[bradthedog]

Hi I have a 15 month old male cat who recently had a kidney infection and nearly died. He dropped from 6 to just over 4 pounds in about 10 days. He is much better and eating and drinking but he has gotten really picky on what he eats, he won't eat the dry food he ate for almost a year, he will nibble the half a dozen canned foods I tried but not eat much of them. The only thing he will regularly eat is canned tuna. He is eating this but I am wooried about him getting a balanced diet and not regaining the weight. I have had him checked for parasites and all the standard cat problems which came back negative so that is not the problem.

My big question is has anyone tried anything that will help cats gain the weight. I tried 2 different kitten milk formulas my vet suggested but neither met with the cats approval. My vet is on vaction for the next month, his nurse just doesn't know and the referral clinic wants me to come in and spend another $150 bucks before they will even answer my question. Currently I have to give him cranberry juice (really helped with the kidney and bladder problems both my other cats had in the past) through a syringe and thought I could maybe doing the same with either a high calorie sports drink with the vitamins and minerals or with soy based isomil. What does anyone think

[labman]

You are right to be concerned about the tuna not being the complete and balanced diet he needs. I know dogs with digestive upsets can go a while on boiled chicken and potatoes or rice. You might try adding a little potato or rice to the tuna. Letting it soak in the tuna juice might help. The cranberry juice may be giving him badly needed vitamins and minerals. If you can keep him going a few more days, maybe his appetite will come back. If not, you may have to cough up the $150.

I have no real knowledge or experience about cats. I hope they are similar enough to dogs that my answer helps without discouraging somebody who knows more about cats from answering. He has lost a third of his body weight. Even if he was overweight, that is still an awful lot. Once he starts eating, it may be best if he doesn't gain too quickly. I would try to keep an accurate record of his weight and make sure that he at least isn't losing more.

[bradthedog]

He is eating just not putting not regaining the weight he lost. I have gave him a little isomil and he is drinking it it certainly bulks up babies that are on it.