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Old 08-11-2018, 10:00 AM
 
2,373 posts, read 1,886,376 times
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The petsitter should have felt how thin she was getting. Our petsitter has sat with ours petting and comforting and talking to them as part of her visit. She does the same with friends. We are in an area where there are several college professors who do the same as you and go away for two months. It's expected that they do so to enhance their knowledge in their fields. And the petsitter is excellent with them all,never takes on more than she can do excellently. She has even taken some to the vet when she observed a problem.

The excellent petsitter is so significant that the bad ones need to be pointed out.

I do like the idea of still visiting your vet. The great weight loss and then the weight gain should be handled carefully.

Put out for Sophie several small meals a day and don't expect her to eat the same daily amount as she did before you left as that would be gorging for her now. Right now she is recovering. She could probably let you know how much she can eat over time. Give her body a chance to adjust.
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Old 08-11-2018, 01:30 PM
 
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I'm glad she's eating and I'm glad she's eating wet food, which is better. I've read from other posters that if they change their cat from a dry to wet diet, the cat becomes more affectionate. One of a list of things that change, but a nice one.

Your pet sitter shouldn't be a pet sitter.
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Old 08-13-2018, 11:59 AM
 
Location: Wisconsin
2,974 posts, read 3,880,852 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by petsandgardens View Post
Put out for Sophie several small meals a day and don't expect her to eat the same daily amount as she did before you left as that would be gorging for her now. Right now she is recovering. She could probably let you know how much she can eat over time. Give her body a chance to adjust.
^^^^ Don't feed her large meals right now, but small meals throughout the day.

Please still take her to the vet for a check up to make sure there isn't an underlying health issue.

And ITA to NOT use this pet sitter again. If Sophie wasn't eating, she/he should have let you know immediately!
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Old 08-13-2018, 12:34 PM
 
Location: Phoenix
988 posts, read 677,172 times
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1. Go to the vet, as everyone says. Could be a sign of a more serious health problem.

2. One trick we use in case of emergency is feed them with a syringe. Not the kind with a needle. The plastic kind, for meds. My wife liquefies hamburger and cauliflower in a blender (seriously) or wet cat food, water, and oil--whatever works. A really sick cat won't get well because you feed it with a syringe. But sometimes it works miracles. We brought a non-eating cat back from the dead with that trick. EDIT: You really need two people for this, cat-holder and cat-feeder. Sometimes wrapping the cat in a towel helps.

Last edited by unwillingphoenician; 08-13-2018 at 12:48 PM..
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Old 08-13-2018, 01:09 PM
 
5,455 posts, read 3,341,590 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Isleofpalms85 View Post
Hello. I just got back home from a two month long vacation in Texas to see family, and I got home a hour ago. Long story short, when I greeted my silver shaded Persian cat, Sophie, as I petted her, the first thing that I noticed was how skinny she felt under her fur coat. I then tried to entice her to eat, so I opened a pouch of meow mix wet food, she refused to eat but the other cat did eat it. I really am concerned about Sophie’s almost complete lack of mass, in addition to not eating, she seems to be lethargic and listless. I really want to take her in to the vet ASAP but the clinic that I take her to is closed for the night is only open 8 am to noon tomorrow and is not open at all on Sunday. I really would hate to see Sophie die from not eating, so I guess my biggest question is What should I do? The cat caretaker said nothing about how my cats were doing while I was gone. Please give me some rational advice on what you would do if you were in my shoes, thanks.
No brainer, lady. Vet.
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Old 08-14-2018, 06:28 AM
 
5,938 posts, read 4,675,056 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Isleofpalms85 View Post
The cat caretaker said nothing about how my cats were doing while I was gone.
I'd like to chime in about the pet caretaker. I went on vacation recently and hired someone to check on our animals, cats included. A pet caretaker doesn't know the routine of your animals. My cats don't run to their food bowls when it is time to eat. They sort of graze; a little here and a little there.

