Returned from holiday & find cat not eating / drinking
Discussion
I went away on a 10 day holiday, just come back tonight.
About a week and a half before I went, one of my cats, Tribble, had a problem jumping up to the worktop where the food and water is. He appeared to be a lot better when I went away so thought he had annoyed a neighbour and been given a swift nudge up the bum, making him a bit sore, he broke his back leg when he was about 2 but once it had healed it never bothered him since.
Anyway, my nephew has been feeding them, but from the food bowl piled high, has given them days worth in one go (not dried food so it will taste like yuck and have had flies all over it) and left them to it, certainly not giving them any TLC
Came back tonight to find Tribble weak as anything, lost loads of weight (about half his bodyweight I think), and not interested in fresh food or water or treats and very, very wobbly on his back end. Just wanted to be left alone.
I'll be banging on the vets door at 9am this morning and praying that they can get some fluids and nourishment into him. I know what I've got to do if he doesn't show signs of improvement, zero quality of life at the moment. Have left food and water right next to him in case he does want some tonight.
Feel terrible about leaving him to go on hols and letting my nephew look after him. Never again.
About a week and a half before I went, one of my cats, Tribble, had a problem jumping up to the worktop where the food and water is. He appeared to be a lot better when I went away so thought he had annoyed a neighbour and been given a swift nudge up the bum, making him a bit sore, he broke his back leg when he was about 2 but once it had healed it never bothered him since.
Anyway, my nephew has been feeding them, but from the food bowl piled high, has given them days worth in one go (not dried food so it will taste like yuck and have had flies all over it) and left them to it, certainly not giving them any TLC
Came back tonight to find Tribble weak as anything, lost loads of weight (about half his bodyweight I think), and not interested in fresh food or water or treats and very, very wobbly on his back end. Just wanted to be left alone.
I'll be banging on the vets door at 9am this morning and praying that they can get some fluids and nourishment into him. I know what I've got to do if he doesn't show signs of improvement, zero quality of life at the moment. Have left food and water right next to him in case he does want some tonight.
Feel terrible about leaving him to go on hols and letting my nephew look after him. Never again.
You're obviously worried about Tribble to be posting at this time of the night and understandibly so give how you describe him.
Could his weakness and weight loss be linked to a worsening issue with his back leg that means he can't get onto the worktop? It sounds like there may be an underlying issue that needs looking at.
I can't offer you any medical advice but you're 100% doing the right thing by taking him to the vets tomorrow. Animals can be amazing 'fighters' and show great resolve to heal and mend. Fingers crossed for a positive outcome.
Oh, and words need to be had with your nephew. Like you, I'd be livid at his approach to 'looking after' your cats.
Could his weakness and weight loss be linked to a worsening issue with his back leg that means he can't get onto the worktop? It sounds like there may be an underlying issue that needs looking at.
I can't offer you any medical advice but you're 100% doing the right thing by taking him to the vets tomorrow. Animals can be amazing 'fighters' and show great resolve to heal and mend. Fingers crossed for a positive outcome.
Oh, and words need to be had with your nephew. Like you, I'd be livid at his approach to 'looking after' your cats.
Poor poor you and poor Tribble. How old is your nephew though? He needs to really understand what he's done wrong but technically if he is under 16 he is not accountable (legally) and he should have had adult supervision.
Let us know how your furry friend is.
I'm a nightmare when leaving my cats with anyone, I leave essays re what to do in pretty much every eventuality! As this sort of thing is my biggest fear.
Let us know how your furry friend is.
I'm a nightmare when leaving my cats with anyone, I leave essays re what to do in pretty much every eventuality! As this sort of thing is my biggest fear.
Renal failure, ~1/2 his uausl weight, blood test results confirm he hasn't eaten or drank anything for days.
He's being looked after at the vets now on an IVF drip and being tempted by various real meats and fish.
They're hoping they can reverse the renal failure with the fluids, time will tell.
I'd changed my holiday plans and came home 3 days early last night, bloody good job I did or he would have died.
He's being looked after at the vets now on an IVF drip and being tempted by various real meats and fish.
They're hoping they can reverse the renal failure with the fluids, time will tell.
I'd changed my holiday plans and came home 3 days early last night, bloody good job I did or he would have died.
Poor Tribble! And poor you
Fingers firmly crossed for you*, OP. That's a dreadful thing to come home too.We've not been away for longer than overnight for about three years now because I can't get a grip and trust anyone enough with our dogs... having read this, we're clearly never going on holiday ever again! :/
Really hope Tribble pulls through OP.
Edit - * and Tribble!
fwaggie said:
Ditto here from now on.
Last time I ever trust old pets that need some TLC to anyone else.
It's a problem trusting pets with anyone, even proper catteries or kennels. We rarely go away and the last time we went we were let down at the last minute and I ended up leaving my dogs in kennels that were recommended but I'd be hard pushed to do it again as the dogs were not happy when we picked them up. Once before my bro in law who had split up with his wife was supposed to be house sitting for us decided to go back to her and left them unattended apart from getting his 12 YO son to feed them and sit with them once a day for a few hours. Last time I ever trust old pets that need some TLC to anyone else.
Hope Tribble makes a full recovery.
You cannot reverse the "renal failure" but you can often get the cat feeling better by flushing out the body with the IV fluids. So many cats have renal failure, it really is their achilles heel. Your cat is likely to have been developing this condition for several years, so it has not just happened while you were away. I'm sure you will get plenty of advice from your vet about diet, which is very important for managing CRF longterm, but also ask them about anabolic steroids, can help reverse some of the weight loss. HTH
)ali_kat said:
Paws & fingers crossed for Tribble
Poor little soul
I'm assuming that you have had words with your Nephew, or at least his parents?!
It could 'just' have been the stress of being looked after by him, or it could be that Nephew forgot & over filled the bowl to make it up...
Nephew is getting married later this year, having words with his parents will fall on deaf ears.Poor little soul
I'm assuming that you have had words with your Nephew, or at least his parents?!
It could 'just' have been the stress of being looked after by him, or it could be that Nephew forgot & over filled the bowl to make it up...
He just never thinks, no compassion.
Anyone of us here pet sitting would go and find the pets, make a fuss, sit with them for a while, make sure they're happy (or at least not unwell), I know he'll have filled the food bowls up every 3 or 4 days and that's it.
He was also giving pills to my other cat, so I suppose he had 2 or 3 pills at one go.
I feel sorry for nephews kids if he has any.
Thevet said:
You cannot reverse the "renal failure" but you can often get the cat feeling better by flushing out the body with the IV fluids. So many cats have renal failure, it really is their achilles heel. Your cat is likely to have been developing this condition for several years, so it has not just happened while you were away. I'm sure you will get plenty of advice from your vet about diet, which is very important for managing CRF longterm, but also ask them about anabolic steroids, can help reverse some of the weight loss. HTH
The blood test confirmed he hadn't had anything to eat or drink for days (the vet described the results, something to do with the liver or kidney enzymes? I wasn't listening to the details really)I know his leg which was broken had been playing up a bit and I warned nephew about it.
Just a little request, could you possibly not end posts with "HTH"? I really doubt you actually meant to annoy, but finishing posts with "HTH" is what trolls typically do, and most people find it incredibly condescending (which is why trolls use it), no offence meant to you though.
That's good news, no... it really is 
That's no troll! It's a genuine hope it helps 
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