Hello-
I'm so sorry you are having to deal with this. There are actually cats that can suffer from a 'bout' of pancreatitis and never have another problem. There is also an acute form of the disease and for cats with this form, they may continue to experience chronic problems throughout their lives.
The biggest problem with pancreatitis, is that no one knows exactly what causes it in cats. Treatment is IV fluids and withholding food orally until the pancreas is able to process food. Cats with mild cases of the disease have a fairly good possibility of recovery, while those with severe cases have a more guarded prognosis.
In your cat's case, probably all you can do is wait and see if this continues to occur and if so, decide how agressively you wish to treat the disease. I am attaching a link for you that may also help answer some of your questions. Please let me know if I can help you further in any way at all.
http://www.sniksnak.com/cathealth/pancreatitis.html
I guess my concern is that my vet said that the cat cannot come home until he eats on his own, which could take a few days; and, sometime feeding tubes have to be surgically inserted if appetite does not return. This seems to me to be a way to keep the animal alive, but like a life support deal that I am not sure would be worth it.
I think your vet is probably worried about the possibility of hepatic lipadosis which is fatty liver disease. If this occurs, cats feel absolutely awful and don't want to eat at all, but the CURE for the disease is food. This is why they insert the feeding tube, to start the healing of the liver, and make the kitty want to eat on their own....It's frustrating for owners, but cats with this can be turned around and cured, IF you can get enough food in them to do so. With the pancreatitis, though, they are trying to rest the pancreas and withhold food, so it's a delicate balancing act.
Feline Healthcare
16 yrs health care mgmt & issues relating to cats, reproductive issues and multicat environments