loss of appetite

maxy24

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Both my cats, but particularly Neko have less of an appetite than they did before. It's happened over the last two weeks. They are both eating still just not as much and not as willingly. Other than that they are acting the same and everything, they seem healthy on the outside, no vomiting, no excess drinking, no diarrhea.

Two weeks ago my parents were on vacation and I was giving the cats wet food every other day. They were actually eating it (they don't like wet food) and two nights they actually ate the entire wet food meal. During the second week my parents were gone I went to my cousin's house for 4 days and my brother was left in charge of the kitties, I did not make him feed wet since I know he would not do it right. The night I came home I fed them wet and neither of them even tasted it. I worked with them on this for about a half hour, mixing in dry, adding some water trying to get them to eat it. Well they didn't so I got some dry food and put that out for them. Neko didn't touch it and Willie began to, ate half and then stopped. I got Neko to eat some by tossing it and he would chase it and eat it. He ate less than half of his.

I fed dry the next night which they ate but the I went on vacation for a week. Once again my brother was in charge feeding only dry. The yesterday I came home and fed wet for dinner. Neko didn't touch it. Willie ignored it until I put in some dry, then he ate a quarter of it. SO I offered some dry out of my hand which he turned his nose up at. About 15 minutes later went back to work on it and ate almost all of it. I rolled Neko's up into balls like he likes it and offered him some dry food instead. He ate about four pieces and then would not eat the dry. I left the balls of wet out and *someone* ate like 5 little balls (which is less than a quarter of the meal) and that's it. I hope it was Neko but I don't know.

This morning I gave them breakfast (dry food) and neither of them finished. One ate more than the other (I did not watch them eat it because they usually eat all of it evenly and stick to their own bowls) and Neko probably ate less. When I had first put down the food Willie went to work on his but Neko sniffed his and walked away (Neko usually LOVES dry food, he was meowing and begging to be fed). I picked Neko up and put him back in front of the bowl and he sniffed the food almost took a bite, stopped, then went and started to eat.

They usually always finish their dry food.

Tonight they get a dry food dinner so I'll tell you how that goes.

The only things I can think of that might be wrong is...
*My brother was feeding them really late so they are not hungry when I fed them.
*As far as the wet food goes, they were not fed it for so long they are acting like they are just starting it again.
*They have not been played with since I left so the lower activity level might make them less hungry, the thing is that Neko never really plays anyway, Willie does.
*There feeding locations and what they are eating out of is changing a lot. Before my grandpa came the cats were eating on a shelf without bowls or anything. When Grandpa moved in they were eating in the basement on h bench where you lift weights without any bowls or anything. When my parents went on vacation I moved into their room upstairs and the cats ate off of the hope chest without bowls or anything. When my parent came back (the night I was referring to when they would not eat) They ate in weird places, one on the floor of a crate and the other on top of he container their food is in. This was in my room, where my grandpa was in. He was watching TV which was loud and the loud AC was on. Then while I was on vacation last week they ate out of bowls in the kitchen (when I got home at noon there was a good amount of food in one cats bowl from breakfast so he obviously did not eat much that morning) on the floor. This morning they ate on my floor off of plates, the room is quiet now though. I need to find a better place to feed hem but since they (and I) have been out of my room Willie has grown and I don't know if they will fit nicely in the shelf they used to eat in. Plus they are not used to eating off of plates.

So it's either those things or they don't like their food any more. If they don't like their food will they ever get over it? I really can't switch foods since It would be a hassle for my parents and we can't really buy other good quality foods since they are more expensive.

What do you think the problem is?
 

beandip

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I think your ideas are probably pretty good ones (the explanation for their appetite loss). As far as the wet goes, I really think you're right - it's like starting over again since they didn't have it for several days.

Another thing that comes to mind is the heat. Has it been warmer there over the past couple of weeks? My cats eat a lot less when it's hot.
 
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