Caturday Reflections: When Stubbornness Endangers!
Some cats are picky. Some are dramatic. And then there’s Jack—our one-eyed, dry-food-devoted street rescue who nearly starved himself rather than compromise his culinary principles.
Jack came to us with a fierce spirit and a mouthful of trouble. After Jack had dental surgery to remove several painful, loose teeth, we expected a brief recovery period followed by a return to normal eating. What we got instead was a three-day hunger strike, a crash course in feline psychology, and a reminder that sometimes, cats know best—even when it seems absurd.
🩺 The Warning Signs
Jack had dropped a pound from his already small frame before the tooth extraction. He was already having trouble eating; that is why we went ahead with surgery as soon as the vet discovered the tooth issue. After the surgery, Jack was hungry, affectionate, and active—but couldn’t eat. We tried everything:
- Baby food (syringed in, with protest)
- Lickable treats (rejected)
- Softened kibble (ignored)
- Crushed dry food (sniffed and dismissed)
- Moist treats (offensive, apparently)
He begged for dry food. He stood on his hind legs with “praying paws,” pleading for his beloved crunchies. We accommodated him, both with the treats and with dry food in bowls left accessible on the catio, in the bedroom that borders the catio, and in the adjacent bathroom, but with no teeth, he simply couldn’t manage them. And he did try! After some frustrating moments, he would give up, lie down, and just look at the treats longingly.
🧠 The Vet’s Suggestion: Mirataz
We called the vet. Her suggestion? Mirataz, an appetite stimulant. We explained—again—that Jack wanted to eat. He just couldn’t. Again, we were told to give him wet food. Somehow, no one wanted to believe how stubborn Jack was (and is) in rejecting anything even the bit moist. I asked about boarding for a few days so their could be medical oversight, but the animals had no medical oversight on the weekend. Techs and vets were avaialable only during the week. No real plan emerged. It was up to us and Jack. And Jack was not cooperating!
🤖 Enter AI: Real Guidance, Real Options
That’s when we turned to our AI companion (in this case, Co-Pilot), who offered:
- Caloric thresholds for survival and recovery
- Dry food brands with high calorie density
- Feeding station strategies for multi-cat households
- Behavioral insights into post-dental recovery
- Emotional support for the humans in the equation (yes, Co-Pilot can do that)
We learned that Jack needed ~200–250 calories a day, and that even a few softened kibbles could help. We tried everything. He refused everything.
🎉 The Breakthrough
And then—on day three—Jack figured it out. He learned how to eat dry food without teeth. No soft food. No toppers. Just pure, crunchy, dry kibble. When the sun rose, I looked out onto our enclosed catio, and there was Jack, munching happily, tail up, energy returning. When he saw me, he sprang through the door into the bedroom and began his begging act--for treats. This team he gobbled them down. And there he goes, off and running, as if nothing had ever happened.
🐾 Lessons from Jack
- Cats are stubborn. Sometimes dangerously so.
- Pain ad hunger aren't always the barrier. Habit and preference matter.
- Vet advice isn’t always helpful. Especially when it misses the nuance or relayed through an assistant.
- AI can be a lifeline. Practical, empathetic, and tailored to your household--and 24/7 available.
- Fortune favors the foolish. Or at least the persistent.
Jack’s back to his old self—begging, kissing, and ruling his corner of the catio. And we’re back to marveling at how much personality can fit into seven pounds of fur and defiance.
Learn more about cats. See our many Caturday posts.
Be entertained. See all our posts about cats.
Be inspired. See posts by and about Sula, parish cat, and her books.
Have a chuckle. Read posts by and about Jeremy Feig's award-winning book (book of the year finalist, Kops-Fetherling Lagacy Award for Humor), How My Cat Made Me a Better Man.
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