# Cat not eating normally dropping weight-Please help



## Mrs. PBJ (Dec 29, 2009)

Ok so Boss for about a month now has been dropping weighed and not eating right. 

So I finally gave in and bought a few small bags of other kibble.

He will eat his Evo wet just not his dry he is on TOTW dry so we bought some BG, Fromm 5 star, Wellness core, and one other but he already used that one. I guess I should give you some back round info.


Boss is 14 months old Neutered 

Normally will eat anything you put in front of him. I have had him from birth.

Things the vet did or is doing he is being treated for Gaurdia (sp) Has had ex rays to check for parcel blockage cause he does eat and have out put. Has been wormed has had every blood test you can think of he is FLV/Aides neg. We have tried different foods. 

He was put on a dose and antibiotics JIC he has also been put on Bene Bac once every three days. His urine out put has always been normal and he does not have the runs. Normal poop.

Now I have been out of town for two weeks and hubby has not been writing down his eating like I asked him so i will be watching over the next week to see. 

Now I have never had a cat over a year that I feed. Only 21 mostly have fosters first own cat. 


He is playing and acting normal. His gums and nose is a little pale but nothing that I am to worried about. He drinks water and such. 

I am trying to see if anyone has any ideas I can throw at the vet our emergency fund is running out quick with over 3000 in test visit and such over the past 6 weeks. I need to find the cause quick. I only have about 500 left when that runs out I have nothing to treat any of my 4 animals with 1 cay 1 dog and 2 rabbits. 

H eis not skinny but he is loosing weight it is getting to the point that is is starting to look skinny.


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## laurief (Jun 22, 2008)

I know this is going to sound simplistic, but if Boss is eating canned food well and doesn't want kibble, then feed him more canned and forget the kibble (which would be healthier for him, anyway). If he can maintain adequate weight on canned food and is otherwise happy, healthy, and energetic, then there is no problem.

Young felines can really fluctuate in their weights and appetites as they go through growth cycles. My GoBoys (Gomer and Goober) are a year old now. When I found them abandoned on my road last summer, they were only about five weeks old, bony, hungry, and sickly. Gomer plumped up quickly and was a VERY rotund kitten until three months ago when his appetite finally moderated and he started to slim down. He lost a little over half a pound before he leveled off again. Goober, OTOH, was a very lean kitten until three months ago when he suddenly caught up to and then surpassed his brother, becoming the chunky boy he is today. I used to call Gomer and Goober the Sumo and the Lightweight respectively, but over the last three months, those roles have reversed. However, at yesterday's weigh-in (I weigh all of my cats every two weeks), Gomer had picked up a little weight again, and Goober had lost a little.

As I said, young cats whose bodies are still maturing are prone to shifts in appetite, metabolism, and weight. It's possible that what's happening with Boss is perfectly normal for his physiology. If nothing out of the normal is showing up in any of his tests, if he's eating canned food well, if he's eliminating properly, if he's acting normal and energetic, and if he's not bony skinny, then maybe his current weight loss is just a manifestation of his youthful development.

But you know your boy best. If there is something that nags at you and tells you something IS wrong, then I urge you to seek out a consultation with a veterinary specialist at a university vet school. Call a university clinic and see if you can set up a telephone consult with one of their vets, either with you or with your vet. Once you set up the consult, have all of Boss's test results faxed to the consulting vet so that (s)he can review them prior to the consult. Perhaps another set of eyes will see something in the test results that your vet has not.

Laurie


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## Mrs. PBJ (Dec 29, 2009)

This my log also

Boss ate nothing today at all.


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## laurief (Jun 22, 2008)

Well that's DEFINITELY not good! He won't even eat canned food?

Try mixing some canned food with water to make it a gruel that he can lap up, then warm it in the microwave for a few seconds to really bring out its aroma (careful not to get it too warm, or he'll reject it because of the heat). See if he'll eat that. If not, go to the grocery store and pick up some canned Fancy Feast. Yes, I know it's junk food, but it's also extremely palatable (irresistible) to most cats, so Boss may go for it.

Other possible food lures are baby food meats and cooked chicken (meat only - no bones). The most important thing is to get him eating something.

Keep us posted.


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## Mrs. PBJ (Dec 29, 2009)

I took his plastic bowl away and gave him a glass one I read somewhere that a cat would not eat because of the bowl.

After talking to hubby he stopped eating normally when our current foster come into the house. I am wondering is stress may be playing a role. In this he did eat some orgin dry not sure if I am spelling that right. 

