Anika Losing Weight, SAY A PRAY TO MAKE HER EAT, PLEASE I NEED YOUR PRAYS ASAP!

[Anikaca77]

Well here we go again, Anika, my dear sweet 8 year old cat, soon to be 9 years old in Feb. 09 has been losing some weight recently. I know she gets stressed because of Sebastian but lately she's been rather calm with him and hasn't had too many grumpy episods as I call them.

I've noticed her weight decreasing a bit and so has my sister who saw Anika about a month ago but I already owe my vet a lot of money and I hate to bring Anika in without having the money to pay for her.

Someone also has been peeing in the kitchen, I've been using that Urine Gone (someone told me on here to get it and it's worked but some one is still marking the same spot).

I've used this pet stain stuff too on the kitchen floor hoping that who ever is doing it will stop but I can't figure out who is doing it because it doesn't happen everyday and sometimes it can go a week without anything so if I put Anika in the bathroom for the day, that doesn't mean it wasn't her and I hate to keep her in the bathroom for a week because it gets cold in there and she's small.

I'm confused as to find out who has been doing it and my computer in other the other side of the apartment so I don't know how to catch her if it's her doing it. The one time I thought it was my other cat peeing in the bath tub but I couldn't be sure because she was just in there trying to hide it and most of my cats try to do that if there is something like a hairball on the floor.

I know Fatty (my sister's stray that she feeds) lost weight and it was his thyroid so maybe she has that but I guess I just need to work on paying off my current vet bill before taking Anika in.

Any idea's on how to catch whoever is peeing in the kitchen?

I can't afford to pay for camera's so I'm not sure how else to tell.

Thanks,
Melissa

[kb2yjx]

Sorry to hear about the problems you are having. But, Anika really should go to the vet to have UTI, thyroid, kidney, and diabetes ruled out. Maybe you can work out some sort of payment plan with your vet....Good luck....

[Taz_Zoee]

Wow, there seems to be a lot of sick kitties here on PT lately. And they all have similar issues.
I will hoping for ALL the PT kitties that they get better quickly!!

I remember someone mentioning a way to dye the cats urine so you can tell who's doing it. I think it is a thread by jazzcat when she was trying to figure out who was peeing. I'll see if I can find the thread.......

ETA: I found it. Click here (http://petoftheday.com/talk/showthread.php?t=146062&highlight=Decker), and look at post #9.

[Anikaca77]

Yeah I could do the dye, the only problem with that is she doesn't do it everyday if it's her doing it.

So I guess I'd just have to find out how long the dye would last first.

[catmandu]

THAT SOUNDS AS THOUGH IT COULD BE DIABETES AS MR SCRAPPY HADTHE SAME SYMPTOMS.
SADLY AT 14, THE DAMAGE HAD ALREADY BEEN DONE TO HIS KIDNEYS , AND HE BECAME AN ANGEL.
WE ARE PRAYING FOR ANIKA:love::love::love: , THAT YOU CAN FIND WHATS AILING HER:(

[Freedom]

Could be any of those things Sandra (kb2yjx) mentioned. And all of them will only get worse if left untreated. She really needs to have a vet check up.

[kb2yjx]

How is Anika today??

[LionHart]

Being in the right place at the right time is how we cought our peeers. I would love to have a web cam to catch the buggers, but it's not in the budget at the moment.

I hope you're able to find out the problem and take care of it.

[Anikaca77]

Well I tried to give Anika some can food and she was interested but I'm going to call the vets today. She needs a good check up and I just need to suck it up and hopefully the vet bill won't be too too much or maybe I'll just put some Cat books up on here for sale and then I'd be able to get some extra cash for her vet check up.

Thanks,
Melissa

[jazzcat]

As you know I'm having the same problem. I use Urine Gone too but lately I've found that white vinegar and water seems to be working the best for removing the urine smell. I mixed it half and half in a water bottle and spray it on. It works well on both hard and soft surfaces (carpet). I've not tried it on furniture - thank goodness that hasn't been peed on yet. (knock on wood)

We did set up the web cam but we already had the equipment and the software to make it stop motion is a free download online called Dorgem. Have you looked at web cams on eBay? Sometimes you can pick one up cheap there. Of course you will need to have a computer nearby since you have to hookup the camera. We use a laptop so it's portable.

As for the urine dye, I believe call florurescein, I talked to my vet about it and she said she doesn't know of anyone who has had success using it. It only stays in the system for so long plus you have to use a blacklight to find the stain. If the cat doesn't pee when the dye is at it's strongest you may not find it.

