Anorexia in Cats ...

[MysticTree]

a friend has a cat that is refusing to eat. The cat isn't on a raw diet (nor is the friend) but I wondered if anyone has any raw ideas to help the cat regain an appetite. It's not a case of the cat not being hungry. She's starving herself and losing weight fast

Georgina

[lafsalot]

Has the cat been seen by a vet? ~ Cathy

[MysticTree]

Yes. Blood tests say nothing wrong "just" nervous loss of appetite. Cat has been on a drip to rehydrate but eating nothing without being syringed into mouth

Georgina

[SmilingRawDancer]

My kitty stopped eating too, but she had severe liver failure and was on the verge of death...
I'll pray for your friends cat. I'd spoil her with fresh tuna and perhaps the smell of that will motivate her...but I bet your friend has already tried alot
Good luck!

[MysticTree]

My friend is at her wits end. Luckily she has a lot of suport on our cat forum and we are all doing what we can. The cat did it once before and we think it's psycological but she's older now and less able to go long times without eating or drinking It's almost as if she's forgotten how to or that eating is a process she recognises. Thanks for thinking of her. She's called Hetty.

Georgina

[strangeseraph]

As someone who has volunteered at a cat shelter, I had to force feed a cat for a week or two, and it was horrible seeing the poor thing get weaker and weaker.

Tell your friend to give her(his?) cat lots of love and attention, make him feel worthwhile, and always have food and water fresh available. She/he could also put some of the cat foot on her finger and hold it under the cats nose to taste.

Another posibility. Could the cat be losing its sense of smell? If a cat can't smell its food it might not understand that the mushy stuff in the bowl is edible.

Good luck!

[MysticTree]

She thinks it's depression but no idea why.

Georgina

[juliebove]

Cats can be very finicky. If they don't like their food, they won't eat it. She might have to try several kinds of foods or even treats. She might try feeding the cat small amounts from a spoon. My cat loves eating from a spoon. Some of her favorite foods are mashed potatoes or cottage cheese. She doesn't get them very often any more. Actually no cottage cheese. I don't buy it.

[meancat]

Hi there

Seraph has a point about the cat not being able to smell the food. Try microwaving a little wet food to make it nice and smelly (don't make it hot just warm it a little) Also-check her teeth--if she has bad teeth and they hurt when she eats, she won't eat.
Wishing her the best--I would be beside myself if it was my kitty

meancat

[portiz]

No suggestions...just wishing and praying for the cat to get better...
~~((~(good vibes)~))~~

[salsababy]

I would definately research this!!!! My parents cat stopped eating and the vet said that if cats go even a couple days without food, they can get this disease that is fatal (I'm not sure if it is fatty liver diease or not). Well, my parents cat died last year.

I just lost a cat a couple weeks ago. She was 4 years old. Stopped eating and drinking. Didn't realize it right away because she shares with my other cat. But then she kept hiding under stuff and even though I force fed her trying to help her, the vet said she was too far gone at that point- that without the food (and mainly the water!!!) her body was breaking down on her. It was very sad and I felt extremely guilty that I didn't notice for a few days that she wasn't eating or drinking.

[salsababy]

Oh yeah, I just realized that the cat I lost is in the one in my avator. Sad.

[Zuri]

This thread was started a while ago, but has the owner of the cat that isn't eating thought about getting an animal reading? www.animalvoices.net

[brydee]

Raw prawns have done the trick with mine before, if that doesnt work i would google James French, he does alot of work with animals when they are depressed and unexplainable problems that need fixing fast,.If your friend believes in that kind of thing.
Best of luck:)