Hand Feeding A Sick Cat-the Importance of Keeping the Cat Hydrated and Fed

Facebook post April 15:

From a discussion with a pet owner:

"Your cat cannot go more than a day without eating. The longer it does not eat, the faster it goes into decline. Weakness sets in, driving it to not feel well enough to eat. The body begins to eat at fat then muscles, further weakening the state. You need to begin hand feeding. Get a 3ml syringe from the vet or store. Do NOT use any glass droppers.

First, make up some sugar water: 1/8 tsp per 3oz of water. As long as the cat is not diabetic. This will be a quick energy source. Give one 3ml syringe of sugar water every three to four hours. Hand feed every 3-4 hours or as often as possible. Feed this along with the following: get Hills AD or any special needs/high caloric cat food for cats in recovery. This is a pate that mixes easily with very little water and is easily syringed up and fed to the cat. Feed 24mls to 30mls to the cat per feeding. Each ml is about one calorie. The cat needs about 120 or more calories per day.

Then give the cat some potassium-either Renal K gel or powder (Amazon) or baby food banana or sweet potato. Syringe up and feed by hand or add to AD mixture. It's an electrolyte the cat needs for the body to function, for the kidneys to work the diuresis process (assuming the cat's on a diuretic), and the heart needs it to function properly. Use tuna juice as a source of added protein. Drain it, put it into a container for the frig. Give 3-6mls per feeding. The idea is to feed the cat now to prevent it from starving to death; give it a boost in energy to recovery; to help it to feel better to want to eat; and to restore as many nutrients/electrolytes as necessary for proper bodily function, energy, and to feel better to eat.

Cerenia is an antinausea med that will work but it's short lived. If the cat isn't eating, the med won't help. Appetite stimulants such as cyproheptadine or mirtazapine are great but are also short lived. The cat really needs to be fed NOW and to eat well enough on it's own. You can't try a med and wait for it to kick in and expect the cat to recover. But I would try cypro. Ask the vet. It's a milder stimulant which I feel works best for heart patient cats as it will make them less anxious. Remember-the cat must be fed NOW. Do not wait for it to try to eat on its own. The cat cannot starve to death. As for the heart meds, they can interfere (with appetite) but so can being sick with heart disease. The meds won't help if the cat isn't eating well.

The way to hand feed: don't stress the cat. Hold or wrap a towel around the front. Expect cat food to go out more than in until you get the hang of it. The water/liquid food will go in easier. But the cat food/water mixture will land on you and the cat and the counter. But syringe up the food; hold the cat in one arm-assuming the cat isn't squirming. And gently squirt food into the side of the mouth. The cat will move it's head but keep chasing either side of the mouth. One 3ml syringe or whatever size you use should go in over a few seconds. But it will seem like longer and will be if the cat doesn't cooperate. You must gain control of the cat. Don't force it or hold it down but keep at it until you have fed it 24-30 mls per feeding.

...I forgot to add: boil beef or chicken without salt or spice; use the broth to hand feed."