My vet recommended confining cats to certain room and then whichever cat you find in the room with pee is your culprit. That wouldn't work in my house with seven cats so we opted to use the "Pee Cam".

Sound like Anika really has a medical problem so I hope you are able to get her looked at and it's easily (and affordeably) treated.

[Anikaca77]

I called the vets today and I made an appointment for her Monday at 5:15 p.m.

My husband said he found pee in the bathroom tub this morning (that's a spot as well as out in the kitchen and by the front door which I thought I got rid of the smell there but I'm not sure yet) and he said Anika was with him but I said she could done it while you were sleeping and then just cruled back up with you, he agreed as well.

I know the kitchen would be a better spot to catch but our computer is clear on the other side of the room and it's not a laptop so that would be a bit of a pain to use plus since who ever is doing it in the kitchen isn't doing it everday I think it's just going to be harder and harder to try to catch unless I see her or who might be doing it.

I'm going to have the vets run some bloodwork I think as long as they will be cool about the $$ issue.

Thanks,
Melissa

[Anikaca77]

Ok so we decided we would try to get Anika some canned food since she loves it so so much but she's interested but she just doesn't eat it..

We tried some kitty treats that worked she ate it, I'm going out to this store today to get her some of this other type of food that I'm hoping she will eat.

I'm really getting worried about her I knew she was getting thin but over the past 2 weeks she has just dropped weight and I'm so worried that I need our PT prays to come through for my baby.

She's only 8 and this is too young I've tried treats this morning she didn't eat them, we've placed several food bowls around the house hoping that she will eat from them...

I put food out again this morning (there was still food left over in the bowls) and normally she would eat a few bites or so and nothing today..

I can't say that she might go in the middle of the night and eat but I'm going to watch her like crazy the next 2 days and hopefully get her to eat more...I just can't believe I've never noticed this. I just feel like I've failed as her mom not noticing this before.

Please pray for her,
Melissa

[moosmom]

Melissa,

Talk to your vet about putting her on steroids which will help increase her appetite. Mollie Rose was put on them when she started losing weight and it helped boost her appetite. While I was very concerned about the damage it could do to her liver, the vet pointed out that given her age (16 years old) it's best to try and increase her appetite and keep her comfortable rather than worry about her liver.

[Catty1]

Get her teeth checked too - thoroughly! There may be something with her teeth that makes eating uncomfortable.

Maybe the good old chicken baby food for humans?

Come on, sweetie, eat!:love:

[Taz_Zoee]

I know exactly what you are going through (with the exception of the urine problems). Taz did the not eating thing when he was about 10 (yes, it's young).
And in fact, Taz is doing it again now. I am in Reno and he is at my moms. She asked me if she should take him to the vet. I gave her some suggestions to intice him to eat (like putting tuna juice in his food). She's going to try it. But if she feels he needs to go to the vet she will take him.

I hope your vet can help you figure out what will help her begin to eat again. Steriod (or cortizone) shots usually work well. I'll go that route again if necessary myself.

[jazzcat]

Get her teeth checked too - thoroughly! There may be something with her teeth that makes eating uncomfortable.

Maybe the good old chicken baby food for humans?

Come on, sweetie, eat!:love:
Catty is right, her teeth could be an issue and if it's causing her pain that might explain the peeing.

Scout just finished antibiotics for an abscessed upper canine. It had gotten so bad that her tooth was getting longer because the swelling was pushing the root down. I didn't even realize anything was wrong until I noticed her tooth looking longer plus she wasn't eating well the few days before I took her to the vet. Now we think she could have been our other peeing cat because she was in pain and trying to tell us. One possibility for Anika.

[LionHart]

I just feel like I've failed as her mom not noticing this before.
You haven't failed her. You've given her TLC all these years and look what you're doing now.

Please pray for her,


Prayer is a powerful thing!

[Anikaca77]

Catty,

I had her teeth checked earlier this year and 2 were pulled that the vet said were bad and she's had other appointments after that just to make sure her gums were healing well and the vet said they looked great and I looked at them last night and her gums looked good....

Thanks,
Melissa

Here is the thread I had about her teeth getting pulled.

http://petoftheday.com/talk/showthread.php?t=139145


QUOTE=Catty1;2066791]Get her teeth checked too - thoroughly! There may be something with her teeth that makes eating uncomfortable.

Maybe the good old chicken baby food for humans?

Come on, sweetie, eat!:love:[/QUOTE]

[Anikaca77]

LionHart,

Thank you so much for saying all your have, it means a lot to me.

