LOL, keeping in mind who DOES have the claws, the best thing to do is probably wrap a large expendable towel around the cat, including the paws (they don't like this!) with only the head showing. In a pinch, use Gerber 2nd Foods baby meats (or puree your own baked meats and cooking juices!), although the force-food of choice is A/D food from the vet. A/D is high in protein, lower in fat, which is what you need for a cat that hasn't been eating for a while. The danger is always hepatic lipidosis (fatty liver disease) in which the liver becomes overwhelmed trying to process stored body fat due to the cat not eating. So your best goal is to get food in that won't tax the liver even more with high fat content, but the more immediate goal is to get calories into the cat. You can water down the A/D or the baby food until it can be syringed, or you can spoon or finger feed as Kerry describes. Idea being to get the food beyond the point where the cat has the option to turn away from it., Heating stuff enhances its odor -- which in the case of the A/D may put YOU off your food for a bit. Two people is the best way to do an assisted feed, but one person is doable if you've got fingers that are good at multitasking. You and the cat will both end up wearing about as much of the food as has gone into him -- absolutely no different from feeding a baby except that the airplane/hangar ploy never works on a cat, and I would strongly discourage trying to burp him.
Diane R. -----Original Message----- From: felvtalk-boun...@felineleukemia.org [mailto:felvtalk-boun...@felineleukemia.org] On Behalf Of MaryChristine Sent: Saturday, May 30, 2009 11:47 AM To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org Subject: [Felvtalk] assist-feeding: was re: Darcy first you put the cat's bib on, the one from marta's cafepress site that says, "remember which one of us has the claws....."--there's actually quite a good assist-feeding group, i'm told--someone, the link? belinda, you've done assist-feeding a lot, yes? it's DEFINITELY something anyone with a challenged cat should know how to do.... MC On Sat, May 30, 2009 at 12:43 PM, Sander, Sue <sue.san...@ssa.gov> wrote: > How do you assist feed a cat? > > -----Original Message----- > From: felvtalk-boun...@felineleukemia.org > [mailto:felvtalk-boun...@felineleukemia.org] On Behalf Of > MaryChristine > Sent: Saturday, May 30, 2009 12:35 PM > To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org > Subject: Re: [Felvtalk] Thoughts & Prayers Needed for Darcy > > echoing kerry's thoughts, and everyone else's prayers--please let us > know what the vet has to say--spaying is usually a simple, > straight-forward procedure, but even when complications do arise, they > usually can be overcome. GLOW for the little one! > > MC > > On Sat, May 30, 2009 at 11:09 AM, Kerry MacKenzie > <kerrm...@gmail.com>wrote: > > > Sending prayers for sweet Darcy. The exact same thing happened with > > my > > > FeLV Flavia and she recovered: > > She did so badly after her spay (the boys all did fine; it's the > > females that have it harder), that when i took her to the vet as an > > emergency I was totally distraught thinking she would have to be > > euthanized (a housecall vet who came the night before and gave her > > fluids had basically washed his hands of her in the morning when I > called to tell him she was still not eating). > > My *new* vet showed me how to assist feed her--which made all the > > difference. So important to get those calories inside. I'm sure she > > gave her antibiotics too, maybe even more painkiller but i can't > > recall. She recovered beautifully. > > Please let us know how Darcy does. Darcy and her mom are in my > thoughts. > > hugs, Kerry > > > > > > Our sweet baby, Darcy, ten months old and FeLV+ was neutered on > Tuesday. > >> We brought her home Wednesday and she seemed okay, considering > >> she'd > > >> just had surgery. > >> > >> Yesterday she was in more pain, but we just figured the pain shot > >> they'd given that was supposed to be good for two days was wearing > off. > >> > >> Today is even worse. I called the vet this AM. She suggested > >> giving > > >> a baby aspirin, which I did before going to work. > >> > >> Tonight, she barely lifts her head and is mewing so pitifully. She > >> ate some earlier in the day but won't eat tonight. I called the > >> vet again, and she had me give 1/8 of an antibiotic and we'll bring > >> her in tomorrow morning first thing. We've had other FeLV kitties > >> neutered with no troubles, but I'm getting scared tonight. > >> > >> I just needed to share this tonight. Any encouraging words or > >> suggestions are greatly appreciated! > >> > >> Jody (& Darcy) > >> > >> _______________________________________________ > >> Felvtalk mailing list > >> Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org > >> http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia. > >> or > >> g > >> > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > Felvtalk mailing list > > Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org > > http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.o > > rg > > > > > > -- > Spay & Neuter Your Neighbors! > Maybe That'll Make The Difference.... > > MaryChristine > Special-Needs Coordinator, Purebred Cat Breed Rescue > (www.purebredcats.org) Member, SCAT (Special-Cat Action Team) > _______________________________________________ > Felvtalk mailing list > Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org > http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org > > _______________________________________________ > Felvtalk mailing list > Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org > http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org > -- Spay & Neuter Your Neighbors! Maybe That'll Make The Difference.... MaryChristine Special-Needs Coordinator, Purebred Cat Breed Rescue (www.purebredcats.org) Member, SCAT (Special-Cat Action Team) _______________________________________________ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org _______________________________________________ Felvtalk mailing list Felvtalk@felineleukemia.org http://felineleukemia.org/mailman/listinfo/felvtalk_felineleukemia.org
