Great video... Too many videos on youtube showing procedures that follow the rosy path with a super complacent animal. I wouldn't be searching for help videos if my cat was happy about the situation! Thanks for the vid.
Frank Posterello agreed. Most people demonstrating don't even need to burrito their cats. I'd like to see more demonstrations with actual difficult to force feed cats
As a fur daddy to a particularly sassy CKD cat, I can totally relate. I have to perfect my burrito technique but fortunately we got to a place where she is eating regularly and will tolerate meds in food. Force feeding is really a last resort to get them back on track IMHO. It is too stressful to maintain long-term.
Thank you so much for this video. It is SO MUCH EASIER than the other ways we had tried, and INFINITELY LESS TRAUMATIC, both for the cat and for us. The paper towel bib is such a small thing but made a big difference, too! In case it's helpful to others, here's what we did for two days for our kitty that was suffering from hepatic lipidosis: kitty condition: weeks of hepatic lipidosis, very weak, major weight loss, jaundiced (yellow skin). ran blood test to establish hepatic lipidosis, ultrasound to check for obstructions (none), then spent the night in hospital with IV with anti-nausea medicine and potassium. came home with us still in bad shape - we opted for syringe feeding instead of feeding tube. food= plain chicken baby food (no onions) syringe= 5mL (1 tsp) syringe (but we only fill it to 4mL so it's easier to control) quantity each feeding = 2 syringes (little by little) the first couple feedings, since she hadn't eaten in a long time and to make sure she wouldn't vomit, then 3 syringes once that was established number of feedings = 5 a day, usually 3 hours apart So we were giving about 8mL (almost 2 teaspoons) at first, then 12mL (just over 2 teaspoons) each time, for a total of about 50mL or 10 teaspoons a day. We did this for two days, then picked up some Science Diet (Hill's) A/D because other people recommend it for syringe feeding, but she actually dug right into it on a plate, so looks like we're done with the syringe and on the road to recovery. Hope this is helpful for other people. This video was a godsend. Thanks Dr. Foote and Mr. Misty! :)
Your comment was as helpful to me as Dr. Foote & Mr. Misty's video due to sharing vital info from your personal experience force feeding (why, how, frequency, and specific food by Hill's that you later used) your fur baby! As well as info about converting teaspoons to ml (although I know there are online calculators for this, you still saved me time). I wish more people posted detailed comments and product reviews including their experiences and reasons for using or buying something as you did because often times there are many reasons people use or buy the same product or utilize the same method for completing any number of tasks... Thanks again & God Bless❣️
Our cat is developmentally challenged and is so upset every time we tried to feed him. All the methods we were shown involved popping open his mouth and he was getting so stressed. I'm so so so thankful for this video. We're using this method now and he's so much calmer. We've been able to get more for into him than we were ever able to before and now he's doing better
Thank you so much for this video! I've been so upset seeing my cat refused to eat, after trying this he too went "NOOOO OMNOMNOM" i hope my cat gets well soon
Thank you so, so much for this video showing that it's NOT necessary to lift a cat's lip or even place fingers/ hand in their facial area when force feeding an adult cat! I have an 11 year old male cat that looks so much like the cat in your video they could almost be twins. He is by far the most difficult & AGGRESSIVE cat I've ever had in 40+ years of being a pet/ cat parent when trying to administer meds (doesn't matter if they're flavored compounded tiny tab pills, compounded flavored oral/ liquid, or even Trandermal gel compounded meds such as Mirataz Transdermal gel applied to the ear pinna to stimulate his appetite) or force feeding only! Any other time he's a big mama's baby, so loving & gentle ♥️ Thank you again for educating us on how this task can be done more safely for the cat and cat parent!
Wow Dr. Sally thank you so much for posting this..........like the commenter below, every video I've come across so far shows force feeding on an agreeable cat........my foster cat is just like Mr. Misty!! Thank you again.
Excellent video! I really like that you don't grab the head but just squirt the food in from the side without him seeing it. I started doing that with my cat and now he is very content being fed like this. I put him in a fleece towel, which is very soft and comforting. I prepare daily food amount 150 ml in the blender, then put it in 30 syringes (5 ml), and clean the tips under a water stream, so that his mouth doesn't get all messy. I usually give 4 syringes with 5 ml each per session, which works well.
