Tempting my poorly boy to eat

[paddypaws101]

Have you asked your vet about Cyproheptadine? He may not have heard of it's use but it is widely used in US and can really spark the cat's natural appetite.

[Gillian Harvey]

He seems much brighter today expecting me to be his own door person! He only goes out and sits on the patio for a few minutes, but if he is that perky there has to be some hope.
He even marched round the kitchen this morning comaining that his food was late, even if he only wants the gravy.

Thats sounding a bit more positive 

[Liz]

I liquise everything for Sweetie and she is currently liking kitten food - I would feed anything at this time Sweetie like weetabix in hot milk, tuna, kitten food, butter and cream and is perking up somewhat she is very thin but has underlying heart problems as well as diabetes and I know she is on borrowed time but is happy at the moment so we take each day as a blessing

Send lots of purrs and hisses from the Clan cats for your boy

[Monzaman]

Hi,
I want to avoid stressing him, which makes his breathing much worse. I am just off out to buy some liquvite to see if that does the trick. He is getting thinner and thinner and he needs energy to fight off the infection.
I just want us to have more time together and may try to syringe feed him. He seems much brighter today expecting me to be his own door person! He only goes out and sits on the patio for a few minutes, but if he is that perky there has to be some hope.
He even marched round the kitchen this morning comaining that his food was late, even if he only wants the gravy.

[paddypaws101]

I am sorry to hear that your cat is not well, I think we can all sympathise with how difficult this is.
Can I ask though why you say you 'will not force food on him' ? I am not suggesting you would want to upset your cat, but cats do need to eat to overcome illnesses and also to avoid Hepatic Lipidosis which can in itself be fatal.
When cats don't eat much they can get a very acid stomach and this puts them off food even more, so it becomes a vicious cycle.
My boy paddy was off his food for several weeks over xmas and I syringe fed him daily....he has made a full recovery ( finger crossed)
The supplement L-carnitine can help guard against HL and is available from health food stores or in a veterinary preparation called Conval-S. You might want to have a look at Tanya's CRF site http://www.felinecrf.org/treatments.htm#controlling_stomach_acid which gives lots of information regarding assisted feeding. Using an anti-acid can be helpful ( get vet advice, I use Pepsid AC imported from USA but there are suitable uk drugs ) also an appetite stimulant such as Cyproheptadine
There are lots of things you can do to help him out of this slump...but I think that they will all include some element of assisted feeding.

Edit to add....I dont know about 'cat gravy' but I make home made chicken broth by boiling up chicken carcasses ( free from local butcher after they have portioned meat ) or cheap chicken portions, for an hour or so...strain to remove bone fragments and cool. This broth will nourish and help maintain electrolyte balance. Some days I gave him this with  teaspoon of full fat goat milk yoghurt added and he lapped it up. The broth can also be added to food to liquidise for syringe feeding.

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

I spent 2-3 years crawling around on my hands an knees feeeding my late Kocka with Hills ad from my finger, it was the only way she would eat it and agree with all the others about letting him eat anything he likes.

Raising the dish is aslo a good idea..

I do hope that Monza has loads of time with you yet 

[clarenmax]

I would suggest little and often with the food, and something which he really likes.

When my Bridge baby Max was poorly with his kidneys, it was a real battle sometimes to get him to eat, smelly food was always the best, really mushed up and even with a bit of warm water mixed in to make it easier to eat.

[Mark]

Sorry - I know only too well what it is like trying to get a sick cat to eat 

Have you tried Hill's a/d? - it is what vets recommend for convalescence. It is very smelly (liver) and is like a pate. It is very high in calories - also the texture is like a pate so it is easy to blend water into to make a paste or even a gravy/gruel.

The milk Janey recommended is good if they will take it - not that I have had any luck. The proper stuff is a powder (not the cartons sold in supermarkets) - you can get it from Pets at Home (cheaper) or the vet. There are a few brands - Cimicat is one of them.

There is another product called liquivite that has all the nutrients in http://www.vetuk.co.uk/cat-food-dog-food-liquivite-liquid-pet-food-c-62_440/liquivite-liquid-food-for-cats-400g-tin-p-2342

[Janeyk]

( Just typed a long post and puter went off so will begin again)

So glad you've posted here

So sorry Monza is so poorly, it's such a worry.  Having had old cats for a long time I've been in this situation a few times and it's never easy.

What I find helps is to feed little and often things they really like.

So, cat milk is great for building them up (not cows milk as many cats are lactose intolerant) giving some each day helped my cat Byron a lot.

Also, mashing the food up so that all gets eaten not just gravy or jelly.  Pate and supermeat type foods are great too becaause they're easy to eat and mine have always loved those.

Oily fish is another thing which can help, things like salmon, tuna, mackerel, sardines and pilchards a few times a week because their sense of smell sometimes goes Schui suffered sinus problems and these are strong smelling and are healthy - fattening too.

Anthing they really like is better than nothing.

Also I found raising the dish so that it's easier for them to reach and feeding them with a spoon Schui loved this! he'd stay put and I'd take the food to him - nearly always worked even if he only ate bits, because getting them to eat can kick start the appetite.

Bits of cheese too if they like it can help.

Best of luck and gentle snuzzles to Monza 

[Monzaman]

My very special 11 year old boy has pneumonia. He has been extensively treated by the vet and is currently on steroids and antibiotics.
Our vet is not optimistic about his future. But as he seems happy in himself and if kept calm his breathing is not too bad he feels he currently has quality of life and we should keep going.
Monza has allways been a big cat but is losing weight very rapidly.
Where there is life there is hope. However he is not eating much- he will lick the gravy off of good and will eat handfed cat treats. His vet is of the opinion that sooner probably than later he will lose the energy to eat, which is when it will be time to say goodbye.
So I am trying to feed him as tempting diet as possible to try to give him the energy to go on. I have exhausted our vets suggestions and still all he will do is lick the gravy and eat the treats. He is very much loved and as long as he is happy in his self I want to continue to help him fight. I will not force food on him.
Has anyone got any more advice on tempting him? Any tried and tested ideas?
I was thinking of making him a batch of home made gravy- any advice on how to make gravy for cats?
Thank you in advance.