Expert: Ali - 6/29/2009

Question
QUESTION: HI,
I have read your reply to the girl with the 19 year old cat who  stopped eating. My situation is identical except that I have not introduced a new cat and have not changed anything in her environment. She is 19 years old and at her last senior check her functions were fine except to a bladder infection which was treated. She is on the k/d special dry food diet and has been for several years. I tried giving her a treat of a can of Fancy Feast but that didn't entice her. The only thing I have left to try is Finlandia Swiss cheese - the only people food she has ever wanted to eat. This is the 4th day without eating, except 2 days ago she ate her hairball treats - they are soft. She won't eat them now. She still drinks water and pees small amounts frequently as she's been doing the past several months. She is not hiding and does not appear to be in pain. Today whe went out on the deck with me and sat near her catnip plant which she enjoyed. I don't know what to do. It is Sunday here and my vet is not open. Still...I'm reluctant to take her there because she gets so traumatized and also because I can't pay them right now. Please help.
Liz

ANSWER: Liz,

In recent days I too have been experiencing the pain and worry that goes along with a kitty who isn't eating - my middle cat had a painfully decayed tooth extracted almost 2 weeks ago and he hasn't been the same since. In my opinion it's very important that your kitty sees a veterinarian ASAP if at all possible because there's a serious chance that her liver and other organs could begin to fail (and may already have started to go in dangerous directions#. Your kitty really needs to be seen by a vet, receive treatment for whatever is causing her not to eat and followed closely for awhile so the vet can spot any potential problems in her recovery. I understand that finances are an issue in this case and I'd be more than happy to try and help you find ways to swing the expense of your precious little girl's medical care.

- There is an organization called Care Credit, they finance veterinary care, I don't know specifically what their criteria are, but you may want to contact them to see if they're able to help you out and work out a payment amount and schedule that works for you.

- You could certainly speak with your veterinarian and ask if s/he would be willing to offer you the opportunity to pay the final bill in small increments regularly over time.

- If it's possible to borrow money from friends or family to pay for this kitty's urgently needed medical care then you might find that asking each person for a small loan and either offering to work the debt off or paying each person off ASAP will be helpful. Just be sure that you explain to the folks you're borrowing from what's happening, what you need to do for this kitty and when you might be able to pay them back.

- There are organizations and charities that may be willing to help with the cost of your kitty's immediate medical needs, I keep a list of these organizations handy. If you'd like me to pass along the names of these organizations I'd be happy to do so, all that I ask is that you provide me with the general area that you're writing from - if you live in the US the state is fine, in Canada the province is sufficient.

- Local rescue groups may be willing to offer you some help with the expense of vet care for this kitty in exchange for volunteer hours or some other agreement.

- Some areas have not for profit vet clinics, these organizations often serve pet parents with limited finances, people living on pensions or the average person who simply doesn't have the money needed for vet care in an emergency.

- You may want to try speaking with your veterinarian and asking if you could work some or all of the debt off by doing paperwork, cleaning kennels, disinfecting exam tables and rooms, etc. It's been my experience that people are more receptive to helping someone out financially if that person shows a willingness to offer something in return such as volunteer work.

- Your local animal shelter may have a veterinarian they can recommend who is willing to offer payment plans, services at a reduced rate or other options.

