Food to entice cat with smell problem to eat?

[cat person]

I was informed of a few other VERY unhealthy things you could put on top of your cats food to encourage him to eat. This comes from a friend of mine who needed there cat with cancer to eat. Just so you know.

Anyway you can try: bacon, bacon grease, sausage, and sausage grease. I can say all my cats love the smell of bacon and either need to be put in a different room when it is cooked or be outside.

 

[ldg]

Well, any other suggestions?

I just might have to resort to trying liverwurst.

Haven't tried bacon yet. Really didn't want to. Don't have any. Also really not big on the idea of smoked meats....

Actually.... I might have some Fortiflora from last year. It made Chumley's diarrhea worse, but just a little may stimulate Laz's appetite. Let me go look (and see if it's still good).

 

[ldg]

I guess it would be better if the Fortiflora were out of date LOL. Then I wouldn't have to worry about how much to give, the probiotics would be dead. I started with a small amount... Lazlo did eventually respond to it, but it took 1/2 a packet.

BUT my holistic vet called earlier. Apparently she tried me last week and I didn't get the message. It must have either gotten zapped with the power problem OR one of the cats played back the messages on the machine.

Anyway, her thoughts on the situation (just for anyone reading the thread):

She does not agree with the "get him to eat at any cost" approach. Don't try things like liverwurst (has onions) or spam (nitrates) or bacon/bacon grease... especially bacon or bacon grease. For small amounts infrequently, that's one thing, but it can cause pancreatitis in cats.

Small amounts of tuna, fine, sardines (water, no bones, no salt), OK.... babyfood, obviously OK. But of course she prefers cat foods, heated up and/or with "toppings" (the freeze dried treats powdered up).

Try eggs, that'd be fine.

Start slow with the Fortiflora, see how his system reacts. But if it doesn't cause diarrhea, then if 1/2 a pack is what it takes to get him interested, then go ahead and use as much as it takes, as often as it takes.

 

[cat person]

Originally Posted by LDG

She does not agree with the "get him to eat at any cost" approach. Don't try things like liverwurst (has onions) or spam (nitrates) or bacon/bacon grease... especially bacon or bacon grease. For small amounts infrequently, that's one thing, but it can cause pancreatitis in cats.

Small amounts of tuna, fine, sardines (water, no bones, no salt), OK.... babyfood, obviously OK. But of course she prefers cat foods, heated up and/or with "toppings" (the freeze dried treats powdered up).

Try eggs, that'd be fine.

I asked a veterinarian I know very well and has both personal and professional experience with what you are going threw.

He said small amounts of bacon and bacon grease are fine. By small he means one or two strips in a twenty four hour period. As far as the grease goes he said one spoonful in a twenty four hour period is safe. He said the same for sausage.

He said the only way it is likely to cause pancreatits is if the animal is prone to it or is in that ill of health.

But he said to of course follow your veterinarians advice. He also said if your veterinarian would agree to it some liver it is a good idea possibly. For what it is worth all my cats love liver.

Now my cents are as follows, I always give each of my cats a few pieces of cooked bacon when I make it once a month. The same with the sausage except they get a cooked link each once a month. Also my Shadow and Loki (nutty domestic and hybrid exotic) have both eaten on way more then one occasion

, a pound or so of bacon each. They have also both eaten quite a few boxes of sausage raw. They both had no problems, but they where not medically impaired to start with. Just mentally impaired

Also some people, some vets, and I as a vet tech and pet own feel that if an animal has cancer let it eat something/what it wants. Some veterinarians and vet techs do not agree with having a sick cat eat at any cost.

Lastly my DLH Panda will be two years old in February. She has many medical issues and had extreme shyness (but no aggression) so she was given to me (or she would be put down). Well I find all different canned and dry food for her to eat each night (yes they are healthy and all) along with some treats and people food. I do not do this for any other cat. But I do it for her because I want her to enjoy her life. Just so you know I do not feed her a lot of food, but I make sure whatever food she is given she will enjoy.

Hope that made sense. If you need any clarification please let me know

. Also sorry for the book.

 

[melesine]

I've fed my kitties sardines packed in water, I found some Whole Foods, but I'm sure they have them other places. I fed them whole to mine, there is no reason they can't eat those bones. As someone that has had chemo and it ruined my taste buds during treatment I found that what tasted good changed so you might need to keep rotating and retrying because it might be accepted later.

Have you tried Wellness pouches? My kitties really love them as they are packed with broth. Personally I'd try some raw chicken, my cats completely freak out around it they love it so much. They come running when the dogs are fed their raw food.

 

[gailc]

I thought of liver sausage as well as Braunschweiger (or is this a wisconsin thing??)
You would have to check the ingredient list to see if onion is added.

 

[ldg]

I bought some Braunschweiger today.

I think it's a German thing.

But of course, it does have the onions.

I'm sure the small amount wouldn't be a problem, but.... he is already anemic.

But Gary loves it, so it's not going to waste.

And yes, the juice from wellness pounces he lapped up yesterday. Didn't want the rest of it though.

Melesine, thank you for that information about what tasted good changed.

I'm so sorry you had to go through it, and I hope you won't have to again.

Originally Posted by Cat Person

I asked a veterinarian I know very well and has both personal and professional experience with what you are going threw.

He said small amounts of bacon and bacon grease are fine. By small he means one or two strips in a twenty four hour period. As far as the grease goes he said one spoonful in a twenty four hour period is safe. He said the same for sausage.

He said the only way it is likely to cause pancreatits is if the animal is prone to it or is in that ill of health.

I suspect my vet had a much smaller amount in mind when she said small, LOL, but either way. The information wasn't out there, now it is.

Originally Posted by Cat Person

He also said if your veterinarian would agree to it some liver it is a good idea possibly. For what it is worth all my cats love liver.

That was the first thing she recommended. At first he really enjoyed it, both chicken and beef. Now the only way he likes it is freeze dried, and that only if powdered on his food, and even that's not something he's enjoying most of the time now.

Originally Posted by Cat Person

Also some people, some vets, and I as a vet tech and pet own feel that if an animal has cancer let it eat something/what it wants. Some veterinarians and vet techs do not agree with having a sick cat eat at any cost.

I'm in the camp of believing that an animal with a terminal illness should be given pretty much whatever he or she wants. But Lazlo, hopefully, isn't at "the end" yet, so I don't want to impair his chances of recovery or how impact how he feels with digestive issues on top of the chemo. His cancer is a mass in his stomach to begin with, and he's just recovered from bleeding ulcers.

However, right now, it's all pretty moot as he's just not enjoying food, period.

Originally Posted by Cat Person

Hope that made sense. If you need any clarification please let me know

. Also sorry for the book.

No need to apologize, I write lots of books as posts LOL. Made pleny of sense, thank you.