Mr. Misty is so cute! Not to be rude but he sounds like when I start to turn on my lawnmower! Also by the way nice video! It was helpful for helping my kitten Simba!
Thank you for this video. It is incredibly helpful, as well as informative. The bib idea is genius! I feel much more comfortable string feeding my cat now.
God would have done the animal kingdom such a huge favor by allowing communication between us and them. I just wish I could look my cat Romeo in the eyes and say: "I am tormenting you with food and meds because I LOVE YOU GOD DAMMIT and you dying would break my heart into a million pieces so would you please just swallow the effin' pills and eat the god damn food?" :(
Update, my 18 year old cat has recovered from his stroke!!!! Walking, using litter box, climbing to top of cat tree, etc. He is eating, but not nearly enough (he wasn’t eating enough before the stroke only weighing a bony 9.4 lbs) and so I am continuing to syringe feed him until I can get him to a healthier weight that will give him a little wiggle room to lose a bit. He is not thrilled with syringe feeding after a month of it, but now is merely slightly annoyed but never struggles anymore.
I dont know how am i supposed to do this, my cat is just denying everything. In most cases the cat doesnt really fight back, only growling and hissing. My cat is kind of sick, we've took her to the vet and gave her some antibiotics, but she still wouldnt eat and we have to force her eat. Once in position she started growling and hissing, and denying the food, she also almost scratched me and my dad who is trying to feed her, her head doesnt stay still and its very difficult. Even sometime after we fed her she ran away (Yes she is a stray cat but we take care of her very good) and shes hiding. I know we stressed her out but i dont find any other way, if i dont feed her we're in the wrong. If we feed her she would stress and ran away eventually. Please help me give me some advise thank you!
Thank you for your video. I have given all these 3 years the hyperthyroid medicine the wrong way to my 15-16-year old female cat which also has renal failure. Now, she is at the end of her life and we are making the euthanacy for her within 4 days. Her eye has inflammation, maybe a cat herpes outbreak. Despite all this, I will try to give her food and gel vitamin with the syringe. However, she still goes to drink water, albeit staggering.
I was doing that with my CKD cat up until he developed chronic diarreah. After a course of antibiotics, which didn't work, He's now on probiotics, which do. Lesson learned. find out the cause of inappetance rather than ramming food down their throats and address that.
Dr! Our 14 year old stopped eating on her own this past weekend and became lethargic/depressed, we brought her to the vet on Monday, bloodwoork indicative of Pancreatitis. We have the option of syringe feeding/watering her (although we find it odd that the vet said to give her two big cans via syringe per day, but in 14 years she NEVER ate that much when healthy, so we've - painstakingly managed about 3/4 of a can per day - she's a runt and she only weighs 7.5 pounds so we don't wanna give her too much of the food, she's starting to drink a little on her own, but no appetite yet. I was wondering, will the pancreatitis die down if we continue along this path? Or is it totally necessary to bring her to the vet hospital for the recommended 2-5 day stay where they'd IV her etc? I'm reluctant for the hospital option just because in 14 years the only time we had to go to the vet was to get her spayed, other than that she NEVER got remotely sick, so I guess I don't know if she'll be able to handle the stress of 2 days of vets force feeding her and IV-ing her etc. I'm SUCH a first timer and this is all overwhelming, sorry for the length of the comment but ANY advice would be appreciated.
+Michael Grabowski Hi, I am sorry but I just saw your post and I feel bad that you never got an answer from the doctor. I wanted to know if your cat got better and what you ended up doing for her. I am going through a heart wrenching time with my baby boy Felix the Cat. Won't eat either. Took him to the vet and he had blood drawn and waiting for the results. I have been trying to syringe feed him but it is so hard on him. @ big cans a day of food is too much for a little cat! That is really hard on the pancreas too!
Good evening. What is the recommended quantity for an old female cat which has not eating for four days? She attended fluid therapy for kidney severe disease and today I found this video helping with a technique to feed my beloved cat.
