Suri Not Eating?

DeputyMP24 · **Joined:** Fri Sep 18, 2015 1:31 pm **Posts:** 212

Suri has decided she doesnt want to eat. Nevermind she has (had?) an awesome diet of 100% rabbit or buffalo, bites of raw beef, along with 24/7 access to Blue Buffalo Indoor Freedom dry food. She kinda sorta picks at the dry food throughout the day, but is absolutely rejecting everything else...even raw beef. She used to LOVE her raw bites and wet foods. This has been going on for 2-3 weeks. I reported this at a vet visit last Monday, but because she (kinda) eats dry food the vet wasnt concerned. No other issues or changes in behavior have been noted. Shes now 6 months old, but only weighs 4 lbs. She just doesnt eat!! Do I just let her be weird and picky? Im sick of washing her really expensive wet foods down the drain, so Im not even offering it anymore.

Suggestions?

CMYKjill · **Joined:** Tue Sep 23, 2014 6:38 pm **Posts:** 1838

Wow, that's a tough one. Is she the only cat in the house? I had an only cat before and she was not a good eater. She picked at her food and refused all sorts of good food I bought. She only liked one variety of Fancy Feast (junk food) and was very thin. Now I have 2 cats and they are in an eating competition every day! They live for food. They gobble theirs down and then circle me while I am eating.

brianj12 · **Posted:** Thu Jan 07, 2016 4:47 pm

Cats often get pickier with age, but she is far too young to be so picky, and she needs to eat a lot to fuel the additional growing that she needs to do.

One thing that can happen is that if a cat is having trouble smelling her food, then it becomes in-palatable for them. How is her activity level? Is there any snifling or coughing? Any discharge from eyes or nose? One thing you can try is to try some fish flavored foods. They tend to have a stronger smell. You can also heat the wet food that you give her in the microwave for like 10s, not enough to make the food hot, but just enough to bring out a little more smell.

I don't think at this point, just accepting her pickiness is an option. You need to try things and discover what is going on, and find something she will eat with enthusiasm and/or try to clear up the underlying problem. If her lack of appetite corresponds with a reduction in activity level then you definitely have a problem.

What exactly is her behavior when you serve food? Does she show no interest in even coming over and checking it out? Does she show a bunch of initial enthusiasm, then smell it and lose interest? Does she take a bite or two, then decide she doesn't want more? If it's the latter, then it could be some sort of dental issue.

Sherry · **Joined:** Thu May 23, 2013 2:21 pm **Posts:** 9217

I have been there, Deputy! When I got Raiden, he refused to eat 95% of what my previous kitty (who disappeared and I had cases of cat food that he liked -- mainly seafood). It took me a long while to discover Raiden does not like seafood at all. And the previous cat loved it! I tossed most of it to the raccoons. However, it is super important that Suri eat! Now if I want to try something new, I purchase one can! Try it and see how it goes! Just as children can be picky eaters, so can cats. But, a cat must eat. Your vet should be concerned. Suri needs lots of calories and her appetite should be increasing as she grows. Cats who do not eat enough -- 48 hours is the max and the liver starts to break down fat which can be fatal to the cat. Find something that she loves eating again! There are sos appetite stimulants that you can put on the food to help the cat eat. Don't let this go on too much longer. She needs to be gaining weight.

Tabitha · **Joined:** Sun Feb 02, 2014 8:11 pm **Posts:** 1196

My two were a nightmare for suddenly deciding they didn't like their food anymore, usually when I'd just stock piled as they'd been gobbling it up previously. The local animal shelter did very well out of it!

We gradually realised that fish is not of interest at all and they don't like anything in jelly but love cat food with gravy or sauce. And only chicken or turkey is of any interest.

It took well over a year to get to where we are now and they've been eating the food they get now for about a year.

So now I've said that, they'll probably go off everything I've just bulk ordered for them :lol:

DeputyMP24 · **Joined:** Fri Sep 18, 2015 1:31 pm **Posts:** 212

Hrm...she is the only cat in the house. There has been no change in activity levels, no sniffling, sneezing, goopy nose/eyes, etc. Ive been warming her wet food since the day she came home. No changes in stool quantity or quality, and she no internal parasites. She HATES anything fish....wont go anywhere near it. She USED to be super duper excited about her wet foods...even coming in and waking me up at almost exactly 7 for her breakfast. Now, she could care less. She still comes running when I call but will sniff whatever was put down (even raw beef!) and simply walk away. Little turd. She seems to still enjoy the Blue Buffalo dry food, even though all she does is pick at it. (Shes ALWAYS picked at it)

I really want to avoid any of the "junk" wet foods and stick to limited ingredient foods. I just ordered another flavor that she has previously enjoyed....hopefully she eats it.

Sherry · **Joined:** Thu May 23, 2013 2:21 pm **Posts:** 9217

Good luck! Thankfully, I still have the neighbor's cat that I take care of and feed and he's not particular about anything that he eats, so if Raiden turns his nose up at something, I just give the bowl to Long Legs and he devours it! Hopefully, Suri will get back to eating fine soon.

Suri Not Eating?

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