Squeak is sick

Squeak stopped eating awhile ago. He's a tubby, furry cat, who is comfortable lounging around the house, but isn't one for being cuddled and petted unless it is on his own terms. I didn't not notice his weight loss until I managed to pass by him one day and run my hand down his back. He purred and rolled, like he normally does. I could feel his spine--in that way that felt harsh and unfamiliar under my hand. Uh oh.

I was traveling for work two weeks ago. It was a longer stretch--five days. Bear was in the house instead of being allowed to wander outside during the day, and he's a jackass when it comes to Squeak. Squeak is a jackass when it comes to Bear. Instead of just popping Bear in the nose like all the other cats do, Squeak stares. This makes Bear stare back. Stares turn to a confrontation, and Squeak always runs. Bear chases him. There are no outright fights, but it has made Squeak less than his normal happy self. Squeak also dislikes the foster kittens, hissing when they go by. He especially dislikes it if I raise my voice to the kittens, telling them "NO" to get them off the counters, etc. If I raise my voice, Squeak thinks I'm yelling at him, and off he goes.

The other cats are all able to tell when a command isn't directed at them, but Squeak and Molly-the-dog always take it personally.

People are sometimes surprised to learn I have "only" five cats (in addition to the 14 cats for adoption in the cat facility). I've had as many as eight, and in my opinion any more than three cats begins to cause stresses in the household. Two to three cats is optimal.

Some people might say that a few stare-offs "aren't that bad" as long as there are no fights and everyone is using the cat box. But constant harassment, even if no claws are involved, can make life miserable for a shy cat like Squeak. And for a fat cat who already has health issues, five days hiding from an irritated indoor-outdoor cat who can't go outdoors can cause real problems.

I noticed Squeak wasn't coming down to eat treats with the other cats. After a day or two of me tracking him down and laying a pile of Fancy Feast dry in front of his nose, he began eating again with gusto, and I figured all was well. I made sure Bear was out during the day, and even closed Bear up in the great room at night so Squeak could be comfortable hanging out by the fire.

Squeak got skinnier. He began turning up his nose at treats and Fancy Feast.

So, off to the vet we went, and his kidney and liver values are a mess. It looks like Squeak has fatty liver disease. I have been feeding him by syringe, and he hates it. Now any time I look at him sideways he runs away. If I shut him in a room he digs frantically at the door. When I put him in a cage he just howls.

He still loves the wood stove, and he is still drinking, so I make sure I have his food ready to go so when the opportunity arises to scoop him up without trauma, I can feed him. I have hung the screen door that I normally use when I want to keep kittens in the den, so he can't hide upstairs.

I've made more sleeping spots by the fire so they'll be less competition, and Squeak has managed to stake out the dog crate and the ottoman whenever he likes.

We'll see.