I guess I should have adding i have not spent 3000 on just him I had the whole house fosters and all treated for Guardia and also had everyone tested for worms. But with exotic pets that can get pricey. 

He also needed his one year check up so its been a number of thing but in anyway i am running out of a emergency fund quick. 

Bosses food is measured so i know exactly how much he gets.


Does anyone have any ideas that would make a cat stop eating or only eating enough to not be hungry? that may not be so much medical. 

Edit to add

My fosters are fully vetted before coming so although she is skin and bones she eats and seems healthy. She is a 7 month old cat feeding 5 kittens.


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## Mrs. PBJ (Dec 29, 2009)

I could really use some ideas on what might be wrong-Please.

I know its a weekend so the forum will be slow but if anyone has some ideas it would be really helpful. 


He did eat half a cup of Orgin (sp) and a few bights of Fromm. 


I am giving him a buffet if you will although everything is measured so I know how much he is eating of what.


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## laurief (Jun 22, 2008)

Mrs. PBJ said:


> I could really use some ideas on what might be wrong-Please.


As you noted in your last post, the stress and/or excitement of having a foster cat and kits in your house may be contributing to his diminished appetite. It's also possible that the fosters brought some type of illness or parasites into your home that their preliminary testing didn't diagnose. Can you find another foster placement for them, in case they are causing some of the problem with Boss? 

You also said that he's taking an antibiotic, right? Many antibiotics can cause digestive upset in cats, so it's quite possible that he's feeling nauseous from the antibiotic. You might want to ask your vet about discontinuing the antibiotic, in case that's causing some of the problem.



> He did eat half a cup of Orgin (sp) and a few bights of Fromm.


That's a big relief! 



> I am giving him a buffet if you will although everything is measured so I know how much he is eating of what.


[/quote]

When I am dealing with a cat with a diminished appetite, I find that they are easily overwhelmed when offered large meals and will simply walk away from them. You may have better luck offering Boss small meals more frequently throughout the day.

Laurie


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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

Have you tried tuna or fish of any kind? Most cats can't resist that.


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## Mrs. PBJ (Dec 29, 2009)

Thats a great idea I will go get some tiki cat tomorrow. Weather not permitting any driving today. He is taking to the fromm now. I will try the small meals. I can't find another foster only because I am the only one able to take 6 cats at once. 

But on a side note we have fosters all the time so that really is nothing new to him to be honest we had one foster leave and this set come all in the same day.


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## laurief (Jun 22, 2008)

Mrs. PBJ said:


> we have fosters all the time so that really is nothing new to him to be honest we had one foster leave and this set come all in the same day.


Yes, but he's maturing now, and with maturity comes a stronger sense of territorialism. It is possible that he's feeling less tolerant of "intruding" felines now than when he was younger.

Laurie


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## Mrs. PBJ (Dec 29, 2009)

Boss is still not eating he may have had a few bites of food today. 

I am going to try tiki cat tomorrow but if that does not do it I may have to start force feeding him. I took him over to the shelter to weigh him he has lost another pound and a half in a week. We ran a fecal and all seems normal. Lori took some blood work to see if she sees anything when they send it off to the lab. 


I gave her all his test results. she said they all seem normal the mother cats goes in a monday for test just to see if she shows something. 


All the kittens are eating and healthy looking so I really think it is stress more then anything. and she has already gain 2 ounces I weigh her everyday..


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## SpaceyKP (May 8, 2010)

I read the posts, but I may have missed this: Has he seen a vet about not eating? I saw you posted about getting some blood work, but maybe the vet could do some more specific tests. Or if nothing is wrong, I think the vet should be able to give him something to help stimulate his appetite. That might be easier to try first before force feeding.


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## Jeanie (Jun 18, 2003)

I'm sorry, but that sounds quite serious to me. A pound and a half is a lot of weight. I understand the shortage of funds, but I think it's necessary for Boss to have some tests. In the meantime, I would supplement his food with Nutrical. My prayers are with him.


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## Mrs. PBJ (Dec 29, 2009)

Yes he has been to the vet for not eating my first post was all over the place sorry.


He has had blood work checking for worms cancer iron heartworms just his blood levels in general 

He has had ex rays by two different vet from head to tail. Ultra sound of his stomach heart lungs not so sure about the lungs but A & M vet wanted to do that also. 

