Community Chat

[adelle38]

This is Jasper. He was found starving, huddled next to a heating vent. I'm fostering him for two weeks until he gains some weight. He is the sweetest , most loving cat.

[Sheltie Mom]

Big hug to you for taking Jasper in to foster, what a sweet boy. Looks like he's loving making himself at home. It's probably the first time in a long time that he's felt safe.

[57babe]

Jasper is a beautifully marked cat. How wonderful of you to foster him!

Nutri-Cal (for cats) might help you -- help him to put weight quickly. You may already know about it, but for the sake of readers -- it's a high calorie vitamin & mineral supplement.

Nutri-Cal can be purchased at most pet supply stores. You can use a tiny rubber spatula and place a pea size ball of Nutri-Cal on the roof of his mouth.

There are some other vitamin & mineral supplements available. Nutri-Cal is widely available & the one of most cost effective supplements for cats.

Nice to know that this sweet cat has a new opportunity for a life worth living. Please keep us posted on his progress.

[adelle38]

The shelter sent some Canyon Creek Ranch dry and canned food but he hasn't eaten much so far. He seems very comfortable walking around my apartment and settles in to rest either on my lap or at my feet. I have to give him a pill and I mashed it up in wet food but he's not eating much. Any suggestions would be welcome. He's at least 7 years old and his front paws are declawed.

[sue52]

He is beautiful! Bless you for fostering!

[doxie1]

He is a good looking fellow! It is awesome that you are fostering him. I agree with 57 that you need to get some Nutra Cal and feed him a little every two hours. He is probably weakened and not used to eating as much so he needs all the extra calories you can get in him. I do not know anything about the food they sent you. Sometimes you have to look for some different choices to jump start them.

Please keep us updated on his progress. I am rooting for both of you.

doxie

[doxie1]

The second spot above his tail looks like a heart!

doxie

[beastielove]

adelle..

God Bless your beautiful heart for fostering this precious boy.

I'd be a ""foster failure"" because I'd be so totally in love and attached to Jasper that I would never be able to give him up.

Is he going to be going to a loving forever home after he leaves you? I pray that this is so.

Sending Jasper lots of hugs...please deliver them for me.

((((((((((((JASPER))))))))))))

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All of my children have paws =^..^=

[adelle38]

Nutri-Cal can be purchased at most pet supply stores. You can use a tiny rubber spatula and place a pea size ball of Nutri-Cal on the roof of his mouth

How do I get him to open his mouth to do that?

[57babe]

On 1/11/2014 adelle38 said:

The shelter sent some Canyon Creek Ranch dry and canned food but he hasn't eaten much so far. He seems very comfortable walking around my apartment and settles in to rest either on my lap or at my feet. I have to give him a pill and I mashed it up in wet food but he's not eating much. Any suggestions would be welcome. He's at least 7 years old and his front paws are declawed.

You can put some tuna juice on his food -- that has always worked to get my cats to eat.(Use the juice from human grade tuna canned in water, diluted 50% with water.)

Some cats also like canned chicken stock on their food. And you can give him a little bowl of chicken stock to drink in addition to his water bowl.

Some of the best brands are bland and some cats won't eat it very well. Right now while he is recuperating, you may want to (temporarily) feed him a canned cat food with artificial (smelly) flavors (fish; salmon, whitefish) so that he eats well. Then after he gains weight his diet can be changed and/or finessed.

I have two little mini rubber spatula's that I use to give my cats Nutri-Cal with. I just push my finger into the corner of the cat's mouth and when their mouth opens -- I put the rubber spatula into the roof of the cats mouth. I use a bead of Nutri-cal about the size of a pea.

You can also put the Nutri-cal on the cats paw so he can lick it off. Make sure you smooth it on and don't leave it in a lump or the cat will shake it off ...(this is why I put it in the cat's mouth with a tiny spatula.) I have read that some cats like the Nutri-Cal and lick it off one's finger.

I think that he will eat more as he gets comfortable in his new surroundings. Are you interested in adopting him?

Hope this helps. Take good care.