What should I do?

Answer Anorexia is a serious symptom, particularly in older animals. It can be caused by a number of things: depression, anxiety, pancreatitis, an intestinal obstruction, or even a sore tooth. Some of these conditions are very treatable, particularly if you see your veterinarian right away.

Your veterinarian can perform blood and urine tests and a physical exam to determine what illness is keeping your cat from eating. He or she can also check whether your cat is dehydrated and whether she needs to be given fluids or nutrients through an IV (intravenous) or NG (nasogastric, passing through the nose into the stomach) tube. Again, this is a very serious problem. Be sure to see your veterinarian as soon as possible.

What do I do if my pet develops a food allergy?

Answer To determine whether your pet has a food allergy, you'll need to see your veterinarian. Once your pup is diagnosed with a food allergy, you can give him some relief by finding a diet that contains only "novel" food sources, for example things that your dog has never eaten and therefore probably hasn't developed an allergy to. The diet should also contain as few preservatives and additives as possible, to eliminate the possibility that the additives are causing the allergic reaction.

There are a wide range of diets that you and your veterinarian can evaluate together, ranging from prescription diets to homemade lamb and rice, catfish and potato, or even pinto beans and potato diets. The most important thing is that you and your veterinarian work together to find a healthy, balanced diet that will keep your dog itch-free and happy. It may take some patience it can take a long period of trying various food combinations to find the one that works for your dog.

How do I get my kitten to eat cat food when he prefers human food?

Question

My five-month-old, neutered, male kitten refuses to eat anything besides shredded turkey. I have tried everything to get him to eat normal cat food, including leaving him with no food at all for a long period of time. If he continues to refuse normal cat food, will this diet harm him over the course of his lifetime?

Answer

An exclusive diet of turkey over a long period of time will be harmful to your cat’s bones and general health. If you are having trouble converting him to cat food, you may try mixing cooked turkey with either canned or dry cat food for several weeks. Slowly reduce the amount of turkey until he is eating mostly cat food.

Cats are slow to convert to a new diet, but generally should adjust within one to two months. It is critical to slowly convert your cat to the new food. If you cat refuses to eat, complete withdrawal from food may induce liver disease in cats.

I have three cats.

How do I restrict food for one without restricting all the cats' food?

Question:
I have three indoor cats (two male and one female). My female cat was recently spayed and has since gained weight. They currently all eat together; how can I curb her weight without restricting food for the other two?

Answer:
Cats are more likely to gain weight after being spayed. They can become more inactive and easily put on weight.

The multi-cat household can also pose a feeding challenge. Like people, some cats can eat like racehorses and stay trim while others become overweight. So, you have to be creative with your feeding routine. While it is more natural for cats to nibble small amounts throughout the day, if you have some cats in the household that can't be fed free choice then you have to change your feeding routines.

Put your cats in separate rooms during feeding times and allow them a ration of food (check with your veterinarian for the proper amount) for a set amount of time, such as 30 minutes. Then pick up all the food until the next feeding. The advantage of doing this is so you can tailor each feeding to the specific cat.

Don't forget to try to engage your overweight cat in play activities as well. There are toys that cats can roll around and chase in the effort to get a food treat that are nice to have if you are gone all day.