nutrition for ill cat

Question
My 3 yr. old Tip-Z has a condition they really don't know what to call.  She stopped eating.  So the vet put in a tube to her stomach.  I have to soak dry food till soft.  Blend it up.  And feed it through tube with syringe. Problem is I can't find a kitten food with a lot of calories.  So far I have Kitten Chow.  I'm looking for Iams - Maximum Calorie.  Do you know of a better one? Not too expensive would be better.

Answer
Hi Sheryll.  The best food for this situation is probably going to be a prescription food, like Hill's a/d or Royal Canin's Recovery RS.  They're canned foods, so they wouldn't need to be soaked in water.  But they are formulated especially for anorexic cats and cats recovering from severe illness, and their calorie density is greater than any food you will find on the general market.  Your vet can provide the food for you or give you a prescription to buy the food online.

Or, you may want to consider adding some Nutri-Cal to the Kitten Chow mixture you're feeding her.  This is a calorie supplement that will instantly boost the amount of nutrition she receives from any food.  It's available at some pet stores and online.  This would probably be more effective than any regularly available cat food.

Good luck to you and Tip-Z!

Jessica