Losing Appetite

Right I cannot hold this post off any longer. I am now very concerned for Diego and really have no idea what to do. {I would like to remind everyone that I have never had such issues with cats in my life, it must be Japanese cats or the different climate or something}
Anyway I noticed about 2 weeks ago Diego hasn't really had much of an appetite, and then he refused to eat his food until he realised that he wasn't getting any different food.
A bit of history for you. I have fed him science diet kitten, ever since I have had him, which he used to totally scoff but, perhaps he is getting bored. Anyway wet food just doesn't agree with him, he gets the terrible squirts. I now have him on whiskers adult. because I can get 1.5Kg extra for just a few more yen.
He just doesn't seem to eat much of that either.

The best way of explaining his poor eating is, each meal he gets 4x Tablespoons of his dry. Ryu gets the same plus 65g wet {yes I measure their portions} Now Ryu is about 5mths old, and he chows that down in 10mins flat. Diego is 7mths and he takes 10mins just to get 1/2 way through then he just walks away.

I have no idea what to do, if I give him wet he will just keep squirting, if I keep him on dry he won't eat well.

I forgot to mention that he feels like he has lost weight, I mean you can feel he's lost weight but he looks the same he always has. Also his fur yesterday and this morning appears to be falling out in tufts, no skin or anything attached just tufts/chunks of fur. His fur also looks kinda dull.

What are your recommendations? I was thinking of incorporating some aloe vera gel into his diet some how, because I have read interesting articles about its remarkable effects.

ETA: Could this have anything to do with the fact he is still intact? {keeping in mind I have already explained several dozen times that the vet refuses to do it before he is 8mths and that I am lucky to even find a vet that will neuter. A lot of vets won't neuter as it interferes with nature and bhudda.}

Just wanted to bump this, as I could really do with some advice, thanks.

If my cat fit that description, I would make a vet appointment right away. It could be any number of things, about simple finickiness.

He may have a food allergy - be allergic to something in the wet that gives him the squirts.

I think the most important thing is to have a cat specialist check him out.

Originally Posted by GingersMom

If my cat fit that description, I would make a vet appointment right away. It could be any number of things, about simple finickiness.

He may have a food allergy - be allergic to something in the wet that gives him the squirts.

I think the most important thing is to have a cat specialist check him out.

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Eep, I'm on a real tight budget now, and am still saving for his neuter. If I spend that money now to have him checked, I won't be able to have him neutered on time. I am already having panic attacks thinking he is going to start spraying any day soon.

A cat specialist..... that would be someone different to a vet? I will have to research that to see if any are over here.

I don't suppose you might have some experience with anything like this GingersMom? or anyone else?
If I can just avoid the vet a little longer would be better, as I am to understand and I do also believe that getting him neutered really is my main priority?

Edited to say: I'm sorry if I just came across as throwing your advice back in your face.
Its just with Ryu's recent illness's and vet trips he has put a serious hole in our wallets.
Diego is very important to me as are Neko and Ryu, its just if he starts spraying because I chose to delay his neutering, that will cause even more issues down the track no?

I wouldn't be too worried about the appetite but the chunks of hair falling out is not good combined with the loss of appetite. Normal cats do sometimes just cut back on eating and normal really like to kind of graze all day rather than eat it all at one sitting.


I say normal cats because I do have one that will eat any and everything that you put out so now all of my cats eat all their food at meal time rather than grazing.


If his shedding has increased exponentially as you have described and it has lost its shine then it would be a very good idea to take him to the vet before it gets worse given that you have such a hard time getting to the vet when you need to quickly. If the cat has a serious illness and it goes untreated then you may not need the funds that you are saving for nuetering.

Originally Posted by Camille Eonich

If the cat has a serious illness and it goes untreated then you may not need the funds that you are saving for nuetering.

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Thats true.

I'm not sure how shiny his fur should be since he's an RB but I think it had just a little bit more life in it before.

