Non-prescription appetite stimulants

[Babypaws]

can Anyone suggest an appetite stimulant that doesn’t require a prescription?
I’ve tried baby food, boiled chicken, FF ( different textures and flavors), Friskies and other brands of wet food. My cat is 18 years old and after opening several different cans of food for her, she walks away and then comes sits near me and looks as if she’s telling me she’s hungry but I’m at a stand still as to what I can give her. Help..

 

[LTS3]

There's a thread discussing toppers and other non-prescription things to entice cats to eat: Any Good Tips To Get Your Cats To Eat? Share Them Here!

 

[hurricanemix100]

Does she like treats. Crunch them up into a poweder and sprinkle on the food.

 

[lisahe]

Does she like treats. Crunch them up into a poweder and sprinkle on the food.

Yes to treats! Freeze-dried chicken treats are perfect for this: Pure Bites or Chewy's version of them work great for our cats. A variety of treats as toppers can go a long way in keeping cats from getting bored with their food!

If that doesn't work, though, it's probably worth checking in with the vet since those behaviors can be typical of nausea and/or constipation.

 

[Alldara]

can Anyone suggest an appetite stimulant that doesn’t require a prescription?
I’ve tried baby food, boiled chicken, FF ( different textures and flavors), Friskies and other brands of wet food. My cat is 18 years old and after opening several different cans of food for her, she walks away and then comes sits near me and looks as if she’s telling me she’s hungry but I’m at a stand still as to what I can give her. Help..

Had the vet run a blood panel? (Some health conditions cause lower appetite)

Have you noticed any crusting by her nose or leaky eyes? (Could be a cold/flu)

Did you check for recalls on the food? Is it elderly cat food or adult?

Have you tried feeding from your hand?

Warming up the food with a bit of water can help if it's a small issue.

 

[lisahe]

Have you noticed any crusting by her nose or leaky eyes? (Could be a cold/flu)

Lots of good points in this post from A Alldara but especially this one, where I'd add allergies to the list!

 

[daftcat75]

When Betty is feeling fussy, I can usually get her to eat by placing a morsel of her food on the carpet in front of her. I have no idea why she will eat off the carpet when she doesn't feel like eating from a plate. But it works for her.

I believe at 18, this cat should see a vet to make sure it's not anything more serious than old age. If she has no food allergies or sensitivities, ask your vet for a can or two of Hills A/D prescription food. It's a highly appealing, smooth pate specifically formulated to get sick, old, and fussy cats eating again. My recommendation is that if she likes it, start mixing it with her regular food as soon as you can and either wean her off it, or dilute it with her regular food. Save the pure A/D as big guns when she won't eat anything else. But if you switch her to pure A/D full-time, where do you go when she doesn't want that?

 

[Babypaws]

Had the vet run a blood panel? (Some health conditions cause lower appetite)

Have you noticed any crusting by her nose or leaky eyes? (Could be a cold/flu)

Did you check for recalls on the food? Is it elderly cat food or adult?

Have you tried feeding from your hand?

Warming up the food with a bit of water can help if it's a small issue.

She’s doing fine other wise, just loses appetite for a few days. Since my post she’s been eating. Gave her jar of baby food which she ate and have been giving her different flavors (something new for her). I don’t think any RX cat food from vet are that great. Had a sick cat last year that refused to eat any of them.
She doesn’t have any leaky eyes or crusty nose.
No recalls on food, I always warm her food…
thanks for you advice.

 

[Alldara]

She’s doing fine other wise, just loses appetite for a few days. Since my post she’s been eating. Gave her jar of baby food which she ate and have been giving her different flavors (something new for her). I don’t think any RX cat food from vet are that great. Had a sick cat last year that refused to eat any of them.
She doesn’t have any leaky eyes or crusty nose.
No recalls on food, I always warm her food…
thanks for you advice.

Baby food will not have the taurine she needs to keep her healthy. Cats cannot make their own taurine. I'm glad to hear she took a bit of something, but it's a bandaid solution.

- how is her urinary output? Is it more or less than normal?

- how is her poop? Is it once a day? Is it a good amount or one tiny price? Is it one soft log or little hard sections?

- I didn't see in your post, are you offering her elderly cat food or adult food?

I would suggest getting some kitten foods. They smell stronger and are easier to break down. Mother and Babycat is the easiest as it's a weaning food, but your cat may prefer something else.

The biggest thing in getting them to eat is finding the underlying cause. Has she had bloodwork done? There are many "invisible" conditions that can start with nausea or failure to eat and look like nothing else is wrong. Especially with elderly/geriatric cats, these things can happen quickly. An appetite stimulant isn't going to address that underlying issue either.

Even if your former cat did not like the RX foods, your new cat's taste will be different. Each is an individual. Calcifer liked the RX recovery by Royal Canin when he got sick, Magnus wouldn't touch it. Lily wouldn't eat any allergy food with chickpeas in it, Magnus will, Nobel it will depend on texture.

 

[mizzely]

I use Wysong AddLife when I need my picky kitty to eat. It's a powder so works for me on both kibble and wet and is slightly easier to work with than freeze dried treats.

I don't use it for it's marketed purpose haha. Rather for the Enzymatic Digest of Chicken and Fish that is the main ingredient.

 

[lisahe]

I use Wysong AddLife when I need my picky kitty to eat. It's a powder so works for me on both kibble and wet and is slightly easier to work with than freeze dried treats.

I don't use it for it's marketed purpose haha. Rather for the Enzymatic Digest of Chicken and Fish that is the main ingredient.

There are lots of fermentation products in there so I bet it's helpful, too, if your cat's stomach is a bit off.

 

[Twylasmom]

I use Wysong AddLife when I need my picky kitty to eat. It's a powder so works for me on both kibble and wet and is slightly easier to work with than freeze dried treats.

I don't use it for it's marketed purpose haha. Rather for the Enzymatic Digest of Chicken and Fish that is the main ingredient.

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I was really interested in this as an alternative to Fortiflora but garlic is listed as an ingredient. Isn’t garlic toxic to cats?

 

[mizzely]

I was really interested in this as an alternative to Fortiflora but garlic is listed as an ingredient. Isn’t garlic toxic to cats?

In larger doses, yes. In small amounts it can be good for digestion and heart health. I'm using like 1/8 of a tsp a day tops; the directions say up to one teaspoon a day for the "health benefits". I think some cat foods actually have garlic in them, too.