Unless she was there for multiple hours, the girl I hired would not be able to tell me if both cats were eating.

In other words, if the OP's caretaker put out food and didn't see your cat eating - did she just not SEE your cat at all? But was aware they were in the house? Isn't that where their responsibility ends? Cats safe? Check. Cats fed? Check. Cats have water? Check. That's commonly where that ends unless you and the caretaker work out some other arrangement.

Speaking of other arrangements, a family member of mine hires someone (and pays a lot extra) for them to sit and play/pet the animals for an hour per day. In that situation, I bet the caretaker would probably notice something wrong.

All I'm saying is - it is easy to blame the caretaker, but if she(he?) was doing their job, that's where their job ends. Maybe they put out the food and the OTHER cat ate both bowls of food. How is the caretaker supposed to know?

Edit: Depending on your cat's age, this might just be age related. I had a 17 year old cat that I suppose felt it was just "her time." She stopped eating. I don't think she was in pain. She just curled up into a ball on my lap and passed away.
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Old 08-14-2018, 10:08 AM
 
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IMO a vet visit is definitely in order. Obviously she must have eaten during the two months you were away or she would have passed by now, so this could be caused by an underlying health problem that needs to be addressed. Renal failure, dental problems, cancer, hyperthyroid, diabetes, lots of problems that need to be ruled out before blaming her weight reduction on your absence.
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Old 08-14-2018, 11:30 AM
 
2,373 posts, read 1,886,376 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dspguy View Post
I'd like to chime in about the pet caretaker. I went on vacation recently and hired someone to check on our animals, cats included. A pet caretaker doesn't know the routine of your animals. My cats don't run to their food bowls when it is time to eat. They sort of graze; a little here and a little there.

Unless she was there for multiple hours, the girl I hired would not be able to tell me if both cats were eating.

In other words, if the OP's caretaker put out food and didn't see your cat eating - did she just not SEE your cat at all? But was aware they were in the house? Isn't that where their responsibility ends? Cats safe? Check. Cats fed? Check. Cats have water? Check. That's commonly where that ends unless you and the caretaker work out some other arrangement.

Speaking of other arrangements, a family member of mine hires someone (and pays a lot extra) for them to sit and play/pet the animals for an hour per day. In that situation, I bet the caretaker would probably notice something wrong.

All I'm saying is - it is easy to blame the caretaker, but if she(he?) was doing their job, that's where their job ends. Maybe they put out the food and the OTHER cat ate both bowls of food. How is the caretaker supposed to know?

Edit: Depending on your cat's age, this might just be age related. I had a 17 year old cat that I suppose felt it was just "her time." She stopped eating. I don't think she was in pain. She just curled up into a ball on my lap and passed away.
I have to say, when we have a pet caretaker we always check on the services they provided. And for years we've had the same one if we should need to be away, which is not that often. We make sure to introduce. Much as you'd do for a new child sitter. The new pet caretaker/sitter gets to know the pets, the house, the routine etc. What they especially like, what they especially don't like. Who's in charge, who will try to run out, favorite places for the dogs to walk, favorite spots to eat, etc. Any meds necessary.

Our current one we've had for years will come twice a day, three times a day when animals need extra attention, even just to check. She will turn lights on and off, take in packages..as part of security for the house and therefore the pets. She will spend time sitting with the pets, talking to them, petting, playing. No quick in and out. Excellent for a few days away...but essential for longer vacations.

Word of her services spread so she doesn't need to spend a lot of time driving and money on gas since she is very popular in our immediate area, always busy, even for people not on a trip but just at work who want their pet looked in on or walked or whatever during the day.

In the situation we started talking about here....the caretaker would have noticed how thin the cat was getting just by petting the cat even if it were a cat with a lot of fur. She could feel the bones. Maybe the caretaker didn't spend time petting the cats....maybe she didn't know how a cat should feel, or how a bone should feel. At any rate she needs much more training before being trusted again.
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