Won't Eat - End Of My Rope

Stinky15

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When my Neutered ~2-1/2 y.o. male indoor/outdoor rescue cat quit eating late March I got nervous and took him to the Vet. He was about 1 y.o. when I rescued him and he's been on Purina Pro Plan True Nature and Fancy Feast cat meat exclusively for last 1 yr plus. he enjoys a little grilled chicken and pork chops when I eat it. The Vet. did a full physical exam and blood work and told me he could find no problem. The Vet. gave me Mizertapine to give him every 3 days and he immediately started eating again, although not as good as usual. I went through several weeks of giving pills and then he seemed to do a little better with no pills. I found some different Fancy Feast he would eat plus I let him free range some kibble. He will beg for food and he might eat a few bites of cat meat only to walk away, then a few minutes later he may come back and eat a few bites of kibble. Mid May he seemed to quit eating again so I got another round of pills (4- 1/4 pills or 12 days worth). He did okay on the pills. 6/1 I took him in for Vaccinations. His weight was about normal at 10.4 lbs. 6/3 he wasn't eating well and turned down several varieties of canned meat but ate a few bites of kibble. 6/4 still not eating much, his last pill was about 4 days ago. In my exasperation and emotional upset I decided to take him to the Vet. again. I let Vet. run more tests, full blood work, urine etc. and an Xray. He found nothing abnormal but did make a comment that one kidney was a little larger but dismissed it as a problem. He gave me several more pills and told me he would refer me to a specialist if I wanted or he could do an ultrasound. He had lost .6# between the 2 Vet. visits (3 days) which I find suspect. I remember at the time I got Vaccinations that I thought it was odd he weighed the same as original Vet visit as he looked thin to me.The day after all the tests and xrays I decided to let the Vet. refer me to a specialist. 2 days later they called and said they would do the referral. I asked where it was and it was 165 miles away at a University Vet. school hospital. I asked if we could find something closer and she said yes. I told her I wanted to wait a week as he seemed to be doing a little better, she said fine. Tomorrow afternoon he is due another pill and I think I am going to try tough love and see if he will eat without the meds. I am thinking now I may just let the Vet. do the ultrasound and if he finds nothing else he can refer me to a specialist nearer than the 165 miles away. I have tried so many varieties of cat meat and kibble I can't list them all. Sometimes when he turns his nose up at something he normally eats I can give him a treat or human baby food and he will start eating, sometimes he turns it all down. He pretty consistently will eat kibble but not enough to gain weight. Since the last Vet. visit I got a scale I could weigh him on and he is back to his normal weight or above slightly. I would appreciate any help/comments. Sorry if I rambled and I am sure there is a lot of details I may have left out. He doesn't act stressed/scared that I can tell.
 

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How is his elimination habits? Constipation or diarrhea? Constipation can cause issues with eating. How often is he pooping and what is it like? Hard small or runny or regular? Some cats get constipated from corn in food...my angel Floey was like this...she struggled with constipation all her life. Plain canned pumpkin 1 teaspoon a day helped and vet had us try miralax. I used both but not at same time. Is it possible there's too much food changes too soon?
I would ask them about nausea....unless they find out why and treat it..giving mirt isnt going to treat nausea. Ask about Cerenia/Zofran meds.
 

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My cats are fussy and turn down a lot of food, especially wet food, but i keep putting it out, twice a day, someday they eat it someday they wont. Right now the only thing mine eat well is Tiki cat, and Almo nature the salmon and apple complete food, and the chicken and green beans. And like you i feel i have tried every food out there.

With Dry my guys all like Dr. Elseys chicken. Its high protein and high calorie, so a little goes a long way. If your guy is a kibble guy you may want to give it a try?

He will eat kibble? just not good with the wet? Is he underweight now? im not sure i understood if he was or not? Or that he just wont eat without the medication?

