It is the 3rd weekiversary of when Mack's feeding tube was put in, and we are so grateful ... to The Cat Doctor for saving our dear kitty, and to my colleague's cousin, Trisha, for giving us hope that Mack could be saved ... and to all the wonderful people who have been pulling for him, and reassuring us that we are not crazy for caring so much!
Today we're celebrating more than just the last three weeks of s-l-o-w but steady progress in Mack's health ...
... or maybe not. Maybe today's momentous event is just the next step on the road to recovery, and just another milestone in that same slow, steady progress he's been making.
Either way, EATING is a big deal!
Mack's fan club is clamboring for details ... so here goes: .
After being tube-fed 38cc of prescription cat food this morning (the most at one sitting, ever), Mack was extremely relaxed, splayed out on the bed, purring. I prepared his buffet, not really expecting that he would show any more interest in it today than he had for the last several days. Although I hated to disturb his catnap, I scooped him up before I left for work to show him, once again, where the food and water were located.
I pointed out the big bowl of fresh water, and the small glass dishes of regular cat food, kitty chow, banana yogurt, skim milk, and a dollop of the prescription canned food. He looked at me like I was luney and walked over to the heat register, crouching into the "I hate winter" position. Discouraged, I went back to gathering my things for work.
Suddenly, Mack stood up and gave a looong stretch, front paws reaching far out in front of him, butt in the air, and finished with a big yawn. I stopped to admire the fluidity of his movements, after weeks of helplessly watching him hold himself in a tight little protective ball like a potato bug. He walked toward the buffet.
I tried not to get too excited when he actually walked up to the bowl of water and sniffed, but didn't drink. Next, he sniffed the bowl of regular cat food ... two, then three times. No dice. Then he tentativley sniffed the kitten chow ... two, three, four ... his head bent closer and closer ... and then I heard the tinkle of the kibble against the glass bowl, and the crunch of it breaking against his teeth!! Omygosh, he was ... eating one!
I was ready to jump over there and give him a big kiss! But I held still, afraid to break whatever magical spell had taken over him. I heard, again, the sound of the kibble against the glass, and then again breaking against his teeth. I couldn't believe it! The cat doctor had said that some day he'd just walk over and start eating, and here it was HAPPENING!
I worried a little when he turned away from the kitten chow after only 2 bites. ("Don't stop now! That's not enough!")
Remembering that I'd given him a TON of food just an hour before, I wondered why on earth, on the fullest stomach he's had in a month, he would decide NOW that food was appealing. But I didn't care, really.
Mack turned back to the kitten chow and ate three more pieces. Then he walked away and curled up next to the register again.
That's all. Simple. I had tears in my eyes; Mack looked at me as if a miracle hadn't just happened, and started grooming himself.
I grabbed the bowl and counted. I knew I'd put 24 pieces of kitten chow in the bowl, and I'd counted five crunches while he was eating. Yup. There were 19 pieces left.
I dug in the kitchen drawer for a measuring cup, dipped it into the bag of kitten chow, and dumped a heaping 1/4 cup into the glass bowl. I didn't care how MANY there were anymore. Mack was eating! I didn't want him to run out of food before I came home again!
Finally, a conjecture. I wonder what it was that made him want to eat TODAY. He doesn't know it's the 3rd weekiversary of when the tube was placed. For the last week, he had been taking nearly a full can of the prescription food each day ... could it be that he was gaining the strength he needed to move beyond subsistence level? It seemed unlikely it was actual hunger, since he had just taken more food than he'd had at any one time in the previous month. What was different?
This: yesterday, I had gotten lazy. In the morning, when I should have crushed the 1/2 pill containing appetite stimulant and mixed it with his food, I thought, "It's not helping anyway, and it's a lot of mess for just one pill." So I didn't. In the evening, I had simply forgotten, for the first time, that I needed to crush and add the five medications into one of the evening feedings.
Mack had gone at least 24 hours without a dose of the appetite stimulant. I put all his meds, including the 1/2 pill of appetite stimulant, into the morning feeding. An hour later, he was eating.
Yea!
Mack's total solid food consumption ORALLY today is over 1/4 cup!! I was excited this morning when he ate 5 little kibbles of Kitten Chow -- but that was only the beginning. When I got home, the bowl was almost empty. Since we've been home, he has made little nibble trips to the food bowl at least 5-6 times! I find this a great relief; I guess I was worried that he wouldn't actually KEEP eating.
I am still a little concerned that he seems to be uncomfortable when swallowing. He only eats a few kibbles at a time, and shows no interest in anything else. I haven't even seen him drink from the bowl of water.
I think I'll add some water to some kitten chow tomorrow, and see if that still appeals to him. They may go down a little easier if they're moist.
Tomorrow: a call to the cat doctor to find out how we proceed from here. I'll keep you posted!
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