We have tried every grain free food you can think of he got the last dose of antibiotic today. For a infection that we might not have caught. He has been on Bene bac and Nutrical Sub Q's he gets everyday cause I was not sure if he was drinking enough. 

The vet checked for renal failure kidneys heart lungs all in blood work oh I already said that. 

I got fancy feet heated it up he would not touch it.

The weird thing is he comes running for food every time we are in the Kitchen then won't eat. They checked his teeth he went under for a full dental cause he would not let the dentist check his teeth. He stayed at the vet for four days and would not eat there either. 

I am at wits end with him. That is why I am thinking for none medical reasons. It has to be something the only thing any of his blood work showed was a little dehydration. 

Like I said if it is medical we have not found it now the shelter is running test just because I took him today and showed lori everything. Mom my foster will go on monday and have test done maybe she will come up with something that boss is not showing the only behavior change is he is more moody then normal with my dog Phoenix and him and her are like best friends.


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## Mrs. PBJ (Dec 29, 2009)

The little amount of poop he has had has been normal not runny in any way.


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## laurief (Jun 22, 2008)

He had this workup at A&M? I was going to recommend taking him to a university vet school clinic, but you can't do better than A&M.

I think SpaceyKP had a good suggestion in an appetite stimulant. It won't get you any closer to a diagnosis, but it may buy you some time if you can at least get Boss eating well again. I used cyproheptadine successfully to stimulate appetite in my CRF cat. You may want to discuss trying that or one of the other appetite stimulants with Boss.

Laurie


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## Mrs. PBJ (Dec 29, 2009)

Yes he had a double work up at A&M and my normal vet. My normal vet suggested it. 


Now we are going to do a blood work up on My foster to see if maybe she is showing something that for what ever reason boss is not. 

she will not get the ex rays cause to be honest if we do not figure this out soon the money will run out. 

And I am personally more worried about my cat. 

There are a couple of thing they sent off that we won't get back for another week or so. But i am not sure I was told by the A&M vet that if he was stressed about the foster he would not go this far without eating. 

I will try to get a Appetite Stimulant from my vet on Monday. Or can I buy it at a feed store?


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## Mrs. PBJ (Dec 29, 2009)

Ok a real Log here 


At 9 PM on Saturday July 3rd 

He was given 

3 ounces of a brand new can of Evo his normal flavor

1/2 Cup of TOTW Brand new bag old bag thrown out. 

Will log how much he ate tomorrow morning at 9 A.M.


I am also copying this to my computer he has a follow up with the vet on Friday.


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## laurief (Jun 22, 2008)

Mrs. PBJ said:


> I will try to get a Appetite Stimulant from my vet on Monday. Or can I buy it at a feed store?


Anything used for appetite stimulation in cats is going to be available by prescription or directly through your vet only. If you try cyproheptadine, which works well for many but not all cats, you may be able to buy it very cheaply through a drug discount program at one of your local chain stores like K-Mart. All of the chains - K-Mart, Walmart, Target, etc. - maintain lists of drugs that they sell at substantial discounts, and those lists vary from chain to chain. So it's always worth calling around to all of the chain drug stores to see if the meds you need are on their discount lists. As far as cypro is concerned, I can buy it really cheaply at my local K-Mart pharmacy ($4-$5 for 30 pills).

Be forewarned that it's best to start the appetite stimulant drugs like cyproheptadine or mirtazapine at a very low dose, then increase, if necessary, to achieve the desired effect. Many cats when given the standard recommended dosage of these drugs, have very unpleasant side effects, whereas lower doses can be effective with no side effects at all. I started Billy on cypro at 1/8 pill once daily.

Laurie


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## Mrs. PBJ (Dec 29, 2009)

He ate 2 ounce of wet and 1/8 of a cup dry last night. This morning I dumped it all.


He was given 2 ounces wet Evo heated up again. 

1/2 a cup dry Fromm five star. 

He did meow for me to feed him this morning. Thats the weird thing in all of this he does want us to feed him he does his normal routine of feed me women but then won't eat.


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## laurief (Jun 22, 2008)

Is he doing any lip licking?

It sounds to me like he may be nauseous, and that might be a residual effect of the antibiotic. A vet once told me that antibiotic-induced nausea can last for a couple of weeks AFTER the med is finished, so if that's any part of Boss's current problem, it may take a while to subside.

Laurie


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## Mrs. PBJ (Dec 29, 2009)

He does lip lick after he eats like as of right now he has eaten all of the wet in his bowl I will put some more in there at 9 pm tonight. 

