My new part time job — working at a cats-only boarding facility — has been quite the experience so far. I’ve met all sorts of interesting cats and I’m learning a lot from my coworkers.
Today, I learned how to syringe-feed a cat.
Let me back up a little. Every other day, we weigh each guest to make sure they aren’t gaining too much weight or losing too much weight. When your total body weight is less than twenty pounds, even a tenth of a pound change can be a big strain on the system. If a cat loses more than two tenths of a pound, it’s the policy at the boarding facility that we’ll first try offering different types of food to entice the cat to eat. If they still won’t eat, we try syringe feeding.
The purpose of syringe feeding is twofold: it gets something into the cat’s system (something is better than nothing) and it might just stimulate the appetite so they start to eat on their own. We use a soft food that’s rich in protein and nutrients like Hill’s A/D or Royal Canin Recovery.
The syringe itself is about as wide around as my pinkie finger (and I have small hands). Both ends are open; you insert the plunger, then suck up a tube full of food. No needles involved — that was my worry when I heard the term “syringe feeding”.
Getting the tubes filled is the messy part. After that, it’s relatively easy to get the food into the cat’s mouth. Tip his head back slightly and wiggle the end of the syringe underneath his lip, kind of at the corner of the mouth. At the touch, the cat usually opens his mouth. Squirt the food in, and he swallows.
And okay… my aim wasn’t quite perfect. I may have dribbled as much food onto the floor as I managed to get into the cat’s mouth. With practice, I’m sure it will be as quick and easy as my coworkers make it seem!