Best diet for my cat after medical issue(s)

[YvetteH]

1. Your pet's name: Abby
2. Approximate age: 18 years
3. Sex: Female
4. Neutering status: Spayed
5. Breed: Birman
6. Approximate weight: 6 lbs
7. What's their BEAM (behavior, energy, appetite, mood): Sleeps a lot but sometimes playful. Doesn't eat much (but she's never been a big eater).
8. Diet: Canned cat food; raw chicken hearts when she's in the mood
9. Vaccination history / exposure to toxins, other medication: Before she came to my home (as a kitten) she was vaccinated against rhinotracheitis, calici virus, feline enteritis, and rabies. I have not given her any vaccinations since I've owned her because the holistic vets I've consulted did not recommend them. She had a bladder infection once 13 years ago and was given Penicillin G and Clavamox drops. Most recently (2 months ago), she was given a shot of Depo-Medrol. About a month ago, she was given an enema, anti-nausea medication and Lactulose/Enulose.
10. Primary problem, when it began and if there was anything else happening around that time: Hello, I'm trying to determine the best diet right now for my cat. She had some sort of seizure about 2 months ago; I took her to an emergency animal hospital and the vet said on physical examination, she had an enlarged right thyroid gland, and a grade 3-4/6 heart murmur. She suspected Abby may have hyperthyroidism with secondary Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy. I believe the shot the vet gave her (Depo-Medrol) caused her to have severe constipation. She actually stopped pooping and she stopped eating. At that point, I took her to an urgent care clinic, and they gave her an enema and a laxative. The directions were for her to take the laxative "as needed." Well, since she wasn't pooping, I gave her the laxative every day. Then she got diarrhea. The diarrhea seems to have stopped (but now her stool looks hard again). I'd like to find out what diet would be best for a cat in this condition. She has an appointment with a homeopathic vet in about 2-1/2 weeks; but I'd like to know, if possible, what to do re: her hard stools before the appointment.
11. Is the condition better or worse from exercise, heat, cold, time of day, certain foods, emotional upset, being touched, excitement, etc? The condition seems to be the same (hard poop) regardless of these factors.
12. Has any diagnostic work been done? Diagnosis if available (you can attach your diagnostic tests to the post if you have them) No.
13. Current and previous treatment: Briefly worked with a homeopathic vet who prescribed silica.
14. Other health concerns: She seems to be prone to bladder infections.

Thank you to the veterinarian(s) who respond to my post. Rather than post in paragraph form, I thought I would just answer the questions that were suggested. I appreciate your help!
Yvette H.

 

[Dr. Jeff]

Wow, Abby is beautiful and vital-looking (is this pic recent)! ?

Thanks Yvette for sharing the pic and such a wonderfully informative first post about her.?

Sleeping a lot but being playful at other times is actually a good thing for an 18 year young kitty.

Sleep is an important time for cats, and all living beings, to build up their reserves of the cellular energy that lets cells work optimally. Like filling up the tank of a car...

For example, part of why bears rouse from hibernation (which is not the same as sleep) is so they can go to sleep!

You're very wise to be focusing now on food. This is the best way to both increase the energy that her intestinal cells need to work properly as well to help her have the best life possible.

The energy (vitality) of fresh and raw foods, is clinically observed to be higher than that of highly processed foods (dry and canned). Many dis-eases (imbalances) and even cancer in people is linked to eating processed food.

So you want to be feeding your beauty as much fresh food as possible. Especially eggs (raw or lightly scrambled).

Also maybe you can see if she likes the Answer's fermented goat's milk which can also act as a mild laxative.

There's also lots of foods like canned organic pumpkin that can help her pooping problem.

I bet that cat expert @Dr. Jean and @Dr. Christina and @Dr. Sue have other dietary suggestions.

Before I go this am tho I also want to ask if you would consider some baseline blood testing to help better define what's going on in her body?

 

[YvetteH]

Wow, Abby is beautiful and vital-looking (is this pic recent)! ?

Thanks Yvette for sharing the pic and such a wonderfully informative first post about her.?

Sleeping a lot but being playful at other times is actually a good thing for an 18 year young kitty.

Sleep is an important time for cats, and all living beings, to build up their reserves of the cellular energy that lets cells work optimally. Like filling up the tank of a car...

For example, part of why bears rouse from hibernation (which is not the same as sleep) is so they can go to sleep!

You're very wise to be focusing now on food. This is the best way to both increase the energy that her intestinal cells need to work properly as well to help her have the best life possible.

The energy (vitality) of fresh and raw foods, is clinically observed to be higher than that of highly processed foods (dry and canned). Many dis-eases (imbalances) and even cancer in people is linked to eating processed food.

So you want to be feeding your beauty as much fresh food as possible. Especially eggs (raw or lightly scrambled).

Also maybe you can see if she likes the Answer's fermented goat's milk which can also act as a mild laxative.

There's also lots of foods like canned organic pumpkin that can help her pooping problem.

I bet that cat expert @Dr. Jean and @Dr. Christina and @Dr. Sue have other dietary suggestions.

Before I go this am tho I also want to ask if you would consider some baseline blood testing to help better define what's going on in her body?

 

[YvetteH]

Thank you so much for your response, Dr. Jeff. I'll certainly try your suggestions. In answer to your question, that picture of Abby was taken some time ago. I've attached a more recent picture of her to this post. She's a great companion, wonderfully suited for my personality.

Re: the baseline blood testing, I had planned to wait and see what the vet I'll be taking her to in 2 weeks suggests.

Please tell Dr. Christina I said hello. She has helped me with my other cat Minx (also pictured below) when she had an upper respiratory infection several years ago.

 

[Dr. Jean Hofve]

Hi! Couple things about diet for seizures and for constipation:
Seizures and Epilepsy | Little Big Cat
Constipated Cats | Little Big Cat

 

[YvetteH]

Hi! Couple things about diet for seizures and for constipation:
Seizures and Epilepsy | Little Big Cat
Constipated Cats | Little Big Cat

Thank you, Dr. Jean.

 

[Dr. Christina]

so glad you have joined us, Yvette.
Before your appt with Dr. Ramelmeier (I think that is whom you are seeing), be sure to have your timeline written out and to quantify all current and recent symptoms.

A good review is the case taking Empower Hour from last year.

You know the drill!!