thin/underweight adoptee doesn't want to eat

[dolphin11star]

I just adopted an adult male cat on Friday (6/13). He has a very long tail and long legs and is underweight but not emaciated. He doesn't seem to drink much water but has urinated in his litter box at least once on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. I'm wondering if this is enough and how long I should wait for him to eat. I know that there are a number of reasons he could be choosing not to eat (new home, stress of introduction to new cat, recently treated for URI), but I don't know much about when to get worried.
The introduction seems to be going well, they are able to be in the same room, even within a few feet of each other and not hiss. Since they've only known each other for a few days, I don't expect them to play together yet.
He doesn't really move much, likes to lay on laps or pillows, but when he does walk, his tail is up and his ears are forward.
Does anyone have any suggestions or reassurance for me? I just want to make sure I don't miss anything that could get worse.

[Traci]

You said he was recently treated for a UTI, but when was that? Also, if you haven't had your kitty examined fully by your vet, now is the time to do so. If you adopted your kitty through a shelter, be aware that they are understaffed, and general exams are rarely given, let alone properly or that medications and treatment are rarely given, followed up on.

I strongly suggest a new exam by your own vet, discuss with him deworming, testing for FELV/FIV and vaccinating accordingly. Your vet can also recommend a temporary diet to encourage his appetite, perhaps one to add calories, temporarily until he is in excellent health condition.

Your kitty should at least be eating one meal a day now, if he hasn't even nibbled, its time for your vet check NOW. Cats can not survive more than 3-4 days without sufficient nutrition and hydration support before their liver and kidney functions begin to shut down.

Rule of thumb, when in doubt, get kitty to your vet...

[dolphin11star]

I actually did take him to the vet the day after I adopted him because I wanted to get his vaccinations up to date and see if he still had problems with the URI. His temp and heart rate/breath sounds were normal, and he was given the vaccinations he was missing. He was tested for FeLV at the humane society and it was negative.
As of this afternoon, I was able to get him to drink quite a bit of water by putting an ice cube in the bowl (suggested by the vet, I was glad to be able to tell him it worked), and he has been using the litter box for urine everyday. I'm not worried about dehydration anymore, but the idea of fatty liver doesn't appeal to me (it's not good in people, it can't be good in cats). I have talked to the behaviorist at the vet's office almost every day since I got him, and she now thinks he is just being picky, but if he won't eat soon, I'll have to take him back in.
I'm mostly looking for any tricks that people have found to work if their cat is picky about food, because my vet and his staff are wonderful and I'm not worried about being able to get him care if he needs it.
Sorry about all the really long posts... I'm kind of long-winded.

[Traci]

I guess that depends on what you are feeding, what are you tempting him with? At this point, because it's so important he starts eating, I would tempt him with any quality canned cat food, maybe a fishy variety....you can also try a bit of tuna juice (spring water please, not oil) poured over dry food, treats, anything to tempt him.

He could also be intimidated by your other cat, so try providing a food/water dish in an area away from the other cat's dishes, until he is comfortable with his own security....this area should be out of traffic areas, quiet, and secluded.

If he doesn't eat by tomorrow, don't even hesitate to get him seen. According to your post, tomorrow will be day 4-5, so you can't take that risk. Dehydration is still a concern, he may not be drinking a normal amount, and with not eating, it becomes even more of a concern.

[dolphin11star]

Thank you for all of your suggestions... I appreciate the advice.

I've tried: science diet chicken and liver canned food; fancy feast cod, sole, and shrimp; tuna water over the dried food; "happy cat" moist; and even some of the tuna... He seems awfully interested until he sniffs at my offerings and then he just sits and looks at me. I even tried putting things on a plate instead of a bowl so that he wouldn't rub his whiskers on the sides.
He did have a bowel movement today, though, so there must have been something going through there in the last couple of days.
If he doesn't make a real dent in something that I'm feeding him by tomorrow at noon when I get home from work, he's going to the vet, no question. Don't worry, I probably call the vet too often, not too little.
The only time he seems interested in the food is when he's in the kitchen, so that's where the bowls are. So far I think the original cat is more unnerved by his presence than vice versa, because he's wandering around like he owns the place and she's laying under the furniture more often than not. Not hiding, just staying in a place where her space is very well defined.
Cats...

[Traci]

Can't think of much more other than to try checking his mouth for loose teeth or oral ulcers, but only attempt this if you're comfortable, he could bite you if he is agitated by it.

You can try cooking white chicken and white rice and mixing them together to tempt him at this point. If by chance you have baby food available, you can try that as well, just check the labels and be sure they do not contain onion or onion powder or garlic. Also try warming up his food slightly in the microwave.

If it comes to the vet visit tomorrow, do ask your vet to give kitty a thorough oral exam on the offchance that something is amiss and might explain the disinterest in food. A viral infection could be brewing too, so ask your vet to check for upper respiratory infection signs. If he can't smell his food, that could be one problem.

[dolphin11star]

May I ask why no garlic in the baby food?
Garlic powder on the dry food was one of the things suggested by the vet's office, they said that it was an appetizing smell for cats and that a little bit would be okay. I did try that last night, but it didn't seem to affect him at all.

I tried warming up some of the canned food that I tried with him. Got my other cat's attention, so I gave her some in another place and then went back to try again with him... No dice.

I asked the vet to check his teeth when I took him for his vaccinations. He said that there was tartar buildup but that he couldn't see anything else at that time and wanted to do a more thorough check when the cat was more settled in his new home.

Well, at least I'm mostly getting the same advice from everyone and I know that I've tried very diligently... I'm still worried, but I don't feel like a bad mom.

[dolphin11star]

Well, Mr. Bones spent some time at the vet yesterday. They did bloodwork, urinalysis, x-rays... Thank goodness for the Banfield Wellness Plans, I only spent $25 for the whole jobbie and have a total of $420 over the whole next year that will cover all of that if he has to have it again and all his dental work and anaesthesia for that... Anyway, enough about that...
He has a small liver and the lining of his stomach is thickened. The vet said that his liver may just be small, or he may have a vena caval shunt. I'm taking him back in for ultrasound today to find out for sure. His albumin, ALT and Alk Phos were all low, and his BUN was high, so his liver isn't working well enough, either way.
The somach may be IBD, I think the vet is waiting until we know for sure about the liver before he addresses that problem.
Does anyone know how much it should cost to get a vena caval shunt fixed if that is the problem? Any experience with these cats and the usefulness of a low-protein diet?
Thank goodness they didn't tell me he had a horrible condition and was going to die within weeks... I've been so scared the last few days. Now I'm just trying to figure out how to pay for the surgery if he needs it.