Melissa



You haven't failed her. You've given her TLC all these years and look what you're doing now.


Prayer is a powerful thing!

[Anikaca77]

Thank you, I will speak to the vet about it.

Melissa



Melissa,

Talk to your vet about putting her on steroids which will help increase her appetite. Mollie Rose was put on them when she started losing weight and it helped boost her appetite. While I was very concerned about the damage it could do to her liver, the vet pointed out that given her age (16 years old) it's best to try and increase her appetite and keep her comfortable rather than worry about her liver.

[Anikaca77]

This morning as you all know I was trying to get her to eat some food and she wouldn't but I went to the store and picked up some tuna and sure enough that was a hit, she didn't eat as much as I'd like but I offered it to her about 1/2 hour ago and she went to town, she didn't finish it all but she did really well.

The only thing is I'm sure Tuna isn't great for cats to eat all the time so I can't see giving it to her all the time but I'm not sure, I guess it's just trial and error to see what she will eat and won't eat.

Please continue to say a pray for my baby Anika, I'm so afraid that what if this might be cancer, I'm just so afraid to take her to the vets but I am going to.

I just wanted to mention quickly that I've had 2 wonderful people on her donate money for Anika's vet appointment and I just want to say a special thank you for doing that it really meant a lot to me. Thank you. I won't say there names, they know who they are but thank you again,

Melissa

[Anikaca77]

Well today isn't going much better for the food.

I tried canned food and nothing.

:(

My husband and I just feel so horrible for not catching this sooner that she wasn't eating.

I've been watching her when she is eating the tuna and she's just licking it so I'm just hoping it's something with her teeth but I just feel so bad that I didn't catch this before.


Please say some prays for her please.
Melissa

[jennielynn1970]

Do you have a Redners or any place close to you that has the brand called FIGARO? It's basically made from tuna, and when I had some sick FIV+ cats, they loved that food and just scarfed it down. It is smelly, but they did eat.

Keeping you and Anika in my prayers.

[phesina]

We are saying our prayers for Anika and you, Melissa.

[Medusa]

I've been following this thread but haven't posted because I've been running ragged w/Puddy, as you well know, but I haven't forgotten you, Melissa, or Anika. Is she eating yet? If not, I hope she starts soon. Canned tuna is ok to get her over the hump but she does need better nutrition. Cat food is really the way to go, if for no other reason than that it contains taurine, which cats need to prevent blindness. I sure do hope that things are improving. We'll keep the prayers going.

[Emeraldgreen]

I'm sorry I haven't read this thread until today! :( I'm praying that Anika's vet will figure out why she is not eating and can help her to get better.
I'm wondering if she might have the Herpes virus? I know one of your other cats has it and it's awfully contagious. Anika could have picked it up with the last break out of it and may not be showing the 'usual' signs of sneezing. Not all cats show all the symtoms but she might be feeling unwell enough to lose her appetite. You could try mixing some of the Lysine you use on your other cats in with some tuna juice and she might show some improvement in a day or two. She might not be up for eating the tuna meat but the juice is usually irresistable. :)

But with every day that she doesn't eat, it may make things worse. The best option is to get her to the vet but if you are looking for ways to sort through this before having to take her in, you could buy some NoSorb from the vet hospital (it's under 10.00) and it's made up of these little plastic pellets (I think they're plastic :confused:) and you could put her in a room alone with a clean litterbox with no litter in it, just the NoSorb. When she has used the box to pee, pour the pellets and the pee back into the container that the Nosorb came in and take it back to the vet. It's obviously not as sterile as if they did a Urinalysis right from her bladder but if she is fighting an infection, they might be able to detect it in the sample. If she is, they'll ask you to bring her in to get her examined and on the right meds.
I know you are not sure who is doing the peeing and it might be difficult to figure out which cat is doing it. Because she is otherwise unwell, it could be that it is her who is doing it.

If you need more help with the cost of vet tests, please send me a quick PM. I remember offering something way back when but at the time you had things sorted out and I never did get anything to you. I'd be happy to help a bit now. :) I'm so glad to hear that some PT'rs have been helping. PT is the best!

[Anikaca77]

She might have the herpes virus, we have one cat that has it but none of the other cats have showed any of the signs of it but I think this might be more than that but maybe not.

Right now I was able to get her to lick a little bit of the tuna but not much...she did try a few Pounce Moist Treats, about 4 I think and we tried earlier today and this afternoon again to give her some food and she went to town earlier this morning but this afternoon she just licked a little bit and that was it.

Anika's vet appointment is on Monday at 5:15 pm