Max refuses to eat

[Medusa]

I'm surprised that her vet didn't at least recommend an appetite stimulant if nothing else. There are several that can be tried. It could be, as your friend suggested, that Max has lost his sense of smell due to a sinus infection. My Coco Puff lost his hearing due to that and he really didn't have any outstanding symptoms before then. (He has since regained partial hearing.) Another possibility is that Max may be having tooth or gum pain b/c he wouldn't eat food in his dish but ate it up when it was syringed into him. Of course, it's impossible to know unless/until your friend takes Max to another vet pronto. Whatever the case may be, if Max continues on this path, he will eventually just shut down. Do stress to your friend the importance of getting Max to another vet immediately. If s/he doesn't want to use Care Credit, perhaps your vet will work out payment arrangements for Max. Good luck w/this and please keep us posted.

[Cataholic]

Please don't let Max languish. This is such a serious condition for felines. I would suspect something oral- abcess, gum disease, tooth fracture, etc.

[Seravieve]

Thank you for the replies! I was trying to research similar things online last night.. someone suggested rubbing their mouth with marple syrup or honey, to get their appetite stimulated.. might suggest that. Also read someone used Nutri-cal to help as well. Like I've said, I'm not too impressed with her chosen vet. I will definitely keep pushing a 2nd opinion.

His mouth/gums were said to look fine, other than a little white, but that could be from malnutrition. Even when fed with a syringe now, he refuses to eat and spits it out.

[Catty1]

OMG - I hope she gets a second opinion - it could save Max's life! Prayers for this dear little kitty.

You can even show her this thread, perhaps.

Please keep us posted!

[Seravieve]

Maximus has started eating on his own some. He's been on the antibiotic since Tuesday, and that's the only thing thats changed since not eating, so maybe its helping!! He's eating more than he was willing to eat from a syringe, so hopefully he'll get back in the swing of things and continue to eat regularly. I still find it weird that they couldnt find anything in any of the tests they did but somehow the antibiotic is helping. Keeping my fingers crossed that he continues eating on his own!

[Catty1]

As long as it's helping, who cares why! lol GOOD that he is eating some on his own...prayers that he keeps moving forward and upward!

[catmandu]

I have found that a little Deli Chicken or the little packs of Deli Meat work tricks in tempting a Found Cat appetite!
Prayers for Big Maximus that he gets his hunger back and is well very soon.