General Chat

I like both dogs and cats. Since our red setter was killed in a road accident we now have just the two cats.One of them came to live with us by accident as a small kitten when we were asked to look after him for a week. On account of his desperate state of health we kept him and eventually he grew into a small but bouncy and friendly cat who never chases more than leaves in the wind and dislikes fighting.

He has been badly beaten up and after a serious vet's bill is now back with us hovering between light and dark, daily vet's visits. He can drink water. Luckily we have partial a/c so can at least keep him cool.

I wonder if anybody has any idea what we can feed him on as he is going to be like this for a couple of weeks, maybe more. He hates cat milk. Right now senior cat is enjoying all manner of delicacies which have been turned down.

When I worked at a vets, the nurse gave pilchards or tuna to the cats who were reluctant to eat.

Wishing poor puss a speedy recovery.

xx

I am assuming that it needs to be nothing rich.

Have you tried complan?

Another alternative may be very small pieces of bread soaked in water if he cannot take milk.

Did the vet not recommend anything?

Sorry to hear the beating your poor cat took.

Many years ago when our old moggy was hit by car it was also discovered she had kidney problems and had to live the rest of her life on only white meat.

Have you tried boiling chicken and pulping it to almost a puree?

You could try baby rice. That's what we gave our kittens when our cats had them. Cheaper than Lactol.

Poor little cat.
In my experience, a cat will not eat until it's ready to. Just offer him a little of his favourites now and again until he's ready. Have you tried a morsel of cheese? Most cats I've had can't resist it.
Try not to worry, Rollo, he will eat as soon as he feels able - a cat would never starve itself.
Lynda :-)

I am sorry to hear about your cat Rollo, perhaps the Vet could suggest suitable food. Hope he will soon be on the mend.

Thank you. He normally likes tuna so I'll give the pilchards a try. Baby rice is worth a try too.

I do hope he pulls through. Every time I find something too difficult or exasperating and it looks easier to just give up I think of the little cat and give it that extra ounce of effort.

He was beaten up by a very nasty cat who lives in the district and will even go for people. Usually senior cat ( who is 22lb no fat ) keeps order but was knocked out by the heat. He has probably put on 1kg thanks to the goodies all week lol.

We have got through the list of his favorites, delicacies, vets suggestions and our own guesses which is why I asked. He is not very big for a grown cat 'cos of the neglect he suffered as a kitten before we got him so he needs some sort of nourishment. He looks just like Felix from the cat food company.

Right now we have resorted to cat milk and a syringe... So tomorrow, pilchards.

Cheese: Many moons ago I had a black cat who adored cheese, he would dribble at the prospect of grated cheddar. Other cats don't like cheese at all. Either way even cats who love cheese should only be given it in small amounts as cow lactose is not good for cats in any quantity.

Oh yes, he always uses his litter tray never OPs gardens. As I said utterly harmless but normally very funny.

I hope tomorrow sees a big improvement Rollo, it is horrible when an animal is unwell

xx :-(

Oh poor little cat, hope he recovers soon and will eat again. I think chicken and rice blended into a mush might tempt him, you could do a small batch and freeze some in empty yogourt pots so it doesn't go to waste and isn't fattening up the older cat, then keep trying him on a small portion defrosted until room temp or even warmed in the microwave.

Lizx

hi
He is a bit better and a bit more steady on his paws for a few minutes anyway.
KittyTheLearnerCook's idea worked !

mashed pilchard (in oil) mixed with cat milk and glucose (*) worked !!!
senior cat thinks the mash-up is disgusting but wolfed a can of plain pilchards.

(*) the vet insists on the glucose. He says that if we can get him through the next week he should be ok.

thank you

Do you know Rollo, that today my daughter dropped me off two doomsday books and Roger de Bulsi was in them. I only gave the books a quick look but Alison had marked these as I come from West Melton about 1 mile from Wath and my Oh was born here. :-)

Pleased that your cat is making progress, Rollo. :-)

Roger de Busli ( pronounced Bealieu ) was one of William I 's chief henchmen and a prime mover and shaker for the invasion of 1066. He was given extensive lands all over the UK. The village of Wath in Yorkshire was one of hundreds of which he was the feudal top dog.

