far as she could tell.

Blood was taken and fluids given, and we are waiting on the test results.

She sent me home with some special cat food, nutri-cal, and a broad spectrum antibiotic (low dose, in case it was a kidney problem). Oh, and special kitty litter so I can get a urine sample.

Last night I gave her the nutri-cal (yuck it was thick and didn't go into the medicine thingy to well) and I gave her the antibiotic. I wound up wearing about as much of the nutri-cal as she got. A little while later she was up and about. A bit weak, but just checking things out around the house. So that was a really good sign. 

When the tests come back I will post and let you know what the results are.


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## NostalgicGranny (Aug 22, 2007)

rider said:


> sometimes kidney failure will cause an odd odor as will diabetis you can sometimes get a cat to eat by putting garlic powder on thier food not a lot just so you can smell it you might try a bit of sugar water in your eye dropper and see if you can get her to take it might perk her up some good luck


I forgot to mention the odor!
The next day it was gone. But something interesting happened. I went to the store to get more baby food for Lady Bug and I smelled it there. So I asked my son "Are you sure you don't smell that?" He didn't smell a thing. My nose has gone wacky. So the smell wasn't her breath. When this is over I am going to have to figure out why I am smelling medicine-y smell at weird times.


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## beccachow (Nov 8, 2008)

Some meds taken by humans will cause some wierd tastes and smells. In my never ending battle with Lyme I was prescribed two antibiotics which I REFUSE to take because of the fact that they colored everything I ate, everything I drank, even just the taste in my mouth.

I keep checking here everyday hoping for good news; you and your kitty are heavily on my mind.


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## NostalgicGranny (Aug 22, 2007)

Update on Lady-Bug 

The tests came back and it looks like it might be her liver. Her counts aren't right. She is also anemic, which I expected what with her not eating right. The vet is recommending a whole slew of more tests including for feline leukemia and HIV, some x-rays, and even mentioned a cat-scan. Unfortunately hubby just started his new job today. In the 3 years we have lived here, he has been laid off twice. So I am not sure if we can afford the tests.

Last night I picked lady up to feed her and it was obvious that she had urinated on herself. So I put her in the garden tub in the master bath, because it was big enough to hold her litterbox, bed, and food. Plus easier to clean up. 

This morning after talking to the vet on the phone, I fed her and had to change her bedding she had wet herself again.

It looks like I may have to put her down just to ease her suffering. Which involves yet another issue. Hubby has the only vehicle, and his new job is in Dallas which means he leaves before the vet opens and comes home after they close. Sigh.

The moment I have dreaded has arrived. Time to make that tough choice. Do the merciful thing or start selling my books and things to pay for the tests?

If you are the praying type please pray for Lady, and for me to make the best choice for her.

In the meantime I will toss the options around in my head and wait for hubby to get home so we can discuss the options.


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## Veronica (Oct 31, 2008)

Praying for Lady and you!

Veronica


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## nduetime (Dec 15, 2005)

I am so sorry. I am sure you will do the best thing for your Lady. Thinking of you all, you are in my prayers.


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## Ravenlost (Jul 20, 2004)

Oh, my heart goes out to you. I am so sorry.


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## beccachow (Nov 8, 2008)

I am so very sorry. Praying for strength in your decision.


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## Ardie/WI (May 10, 2002)

My heart aches for you.

Blessings and hugs.


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## NostalgicGranny (Aug 22, 2007)

I've decided to go with the Leukemia test. Yesterday the vet mentioned some meds that may help protect her liver. Diazel I think it was called. If I can get into town in the next day or two I will pick some up.

Her bowel movements are back but she still is weak. It is weird - sometimes she eats a bite or two, sometimes she eats like she is starving, and sometimes I have to feed her with the medicine syringe. And talk about purring, she doesn't stop purring when I pet her.


Thank you everyone for the prayers. It is comforting to know someone cares enough to say a prayer.


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## commonsense (Jun 1, 2008)

I'm sorry your cat isn't well, I know how hard that is! Did the vet mention diabetes as a possibility? 

I had a cat who developed fatty liver disease, stopped eating, became anemic--basically started crashing metabolically. I fed her with a syringe for three weeks while she was on antibiotics for the liver problem. The recipe was a mixture of strained babyfood chicken or eggs, water, and nutrical. One night, she suddenly developed an interest in solid food, and from then on she continued to improve, living to be 17 years old.

She needed 120 cc's of this mixture throughout the day, and I was using a 3cc syringe to feed her. It's vitally important for cats to eat; they don't do well when they stop eating. 

I'm wondering if the smell you detected was from ketosis--again, a good question for the vet, and easy to test for with a ph strip dipped in her urine. 


check out this link, and keep asking your vet questions. Even if this is not what your cat has, the nutritional information would apply--she needs to keep eating, even if you have to force feed her. 

http://cats.about.com/cs/healthissues/a/fatty_liver.htm

good luck, and I'm sending a kitty prayer your way too!


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## NostalgicGranny (Aug 22, 2007)

Thank you for the link. She is not overweight and was checked for yellowing. She is a bit anemic, but then she isn't eating right either. 

I did print out the suggested foods to entice her. Interestingly enough hubby picked a few cans of cat food up yesterday. One that I tried - Fancy Feast was on the list, and she did like it. 

Lady can be a very picky eater in the best of times which makes it that much harder to feed her.


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## amwitched (Feb 14, 2004)

You can also put the NutraCal on your finger and give it too her. Just wipe it on her tongue.


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## beccachow (Nov 8, 2008)

Still rooting for you guys.


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## Ravenlost (Jul 20, 2004)

Me too. Please let us know how she's doing.


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