Some cats, i have one, are nibblers, they will never eat much at one meal. I leave wet out for about 4 hours, and they will normally finish most of it in that time frame. I also leave Dr. Elseys dry out all the time. My 4, along with the wet eat about 2/3 cup of Elseys per day. But its over about a 24 hour period. they never eat much at once.

I do hope you can figure out what is up with him. And i will say i dont think tough love will work for a cat. It sometimes might for a dog, but not a cat.

Keep us updated with your guy!
 

Furballsmom

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A member has suggested to take a pate type food, about half a small can, and add a tablespoon of hot water, stir and see if that'll be eaten.
Thank goodness his weight is back up!!
Have you tried toppers/enticements?
 

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What is the name of the pill the vet prescribed for your cat?

Your cat is young but IBD could be a possibility. Inappetance is one symptom. Ask the vet about that. An ultrasound is typically done first and then an optional biopsy to confirm.

Ask the vet if B12 was checked when the blood work was done. Most likely not since it's a separate test that has to be specified. Low B12 levels can cause weight loss.

Did the vet check the cat's teeth? Dental issues are painful and cats may not want to eat.
 

maggie101

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Have you fed him brands besides fancy feast. Companies are good at changing one ingredient that cats don't like. Does he drink a lot of water? If you have a cover on your litter box, take it off so you can watch him go.
 

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Mirtazapine is a great medicine for inappetence (sp)? But normally we also use cerenia or pepcid along with it. They can also do sub fluids to help flush out whatever is going on. They can do cerenia and pepcid as an injection at the vets office and you can see how that responds.

Yes IBS is a tricky beast. Basically we want them to smoothly eliminate the solid foods to eliminate ill feelings. Constipation makes even us humans miserable. Sub fluids can help but diet is a big factor. Some cats are allergic to corn and wheat and others chicken.

I forgot to ask is there any vomiting?
 
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Stinky15

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How is his elimination habits? Constipation or diarrhea? Constipation can cause issues with eating. How often is he pooping and what is it like? Hard small or runny or regular? Some cats get constipated from corn in food...my angel Floey was like this...she struggled with constipation all her life. Plain canned pumpkin 1 teaspoon a day helped and vet had us try miralax. I used both but not at same time. Is it possible there's too much food changes too soon?
I would ask them about nausea....unless they find out why and treat it..giving mirt isnt going to treat nausea. Ask about Cerenia/Zofran meds.
Foxxycat,
I assume his elimination habits are fine because I see no unusual behavior but He insists on doing his business outdoors. The weather has to be really bad for him to use his litterbox.
 
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Stinky15

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Wow, great, lots of replies/ideas.
Yes I have tried just about every brand there is at one time or another. The Purina one grain free true nature is the only one he would ever eat. I have tried grinding up treats on top of the food and/or adding a little Parmesan. Both worked for a while then it did no good. The Vet has made no mention of B12 or seeing his poop. If he is vomiting he must be doing it outside when I am not around and I have intentionally watched him for 5-10 mins. to see. Usually he goes out after eating and just hangs around the front porch for a while. My previous Cat had urinary blockages 2x so I know how they act for that. When I got this cat I resolved to not feed dry food as from all that I have read it is a bad thing for males especially, but I will feed whatever he will eat now. Vet suggested trying some cheap Friskies, said it's like crack for Cats. I got some Friskies and some "Special Kitty". It made no difference really. The Vet has not mentioned any other treatment or medicines other than the Mirtazapine. I eliminated his access to kibble today and he only ate about 1.5 oz. of some Special Kitty Ocean Fish this afternoon. I have been thinking about trying something other than beef, chicken or fish so I may go to local pet store tomorrow and see about some duck or something else. In general he wont eat Turkey at all. He drinks water and more so after eating kibble.
 
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Stinky15

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Here's a strange thing I have noticed noticed several times and he did it about an hour ago. He came in meowing for food and I gave him some Special Kitty Supper Supper and he walked away. I tried enticing him with kitty treats, he ate one and still wasn't interested. I got a little kitten kibble and let him smell it before I put it on dish with cat meat. He ate the kibble, then ate a little of the cat meat. He's started his 3rd. day of the Mirtazapine so he is due another dose tomorrow. I will skip it if he seems to be eating tomorrow.
 

