Cat won't eat

MsQuinn

Hi all. Hope someone can give some advice.

Our male cat had to be taken to vet last week as he couldn't pee. He may have feline lower urinary tract disease (pending test results) and has been put on antibiotics and a special diet. I'm having no problem getting him to eat both. The problem is his sister.

Since he came back from the vet on Friday, she has been on a protest of some sort. I think it may be that her feeding routine is upset. They normally feed side by side but as I don't want him eating her food, I'm feeding them separately.

Yesterday she ate less than 1 pouch of felix. Today she won't touch anything from her bowl. I gave her a fish stick at lunch time which she devoured. She keeps staring at me as if to say "feed me", but when I show her her food, she refuses.

I'm hoping the hunger will get the better of her. Is there anything else I can do? I don't think she is sick - just put out.

mymo

Had similar problem, my only solution was to feed both the special food.
Bit more expensive but won't do the not sick one any harm.
They're both happy now, just have to stop the dogs stealing it!

actingthegoat

Hiya,
A friend of mine had some sort of similar problems awhile back after she had brought her male cat back from the vet,the female was very upset and wouldn't go near the male. This is very loose advice but somebody said to her that cats are very fickle and basically selfish,so they concluded that the female could sense that the male wasnt well and was working off some kind of a self-preservation,survival of the fittest type of instinct by keeping away from him. This was despite the fact that the male just had something minor wrong with him.
That probably isnt much help but it could be something as simple as that!

MsQuinn

mymo wrote: »

Had similar problem, my only solution was to feed both the special food.
Bit more expensive but won't do the not sick one any harm.
They're both happy now, just have to stop the dogs stealing it!

I did ask the vet if I could feed them both the special diet. She didn't recommend it as it changes the ph of the urine. I understand, but I wonder what harm it can do? I think he may only have to be on special diet for 4 weeks so if she continues to refuse, it may be the only option.

I'm mixing his antibiotics with his food so wont be able to try this until he finishes (on saturday).

MsQuinn

actingthegoat wrote: »

Hiya,
A friend of mine had some sort of similar problems awhile back after she had brought her male cat back from the vet,the female was very upset and wouldn't go near the male. This is very loose advice but somebody said to her that cats are very fickle and basically selfish,so they concluded that the female could sense that the male wasnt well and was working off some kind of a self-preservation,survival of the fittest type of instinct by keeping away from him. This was despite the fact that the male just had something minor wrong with him.
That probably isnt much help but it could be something as simple as that!

Sounds plausible. She has given him a few slaps since he came back. They are litter mates and nearly 3 years old. This was the first time they were separated from each other overnight since they were born. She may have thought he wasn't coming back and is punishing him for upsetting her.

mymo

What food is it?
Mine are on a food to prevent crystals and bladder infections(struvite management,"specific" is the brand), and the vet said it was fine to give to both cats. Mine are both male and he said its more common in males, but can't see how it would harm the other cat.

MsQuinn

mymo wrote: »

What food is it?
Mine are on a food to prevent crystals and bladder infections(struvite management,"specific" is the brand), and the vet said it was fine to give to both cats. Mine are both male and he said its more common in males, but can't see how it would harm the other cat.

It's Hills Perscription diet s/d. They are usually on Royal Canin Fit 32 which I mix it with a small bit of felix just to moisten it. Vet said it was OK to mix a bit of the fit 32 into the special food.

mymo

Just checked the Hills site, the one you're feeding does the same as the one I'm feeding, Just lowers the ph of the urine(neutralises it).
The vet did say it was ok to give to both. He also said its important to get him to drink more as it helps prevent future problems, he suggested getting a good quality wet food, and adding water to make it a bit soupy, the cats drink the flavoured water first, then the food. I give this every second day, one serving between the two of them.

MsQuinn

Thanks mymo. When I got the cats, everyone said feed them the dry food. Seems link this is not the best option.

I'm happy to feed them both the s/d. The vet only had a limited supply but has a crate on order for us so once that comes, they're both on it.

She's giving me the evil eye as we speak even though her food is right beside her.

Thanks again for advice. much appreciated.

The Sweeper

OP, your female cat is confused because your male cat smells of vet. Everything they do at the vet puts a new and unusual scent on your male cat. He now smells of latex gloves and the fear and anxiety of other animals and the smell of the vet and the vet nurses and all the other odours your cat picked up while he was being treated. You know how some people say they hate the smell of a hospital? Well magnify that because cats have a better sense of smell than humans do.

Subsequently, your boy looks like her brother, but he doesn't smell like her brother. She's unsure of him. She doesn't know what's happened, because he doesn't smell like he should, but he's acting like a cat that knows her, but he doesn't smell like the cat that knows her... ETC. Usually the cat that's been to the vet comes home and trots up to the others because they smell and look right to him, and the others will often smack him in the head and hiss at him, because while he looks right, he smells wrong and they don't understand why.

You can transfer scent more quickly if you spend time rubbing her and then rubbing him with your hands, or going over her fur with a well-wrung damp facecloth, and then applying the same cloth to him. It'll just take a couple of days for their smells to comingle properly and for him to lose the smell of the vets, and then she'll return to being happy and eating.

The other part is that cats don't take well to a change in their routine, so she's confused about you feeding him elsewhere. Hence she'll take a fishstick from you, because that's a treat, and treats are meant to be doled out randomly in odd places in the house, but dinner - dinner is supposed to be him and her together eating the same stuff and she can't understand why you've changed that pattern.

She'll get used to it and she'll start eating again soon.

While you're at it, ask the vet about feeding raw meat / raw chickens necks. Your male may have kidney damage that means a raw diet would have to be very carefully managed, but as cats are obligate carnivores (need to eat meat to survive) more and more vets are coming around to the idea of moving away from kibble (convenience food for humans) and towards diets involved good quality tinned food and raw meat and raw bone (to keep the teeth clean).