Sick cat. Vet no clue.

[donnakebab]

Well as I said the vet prescribed this Cat-Lax stuff that supposed to help break down the furballs so they can pass through. It comes in a tube and you squeeze a couple of cms on to a paw and the cat licks if off to clean themselves...supposed to taste good...but she chucked it anyway within 10 minutes.

She won't eat oily fish either. She likes cat milk. It's been over a week now since she chucked but I don't think she's putting any weight on.

My cooking scales only go up to 2 kls and the bathroom scales aren't sensitive enough!

[mothhawk]

We will go down the specialist route I think. It's up to daughter as she will be paying...

Hopefully if the specialist discovers the problem and effects a cure, she/he may be able to give you evidence that it was not a pre-existing condition and the insurers will have to cough up.

It's so devastating to have a sick cat because you feel so helpless. That's the main reason I vowed not to have another cat, after my last old girl died, (my 9th), although I adore them, when they're sick or pass on it is so heart-wrenching. It's not the same with dogs, somehow.

[SlugLobber]

I agree that you need to go the specialist route. Are you keeping a food diary of what she eats? One of mine is intolerant to any dried food (I even tried the 'Sensitivity' types and they were probably the worst!). Sometimes it's the grain content, sometimes a preservative...who knows. I always thought James Wellbeloved to be one of the better ones, but he gets the squitty shitties with this, too. He's now on Felix tinned or sachets. Can't even have the gourmet foods or felix sensations etc. Has to be plain food.

If I were the vet I'd be looking at an MRI by now. This would show any blockage up, or pedunculated lipomas. Having said that, if it's been a week since she chucked up, this in unlikely. Hence my food diary suggestion. One thing which never affects my sensitive kitty is raw food (BARF diet). It's just so hard to do for one cat (t'other one catches his own and I supplement him with a bit extra!). Hope you find an answer, soon. Hugs to the kitty and you. xx

[VirginVegGrower]

Well as I said the vet prescribed this Cat-Lax stuff that supposed to help break down the furballs so they can pass through. It comes in a tube and you squeeze a couple of cms on to a paw and the cat licks if off to clean themselves...supposed to taste good...but she chucked it anyway within 10 minutes.

She won't eat oily fish either. She likes cat milk. It's been over a week now since she chucked but I don't think she's putting any weight on.

My cooking scales only go up to 2 kls and the bathroom scales aren't sensitive enough!

OK I never weigh my animals on the scales by themselves, they wriggle too much. Get you and the cat (hold her) on the scales, then weigh yourself alone. Take your weight away from the combined weight and you've got a figure for the cat.

[SlugLobber]

OK I never weigh my animals on the scales by themselves, they wriggle too much. Get you and the cat (hold her) on the scales, then weigh yourself alone. Take your weight away from the combined weight and you've got a figure for the cat.

That's the way I do it, too. At the surgery, one of mine will simply wander onto the scales and weigh himself!!

[donnakebab]

I've tried this but I need scales that are more sensitive as in can measure fractions of a kilo. She was 3.7 last time we went to the vets. Her brother (healthy big cat) was 6.7.

Anyway. She's still not chucking and actually ventured outside today to get some rays. She didn't go far just sat under the garden table. I called the vet and they are starting the ball rolling in getting her referred to a specialist. So fingers crossed will have an answer fairly soon.

[Headfry]

Thinking of you and sending hugs, our pets bring such pleasure, but sadly sometimes cause such worry.
Hope you get some answers soon, and hope she manages to keep her food down.

[VirginVegGrower]

I've tried this but I need scales that are more sensitive as in can measure fractions of a kilo. She was 3.7 last time we went to the vets. Her brother (healthy big cat) was 6.7.

Anyway. She's still not chucking and actually ventured outside today to get some rays. She didn't go far just sat under the garden table. I called the vet and they are starting the ball rolling in getting her referred to a specialist. So fingers crossed will have an answer fairly soon.

As Headfry says, good luck with her. I'm terrible when my pets are poorly.

[donnakebab]

Calling the specialist vet surgery in the morning to make an appointment. Our vet has transferred her history to them and clarified that there would be no animosity between us for requesting this. Have been using the same vet for about 10 years.

[donnakebab]

We have a 9 am appointment on Monday morning that will last about an hour. Cost £286.20 inc. vat. Daughter said yes...I fainted.

If they can get to the bottom of the problem it's worth it.

[mothhawk]

Fingers crossed for you.

[its hilly]

Fingers crossed for you. Your daughter must be a seriously smashing person, and is doing the right thing.
Our much loved moggie had similar symptoms (vomiting on dried food, not so much on fluids or wet food over a couple of weeks) Then we noticed her tum was distended, and it had got bigger over a long weekend so we suspected constipation or furballs, and whipped her to the vet, but our vet palpated her tum and said there was a large lump. She advised us that it was most likely a cancerous growth as Tilly was quite old. As she was a real cat vet we listened and had Tils PTS. PM revealed a nasty fast growing form of tumour.
As your cat is younger it must be far less likely, so I really hope the specialist can get to the bottom of things for moggs.

[donnakebab]

Saw the specialist today who thinks it could be IBD or Chrones. Her stomach and bowels feel normal and her teeth are good. Trying her on an hypo - allergenic diet with antacid medication.

However, she's only eating about a tea spoonful of food each time she eats.

She weighed 3.32 kilos on 22nd of Feb. Today she weighed 2.4 kilos.

Next step would be an ultrasound scan then endoscopy each of which would cost £1200.:

[MyLifeWithAndrew]

Oh, dear.

[Nicos]

The positive side is that you now know how to approach her diet.
The money they are asking for the investigations sounds a heck of a lot- but no doubt they have very specialised equipment that a 'normal' vet doesn't have.
Problem with investigations is that it's not a treatment- you'd then be paying for possible surgery or whatever they do after that.

If you want to take it further, I know some vets will charge less if there is no insurance company involved- it might be at least worth asking if they could do it for less .
Poor little lass xx