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Over the past couple of weeks we have seen two kitties that have required an oesophagostomy tube to be placed. It’s not uncommon for people to question “esof – o –what???”!  Yes it sounds like something from another planet but an o-tube is an important, sometimes lifesaving tool in the field of feline medicine.

Cats that suddenly stop eating for days are at risk of developing a condition called hepatic lipidosis, commonly known as “fatty liver”. When a cat is not eating the body begins to mobilise fat stores to use as energy. This fat is then transported to the liver where it can be processed into more readily usable energy sources. The sudden influx of fat causes the liver cells to swell and impairs liver function. The liver is responsible for eliminating many waste products in the body and when it is not functioning properly toxins build up in the blood stream. This can lead to nausea, vomiting and further deterioration.

The only way to potentially stop or reverse the process of fat accumulation within the liver is through aggressive feeding. “Force-feeding” food by mouth using a syringe or spoon is not recommended in cats for two main reasons. Firstly, it is very difficult to administer a cat their full caloric requirement this way. Secondly and more importantly, force-feeding has a high risk of causing a condition called food aversion. Food aversion develops because the experience of being force-fed is stressful to the cat especially if they are feeling nauseous or unwell. The cat associates food with the pain and stress that they concurrently have. This results in the cat refusing to eat even if they have recovered from their original illness. Food aversion will further delay your cat’s return to self-feeding.

Placement of a feeding tube, for example an oesophagostomy tube, is the most satisfactory method to manage feedings. The placement of these o-tubes requires a short, light anaesthesia, during which a specifically designed tube is placed into your cat’s oesophagus through a small hole in the neck. This allows the cat to receive the full caloric requirement with a minimum of stress and fuss. A specially formulated recovery diet can be fed through the feeding tube for as long as it takes your cat to recover.

Whilst it is important to provide a cat with adequate nutrition via such means as a feeding tube, it is equally important to uncover why a cat stopped eating in the first place. There is a long list of reasons why a cat may stop eating. Some of these include: dental pain or diseases of the mouth/jaw, respiratory disease (sneezing, nasal discharge), kidney, liver, pancreatic or gastrointestinal disease, or even recent changes at home. If your cat is showing signs of a decreased appetite or stops eating altogether, this may be an indication of serious underlying disease and they should be examined promptly.

Dr Niquet

For more information on oesophagostomy tubes, refer to our information page here.

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