adopted cat on 10-31-06/not eating

Question
Hello,  
we adopted Lexi, a rescued maine coon, on 10-31-06.
She seems to have adjusted with no problems, except we have not seen her eat or scoop fece from litter box. she has access to dry food since arrival. it is the same type she was feed at rescue shelter. we have added a seperate bowl of moist tuna in an effort to get her to eat.

we have seen her drink.

we did speak to the shelter and they feel she is probably eating but when we are not aware.

we have actually counted out the morsels of food today in an effort to determine if she is eating.

we are not wanting to be overly concerned but do not want to ignore a possible problem either...we adopted her to assist us in overcoming the loss of our 16 year old cat to cancer on 10-30-06.

any suggestions are greatly apprecaited...our next step is the vet...she has had all her shots and was taken to cat groomer on 11-1-06. The groomer advised us she had clear nose, ears and eyes.

she does stay in one of two rooms but will come to you to for attention. we are not sure what her normal behavior is as we have not had her very long.

i appreacite your assistance and time in this.

Lisa  

Answer
Some cats will forego food as long as 3 days when they're in a new home.  But if she is still not eating now, she needs to see a vet right away.  Failure to eat can result in a liver disease called Hepatic Lipidosis, or Fatty Liver Disease.  This happens when the fat stores are broken down to provide energy.  Cats don't metabolize fat well, and the liver becomes bogged down with fat and begins to fail.  It is deadly if not caught early and treated aggressively.

It sounds like you have done everything I would suggest to begin with.  Forcefeeding the cat will be necessary if she's still refusing food.  This is generally done with a creamy food and a feeding syringe.  If Hepatic Lipidosis is suspected, hospitalization will likely be needed for the first few days, and then you will need to continue forcefeeding after that, sometimes for weeks, until kidney function is restored and the cat feels good enough to eat on her own.

Hepatic Lipidosis can occur even if the cat is eating small amounts.  So it's important to be sure she eats a decent portion of food at least twice daily.  You can ask a vet about an appetite stimulant, as well, if she is still not eating.