Hi, my cat is very hungry all the time for treats only. It's super frustrating. They're probably healthy enough for treats, but he can't live off them. I give him canned wet food and put 1-2 treats on top or mixed in. He wants one treat per bite! I've tried everything I can think of. Changing the food only helps for a little while. Giving a lot of treats actually makes it worse. Withholding treats doesn't work, he'll not eat at all. We've run a ton of medical tests and can't find anything medically wrong. I have an appetite stimulant and anti-nausea drug and they seem to be hit or miss. The appetite stimulant makes him hungry enough to want the food, but it gave him loose stool. I sit by him and pet him while he eats and I've tried different food bowls, I've tried burying the treat, but if it's too buried, he can't smell it. I work from home and have to feed him at least 3-4 times a day because the process is so time consuming and we only make a little progress each time. His weight goes up and down, but is mostly stable. He's 11 with no known medical issues at this time. Any suggestions?
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My cat only wants treats
- Thread starter macriley
- Start Date
Hi. For now, try crushing the treats and using them as a topper. Add more, if needed, as he eats through his meals. Most of the treats I buy are less than 2 calories per treat, so you'd have to be adding a whole lot of treats for it to add up to much on a daily basis.
What prompted the appetite stimulant and the anti-nausea meds if he has no known medical issues - and, if he is essentially maintaining his weight overall? Usually, these meds are not something that are given if there isn't evidence of health issues affecting a cat's appetite.
Also, what appetite stimulant - and how much - are you giving him that is causing loose stools? You said both this med and the anti-nausea meds are hit and miss? Can you explain more about this aspect?
What prompted the appetite stimulant and the anti-nausea meds if he has no known medical issues - and, if he is essentially maintaining his weight overall? Usually, these meds are not something that are given if there isn't evidence of health issues affecting a cat's appetite.
Also, what appetite stimulant - and how much - are you giving him that is causing loose stools? You said both this med and the anti-nausea meds are hit and miss? Can you explain more about this aspect?
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #3
Thanks, I will try crushing them. His weight fluctuates quite a bit, even though it's overall fairly steady. As I said, if I withhold the treats, he won't eat at all, so an appetite stimulant is not inappropriate. Recently, he barely ate at all for 3 days after being in a kennel for one day. Anti-nausea is also not inappropriate given these circs. I'm currently using half-dose of topical mirtazipine. When I say hit or miss, some days after using them (separately), he ate fantastically, but most days, I didn't notice a difference.
It does sound like something medicaly is going on. Has he had a full pannel done? (Including t4 and other optional) How is his urine?
Maybe get a second opinion. A cat will develop malnutrition eating nothing but treats.
Maybe get a second opinion. A cat will develop malnutrition eating nothing but treats.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #5
Yes, we've done a lot of medical tests. He does eat food, but it's a struggle.