We will see if it is our foster she is going to a new foster tomorrow but the kittens are staying. But Boss plays with the kittens.


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## laurief (Jun 22, 2008)

Mrs. PBJ said:


> He does lip lick after he eats


Lip licking after a meal is normal, but lip licking between meals or when he approaches food and walks away without eating can be a sign of nausea.



> We will see if it is our foster she is going to a new foster tomorrow but the kittens are staying. But Boss plays with the kittens.


I think it's good that Mama is leaving (assuming her kits are at least 8 weeks old). One less potential stressor for Boss.

Laurie


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## Mrs. PBJ (Dec 29, 2009)

No the kittens are only 6 or 7 but she can no longer feed them she has lost all mussel mass had already lost it when I got her about 3 weeks ago. 

We have been able to keep her from loosing anymore but all the kittens where eating dry so it was time to separate. 


But she has been separated for three or four days now. and already put on half a pound.


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## Mrs. PBJ (Dec 29, 2009)

2 ounces of Evo wet heated up

Same fromm from this morning has eaten about half of that or 1/4 cup.


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## Mrs. PBJ (Dec 29, 2009)

Did not touch any of the Fromm that was left ate about 1 1/2 ounces of wet.


Given 1/2 cup orjin 

2 ounces wet normal Evo.

Going to get Tiki Cat today some time.


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## Mrs. PBJ (Dec 29, 2009)

Ok so got every flavor of Tiki cat they make. 
also got Instinct every flavor but beef he is not a beef eater and Wellness core all canned and a brand new food bowl hopefully this works.

Got a gate to keeps kittens out of bedroom and got him a cat tree to put his food on top so he feels safe. 

Hopefully with all this it works the bedroom will become only his safe spot. Put his hidden hole under our bed he spends a lot of time in their anyway wish me lucks guys.


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## Mrs. PBJ (Dec 29, 2009)

So I have great news 


He ate a 2.8 ounce can of Tiki cat and about 2.5 ounces of Evo. 


I am so excited he seems to like having the bedroom. The foster for mom fell thru they never showed so we took everyone to get shots and wormed. 

I am hoping his new digs help him out a lot they already seem to be.


He now has in his bowl 1/2 cup of fromm 5 star. He likes that flavor so we are sticking with it. We may try TOTW again but after he has been eating normally for weeks on top of weeks again.


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## laurief (Jun 22, 2008)

That IS great news! Let's hope he keeps it up.

After you find new placements for Mama and the kits, you might want to consider taking a break from fostering for a while to see what effect that has on Boss's appetite over the longer term.

Laurie


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## Mrs. PBJ (Dec 29, 2009)

Well i think he is keeping it up hopefully 

He was given this morning

2.5 ounce of Instinct which he already ate 

2.5 ounce of Evo which he is eating now 

and 1/4 cup kibble. 


He really likes the instinct to eat it in one sitting like he used to he must like it. I am wondering if he got board with the same food everyday. On top of stress I got the appetite stimulant JIC but he has not received it yet. I have a feeling he is trying to go off kibble.


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## laurief (Jun 22, 2008)

Mrs. PBJ said:


> Well i think he is keeping it up hopefully


That's excellent.



> I am wondering if he got board with the same food everyday.


My cats definitely eat better when they're offered variety, esp with canned food.



> I got the appetite stimulant JIC but he has not received it yet.


Which appetite stimulant did you get, and what dose was prescribed?



> I have a feeling he is trying to go off kibble.


Smart boy! He knows what's healthiest for his body.

Laurie


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## Mrs. PBJ (Dec 29, 2009)

He ate all but one bight of his wet and still did not touch much of the kibble but he is eating enough wet to sustain him he is looking better to.


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## Mrs. PBJ (Dec 29, 2009)

He ate all his wet which was total 5.5 ounces 


This morning he was given 

2.8 ounce of Tiki cat-Already eaten

2.5 ounces of Instinct 

1/4 cup Fromm 5 star


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## laurief (Jun 22, 2008)

Sounds like Boss is bouncing back. I'm so glad that he's eating well again.

Laurie


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## Mrs. PBJ (Dec 29, 2009)

All of his wet eatin and Boss is looking back to normal weight will not happen over night but he is looking a lot better. 


I am going to call the vet in the morning and see if I still need to bring him in. but I will no longer be updating here only because I do not want important thread to be missed.


Thank you for all the help.


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