Conference misery::feline_v1

    Other than the fact that she may have had a prolapsed rectum, how
    is she doing now?  Is she still listless, running a fever, not eating?
    If so, she is not a good candidate for surgery.  If not, then I
    would consult with your regular vet and maybe have him examine her.
    Poor thing has had a hard time of it lately.
    
    Either way, she probably should be seen by the regular vet.
    
    Jo

    YEP! You got it. She is still listless and generally does not look
    happy. I haven't taken her temperature since last night, but I doubt
    that she is running a fever after all the injections she's had lately.
    She must be floating in her skin!
    Kim

    Take her in as soon as you get a chance.
    
    Jo

    I would take her in, as this sounds worrying.  (Also, for whatever
    this is worth (probably not much) this reminds me of a story in
    one of the James Herriot books about a cow, I think, with a prolapsed
    uterus.  It had to be fixed, but it was fixable.)
    
    Please let us know what is happening.
    

    It's been another busy weekend. We took Payday to the Vet on Saturday.
    Her temperature was ok and wouldn't you know she was pretty alert.
    Her Doctor says just looking at her, you wouldn't know she was sick.
    She suggested several things that may be making her throw up and
    have diarrhea. Parasites and colitis(sp?) were the most probable.
    The only other idea I have is that she may have eaten something
    she shouldn't have. Something she can't pass either way. Today we
    have to take in a stool sample to check for parasites. 
    Boy, this is getting expensive. Not to mention the time it takes
    to feed her. She is eating baby food off the end of my finger. I'm
    also giving her Nutracal. This stuff has to be force fed because
    she won't touch it. Then I give her water with a syringe. Whew!!!!
    Kim

How do you force feed and water a cat? My cat is quite ill and the vet told me
to try and get some food in him to keep his strength up. I tried the tuna fish
and chicken that the vet recommended, but he wont eat. I bought some baby 
food but he won't touch it on his own either. He drank some water yesterday or
saturday, is there some way to get the food and water into him in spite of
himself? 

Eryn

    Animals can be tube fed.  This is not something that a novice should
    try without the vet's instruction, and it is usually not recommended
    unless it is a matter of life and death since there is some risk
    involved.
    
    I have never tube fed an adult cat, but I have recently used tube
    feeding to save five kittens when they came down with pneumonia
    and couldn't nurse.
    
    Jo

    You can also use a syringe, I believe.  We've had to use it to
    give liquid medicines to Dundee.  You should be able to use the
    same technique to get soft foods like baby food into the kitten,
    and water.
      N
    

    I use a syringe for the water, just giving her a little at a time.
    (about 1 cc). For the food, I put a dab of Nutracal on my finger,
    open her mouth and wipe it onto the roof of her mouth. She has dropped
    about 4 pounds since she got sick and the Doc says she's got to
    have those calories!
    I can't wait to get home to see her, poor sick kitty.
    Kim

    Re: .7
    
    When Holly had a respiratory infection and wouldn't eat, the vet
    said get really smelly food (presumably the infection interfered
    with her sense of smell/taste).  Nine Lives Super Supper (I think
    it's name is) worked pretty well.
    

    
    
    This can be a pretty expensive solution, but when our dog had parvo
    virus (wouldn't you know, right when it surfaced before they had
    a vaccine), we took her to the vet twice daily for nutritious IV 
    solutions.  In the long run, it wasn't that expensive.  With her 
    being able to keep up the best of nutrients balance, she quickly 
    recovered.  We only had to do it for two days as I remember.  After
    it was a week of plain hamburg and rice (that was also reccomended
    for my cat after his operation).  It's a catch 22 with sick animals, 
    it is most important thing to keep up their nutrients, and the last 
    thing they will do it eat and drink!
    
    Ask your vet what he/she thinks about it, it may not be terribly
    expensive and in the long run may save you and your cat some.
    
    Good luck.

    It's Friday now and Payday has been doing well all week. Her appetite
    has picked up. I only have to feed her the first couple licks off
    my finger before she goes for the bowl. Thank heavens for baby food.
    This was all she would eat and it saved her from becoming a skeleton.
    I haven't weighed her yet but her bones aren't showing on her back
    like they were on Monday. We still don't know what caused the sickness
    that caused the diarrhea and throwing up that caused the prolapsed
    rectum(whew!!) and that's really a drag because I don't want it
    to happen again.  I just hope she keeps getting better.
    Thank you all for listening and responding!
    Kim

    
    re 11
    
    go for it
    
    the smellier the better, as long as it is still fresh cats love
    it, but if they can't smell it they won't eat it, try kippers (deboned)
    or pate or fresh meat.
    
    best of luck.
    
    Andrew Hoare