Could 15 Year Old Indoor Cat Losing Weight Have FIP
My 15 yr old indoor kitty, Alexandra, stopped eating 2 weeks ago & has lost weight. She saw the holistic vet & blood work was perfect - no indication of illness. She had acupuncture, sub q for very slight dehydration & homeopathic remedy to encourage eating. She was raised on raw or cooked food. She only saw vet for spay & vaccinations as kitten were spread out & only done once. She has always been healthy & slim. She is now 5lbs, skinny & a little weak in the back end.
She purrs, stays in chair on main floor (usually is all over the house), uses scratching pad, uses litter to pee but poop has been loose & not a lot due to lack of eating. She seems quite happy! She eats 1 or sometimes 2 meals of cooked chicken or just the "soup" a day which I spoon feed. I think she's enjoying it! I have bought "better" canned cat foods to encourage her appetite but she will only eat a little. I guess she's used to real food!
I have read about fips as another vet suggested her half brother (who lives with us) may have it due to his snotty sneezes which neither vet has been able to help. Alex has the runny, boogie eyes occasionally. Would that be considered fips? She does have the lack of appetite, sleeping, diarrhea & also "very hot ears" when digesting food. (she just started a digestive enzyme).
I appreciate different perspectives on cause, suggestions, supplements, bribe foods or whatever may help Alexandra!
I really appreciate this site & all the wonderful people. Namaste
Mpls., Mn
03/30/2015
Namaste 4paws!
It sounds as if Alexandra has had a first class ride all the way here, from intelligent vaccination program to the healthiest diet possible - kudos to such excellent care!
And, when I read about a 15 year old kitty with weight loss and weakness in the hind end, four words come to mind: dinosaur on four legs. Meaning you have a senior, antique, geriatric kitty and it is an amazing feat.
Things that come to mind when managing dinosaurs: parasites are a constant consideration with a senior. Depending on the skills of your holistic vet you may or may not be able to diagnose them. Consider treating for giardia - there are myriad forms - and many nutritional approaches to treating them. Here is a basic list of remedies with more info after this list.
This is my usual "go to" remedy:
2 raw baby carrots [avoid Bunny Luv Brand] grated and shredded
1 table spoon sunflower seeds [raw or cooked]
1 teaspoon C&H Brown sugar
I mix these up in a tablespoon or two of canned tuna and dose in the tuna for 2 days, and then without the tuna for another 6 days - dose am and pm.
Other nutritionals to consider:
Blueberries - 1 tablespoon twice a day for 5 days
Broccoli - 4 flowerets twice daily for 5 days
Carrots - 2 baby raw organic carrots twice a day for 8 days
Celery - 1 raw stick twice a day for 7 days
Green Pepper - 1 half-dollar sized piece twice a day for 2 days
Lemon Juice - 1/2 teaspoon twice a day for 5 days
Pumpkin Seeds - 1 tablespoon twice a day for 8 days
Spinach - 1 tablespoon twice a day for 5 days
Sunflower Seeds - 1 tablespoon twice a day for 8 days
C&H Brown sugar - 1 teaspoon twice a day for 8 days
I mix these up with a little water and dose with a medicine dropper or put into wet food:
Astragulus - 1 capsule twice a day for 5 days
Bilberry - 1 capsule twice a day for 5 days
Cat's Claw - 1 capsule twice a day for 5 days
Dandelion Root - 1 capsule twice a day for5 days
Garlic -1 capsule twice a day for 5 days
Kelp - 1 capsule twice a day for 5 days
Licorice - 1 capsule twice a day for 5 days
Milk Thistle - 1 capsule twice a day for 5 days
Olive Leaf Extract - 1 capsule twice a day for 5 days
Oregano Oil - 1 pill or 1/4 teaspoon twice a day for 5 days
Oregon Grape Root - 1 capsule twice a day for 5 days
Schizandra - 1 capsule twice a day for 5 days
Turmeric - 1 capsule twice a day for 5 days
Yellow Dock - 1 capsule twice a day for 5 days
Next, when I hear about hind end weakness - aka 'old cat's disease' there are many causes. Parasites can cause this type of weakness, but there are other conditions as well. Pay attention to the rear limbs - are they properly warm or do the rear feet feel cooler than the rest of the body? If you feel cooler rear limbs you may wish to discuss with your vet 'saddle thrombus' which is a blood clot blocking blood flow.
Lastly, when it comes to bribe foods anything goes - particularly when you are dealing with a dinosaur. I just skip down the grocery pet food aisle to the end where the really crappy foods are - the ones loaded with sugar and salt. I would not feed these foods to a kitten or for the life of any pet, but when you are dealing with a senior you have nothing to lose - and an appetite to gain, so I would try those fancy smaller cans and see if your senior will indulge in some junk food.
Good luck and keep us posted about Alexandra!
Ontario, Canada
03/30/2015
Theresa! Thank you for the wonderful information!
I was tired & forgot to mention that all my 3 cats & 2 dogs got sick from a bad batch of raw chicken in January. My so called reliable raw meat source has been having issues (have a new source now! ) & my little ones found out the hard way. All but Alexandra recovered. I had detoxed them but now that you mention parasites, that may be the issue. I will keep you posted!
Ontario, Canada
06/16/2015
Update: I tried several of Theresa's suggestions but Alex is particular! I'm not sure what happened, but she came though whatever it was with a wonderful appetite & better bowel movements! She gained weight & was amazing!
This is what has now happened 3 months later. She had only been dealing with frequent vomiting but suddenly developed congestion that became worse so she went to holistic vet as nothing I tried made a big difference. I believe she is only breathing through her mouth as her bedding is wet. She also stopped eating & possibly drinking (but she had a good pee today so may be drinking at night). She had acupuncture, b12 injection & was given homeopathic mix with echinacea, engystol, traumeel, gripp & nux vomica. It was a scary night but she seemed minimally better this morning.
The vet didn't feel her nose was plugged. I made a saline solution & dripped it in one nostril. It seemed to stress her so I didn't do the other nostril. She didn't sneeze. I can't see anything in either nostril. Is there another way to tell if they're plugged? Remember she is breathing through her mouth somewhat.
And if the nose wasn't plugged, why would she breathe through her mouth? Her teeth are perfect!
The vet suggested an x ray at some point but it wouldn't show fluid & he said due to her age, we would just keep her comfortable. I don't see the point in having an x ray.
I am very concerned as she is not comfortable with her breathing. I would say she's slightly more comfortable than yesterday but not a lot. She refuses to eat so I have syringed some chicken "soup" I made & a stuck small pieces of chicken in her mouth. She has always been healthy & eaten raw or cooked food.
I say thank you & appreciate any thoughts or suggestions for my darling Alexandra. We love her so much...
