HoneyBun --- Is he eating TOO much???

[jennielynn1970]

My FIV+ boy has a vet appointment next Thursday. He's looking very shabby lately, and I'm not sure what is going on with him. He sits hunched up a lot of the time, he's skin and bones (even with extra servings of yummy food bought especially for him), and his fur is dry and brittle. I'm thinking thyroid, at least I hope that's all it is. I dunno. If he's not sitting hunched up, he's on my lap in front of the computer giving me lovies.

Please say a prayer for my dear old man, that there's nothing seriously wrong with him (other than the FIV) and that he'll be ok with a few meds and maybe another suggestion for him to put some weight on. Right now I'm feeding him Science Diet Kitten and Sensitive stomach formulas (kitten because Sebastian is still under a year old), plus every day he gets the Pet Selects raw/refrigerated food that you can get in the supermarket in the pet aisle, but it's in a refrigerator. I thought it might have some extra good stuff in it for him. He loves it soooo much!

[katladyd]

Sending good thoughts and prayers HoneyBun's way.

[Freedom]

If it is thyroid, he may need some fluids just now as well. Can you tell if he is dehydrated at all? I thin kyou know how to check this right? Pinch the skin on his back and see if it goes right back in place or just hangs there in the pinched up shape.

I found a good canned food at PetCo, Soulistic Sunrise Harvest, which has a LOT of fluid in it. I am using that for my Sparkle just now, who is early stage CRF, and so far so good she is not needing the sub q fluids.

You may want to add some canned to up his fluid intake until the vet visit. Just a thought.

[jennielynn1970]

Pinched his skin, and it went right back into place, so don't think fluids are an issue. He drinks a lot too. Pees a lot too. He's one of my out of the box pee-ers and poopers, unfortunately. I thought maybe the box was too high, so I got lower ones, that didn't alleviate anything. He does it a lot to be spiteful, never thought a cat would do that, but he does!!

He's just so bone thin. If I give him canned food, it goes right through him and he has really nasty, messy, and unformed poops. These pet select things have been working really well for him, and keeping the poops normal.

I just hate seeing him go down hill. I know he's not going to be with me much longer, he's old and his FIV status is against him. I just think he has a few more months if not years left in him. I just want to make them the best for him, no matter how long he will be with me. He's my HoneyBun!!

Oh, there's something going on with his mouth too... so that may be part of the losing weight deal. Either there is something wrong with the teeth he has left, or there is a lump in his mouth. Not sure which he won't let me get anywhere near his mouth, but something is going on in there.

[TommyCat]

You mentioned he's peeing and drinking a lot. My kitty had been drinking and peeing alot, and she was diagnosed with feline diabetes. Cats do tend to lose weight with this condition before diagnosed. I do hope it's not feline diabetes. Good luck at the Vet, and hope it's nothing serious.

[phesina]

Prayers for HoneyBun and you too, Jenn.

[Medusa]

Oh dear, let's hope his weight loss is just that HoneyBun is getting older. We'll send up good prayers just in case, though. Keep the faythe, Jen.

[jennielynn1970]

He really looks skeletal, Mary. It's so sad. It just seemed to happen so quickly. Dave calls him "Pet Cemetary", and it's so mean. I know he's not the healthiest cat, but he is a sweetie and I don't want to see him suffer.

[Freedom]

Now you've got ME worried! No chance thee vet can see him sooner?!

Prayers for HoneyBun!

[krazyaboutkatz]

I'm so sorry to hear about your HoneyBun. Hopefully whatever is causing this can be easily treated. I sure hope that he doesn't have any kind of lump in his mouth because if he does this makes me think of cancer. I'll keep him in my thoughts and prayers.

[jennielynn1970]

I'm so sorry to hear about your HoneyBun. Hopefully whatever is causing this can be easily treated. I sure hope that he doesn't have any kind of lump in his mouth because if he does this makes me think of cancer. I'll keep him in my thoughts and prayers.

Not sure what is going on with his mouth. He is having issues eating a little bit with the dry food. And I see a lot of bright red when he meows or yawns. I can't even get him to sit on me to look into his mouth, so it's really annoying me, and worrying me because I don't know if it's a lump, or if it's just a lot of swelling of his gums. His bottom lip looks swollen??

I'd go to the vet earlier, but I just have no money for it until payday next Thursday. Since Honey isn't Dave's, I'm not going to ask him to pay for it either. I don't think it's dire, cause if it were, I'd make payment arrangements with the vet, he's just so damn skinny.

[mrspunkysmom]

Not to scare you , but it sounds like the same issue Sam had in the Fall of 2009. It was some sort of infection. Sam has chronic stomatitis so he gets infections easily.

Sam's mouth was bright red, too, and he had difficulty eating, drinking, and crying.

This Fall Sam had a lump in his mouth and it turns out it was a broken tooth, broken under the gum line, which is preferable to the tumor the vet thought it might be.

Did you tell the vet (not the techs) all that you have said here?

Last Fall both Sam and Spunky got sick the same month I found Jane. It was an expensive month.

I do hope it turns out well for HoneyBun and you. I hope you can get answers for his other issues. It's horrible when you know they don't feel well, but can't tell you why.

[jennielynn1970]

I didn't get to go into all the details to the techs, but I will make sure that I do when I take him in next thursday. Unfortunately, with the finances the way they are, I have to wait for my next paycheck to come in to take him in. IF he does seem to get progressively worse in a short amount of time, I'll have to ask Dave to borrow cash, I really don't want to do that. Right now I'm out of my own medications (some of them, I mean), and I have to wait to get them filled as well. Being broke right now sucks.

[mrspunkysmom]

... Right now I'm out of my own medications (some of them, I mean), and I have to wait to get them filled as well. Being broke right now sucks.

Yeah, bummer in the least. I remember those days and hopefully they will stay behind me.

Both of y'all are in my thoughts.

[catmandu]

Best of luck Honey bun we are praying that you are well soon.
You are such a Great Cat and we are praying that all is well soon.