How to boost my cat's appetite?

[Educadoralisa]

My cat is 18 months. He is not castrated as his testicles are inside and I was given an estimate price for exploring surgery. I will castrate him when I can.
When he turned 1 I noted the spaying at home and his appetite has decreased. In July/August he has been seen by the vet as he lost weight due to eating less. He had lots of tests to make sure there was nothing to worry about. Went to vet again last week. He has lost around 300gr in 7 months.
Vet says he is stressed because he needs to be castrated.
I have ordered the Feliway diffuser as they said it might help him. And yesterday I bought multivitamin treats from a pet shop but he doesn't like them.
On good days he eats about 3 meals mostly at night time when we are asleep and some during the day.
On bad days he barely eats.
He doesn't like warm food. Sometimes I mix dry food with wet food to give him more calories. I tried different brands to see if there's one he prefers but I was unsuccessful. He loves treats like dreamies however I know he shouldn't rely on them.
What can I do to increase his appetite? Thanks

 

[bakvskg]

I use Fortiflora to get my picky eater to eat her wet food. She loves the stuff. It is probiotics mixed in brewer's yeast- I think the brewer's yeast has a strong nutty/cheesy flavor that is attractive to (some) cats.
Along those lines, I have read that nutritional yeast or Parmesan cheese sprinkled on top can be similarly attractive.

Where are you feeding him? It could also be worthwhile exploring the location/setting where he is being fed. Perhaps it is too noisy or he doesn't feel comfortable enough in the current location/setting. You said he eats mostly at night- presumably when it is most quiet and there are fewer distractions. Do you think that could have something to do with it?

 

[Educadoralisa]

Definitely he eats better without distractions. At night time I put food next to his bed as he sleeps in my bedroom. I also leave food during the day in same location but he eats less even with us out of the house.
I have another cat and I get them separated for mealtimes as the other one will eat everything.
I will try fortiflora. Thanks

 

[FeebysOwner]

What tests did the vet run? That information would go a long way in giving members here some ideas on what else could be wrong. I have not heard that an intact male cat loses weight due to stress, but I suppose it is possible. Intact males that do not mate do experience a higher level of stress compared to those who do.

I do know that intact males run a higher risk of testicular and prostrate diseases and cancers, but I don't know if this can occur in such a young cat. I would guess it is possible and depending on what tests were run any such disease or cancer may not have been identified.

When he turned 1 I noted the spaying at home and his appetite has decreased.

Are you saying he is spraying in your home? This is another reason to try to get him neutered ASAP - the longer the spraying is allowed to go on the more likely it will continue even after he is neutered.

In the meantime, you can try enticing him to eat more by adding some baby food meats (no onion, garlic, etc.) to his food, as most cats like them even if they are generally accustomed to eating dry food. You can also try canned tuna or chicken in water to see if that might get him to eat more of his own food and add some calories as well. But, I think the key here is to either get a second opinion from another vet on his overall health and weight loss, and find a way to get him neutered as soon as you possibly can.

 

[Educadoralisa]

He had blood tests and x rays done. They even gave him antibiotics to see if would change anything. All tests were normal.
Three different vets all said he smells like a male cat and he is very stressed.

I haven't neutered him yet as I'm saving for it. Hopefully, I will be able to do it in January. As they can't find his testicles they gave me a price estimated. I'm saving for the most expensive just in case.

He is always playful and happy. Apart from the decreased appetite and weight loss, there's nothing worrying.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Maybe ask the vet for an appetite stimulant to see if that would help until you can get the funds together for his surgery? I would hate to see him lose too much weight and put him at risk of getting the surgery when you are finally able to do so.

 

[mizzely]

I use this as a topper on my cat's food when she is being finicky. Addlife™ - Dog & Cat Food Supplement

You could also try freeze dried raw, or even adding in KMR to increase the calorie content.

 

[kittenmittens84]

When my kitten was recovering from FIP he got a lot of NutriCal kitten gel. We tried to give him about 1 tsp per day along with whatever normal food he would eat to boost his calorie intake. Most cats seem to like the way the gel tastes, it’s sweet and has fish oil in it.

 

[Educadoralisa]

Thanks for your replies. I'm keeping an eye on his weight.

 

[Educadoralisa]

Update:
Last Monday I started to use Feliway diffuser and also bought kitten food instead of adult food. On Wednesday I started to give him NutrIQ vet paste that he licks quite well.
He is eating quite well and actually looks he like to eat the kitten food as it is quite small chunks.
I weight him today and he has 100gr more. I'm happy and will continue to monitor.