# Cat refusing to eat or drink after dental work



## Emma_ (Jun 30, 2010)

Hi there,

I don't know if anyone else has experienced this but my 16 year old cat Louise is refusing to eat or drink after having two teeth extracted and some dental cleaning

We've tried her normal foods, cooked meat, sensitive vet food the cat treats, dry treats soaked in water and its the same reaction to all looks interested, sniffs the food, licks her lips, licks the food a little and doesn't eat.

We've tried the AD (or is it AB) pate mushed up with water and a syringe, but that led to a world of unhappy growling and me covered in cat food.

We're working with the vets and she won't eat for them either, they've tried more pain medication and no luck. I just hope that someone else has had a similar problem so we can get Lou eating soon.

Any advise and suggestions are welcome.

Thanks xxx


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## Daisyandchlo (Feb 27, 2010)

Poor kitty. Could she perhaps be feeling a bit sick, and maybe that's why she's not interested? Two of mine had a dental. One had 2 teeth removed, and the other had 4. Neither refused food, or water afterwards, so I have no experience of this.

Have you tried warming the water? I find my cat that has kidney issues, is very willing to drink when I fill her bowl with fresh tap water, then pour just a little boiling water from the kettle into it. Basically, you just make it luke warm.
I've had the same success using the 'warming' with sick ferrets too.


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## Dally Banjo (Oct 22, 2009)

Maybe the vets have left some of the tooth/root in  ours have always been ok after dental even the gummies  as Daisyandchlo suggested warm her food a little


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## hobbs2004 (Mar 12, 2010)

Oh no - how long ago did she have the op? Sounds like quite a while if you have tried different foods as well as force feeding. 

Could she still be in pain? Could she have an abscess? 

Not a lot to add to the advice already given. Only thing I can think of that you haven't tried yet is to get some chicken baby food (a jar) to see whether that will stimulate her appetite. I think it is going to be the case of getting her to take a bite of anything and then she will hopefully start chowing away.


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## Tje (Jan 16, 2010)

Emma, how long has she not been eating?

is the not eating a complete thing? (that is, she eats zero)

If force-feeding Hills AD is unachievable even for your vet.. 

dont let me get in front of myself what does your vet suggest how long has he said you can leave it ??

Two other questions... does her mouth/breath stink in anyway and is her body temp normal?


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## Emma_ (Jun 30, 2010)

Hi there,

Thanks for all the replies, after a day spent in the vets with them giving her more pain relief, antibiotics and fuss to try to get her to eat, apparently she's completlely healthy, mouth healing nicely and no temperature. 

She came home, saw our other cat eating and then decided she wanted some of his dinner :thumbup: So I think we're back on the road to eating, after refusing a warm wet food breakfast she later had a few crunches then has just eaten a bit more wet food an hour later so I'm hopeful it was just nerves surrounding eating.

Thanks for the helpful suggestions


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## Dally Banjo (Oct 22, 2009)

Great glad she's eating again :thumbup:


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