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Update on Sunny.
I think I may have created a monster …
To recap. Sunny was diagnosed as having something called feline mega colon in September, and it’s been really hit & miss trying to find the right combination of treatment for him. He still sometimes goes for days without having a bowel movement, but just when I’m ready to go through more vet trauma and take him in, he manages to go, and then we go back to waiting and watching. I know he isn’t functioning as well as he might, but I am loathe to keep bringing him back to the vet’s. I mean, he’s 16 now and the vet said the next step would be to give him an ultrasound to see if there is some sort of obstruction. But it just seems like his digestion has become very sluggish rather than being totally blocked. Meanwhile, I really do think I have created a monster. A fussy and totally spoiled pointy-eared monster who now only wants to eat when I spoon feed him…
It started back in August when Sunny went off his food and lost a lot of weight. I tried mixing various combinations of soft food to try and get him to eat. Also he had broken a tooth while chomping down on the syringe I was using to administer the paraffin, whichI think also made eating difficult (he’s just finished a course of antibiotics and is no longer favouring one side of his mouth when he eats). And so, to coax him into eating my new concoctions I would give him a bit on a spoon while talking to him and stroking his back … and well, he now just sits and stares at his food if I just put it in his dish, then looks up at me beseechingly until I scoop some up in a spoon and give it to him. Nog has also started feeding him this way, but Sunny seems to prefer waiting for me to spoon feed him. Good grief.
The good news is that he seems to have put a bit of weight back on and is eating quite well now. He’s getting the paraffin about twice a week, plus I give him a daily dose of malt, as well as a spoonful of bran mixed up in his wet food. Though he’s still not as regular as he should be. What do you think? Should I take him back to the vet’s?
Oh, and I don’t really mind spoon feeding him. It’s actually quite sweet, especially watching how much he loves the extra attention and having a big fuss made over him. My precious Sunny bunny. It’s amazing to me how much I love my cats. They somehow always bring out the best in me, bless them.
casa azahar 
I say if he is spooning and pooping, spare him the vet for now.
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Maybe I should try that technique with Smokey. He is still very regular but he has some incontinence issues. Additionally, if we don’t dole out his food in increments he will throw it back up almost like it was a yoyo. Very discouraging. He gets fur balls really bad and always has, the furball remedy is not as effective as it used to be. Also his hips and knees are sore. Not so sore that he can’t demand that he get the whole entire love seat to himself to sleep on. Hope Sunny feels better soon.
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I’d say keep spoon-feeding him if that is helping to avoid a vet’s visit!
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If spoonfeeding helps, that’s what I’d be doing.
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Cod liver oil! 🙂
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If he’s doing well enough and doesn’t seem to be in pain, keep doing what you’re doing. You’ll know when he’s truly unhappy and act accordingly. BigFatKitty was having problems, then rallied another year. Sometimes, i think they rally just because they know their people need it so.
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I guess my main worry is that he only has a poo every 3-4 days, and I read somewhere on the internet that leaving it for more than three days without seeing the vet could be very dangerous, even life threatening. Though maybe this meant pre-diagnosis. I’ll probably give the vet a call tomorrow (day 4) and ask her what she thinks.
He doesn’t look too bad, but his fur has gone kind of clumpy and it’s disturbing to feel his backbone protruding so much. And since I put him on the antibiotics his breath smells much better, so he must have had an infection.
Anne, I have had several “serious talks” with Sunny, telling him how much I love him and also how much I need him to stick around, at least for another couple of years. Told him I just wouldn’t be able to get by without him, especially if I get sick again. Of course I don’t want him to stick around and be in pain. But if I can get the right maintenance diet working for him he might rally. I really hope so with all my heart.
And I hope Smokey rallies too, hmh.
Right, time to go and give Sunny his spoonfed evening snack on the sofa…
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