Dear friend,
May God bless you for helping this sweet girl. Calico's are always females.
A cats appetite is the best barometer of her heaalth so eating means she feels better than she looks.
Yes, you can cut off the matts or shave them with a mens beard trimmer.
Offer her tuna water or milk to dink and canned food with wataer added to eat.
Weight and hair loss is usually related to hyperthyroid. The cats eats great but the excess thyroid hormone burns up all the calories.
http://www.sniksnak.com/cathealth/hyperthyroidism.html
The problem is that this disorder can lead to your baby developing diabetes, high blood pressure and other ailments.
We do have excellent meds for this but is is necessary to do a T4 thyroid blood test.Any other thyroid test can be inaccurate.
It can also be related to renal issues especially if there is excess shedding because the hair becomes very dry.
Stress weakens the immune system and can lead to illness.Dental disease also depresses immunity and sends bacteria into the organs.
Cats are attracted to smelly foods - the stronger the better. If she wants tuna, give it to her You can also try fancy feast, clam juice or baby food.
human baby food in meat flavours (check that there are no onions or garlic in the ingredients) and mix that with warm water and offer that, or syringe it in little bits into your cat's mouth. Beech Nut makes a line of baby food that has nothing but meat (beef, chicken, turkey or veal) in it. Here's a link: http://www.beechnut.com/Our%20Baby%20Food/Results.asp If you cannot find this, you could find another meat baby food - just read the label carefully to be sure there are no onions, onion powder, garlic, or garlic powder in it.
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If her tummy needs a rest, feed baby food with no onion or garlic for a few days.
If she wont eat, and your cat is not diabetic begin by giving her two droppers (cc size) of unflavored pedialyte every ten minutes for an hour. Next water down(plain water) canned cat food or baby food chicken or turkey with no onion or garlic and give only one dropper every ten minutes for another hour. Wait two hours and repeat both. When she feels hydrated she will lick up the gruel on her own.
Give her droppers of unflavored pedialyte a few times a day to make sure she stays hydrated.
Please let me know how she is doing. I will always be here for you.
I hope she feels better very soon.
Sincerest best wishes,
Terri
Feline Healthcare Expert
Expert in feline health and behavior. 20 years experience with cats.