On 6/28/2015 8:25 AM, Takayuki wrote:
Spicey hasn't been coming to me yesterday, and she hasn't been at the food
dishes either - I don't think she ate at all yesterday. That might have
been the case on Friday too, but it's hard to tell who does what on a work
day.

Fortunately, my vet is open for short hours on weekends, so she's going in
today to check if anything's wrong.

It's sometimes a bit difficult to tell whether Spicey's feeling well or
not, because she's such an independent cat, and usually gives off an air of
grumpiness.

But I suspect she's feeling miserable at the moment. She stays in the tiled
bathroom or hallway, and doesn't protest or fight at all when I pick her up
and hug and cradle her little body. As soon as I put her down on my lap or
in a warmer room, she just wanders away and back to her cold tile floor.


I have had geriatric cats that did that. Many years ago, my mother gave
me a very helpful suggestion. She learned it from her father, who was a
farmer and treated many elderly animals. She suggested that I used
whole chicken parts (that is, including bones and skin), cover them with
water, bring to a boil and then simmer for a very long time. The point
was to simmer until most of the water was gone. Pour the liquid into a
container, refrigerate until it forms a gel, then scoop off the fat that
will rise to the top. She did not have me use the chicken (which had
been simmered so long that most of the nutrients were now in the gel).
She had me take a couple of tablespoons at a time and warm it just until
it melted, then give that to my cat. I had to use a syring (*without* a
needle of course) and force feed several times a day. After a few days,
I poured some onto a plate instead of force feeding. The next step was
to pour some over her *canned* food. This procedure worked, and the
whole thing only took a few days! It stimulated her appetite, and she
began eating again.

You might try this with Spicey. It is very dangerous for a cat to go
without eating. Even more important is to make sure she drinks some
water. If so, us a clean syringe to force some water into her throat.
Be very careful--you do not want to cause her to choke or force water
into her lungs.

Good luck, and please keep us informed. You have had wonderful results
with Spicey.

MaryL