Loss of appetite is termed anorexia, different from the self image disorder in people termed anorexia nervosa.  If your kitty has a couple of  “off” days, it is generally not a big problem as long as she maintains her hydration by drinking normally.  Try offering some canned food, along with giving your kitty a quiet place to eat not around the other household pets.  However, pet owners should seek veterinary attention soon if any another signs of illness occur such as vomiting, diarrhea, or lethargy.  The anorexia continues into the 3^rd day.  Pets with a poor appetite may be ill, and if you wait until the appetite is completely gone it may be too late for recovery.  This is particularly true for cats.  As appetite fades, the pet must depend on stored fat for nutrients.  When large amounts of fats are mobilized to meet energy demands, they must be processed by the liver before being used for calories.  The feline liver is not designed to handle large amounts of fat and will fail due to a condition called feline hepatic lipidosis.

            Your veterinarian needs to examine your cat and may recommend diagnostic testing to help identify the cause of the anorexia.  Medications may also be prescribed that might be helpful in stimulating the appetite. Cyproheptadine and mirtazapine are two of the most popular medications.

            There is absolutely no reason to stand around and watch your cat fail to eat.  If necessary, calories can be provided by syringe feeding to some cats. This can be messy especially if the pet is uncooperative and some sort of paper towel or cloth bib is probably a good idea. Be sure to ask your veterinarian what kind and how much of the food you are supposed to feed.

If this method is not working, your veterinarian may suggest hospitalizing your kitty to place a feeding tube, a procedure requiring brief anesthesia.  Feeding tubes are the least stressful method of delivering nutrition by the pet owner at home.  The most popular and easiest to manage tubes are those placed directly into the esophagus (E-tube) through which a blenderized diet or a prescription diet can be administered.  Feeding through an E-tube does not require fussing with the cat’s face and allows her to also eat food normally when she is interested.  These tubes also serve as an easy method of administering medications.  A light bandage is placed and changed approximately once weekly.  When the cat is fully recovered and eating normally, usually in 2 to 3 weeks, the tube can be pulled and the hole seals up.  Feeding tubes are very often highly successful in speeding pets to recovery.

            Remember, nutritional support is essential to proper recovery from whatever disorder may have caused anorexia, and to make sure the pet does not suffer extra debilitation from malnourishment.  If you think your pet has a problem with inadequate appetite, do not wait until the problem is extreme; see your veterinarian for a proper evaluation promptly.  A Feline Assisted-Feeding Newsgroup is available and can be joined by going to: http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/Feline-Assisted-Feeding/

Mary Ann Crawford, DVM, DACVIM (Internal Medicine)

Dr. Crawford received her veterinary degree at the Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 1978. Dr. Crawford is board certified by the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine. She has been board certified in internal medicine since 1985 and joined the Oradell Animal Hospital staff in 1986. Dr. Crawford was Professor and Head of the Medicine Department at Louisiana State University College of Veterinary Medicine before coming to Oradell Animal Hospital. She is also a past president of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine and a past president of the Northern New Jersey Veterinary Medical Association. Dr. Crawford was awarded "Distinguished Alumnus" from The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 1995 and in 2004 "Outstanding Alumnus" from the Animal Medical Center in New York City. She is also the recipient of the 1997 Friskies Pet Care Award for Feline Medicine and Nutrition given for outstanding clinical research in the area of feline hepatic lipidosis. Dr. Crawford is involved in a number of clinical research projects and acts as a consultant for Antech Diagnostic Laboratories. In her free time she spends time with her family and enjoys biking and swimming.

Q:  “Does my pet need vitamins or supplements?” 

A:  Healthy dogs and cats have a requirement for various nutrients such as protein, essential fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals such as calcium.  Dogs and cats have different dietary requirements than humans. For example, dogs and cats have a higher protein requirement compared to humans, and cats have some very unique requirements such as a dietary requirement for the amino acid taurine.  Nutrients must be present in the diet above the minimal requirement to prevent a deficiency but certain nutrients can cause medical problems if provided in excess.  More detail about your pet’s nutritional needs can be found on the National Research Council’s website for dog owners (http://dels-old.nas.edu/banr/dogs.html) or for cat owners (http://dels.old.nas.edu/banr/cats.html). Healthy pets on a properly formulated diet (either a commercial pet food or a home prepared diet formulated by a veterinary nutritionist) do not require additional vitamin or mineral supplementation. Your veterinarian can advise you on selecting an appropriate diet for you pet.  Please let your veterinarian know if you are giving your pet any additional vitamins or dietary supplements.  Pets with certain medical conditions may benefit from certain specific supplements in specific amounts, but this should be discussed with your veterinarian to ensure the supplement is safe, effective, and not potentially harmful to your dog or cat.  Many owners are interested in providing dietary supplements such as glucosamine, chondroitin or omega-3 fatty acids.  Several websites geared to human dietary supplements such the National Institute of Health Office of Dietary Supplements (http://ods.od.nih.gov/) provide useful information including “how to evaluate information on the internet”. These sites are only a starting point to provide you with some background information. It is critical to remember some sites discuss supplements used for human health which may not help or can potentially harm your pet, so always discuss any specific products with your veterinarian before giving them to your pet.

Laura Eirmann, DVM, Diplomate ACVN (Nutrition)

Dr. Eirmann graduated from Cornell University School of Veterinary Medicine and completed an internship at the Animal Medical Center in New York City. She then practiced at Cornell University Companion Animal Hospital where she focused on preventative medicine and routine healthcare. She joined the general medicine staff at Oradell Animal Hospital in 1998 and developed a strong interest in veterinary nutrition. She completed a residency in clinical nutrition under the supervision of veterinary nutritionists at University of Pennsylvania, Tufts University, and Angell Memorial Animal Hospital and became a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Nutrition. She is responsible for overseeing the nutritional support of hospitalized patients at Oradell, consults with Oradell clinicians regarding the nutritional needs of their patients, and provides out patient consultation appointments for clients seeking dietary recommendatons for their healthy or ill pets. Dr. Eirmann also works for Nestle Purina in addition to her part-time clinical appointments at Oradell Animal Hospital. Dr. Eirmann enjoys cooking, hiking and playing with her golden retriever Sprocket.