Thank you for sharing this Dr. Foote. Oral med time has been hit or miss for me. My CKD kitty has gotten much better but I am trying to avoid her regressing. This gives me a different technique to try though is it equally effective without the paper towel part?
yes, the paper towel is to prevent him from getting the food on his chin and face. Sick cats dislike getting messy, and then they have to groom themselves which they also are not comfortable doing. A cloth baby bib would also work.
Thanks for your question. I will work on that. if you look at my video demonstrating the handling gloves, you use the same technique for approach - come from the side with just 1/2 cc of food at a time. combine the above techniques with your cat on your lap or on a table using your body to hold him in place
the feeding video was 5 hours after the IV treatment started, so he was less agitated. He went home next day coming in for just subcutaneus fluids and had his baby food in his carrier base so it was low stress handling all the way. He improved and lived for 10 months with just home support. He far outlived my expectations.
It may seem this way, but your cat is avoiding you because he feels threatened. You have to change how you approach him and give him something good for him to come to you. practice this and make daily games of tossing very yummy treats to have him chase them and also come to you like you would a dog
Thanks so much. We have an elder who is recovering from a URI & not eating or drinking. Your video was valuable to me but what are you feeding Mr. Misty. Is it some sort of gruel you've made up or is this a purchased food?
I have a cat that the vet says should weigh 13 lbs, but has muscle wasting. His belly is fat, but he was not getting enough calories. He also had an infection that wasn't going away, and between too little nutrition/calories and the infection , became anemic and had muscle wasting. He has had antibiotics, but I am trying to feed him by hand to help him recover. Thing is, he needs at LEAST 3, 3oz cans a day (approx 288- 303 calories) and possibly more but it's sooo hard to get all of that in him if I have to wait 4 hours in between for his stomach to clear. The only thing I could find that says how much a cat's stomach will hold at once says only 2 tbsp! How can I feed him 9 oz of food a day if he can only eat 2 tbsp in one sitting and I have to wait 2 hours in between!? I have not been getting enough sleep bc It takes me all day and half the night to feed him! Please can you tell me how much I can feed him at one time, and how often I can feed that amount?
Mine had URI and ulcers on top of really bad CKD symptoms. Finally got her over the hump and she is eating and behaving normally.. but man it was stressful and I felt like every day we were on the brink of a worse complication. Hang in there - it does get better!
For a healthy cat, you would need to feed 30 - 40 ml three times daily of regular cat food. For a sick cat, the need is higher, yet you should check with your veterinarian for a specific diet, the amount, and how frequent. Anything you get in will be a help, though.
Great video... Too many videos on youtube showing procedures that follow the rosy path with a super complacent animal. I wouldn't be searching for help videos if my cat was happy about the situation! Thanks for the vid.
THIS animal was complacent - trust me!
Frank Posterello agreed. Most people demonstrating don't even need to burrito their cats. I'd like to see more demonstrations with actual difficult to force feed cats
As a fur daddy to a particularly sassy CKD cat, I can totally relate. I have to perfect my burrito technique but fortunately we got to a place where she is eating regularly and will tolerate meds in food. Force feeding is really a last resort to get them back on track IMHO. It is too stressful to maintain long-term.
she's like NOOOO numnumnum
*******He's
Not all cats are female. 🤦🏻♀️
His name is literally “Mr” Misty.
Thank you so much for this video. It is SO MUCH EASIER than the other ways we had tried, and INFINITELY LESS TRAUMATIC, both for the cat and for us. The paper towel bib is such a small thing but made a big difference, too! In case it's helpful to others, here's what we did for two days for our kitty that was suffering from hepatic lipidosis:
kitty condition: weeks of hepatic lipidosis, very weak, major weight loss, jaundiced (yellow skin). ran blood test to establish hepatic lipidosis, ultrasound to check for obstructions (none), then spent the night in hospital with IV with anti-nausea medicine and potassium. came home with us still in bad shape - we opted for syringe feeding instead of feeding tube.
food= plain chicken baby food (no onions)
syringe= 5mL (1 tsp) syringe (but we only fill it to 4mL so it's easier to control)
quantity each feeding = 2 syringes (little by little) the first couple feedings, since she hadn't eaten in a long time and to make sure she wouldn't vomit, then 3 syringes once that was established
number of feedings = 5 a day, usually 3 hours apart
So we were giving about 8mL (almost 2 teaspoons) at first, then 12mL (just over 2 teaspoons) each time, for a total of about 50mL or 10 teaspoons a day.