If you want to get started tonight I'd suggest trying to feed your little girl something super tempting like canned salmon or tuna in water, meat and broth baby food, plain yogurt, canned cat foods or whatever she might be willing to at least try. The priority at this point isn't what your kitty is eating, it's about getting her to eat so that her liver doesn't fail. Some cats like to have their food heated to body temperature, that might help get your little girl eating, I'd suggest offering about 1 tbsp at a time, that way there's less waste. I don't typically recommend microwaving food that's being given to cats since hot spots can burn the inside of your kitty's mouth, but if you plan to microwave the food then only do so for 5-10 seconds at a time, mix the food up so that any hot spots don't burn the inside of your kitty's mouth. You may find that with softer foods heated to body temperature your kitty might eat voluntarily, especially if you stay with her, pet her and tell her how wonderful she is and what a good girl she's being if she shows any interest in her meal by taking a few licks. I'm concerned about actually force feeding this kitty if she's been vomiting, her gums show signs of liver failure #yellow, brown gums are a serious indication that something's very wrong with a cat's liver# or she seems weak. For tonight if your kitty is quite clean and grooms herself frequently you can actually try wiping small amounts of meat and broth baby food on her paws for her to lick off. Never feed your kitty anything with onions in it, cats can get quite sick. You purchase jars of commercially available meat and broth baby food or cook up a boneless, skinless #preferably organic) chicken breast by poaching it, chopping the cooked meat up then use your food processor and the leftover broth to make a puree that's the consistency of baby food or slightly runnier) on her front paws where she can easily lick it off just so that she's getting some nutrition. Depending on what blood tests and a physical exam tell your vet s/he will provide you with appropriate instructions. If you have any further questions, concerns or you'd like me to clarify any of the information in this answer please feel free to contact me again - I'll do my best to help you out as much as I can. This kitty really does need to see a vet ASAP, I'll do what I can to see that you're able to make that happen with a payment plan or other arrangements.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thank you for your response. Yesterday I was able to hand feed her a few small pieces of Swiss cheese which she has always loved. Today I tried some other soft commercial foods but she doesn't seem interested. She is not vomiting at all and everything else seems okay.
I have been playing phone tag with her vet today and am waiting to hear back. Her last message encouraged me to bring her in of course but I haven't been able to discuss any payment options with her. I live in NJ and would appreciate it if you could provide me with the charity names. I realize she needs attention and want to do whatever I can for her. I can't bear the thought of her going yet. We are so close.
Thank you again.


Answer
Liz,

I apologize for the delay in getting back to you, my middle cat isn't doing very well and I've been occupied with trying to make sure that he gets the nutrition and nursing care that he so desperately needs right now....

At this point there's a serious chance that your kitty is becoming progressively sicker and possibly starting to have some organ damage. I know that it's traumatic for many cats to visit the vet, but as of the moment your kitty isn't well and the trauma of a trip to the vet could potentially save her life. My recommendation would be to start off by getting ahold of your vet or her voice mail and completely explaining what's been happening, why you haven't brought your cat in and try to work out some sort of payment arrangement.

- IMOM Inc., www.imom.org

- Help-A-Pet, www.help_a_pet,org

- The Pet Fund, www.thepetfund.com

- United Animal Nations LifeLine Fund, www.uan.org

- Angels for Animals, www.angels4animals.org

- Feline Veterinary Emergency Assistance Program, www.fveap.org

- Feline Outreach, www.felineoutreach.org

- Cats in Crisis, http://www.catsincrisis.org

- Care Credit, www.carecredit.com (these folks are a finance company)

- American Animal Hospital Association's Helping Pets Fund will accept requests from veterinarians and consider financial help on a case by case basis. You must use an AAHA accredited hospital in order to qualify and your vet must submit the application on your behalf. You can go to www.pets911.com to find an accredited vet clinic.

- Veterinary schools in your area may be prepared to offer you medical care for your kitty at a substantially discounted rate, you'd have to check the Education section of the American Veterinary Medical Association's (AVMA) website at www.avma.org

- PetPALS of Southern New Jersey, http://www.petfinder.com/shelters/NJ151.html (I've never recommended this organization so I'm not sure whether they'll be of any help)

- If you're fairly close to New York it might be an idea to speak with the ASPCA shelter in that area to see if you qualify for a program called SPCA Cares, this will allow you to access free/subsidized vet care and medical treatments if it's necessary

The organizations on this list all make their own decisions on a case by case basis and I can't guarantee that any will be of help, but it's worth a shot.