Older cat has become finicky (post surgery)...Suggestions

jclark

TCS Member
Thread starter
Alpha Cat
Joined
Feb 19, 2013
Messages
353
Purraise
66
Breed: 14 yr old Main Coon, underweight, currently excellent blood work. 

Diet: Due to a previous, now deceased older cat, this one hat to eat Royal Canin (RC) Hypo (Duck,Rabbit). In November in order to get his weight up he was getting some perscription A/D on the side.  This cat would also devour any chicken that we prepared for ourselves.

Results: Eventhough he had serious dental issues he would sometimes throw up the RC Hypo because he would inhale the stuff. This cat would also devour the A/D. 

The EVENT: Surgery to remove quite a few teeth.

Post-Op (2 wks): Soupy A/D for a couple of days which he ate.  Less soupy A/D, he would eat sometimes, but really just nibble.  (I used the same bowl as prior to surgery).

2 wks+: Generally wouldn't eat A/D, or the RC Hypo.  Brought to vet, everything was ok. Vet perscribed an appetite stimulant (1 dose/3 days) in order to "jump start" his eating. Vet said, give him anything he'll eat.    

So while on the stimulant he would eat anything, but not so much while off it.  It has been 2 months and I've dosed hime maybe 3-4 times with the stimulant.  He has become crazy finicky and I don't know what else to try.  

Here is a list of foods I've tried while he is OFF the stimulant:

Food he will eat:

-Temptations Hard treats (chicken),

-Chicken we prepare for ourselves that day (Leftovers are a no-go). 

-Clams (Previously given only 1-2 yr, has had maybe 3 cans over 2 months)

-The gravy from any canned food

Food he will either nibble on or won't eat.

- Any pate canned (RC Hypo, Perscription A/D, Blue Buffalo, Weruva, EVO, etc)

- Weruva, Chicken (shreds) in gravy w/or w/out Liver*

- Weruva, Fish

- Friskies, Chicken or Turkey (shreds) in gravy*

- Brand-X Grain Free Canned: Can't remember the name, but it's a stew version (Duck, Rabbit, or Chicken) and the food is a pate that has been made into little wet kibble sized pieces. Smells great IMO.*

- Red Bandana flakes (Attempted to use as a topper in lieu of the hard treats).

- Canned Tuna

- EVO Dry Chicken and Turkey (Crumbles fairly easily, and I'm aware of recall)

* If I crush some temptations hard treats on top of this he'll try to eat/lick off the crushed treats from the tope of the food.

I'm at wits end because the cat, when hungry, will just sit neat the cabinet where the treats are located and avoid anything else when OFF the appteite stimulant.

Suggestions?
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #2

jclark

TCS Member
Thread starter
Alpha Cat
Joined
Feb 19, 2013
Messages
353
Purraise
66
Note: Forgive for spelling errors. Edit button is not functional
 

catspaw66

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
May 5, 2012
Messages
5,508
Purraise
1,616
Location
Waldron, Arkansas
Have you tried giving him Friskies pate?  I know it is poorer quality than the ones you are trying to feed him, but they are better than him not eating.
 

just mike

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Mar 11, 2011
Messages
2,084
Purraise
38
Location
Saint Louis, MO
What does the vet say about the lack of appetite? I'm wondering if the surgery didn't alter his sense of smell somehow and he doesn't actually "smell" food? Just a thought there. Might be worth asking the vet.

How is he doing with hydration? Does he seem to be drinking water and using the litter box as he normally would?

I am also wondering if there might be some unseen complications that resulted from the extractions.

I'm not suggesting this because I work for this company, the health of the pet is my main concern but this food "sticks" to the tongue and might help stimulate his appetite. It is the "Soft Loaf" line from Nutro Natural Choice http://www.nutro.com/natural-cat-food/natural-choice-cat-food/canned.aspx I am always concerned when a cat does not eat.

Keep us posted on the progress if you can!
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #5

jclark

TCS Member
Thread starter
Alpha Cat
Joined
Feb 19, 2013
Messages
353
Purraise
66
Have you tried giving him Friskies pate?  I know it is poorer quality than the ones you are trying to feed him, but they are better than him not eating.
I haven't. It's cheap ($.40/can) so I suppose it wouldn't hurt to try, but he has avoided a few brands of pate textured food already.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #6

jclark

TCS Member
Thread starter
Alpha Cat
Joined
Feb 19, 2013
Messages
353
Purraise
66
What does the vet say about the lack of appetite? I'm wondering if the surgery didn't alter his sense of smell somehow and he doesn't actually "smell" food? Just a thought there. Might be worth asking the vet.

How is he doing with hydration? Does he seem to be drinking water and using the litter box as he normally would?

I am also wondering if there might be some unseen complications that resulted from the extractions.

I'm not suggesting this because I work for this company, the health of the pet is my main concern but this food "sticks" to the tongue and might help stimulate his appetite. It is the "Soft Loaf" line from Nutro Natural Choice http://www.nutro.com/natural-cat-food/natural-choice-cat-food/canned.aspx I am always concerned when a cat does not eat.

Keep us posted on the progress if you can!
The vet said that from a health perspective his vitals were in good shape and that we may want to consider a dental specialist (who knew) if he wasn't eating.  An altered sense of smell is an interesting thought because he'll smell the food, but then just turn away if it doesn't have the crushed treats on top.

Hyrdration is about normal. Relieves himself 2-3 times day, I hear him at the water bowl all the time, and his skin doesn't retract slowly when I grab by the scruff.

It's so strange because with the stimulant he'll eat say 1/2 can (He should eat 2/5oz cans day) at one time, but off it, he just slurps of the gravy, and takes in a couple of bits of meat with the crushed treat topper.   Some of the Weruva fish stuff is very fishy, and when he turned at that, I was thinking "OMG...You've got to be kidding me!".

Don't get me wrong, he's still nibbling, but not anywhere near the amount he should be.  Probably just barely maintaining his weight.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #7

jclark

TCS Member
Thread starter
Alpha Cat
Joined
Feb 19, 2013
Messages
353
Purraise
66
UPDATE:

Okay so I've resolved to give him the EVO Chick/Dry (~1/2 cup) with 1/2-1/3 can Weruva (chicken).   He gets one bowl of each.   I would say he's eating about 1/2 of the Dry give or take and most of the Weruva. 

So Weruva is topped with crushed Temptations and Parma Cheese.  The Weruva has some gravy to it and the topper is the only way I can get him to pick up the chicken and liver bits.  The EVO Dry crumbles very easily so he just crushes it with his gums.   No vomiting of food so I'm happy. 

Funny thing happenned a couple of days ago. I made chicken cutlets one evening and had one leftover so I panned seared it on both sides w/out the breading,  gave it some quick slices and fed it to him.  He inhaled about 2/3 of the thing.  Go figure. 
 

No vomiting of food and he's eating about as much as he needs for his target weight so I'm good to go.
 
Top