We did this for two days, then picked up some Science Diet (Hill's) A/D because other people recommend it for syringe feeding, but she actually dug right into it on a plate, so looks like we're done with the syringe and on the road to recovery. Hope this is helpful for other people. This video was a godsend. Thanks Dr. Foote and Mr. Misty!
:)
Your comment was as helpful to me as Dr. Foote & Mr. Misty's video due to sharing vital info from your personal experience force feeding (why, how, frequency, and specific food by Hill's that you later used) your fur baby! As well as info about converting teaspoons to ml (although I know there are online calculators for this, you still saved me time). I wish more people posted detailed comments and product reviews including their experiences and reasons for using or buying something as you did because often times there are many reasons people use or buy the same product or utilize the same method for completing any number of tasks... Thanks again & God Bless❣️
I truly appreciate these videos. I have a sick cat now, I have to syringe feed.
Our cat is developmentally challenged and is so upset every time we tried to feed him. All the methods we were shown involved popping open his mouth and he was getting so stressed.
I'm so so so thankful for this video. We're using this method now and he's so much calmer. We've been able to get more for into him than we were ever able to before and now he's doing better
I am glad this helped you out!
Thank you so much for this video! I've been so upset seeing my cat refused to eat, after trying this he too went "NOOOO OMNOMNOM" i hope my cat gets well soon
This video should be shared as home care for your car by all vets. Thank you ❤
good idea
TRULY the best video for feeding an unwilling cat. Don't use your hand to open the mouth and lips..just the syringe!
www.drsallyjfoote.com/shop/webinar/pet-professional/cat-behavior-and-health-at-all-ages/
Great video. Keeping cat lying down while doing it helps me a lot.
Thank you so, so much for this video showing that it's NOT necessary to lift a cat's lip or even place fingers/ hand in their facial area when force feeding an adult cat! I have an 11 year old male cat that looks so much like the cat in your video they could almost be twins. He is by far the most difficult & AGGRESSIVE cat I've ever had in 40+ years of being a pet/ cat parent when trying to administer meds (doesn't matter if they're flavored compounded tiny tab pills, compounded flavored oral/ liquid, or even Trandermal gel compounded meds such as Mirataz Transdermal gel applied to the ear pinna to stimulate his appetite) or force feeding only! Any other time he's a big mama's baby, so loving & gentle ♥️ Thank you again for educating us on how this task can be done more safely for the cat and cat parent!
You are welcome!
Wow Dr. Sally thank you so much for posting this..........like the commenter below, every video I've come across so far shows force feeding on an agreeable cat........my foster cat is just like Mr. Misty!! Thank you again.
Excellent video! I really like that you don't grab the head but just squirt the food in from the side without him seeing it. I started doing that with my cat and now he is very content being fed like this. I put him in a fleece towel, which is very soft and comforting. I prepare daily food amount 150 ml in the blender, then put it in 30 syringes (5 ml), and clean the tips under a water stream, so that his mouth doesn't get all messy. I usually give 4 syringes with 5 ml each per session, which works well.
Mr. Misty is so cute! Not to be rude but he sounds like when I start to turn on my lawnmower! Also by the way nice video! It was helpful for helping my kitten Simba!
Thank you for this video. It is incredibly helpful, as well as informative. The bib idea is genius! I feel much more comfortable string feeding my cat now.
He says, "OOOOOHHHH, no, no, no, yum yum." 😂
Thank you so much for posting, Dr!
Thank you for this video. Mr. Misty is just like our Mr. Whiskers.
It was an angry NOM NOM NOM
Thank you...At the end it sounded like he said Hell Meohh..lol...
That cat sounds like a miniture mountain lion! He's adorable!
God would have done the animal kingdom such a huge favor by allowing communication between us and them. I just wish I could look my cat Romeo in the eyes and say: "I am tormenting you with food and meds because I LOVE YOU GOD DAMMIT and you dying would break my heart into a million pieces so would you please just swallow the effin' pills and eat the god damn food?" :(
Pretty sure the cat would just respond "no".
