Expert: Becky - 1/25/2007

Question
I have a 9 year old calico female cat.  She stopped eating on Tuesday.  Later that evening I noticed that she did not eat or drink all day so I brought some water over to her and nothing.  Then she got up and went to her water bowl and sat there for a 1/2 hour trying to drink water.  At that point I took her to the emergency animal clinic.  She checked out normal (no fever), they did some blood work.  The blood work came back normal and they faxed a copy over to my regular vet.  In the meantime they gave her fluid therapy.  The next day I took her to her regular vet, he told me that the her blood work looks good, kidenys and liver looks good.  They fed her via a syringe (30cc) and she kept it in (did not spit back out).  The vet proceeded to tell me it might be behavorial, which I do not accept.  I know my cat and she likes to eat and nothing phases her.  Nothing has changed at home, no new cats, no new dishes or food, nothing's changed at home.  I took her back again for fluid therapy becuase she will not drink her water.  The vet tells me that I need to force feed her but how do I get water into her?  I noticed today that her eyes were really tearing up, excessively but has diminished since then.  I force food into her but I don't know how to get her to drink water?  I don't want to keep stressing her out by taking her to the vet for fluid therapy everyday.  I feel she is coming down with a cold but the vet says otherwise.  I am at a loss as to how long to I need to force feed her and how do I get water into her without taking her to the vet?  Oh yeah...this evening was the first time since Tuesday that she peed, no poop, just pee.  She sleeps a lot too.  She can walk and jump up and down from my bed (my bed is really high). She's never been sick, is an indoor cat and had a very healthy appetite.  Could she possible be getting a cold?  Should I get a second opinion from another vet?

Frantic and worried,  Jeanette  

Answer
Hi Jeanette!
I don't blame you for being concerned about your cat. Normally, if there is a major problem, the blood work would show it.  The good news is that the blood work evidentally came back good, but the bad news is, that something is wrong or she would eat! Not eating is one of the first signs that something is wrong. Continue with the force feeding, and what you can do is fill a syringe with water and slowly squirt it in the back of her mouth. She is at least keeping the food down, that's a good sign.
I doubt she is getting a cold. If it was upper respiratory, she would be sneezing, and have a runny, mucousy nose.  If I were you, I would watch her for a few more days.  Offer her some chicken baby food, the kind in the little jars.  Cats LOVE that stuff. It might entice her to eat.  If she refuses to eat and/or drink after a few days, I think I would take her for a second opinion.  Make sure you tell the new Vet that she has already had a blood panel run. You don't want to pay for that again.  I sure do hope you find out what is wrong.  I wish I was more help, but it's hard to say what it could be.
God Bless,
Becky