Cat with Feeding Tube - Anyone Have Experience?

[Diane]

My cat, Otis, has a feeding tube in his stomach to treat a fatty liver. He’s supposed to come home from the vet tomorrow. Although I’ll be happy to have him back, I’m a little worried about caring for him. Has anyone else been through this? I could use some advice.

 

[6_Time_Momma]

Well, not with cats, but I've cared for people with feeding tubes!

It is not as frightening as it seems at first and I am sure they will give you very detailed instructions on what to do with him. Don't hesitate to ask your vet questions if you are not sure what you are doing. Good luck!

 

[Cruisin]

No experience with that, sorry.

Just wanted to wish you luck, poor Otis.

 

[Diane]

Thank you. He had it put in yesterday, and I went to visit him today. They had him in a cute little T-shirt - I guess to keep him from fussing with it. I miss him so much.

 

[Rajah]

Yep, sure do. Sadly, the tube wasn't enough to save my Blaze, but it sure wasn't as scary as it first sounded, and was a *LOT* easier to get food down him. Basically, the vet should give you a food that is specially designed to work well in feeding tubes. You take a certain amount of that, in my case mixed it with water and warmed it up (something like 10 seconds in the microwave), let it cool if it got too warm, then take that, two syringes of water, and go to the kitty. You take the cap out of the feeding tube, flush the tube with a specified amount of water, *slowly* give the food until either it won't go any more (don't *force* it, you'll have to learn whether the resistance you feel is the syringe sticking or because of a full tummy), then flush once more with the water, and that's all there is to it. It was a lot easier than I feared.

No guarantees your setup will be the same as what I did, but that was my experience.

Good luck!

 

[DocRafiki]

Good luck with the feeding and w/the fatty liver. The prognosis with that is not that great, so if you can afford to keep your cat hospitalized, and they have the staff to care for him, you might consider that. Do you know what caused the fatty liver?

 

[Diane]

Thanks for the info. Unfortunately, I’m not working right now (laid off), so my funds are limited; but I’m going to do everything I can for my sweet Otis. He’s had lots of tests [including Feline Leukemia, X-rays, Ultrasound, and liver aspiration (sp?)] and nothing has been found. They think it’s due to hepatitis. I haven’t found much info on that on the internet, but I wonder if it could be from a bad can of cat food.

If anyone has any spare pixie dust or would be willing to say a pray for Otis, I’d be most appreciative. I’ve been saying a novena to St. Francis for him, and I hope it helps.

 

[Rajah]

Originally posted by Diane
If anyone has any spare pixie dust or would be willing to say a pray for Otis, I’d be most appreciative.

Of course.

 

[Diane]

Thanks so much! He's a picture of Otis (background) and his sister (Misty).

 

[Rajah]

They're both beautiful.

Oh -- a tip on feeding him with the tube. Even if you're nervous about it, try not to be when you're actually feeding him. Be as calm and sure of yourself as possible. He'll pick up on any nerves you have, and that'll make him more nervous as well. If you're confident and calm about doing it, it'll make him feel more relaxed and less likely to fight or try to run. Just remember -- you CAN do this, you CAN take care of him.

 

[Diane]

Thanks, again. That reminds of The Pet Psychic (Sonia); I heard her tell someone something similar to that once. Call me crazy, but I believe that my cats DO know what I'm thinking/feeling. I even tell them that they're 'special' and I sing to them.

 

[Rajah]

I do, too.

But even without feeling they can be "psychic" or whatever, it makes total scientific sense if you know how a cat thinks/lives. Cats have a much more sensitive sense of smell than we do. When you're stressed, your body produces a different smell as it releases some other kind of chemical. I don't remember all the technical terms, but the cat can literally smell your fear, uncertainty or tension (or on the other end, happiness, love, etc). Furthermore, we're talking about animals who primarily communicate via body language. Watch them sometime, and you'll see that in their stance, ear position, whisker position, eyes, etc. Being so attuned to body language, they can pick up on your tension as well even without the further chemical release. And in the animal world, when one member of the clan/tribe/group is tense, it usually means trouble and the other members will respond either in kind, by hiding, or by turning aggressive. As far as they're concerned, we aren't humans, we're just strange looking cats and part of their "clan". So it makes total sense that the calmer you stay and more confident you are, the more likely your animal is to respond in kind.

If you do believe your animals can pick up on your thoughts or intentions, then it's also important to think good thoughts in your dealings with him. Tell him how brave he is, and encourage him that he'll get better. The more you believe it, the more he will, the better his chances will be that he'll improve. Also tell him how special he is to you and how much you love him. Shoot, even if you *don't* feel they can pick up on those thoughts, what harm does it do?

I feel that whether they pick up on thoughts, some chemical clues, body language, or some other method we don't yet understand, cats (and dogs, and for that matter to some degree *FISH*, or so I've seen in my Bettas) *do* pick up on our emotions and physical/mental states. They know when you're happy, sad, loving, or hateful. And just like humans, positive thought can help increase the chances of recovery.

 

[Diane]

Yes, I think you're right. They always seem to know how I'm feeling and respond accordingly. Thanks for the pep talk; I'm ready to bring my baby home tomorrow. I know he's going to be just fine.

 

[Rajah]

You're welcome.