LOL, epic statement and epic respond u guys have.
That says EXACTLY how I feel! Couldn't have said it better myself!!!!
Update, my 18 year old cat has recovered from his stroke!!!! Walking, using litter box, climbing to top of cat tree, etc. He is eating, but not nearly enough (he wasn’t eating enough before the stroke only weighing a bony 9.4 lbs) and so I am continuing to syringe feed him until I can get him to a healthier weight that will give him a little wiggle room to lose a bit. He is not thrilled with syringe feeding after a month of it, but now is merely slightly annoyed but never struggles anymore.
@@paulage1art sorry for unearthing this thread, but what did you syringe feed him? My cat is not eating anything and I'm desperate...
Very Good! Thank you. Have a diabetic cat that has to be force fed. Your video helped alot.
I dont know how am i supposed to do this, my cat is just denying everything. In most cases the cat doesnt really fight back, only growling and hissing. My cat is kind of sick, we've took her to the vet and gave her some antibiotics, but she still wouldnt eat and we have to force her eat. Once in position she started growling and hissing, and denying the food, she also almost scratched me and my dad who is trying to feed her, her head doesnt stay still and its very difficult. Even sometime after we fed her she ran away (Yes she is a stray cat but we take care of her very good) and shes hiding. I know we stressed her out but i dont find any other way, if i dont feed her we're in the wrong. If we feed her she would stress and ran away eventually. Please help me give me some advise thank you!
Thank you for your video. I have given all these 3 years the hyperthyroid medicine the wrong way to my 15-16-year old female cat which also has renal failure. Now, she is at the end of her life and we are making the euthanacy for her within 4 days. Her eye has inflammation, maybe a cat herpes outbreak. Despite all this, I will try to give her food and gel vitamin with the syringe. However, she still goes to drink water, albeit staggering.
Ok - round 2 with the worm paste coming up tonight Szouk ol' pal.
I was doing that with my CKD cat up until he developed chronic diarreah. After a course of antibiotics, which didn't work, He's now on probiotics, which do. Lesson learned. find out the cause of inappetance rather than ramming food down their throats and address that.
Thank you. I need to refine my technique.
👍Great video...thanks for the tip.
Dr! Our 14 year old stopped eating on her own this past weekend and became lethargic/depressed, we brought her to the vet on Monday, bloodwoork indicative of Pancreatitis. We have the option of syringe feeding/watering her (although we find it odd that the vet said to give her two big cans via syringe per day, but in 14 years she NEVER ate that much when healthy, so we've - painstakingly managed about 3/4 of a can per day - she's a runt and she only weighs 7.5 pounds so we don't wanna give her too much of the food, she's starting to drink a little on her own, but no appetite yet. I was wondering, will the pancreatitis die down if we continue along this path? Or is it totally necessary to bring her to the vet hospital for the recommended 2-5 day stay where they'd IV her etc? I'm reluctant for the hospital option just because in 14 years the only time we had to go to the vet was to get her spayed, other than that she NEVER got remotely sick, so I guess I don't know if she'll be able to handle the stress of 2 days of vets force feeding her and IV-ing her etc. I'm SUCH a first timer and this is all overwhelming, sorry for the length of the comment but ANY advice would be appreciated.
+Michael Grabowski Hi, I am sorry but I just saw your post and I feel bad that you never got an answer from the doctor. I wanted to know if your cat got better and what you ended up doing for her. I am going through a heart wrenching time with my baby boy Felix the Cat. Won't eat either. Took him to the vet and he had blood drawn and waiting for the results. I have been trying to syringe feed him but it is so hard on him. @ big cans a day of food is too much for a little cat! That is really hard on the pancreas too!
My cat was sick and refused to eat for days. If I didnt syringe feed him, I'm sure he would have died.
Good evening. What is the recommended quantity for an old female cat which has not eating for four days? She attended fluid therapy for kidney severe disease and today I found this video helping with a technique to feed my beloved cat.
How many cylinder should i feed my 6 month old
Thank you for sharing this Dr. Foote. Oral med time has been hit or miss for me. My CKD kitty has gotten much better but I am trying to avoid her regressing. This gives me a different technique to try though is it equally effective without the paper towel part?
yes, the paper towel is to prevent him from getting the food on his chin and face. Sick cats dislike getting messy, and then they have to groom themselves which they also are not comfortable doing. A cloth baby bib would also work.
