Cat lacking consistent appetite

[GraceLikeRain]

I’d love thoughts on what I can recommend back to my friend. Here’s what I know:
6 year old spayed DSH
Same house since kittenhood
Flighty disposition and finicky eater
Many rounds of pristine bloodwork up through a month ago
Recent uneventful dental
GI issues with rapid food changes

She’s been slowly becoming more picky, eating less, and seeming apathetic towards food. Same level of apathy to dry and wet. Changing up foods helps with interest but then triggers her stomach. Multiple probiotics, nutrical, and food toppers have been tried without much success.

Her weight is at least 25% less than ideal and dropping. One idea thrown out by the vet was to try an IBD diet in case she’s low grade but sensitive. Those diets don’t tend to be overly palatable from my understanding so even getting her to eat it is a concern.

Open to thoughts and suggestions.

[Simkie]

Have you tried pepcid?

[shiloh]

Pepcid for sure. Also mirtazepine or any other appetite stimulant.

There are a lot of different foods out there now that may tempt kitty to eat and are highly palatable. Try the Tiki Velvet mousses, Core Tiny Tasters - those are all that I can think of now. I have Miss Finicky eater/don’t feel so hot at my house and those went over quite well.

Good luck - hope kitty feels better soon.

[MunchingonHay]

When ever my cats or dogs turn up their noses to foods, I pull out the big guns… chicken hearts. Everyone loves them. This is a quick fix but at least they can try to get some calories in to the cat.

I hope your friends kitty feels better soon, I always have the opposite problem; over eaters.

VITAL ESSENTIALS Chicken Hearts Freeze-Dried Raw Dog Treats, 1.9-oz bag -...

[Larbear]

Given the vet is suggesting an IBD diet and kitty has been sensitive/ finicky to different foods, I would be suspecting IBD and lymphoma. Assuming things like hyperT and pancreatitis have been ruled out. The rare kitty can have a loss of appetite with hyperT (was my experience with my late kitty).

My current boy 4 years ago started displaying pica again (something he hadn’t done since a kitten). He was already on a raw diet since I adopted him and loved his raw mice. He was a total chow hound and his appetite suddenly tanked. He was diagnosed shortly after with scl.

Edited to add: I realize this is an older thread from Sept but figured this might be useful.

[MunchingonHay]

Thank you for pointing the age of this thread out Larbear. It was at the top of my posts list.

I hope the OP’s kitty is doing well. And I am sorry to hear about your pica boy.

[Larbear]

Once he started on the meds for scl his pica stopped thankfully! His appetite improved as well though he does have his days where he’s kinda meh about eating but overall better. I know it can be risky but I made the decision to keep him on the raw diet (does better on it) and he loves mice. I figure at this point he can eat what he wants and if he enjoys his mice then he can have them