Does she like a particular flavor of ice cream? My father was in a nursing home and when I went back to visit he had lost so much weight. I didn't ask, I just went to Dairy Queen and got him his favorite shake. He sucked that down like no tomorrow. I did that everyday while I was home. He then started drinking Ensure. My husband told me the regular Ensure is chalky but the Plus has a better flavor and he likes the milk chocolate the best. If she likes an ice cream flavor where Ensure has the same flavor, you might want to buy the ice cream and mix it in a blender with the Ensure to make just enough for 1 glass. She may not want to eat but ask her what sounds good. I found that taking the time to fix a well rounded meal is too long of a wait for them and then they decide they aren't hungry again. Also sometimes the new types of foods aren't pleasing to them. Chicken soup is a good standby. If too soupy, put in enough crackers to thicken it up. Take time, and I know that is hard, but if you could make a mental note or write down what seems to upset her tummy or what she doesn't like and then the list of possibilities. If she's ok with tomato sauce, what about some of the canned meals like ravioli or spaghettio's or even a frozen meal. My husband is 64 and disabled and we went through and still do sometimes, the problem of him eating. There are different medicines to stimulate appetite too. Now he can have no salt whatsoever. I find things he thinks will be good and keep it on hand. His favorite is chocolate ice cream and his milk chocolate Ensure. Talk to her doctor of your concerns and the two of you will come up with a plan. She may be old and her mind in another place but I bet she knows she loves you and that you love her. Stick that thought in your pocket, take a deep breath and take one step at a time, even if baby steps. Lynn

Even middle age people are being over medicated by many Dr's The pharmaceutical people who visit the Dr's will really push their products, free this free that etc even to the reception people. Very few Dr's will evaluate a persons condition why??because the insurance companies dictate how long they spend with each patient, in fact a Physician's Assistant will do most of the work, ask most of the questions, and Doc will glance at the chart, ask about 3 questions, and say get this filled and rarely follows up and gets annoyed if either the patient or family asks a question. Just the way it is unless you yell, scream and threaten! Which I have been know to do. Our Dr is so good with us and takes more time that he is prescribed to and does follow up and/or listens to us Very unusual!

Yup! And that "better approach" must include exercise for it to be successful at all. I know lo-carb eaters who don't exercise at all! So, they lose all that weight and then their metabolism is still next to nothing, which means they will need to eat very carefully to not gain it all back.

I am so sorry that your old girl is having such problems. Unfortunately, it does sound like she is very near to the end. Her combination of diagnoses is very difficult, because strategies used to treat one issue can make another issue worse. For instance, the cornerstone of management for kidney disease is keeping the cat well hydrated with fluids. However, supplemental fluids can be very dangerous for a cat in congestive heart failure. Also, the Lasix that is being used to treat the congestive heart failure can also be very hard on the kidneys. So the treatments your cat is receiving have the potential to do both good and harm to your cat's overall condition. When a cat reaches the point where several major body systems are failing, as is the case with your girl, sometimes medicine ends up doing more harm than good. Both anemia and kidney disease can cause a cat to lose her appetite. Anemia may be temporarily treatable, but kidney disease is progressive, as is congestive heart failure. If your girl is only walking a little and sleeping most of the time, the anemia and heart failure have probably weakened her substantially. Not eating is weakening her further. You could try bringing her home and assist feeding her (feeding her by mouth with a needleless syringe or eyedropper), but that wouldn't do anything to cure her underlying illnesses. I am so sorry that you are in this position. I, too, have a cat in the last stage of life who I will need to be helping to pass on very soon. In fact, he's lying on the chair next to me, sleeping peacefully, but losing ground quickly. I, too, dread making that final decision, but I know it is my last responsibility to him. Imminent heartbreak is never an easy thing to accept. Laurie