Can someone please demonstrate it with one person? I don't seem to have enough hands to do the technique shown here.
Thanks for your question. I will work on that. if you look at my video demonstrating the handling gloves, you use the same technique for approach - come from the side with just 1/2 cc of food at a time. combine the above techniques with your cat on your lap or on a table using your body to hold him in place
the feeding video was 5 hours after the IV treatment started, so he was less agitated. He went home next day coming in for just subcutaneus fluids and had his baby food in his carrier base so it was low stress handling all the way. He improved and lived for 10 months with just home support. He far outlived my expectations.
It may seem this way, but your cat is avoiding you because he feels threatened. You have to change how you approach him and give him something good for him to come to you. practice this and make daily games of tossing very yummy treats to have him chase them and also come to you like you would a dog
Thanks so much. We have an elder who is recovering from a URI & not eating or drinking. Your video was valuable to me but what are you feeding Mr. Misty. Is it some sort of gruel you've made up or is this a purchased food?
If i take my cat to the vets will they do this?
what r u feeding it
I have a cat that the vet says should weigh 13 lbs, but has muscle wasting. His belly is fat, but he was not getting enough calories. He also had an infection that wasn't going away, and between too little nutrition/calories and the infection , became anemic and had muscle wasting. He has had antibiotics, but I am trying to feed him by hand to help him recover. Thing is, he needs at LEAST 3, 3oz cans a day (approx 288- 303 calories) and possibly more but it's sooo hard to get all of that in him if I have to wait 4 hours in between for his stomach to clear. The only thing I could find that says how much a cat's stomach will hold at once says only 2 tbsp! How can I feed him 9 oz of food a day if he can only eat 2 tbsp in one sitting and I have to wait 2 hours in between!? I have not been getting enough sleep bc It takes me all day and half the night to feed him!
Please can you tell me how much I can feed him at one time, and how often I can feed that amount?
This cats easy, I have to hold mines head still in addition to the towel around her body. At least she doesn't spit it up. Felv unfortunately.
camaroman101 I'm going though the same thing also mine has a upper respiratory infection
Annie Cat good luck, hope yours gets better soon
Mine had URI and ulcers on top of really bad CKD symptoms. Finally got her over the hump and she is eating and behaving normally.. but man it was stressful and I felt like every day we were on the brink of a worse complication. Hang in there - it does get better!
Hi, my cat does not eat and I need to syringe feed her. But she doesn't open her mouth! What do you suggest?
+Mara B Try to put the syringe in the side of her mouth just behind her canine teeth. There is a gap in the teeth here.
hahah this is just like my cat
You forgot to mention what liquid food to use?
baby food, or puree the food your veterinarian prescribes
what kind of food is that that is soo smooth to pull up into a syringe like that ?? And also to squirt out soo easily ??
A/D by Hills prescription diet from your veterinarian
Wow impressive, you have a great technique, I have to give Midi (midnight) liquid antibiotics. would the technique be the same ?
+Eric Stefko yes give the meds from the side of the mouth and to put it in baby food to give it better taste helps.
thank you
My cat is not this calm. We have to do it a different way.
I have a sick farm cat about 15 years old or so. I liquefied wet cat food. But how much do I need to give her? Please assist.
For a healthy cat, you would need to feed 30 - 40 ml three times daily of regular cat food. For a sick cat, the need is higher, yet you should check with your veterinarian for a specific diet, the amount, and how frequent. Anything you get in will be a help, though.
@@DrSallyJFoote Thank you. She passed away yesterday unfortunately, I'm gutted. :(
@@janieart, I am very sorry. It is tough, especially around Christmas. Please take care.
My cat just keeps spitting it back out. :(
+K Louise Mine too :(
My cat ended up dying from cancer not long after I posted this.
+K Louise I am so sorry for you loss
I'm so,so sorry
I'm so sorry for your loss. I've lost two in two years and it feels like it will always sting. So many reminders of what used to be... :(
I don’t think he is ready to be fed
i have some bad news for the owners of Mr Misty, he's psychotic lol.