I used to leave his dry out so he could graze but since Ryu got food poisoning from it due to the heat, I can't risk that again.

I forgot to mention, he never eats human food either. When I cook dinner I give a little meat to Neko and Ryu, but if I offer it to Diego he just puts his nose in the air and walks away. Whilst Ryu and Neko will try and sometimes succeed to get food of your plate while eating, Diego just quietly watches and doesn't cause any trouble. He is the only cat I have ever allowed to be present whilst we eat.

The difference between a cat only vet and a normal vet is just like with any specialist. They're more learned in the field they have chosen, and likely more up to date about many practices.

I can understand that you're incredibly frustrated right now with vet bills. Unfortunately you've learned what a multi cat household means, the bills pile up. Even from just the basic vetting.


It could be a food allergy, if he can't digest it properly it can cause dull fur, diarrhea, and even for fur to fall out.
Wet food itself shouldn't cause diarrhea, not unless there's a particular ingredient that bothers him.

Just in case you may want to look up what types of alternative foods that will be available to you there. Consult your vet before switching foods and make sure there's not an underlying problem. And has he been tested for feline leukemia, FIV, or even feline herpes?

Originally Posted by strange_wings

The difference between a cat only vet and a normal vet is just like with any specialist. They're more learned in the field they have chosen, and likely more up to date about many practices.

I can understand that you're incredibly frustrated right now with vet bills. Unfortunately you've learned what a multi cat household means, the bills pile up. Even from just the basic vetting.


It could be a food allergy, if he can't digest it properly it can cause dull fur, diarrhea, and even for fur to fall out.
Wet food itself shouldn't cause diarrhea, not unless there's a particular ingredient that bothers him.

Just in case you may want to look up what types of alternative foods that will be available to you there. Consult your vet before switching foods and make sure there's not an underlying problem. And has he been tested for feline leukemia, FIV, or even feline herpes?

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No he hasn't been tested for any of those things. But he will be soon, coz this does sound worse than I thought.

As for the multi cat household, I haven't lived with any less than 2 or 3 cats at a time, I believe it more to be this country. I'm not from here origionally

Originally Posted by DIEGO

No he hasn't been tested for any of those things. But he will be soon, coz this does sound worse than I thought.

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You've been adding kitties (with stray backgrounds on one or two of them, correct?) to your household without testing? It's possible, but hopefully your cats are fine.
Just checking, everyone has been checked for worms or dewormed haven't they?

I always grew up with several cats too. I don't remember any of them going to the vet as often as Tomas has during the months I've had him. Some of his were routine visits, a couple weren't. But when there's the possibly they can give each other stuff its a really pain in the butt.

- and yes, I know you're not originally from Japan. The earlier posts of worrying that you didn't fully understand what the vet was saying and mention that you're from New Zealand more than made that obvious.

Originally Posted by strange_wings

You've been adding kitties (with stray backgrounds on one or two of them, correct?) to your household without testing?

It's possible, but hopefully your cats are fine.
Just checking, everyone has been checked for worms or dewormed haven't they?

I always grew up with several cats too. I don't remember any of them going to the vet as often as Tomas has during the months I've had him. Some of his were routine visits, a couple weren't. But when there's the possibly they can give each other stuff its a really pain in the butt.

- and yes, I know you're not originally from Japan.

The earlier posts of worrying that you didn't fully understand what the vet was saying and mention that you're from New Zealand more than made that obvious.

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TBH I have never heard of testing for those things until I found this site. I don't recall if we had Ryu dewormed though it is likely. He is the only one with the stray background. Poor beggar.

I still get asked where I am and where I'm from so it becomes a bit of a habit to continually post about it

Hmm I still have a few cans of a much more expensive wet food that I was sent after finding a biggish bone in one can. Perhaps his body is simply saying "I don't want cheap rubbishy food"

Do you get receipts for vet visits? Hopefully that should have the cost listed for each procedure and medicine. (if you keep those, if not you need to start doing so ) If not, a quick call to the receptionist at the vet office should clear that matter up, they can check the records for you.