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Hope he eats soon! Oh forgot to ask is there sneezing or runny nose/eyes? If hes got a cold and can't smell food he may not eat. You can use hot water when you make the wet food as the heat will make the food stinkier. Or add tuna to wet food then mash with fork and add a bit of hot water. Dont get white tuna get light tuna it's stinkier.
 

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Ive bought every brand of tuna and my girls only like chicken of the sea light tuna. Its in a green can and they sell it bundled in 4 cans for 3.59 to 3.89...the price changes weekly. Last week it was 3.59 but normally 3.89.

One can lasts us 2 days. Each cat gets a 1/4 of can on a low rim bowl where i mash with a salad fork then add hot water in a shot glass. Makes it a slurry type consistency...they seem to prefer water added to it as I have given it without water and it gets pushed onto the floor as they lick at it then it plops on the floor...:runaround:
 
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Stinky15

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Hope he eats soon! Oh forgot to ask is there sneezing or runny nose/eyes? If hes got a cold and can't smell food he may not eat. You can use hot water when you make the wet food as the heat will make the food stinkier. Or add tuna to wet food then mash with fork and add a bit of hot water. Dont get white tuna get light tuna it's stinkier.
No sneezing or runny nose I have seen. I tried tuna in the past, he is not much on it or the liquid from it. At one point I tried sardines but he barely would eat any. This morning when I got up I expected him to not eat but I was a little surprised. Adding warm water didn't help. He didnt seem interested in his cat meat so I put a little kibble on the plate and he ate almost all of it (1/2+ can). In the last week or so he seems obsessed with cleaning his feet/pads. He has always licked a lot and has had a couple of thin spots on his back from time to time but nothing serious. He probably has fleas as he is due being treated but I am not going to use the Frontline Plus again. I put the Frontline Plus on him May 10th. and about 3 days later he shut down his eating again. Maybe a coincidence but I don't want to add anything like that to him now. It was around mid March when I gave him the Frontline+ and not long after that this all started. As I said, it may be a coincidence. I mentioned it to Vet. but it didn;t seem to impress him. Prior to Frontline+ I used Advantage, but late Winter I found ticks on him so I got the Frontline+. I have a Flea come and some Diatomaceous earth I am going to try for the Fleas. Sprry if I rambled, Stinky and I appreciate everyone's help so much!
 

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I know how frustrating eating issues can be. Keeping track of your cat’s weight is very useful. If you don’t have a scale, the vet would probably let you use his at no charge. If the cat is not losing weight, I would not worry. If he’s losing weight, that’s a reason to investigate. I agree with a previous poster that Inflammatory Bowel Disease is a concern, though that’s usually associated with vomiting or diarrhea. Good luck with your kitty. I hope you figure out what’s going on with him.
 
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Stinky15

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I know how frustrating eating issues can be. Keeping track of your cat’s weight is very useful. If you don’t have a scale, the vet would probably let you use his at no charge. If the cat is not losing weight, I would not worry. If he’s losing weight, that’s a reason to investigate. I agree with a previous poster that Inflammatory Bowel Disease is a concern, though that’s usually associated with vomiting or diarrhea. Good luck with your kitty. I hope you figure out what’s going on with him.
After the Vet visit showed he had lost over .5lb. in 3 days I have now bought a scale. I keep detailed records every day of what he eats. As I posted, I thought that him losing .5+lb in 3 days was suspect.
 

silkenpaw

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The main thing about weight is that you want to see a trend. Weight will vary from day to day but if you weigh a cat daily, you’ll see the weight stay more or less the same or take an upward or downward trend. Half a pound is largish, but you could still potentially write it off as a difference between scales. It’s great that you now have your own scale to follow his weight on.
 
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