Katharine Not Eating-Due to Phenobarbital?

A cat that is not eating well enough or at all is creating a dangerous situation, a domino effect where the body lacks nutrients and fluids and goes into steep decline. Too many people think that it is ok to not let a cat eat enough or to skip a few days due to the false belief that the cat is just being finicky. A cat can be finicky but if a cat cries for food but won't eat; sniffs the food but won't eat; does not come for food at meal times; even takes a bite or two and leaves and never eats again that day, then it is a cat that is likely ill-not finicky. The lack of eating must be addressed immediately with the use of supplementation (feeding protein and liquids by mouth) and with medication to stimulate the appetite (Mirtazapine for example.)

Katharine has slowed down eating this month while on phenobarbital. She stopped eating on Monday. I gave food by mouth: tuna juice, juice from the can of cat food, and kitten formula (a great alternative because it has all the nutrients a cat needs.) Unfortunately, she vomited it up Monday night and this morning. She is down a pound in a month.

She had the weight to lose but the real concern is that if she loses too much, does not get any nutrients, hepatic lipidosis-an acidic condition of the liver that involves the release of bad enzymes-could be the result.

When a cat starves, the body begins to shut down and in a matter of hours and days, not months. Cats are not like dogs that will eat anything until they are too sick to want to eat. Cats tend to stop eating as soon as they do not feel well even if the illness is only slight. When a cat doesn't eat, the domino effect begins as the body begins to fall apart.
A lack of nutrients means a lack of electrolytes; lack of electrolytes means low blood pressure, which means a run down condition, which means a lack of oxygen that won't be circulated to the heart and kidneys and organs and brain, etc. all that need oxygen and electrolytes and nutrients in order to fully function.

Feeding her by mouth with a 3ml syringe, a mixture of potassium (baby food sweet potato), glucose (corn syrup), and some salt with tuna juice/juice from canned food; and the kitten formula kept her hydrated enough that she had pink, wet gums. She failed the skin tent test as her skin did not fall but stayed aloft when pulled which meant she was dehydrated. When feeding a cat by mouth, you must make sure not to force feed the cat. Doing so, only makes the the cat upset and creates acid in the gastric system which then makes the situation worse.

She received sub q fluids, a shot of Cerenia (to calm the stomach after vomiting; a good overall restoration medication to help the cat feel well enough to eat;) a shot of B12 (to help them feel better)-all of which are to help her feel better in hopes that she recovers enough to eat.

The CBC/chem panel showed no signs of liver or kidney issues; no infection or inflammation. They sent to IDEXX, the lab company, the PPL-the test for pancreatitis. We will schedule a gastric system scan. She had one in May that was normal so it's good that we have a baseline with which to compare.

She has been sleeping since being home. We have fed her by mouth twice and we aren't sure half of it go into her. She is spitting it out which she had not done before.

We will continue to feed by mouth every three hours during the day and evening; try to get her to eat on her own; and wait to hear from her neurologist, which should be Thursday, as to what to do with the phenobarbital-if that is what is causing the not eating. Also, on Thursday, we will get the PPL results.