Before you start worrying it's something horrible, rule out the simple stuff.

It does sound like he is having some digestive problem, or an allergy. I can see how getting the squirts would make one not want to eat

The fur problems do sound like he's either having a skin problem (allergy related?) or he's getting malnurished (maybe a digestive issue?)which can also cause fur/skin problems. Unfortunately, the best way to drill down on the allergy issue is to eliminate allergens from his diet and see if it improves. I know you are limited in the food you can get for him, so this could really be difficult.

Have you tried mixing a little rice (like a teaspoon full) into his wet food?

I know the budget is limited, but it would be terrible if you couldn't get him neutered because he was too sick by the time he got there.

Originally Posted by strange_wings

Do you get receipts for vet visits? Hopefully that should have the cost listed for each procedure and medicine. (if you keep those, if not you need to start doing so

) If not, a quick call to the receptionist at the vet office should clear that matter up, they can check the records for you.

Before you start worrying it's something horrible, rule out the simple stuff.

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Got receipts but they only show the price not the procedure or meds

I decided to give him a can of the expensive wet food that I was given, it was so tiny its more like a treat, and chicken flavoured, {amazing because there are only 3 types of wet cat food here, bonito, tuna and some other fish I can't recall} anyway, he ate a little, but then walked away.
I do think I may have an idea of whats wrong, I went to put him in his room before vacuuming, instead I put him in front of his food and I laid down beside him and patted him whilst he ate. He ate almost every bit but while he was eating he was making like a nyaam nyaam sound, {thats not Japanese BTW just my explanation of the sound} the same happened at dinner but I'm not sure if its my patting him that helps or the fact that the oil from the wet softened the biscuits while he was away. But for now he is eating a bit more, and I will know the hard way tomorrow if he has an upset tummy.

Originally Posted by JellyBella

It does sound like he is having some digestive problem, or an allergy. I can see how getting the squirts would make one not want to eat

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Just to clarify, the squirts have only happened a few times when my wife fed him wet food instead of dry.
As I mentioned above just now, all the wet foods are the same practically, they are ALL fish flavoured with the exception of the teeny tiny cans which are 4x the price per can of normal wet and is more likely a treat, because it would take about 4 cans of it to make 1 portion for Ryu, who is the smallest.


I weighed Diego just before, however it was just after he ate, but he weighed in at 3.2Kg I think its safe to say even after he has a good pooh, he will still weigh in at the 3Kg mark so I can help but wonder if I was dreaming when I thought he felt like he had lost weight.

I am going to just give him dry tomorrow and test out the theory of patting him whilst he eats, if that doesn't work, I will add water to soften the biscuits just in case thats the problem.

I will get him to the vet, if these few things fail me. I know I shouldn't leave it longer and its potentially doing more harm than good if he really is ill, but I feel I must try this first.

Also for the record, I prefer feeding dry, I always have. Ryu is only on wet for a little longer while I was beefing him up. I know you may think that dry is just a convenience food for us to give since theres no dry food in the wild, but I would like to add {at the risk of sounding like a smart donkey} that I haven't seen any recent documentaries on tv with wild cats chasing canned food with special cat can openers. You know technically wet is also a convenience food, otherwise we would be buying live prey for them, as you do for a pet snake.

OK well Diego didn't get the squirts after eating wet food, I think that could be, because I gave him a controlled portion, rather than just giving a whole lot, that he probably gorges on.

Anyway, I have been adding water to his dry and he seems to eat a whole lot more, I think maybe he had difficulty crunching them and so was just swallowing them whole making him feel full faster. I also let him eat in the same room as Ryu, so he ca have company whilst he eats. I just hope Ryu isn't finishing his own then pigging out on Diego's.