No doubt you are aware of Tom Hardy MP who pushed through the Wildlife and Coountryside Act in 1983 (?) and became Lord of Wath-upon-Dearne in the House of Lords, he had an excellent sense of humour.

fwiw one of my ancestors married a daughter of de Busli a great many moons ago.

:-)

My poor little cat has not had a good day. He has remained prostrate on the cool floor most of the time, drinking a little bit, eating a couple of teaspoons of mashed pilchards.
No purring at all.

So tomorrow morning another visit to the vet. Looking at the damage these visits are doing to my flexible friend I wish I had persevered in my original intention to be a vet. Bites from cat fights are not it seems covered by insurance.

Maybe a few days of cooler weather will help. The outlook is uncertain but he is a gutsy little cat and has survived other disasters.

So glad he's perking up.
I usually give my cats 3 days of being 'poorly' before I consider the vet (did the same with my children - it wasn't the vet for them, it was the doctor). Obviously they (the cats) weren't 'beaten up' as badly as your cat.

I had one cat (a huge neutered ginger tom)who was prone to abscesses (ratting). His sister used to lick the area clean and I used to treat them with bread poultices. I took him to the vet when he had an abscess on his face. Vet cleaned it without resorting to anaesthetic, and kept him in overnight. I heard the cat howling as I walked in. Vet told me, in future, not to bring him in, to just treat any abscess with the poultices, as he'd been howling all night!!

Another cat had an altercation with a car on a Saturday night/Sunday morning that resulted in a broken jaw.
Took him to the vet on the Monday, who, whilst looking at his jaw burst an unseen abscess. It was the start of a Bank Holiday, vet told me to bring him back in 2 days. :-S
Next day, I realised the abscess was the problem. The cat came downstairs after a long sleep and, with his still broken jaw, ignored the wet food and started eating dry cat food :-0
He was wired up on the Wednesday and spent 6 weeks lacerating me with the twisted wire emerging from under his chin. (punk stage) :-D

A cat won't starve itself, (it needs a human to do that) and sleep is a great healer :-D

Hope little puss will start to feel better soon and will eat more altho as long as he is taking liquids and hopefully the glucose as well, he should get stronger and want more to eat.

What about mixing the glucose and cat milk with a little ready brek or fine porridge oats, might that be palatable? and better than glucose and cat milk with pilchards. You could then serve the pilchards on their own.

Such a worry (and expense) when our little pals are poorly,.

Lizx

I don't know where you live, but it is so hot here at the moment our cat is not eating properly and is sleeping under a shrub the garden. I hope your little cat is feeling better soon.

Thank you for yr thoughts about our junior cat and the very interesting ( for me anyway ) stories of yr own cats. I once had a big ginger tom who me ex made off with :-( Today the vet said fior the first time that he thought junior would make it before he was not sure at all.

We are on the south coast for now and it is warm, though it does not seem to affect senior cat's appetite he is eating more than ever... I am also first in the line for lunch at my favorite pub lol before the grockles show up.

I am just doing what the vet says... junior is much more perky and yes the mix is now cereal cat milk and honey, a teaspoon of mashed pilchards now and then. He still has a big open wound from the abscess caused by the bite on his back leg so he doesn't move around much. I have discovered from a neighbour that he was chased by a squirrel and bitten. Hopefully he won't mess with squirrels again.

I suppose we could all save loadsa money by not having animals but I'd go nuts. They are a lot more fun than electronic gadgets or cruises otoh the downside of a bricked X-Box or TV is minimal.

Dogs, cats, horses, hens, sheep and cattle, pigs, parrots have always been part of my life. The "Pet Passport" has made my life far less complicated

:-)

Nice to read that your little cat looks like he is on the mend - we become so attached to our pets, 10 years on and I still miss my two boxer dogs.