Cat is ill - moral question regarding tube feeding.

Question

Serious answers only!

My cat stopped eating last week (last meal was 7/28). It was very sudden, and there wasn't any household changes. On Wednesday (7/30), we took him to the vet - they said his bloodwork was normal and told us to syringe feed him (which didn't go well). I saw the vet again on Thursday (7/31) and they gave him cyproheptadine to stimulate his appetite (it didn't work). On Friday, I decided to take him to a local animal emergency center because he had stopped urinating (due to dehydration); they hospitalized him, gave him IV fluids and pain meds, and also did xrays and an ultrasound. They still don't know why he suddenly stopped eating (possible parital bowel obstruction, but they weren't sure).

I took him home with a nasogastric tube, and when we got home he tried to eat (I had to remove his Elizabethan collar so he could eat). He seemed really uncomfortable with the nasogastric tube in place, so I made the decision to remove it. Since he has been home, he has been eating (but not as much as I wish he would).

My cat is 7 years old and has been healthy his entire life. I don't want to prolong his suffering, but I also want to give him a fair chance to fight off whatever it is that he is dealing with. He seems to be in pain/general discomfort, so I'm taking him to the vet today to see if I can get him stronger pain meds (I think the emergency center sent home the wrong strength of pain meds; plus, the dose they prescribed is half of what he should be getting, according to what I've found online).

Is it cruel to feed him through a nasogastric tube or esophagostomy tube? I've been considering getting an esophagostomy tube to use for the short-term to help him boost his nutritional requirements. I don't want to be one of those people who prolong their cats suffering, and I want to give my cat the ability to deal with whatever illness he is facing.

I just want opinions on whether or not supplemental nutrition via tube is cruel to the cat. I'm totally torn, because I love my cat and 7 seems kinda young to die (again, healthy his whole life).

He does not have hepatic lipidosis and aside from mild hypocalcemia, his labs continue to look normal.

Answer 1

if he tries to eat, he wants to live. just keep trying until something works.

try putting canned food on his paws. he will see it as dirt and wash his paws.

tell the vet he tried to eat after the tube was removed from his nose. im wondering if he has a respiratory infection that the vet missed.

if his sinuses are infected, he cant smell his food, so he wont eat it. the tube might have opened the sinuses.

it is not cruel to do what very it takes to save his life, if he keeps fighting to live.

when the pain gets so bad he gives up, it is time to let him go.

Answer 2

I have done this once with a cat about the age of yours and in the end I'm glad that I did.  Our cat had a feeding tube inserted and was hospitalized for about two weeks.  She had been operated on to remove plastic from her stomach and intestine.....a very sick girl!

When she came home she had little interest in food and really only "drank" the juices of any food we gave her.  So several times a day she had her "juice" meals and each day we saw that a bit more of the actual food was being consumed.  Our vet told us to give her anything she liked and we did.  Some of it was truly the junk food stuff that I really don't recommend, but it was more important that she eat.  This went on for several weeks and then one day she was back!  Eating regular food with the other cats and enjoying the sunshine.

Yes it is a long and sometimes frustrating road, but in the end I think you will find it is worth it!

Good Luck!

Answer 3

I wish you luck with your kitty.  I have no idea what I'd do is something happened to my kitty.

Ask your vet what would be your best options, and what chances he has to recover.

Hope things start looking up.

Answer 4

at the cat shelter i volunteer at we have had many cats with the feeding tubes because of numberous things like colici virus, yada yada yada. I found that the tube caused less stress for the cats because they didn't really know what we were putting into them. i think that you should talk it over with your vet as to what your options are but i think kitty should be able to kick this so long as she/he keeps eating and drinking. Good Luck and keep us all posted!

Answer 5

IMO, 7 is still a relatively young cat who deserves a chance.  We had a cat at my last clinic who became a "charity case" after someone found her on the road, hit by a car.  Her jaw was broken and she refused to eat, so after a week we put in a feeding tube (esophagostomy)and a co-worker and I fed her every day, several times a day, for two weeks.  She finally started eating on her own and completely recovered.

I'd give it a try if I were you.