15 year old kitty not eating

[MalachiCat]

Hello everyone, I was here years ago but can't remember my old login info so I'm a new member now I'm sure this has been discussed many times here, but my 15 year old Madeline has decided she's no longer interested in food. Here's the backstory:
I took her to the vet 3 weeks ago for her annual checkup and they did bloodwork and took a urine sample but no vaccinations. She hadn't been eating her usual amount prior to that but her weight was stable. The urine showed an infection and she was on antibiotics for a week, during which she ate almost nothing on her own and I had to syringe feed her. She was given Fortiflora while on antibiotics. She hid a lot and clearly wasn't feeling well.
After the antibiotics, she returned to her usual happy self, but her appetite didn't really return. She rarely asks for food on her own and when she does eat it's usually when I hand feed her kibbles. She has zero interest in any wet food. I did weigh her at home two days ago and she is the same weight as she was at the vet, which suprised me.
Madeline seems to eat a little more when she gets Cernia as she was given some when on antibiotics and I got more last week. Her poops have been normal the whole time and there has been no vomiting. She has been drinking more for a while (probably a few months), I suspected kidney issues but the vet said her bloodwork was fine (I didn't see the #s myself). I am able to give her sub q fluids at home and have been doing so every few days (my vet said it would be fine to do so).
The vet said to keep giving her the Cerenia if it helps, and if Madeline still doesn't want to eat we will do another exam. She also wants to give her another different probiotic even though Madeline isn't vomiting or showing other signs of digestive upset. Would more probiotics do anything in this case? I asked if there were any other tests to run but nothing was suggested at this point. Does anyone have any input on this? Other than the lack of appetite she is quite happy and as active as you would expect a 15 year old to be. Could she just be less interested in food because of her age and she doesn't need to eat as much and/or can't smell it? Or is there something more serious going on that wouldn't show up in an exam or bloodwork??

 

[Furballsmom]

Hi
Antibiotics are very hard on the good bacteria in the gut, and a different probiotic than fortiflora could help with that aspect.

However, I don't think her age in itself would have an effect on her appetite, although if her sense of smell has somehow decreased, you're right that it could have an impact.

You might try some of the excellent ideas in this thread and see if something might help renew her interest;
https://thecatsite.com/threads/any-good-tips-to-get-your-cats-to-eat-share-them-here.396694/

 

[FeebysOwner]

As said above, antibiotics can mess up the digestive tract, especially the stomach - and alter the good bacteria in the gut, probably for longer than any of us realize. FortiFlora isn't much of a probiotic, so I doubt that had any effect one way or the other. I agree that it couldn't hurt to try another probiotic just to see if that might help any. Not all cats vomit or have diarrhea.

Some cats will be less than enthused with their food if the antibiotic has upset their system, as they blame the food for making them feel unwell not the antibiotic. Trying other foods - also as noted above - might help to 'jump-start' her eating more again. It might not hurt to ask the vet about giving her an appetite stimulant - mirtazapine or the transdermal version called mirataz. That can be given along with an anti-nausea med (like Cerenia, as you are doing, or ondansetron) just in case there is some level of nausea still going on.

I do have to ask about why she is getting sub-Q fluids. That would suggest dehydration and am wondering how that got started with her. Drinking more, and still being dehydrated, does sound a bit like a possible kidney issue. If I were you, I would ask for a copy of her blood work just to see where her numbers actually are. I have found many of the vets I have dealt with seem to think that unless the numbers are way out of range, then all is OK.