Why doesn't my cat want to eat sometimes?

Paris is so on Lantus, but some days she just doesn't want to eat. This usually happens in the day and then her blood sugar drops real low. Then all of a sudden in the evening she starts to eat. This is so frustrating. Does anyone else have this problem?? It causes her numbers to bounce all over the place. Overall she is doing much better on the Lantus vs the vetsulin.
Now let's talk about food. Paris eats fancy feast gravy lovers chicken. Mostly she just likes to lick the gravy. I also leave out all the time young again mature zero. On bad days I will go to McDonald's and get her chicken nuggets and peel the breading off or to Chinese and get chicken fried rice and pick the chicken out. I have read all the sticky's about getting your cat to eat. Well none of it works for me. Paris only likes chicken period. I've tried pate, mixing pate with gravy lovers, fortiflora, putting chicken on top of food thinking she will try it. Sometimes I leave out 5 different things hoping she will eat at least one of them. It doesn't work for me. I have thrown so much money in the trash trying every thing I can. I do my best but at this point this is all she will eat right now.

 

Since she likes the cooked chicken, have you thought about feeding her a homemade diet? @Woodsywife has started feeding Smokey this and can give you the details on supplements, etc.

 

I would be interested in finding out more about this. I'm just afraid if I add anything to the chicken she may not eat it. She's very picky

 

My cat Babu acts very similar he is on Lantus also only he is into canned tuna (in water) I've managed to get him to eat instinct (nature's variety) but not entirely some days he would only accept tuna.

I hope Paris accept home cooked chicken Babu didn't

 

Maybe @Woodsywife didn't get my tag, so I'll try again.

 

we throw out so much food it is insane! If mine would eat chicken that is what they would get as it is better than many of the prepared foods but I would try to get some canned (quality food) to make sure they get all the kitty nutrients... the food battle is exhausting

 

So exasperating! I've tried chicken, beef, turkey and he won't eat them !! ( I guess he thinks I'm a terrible cook) so I went for canned food ( not much choices where I live ) and depending on his mood he may accept it.

I'm not trilled that he eats the tuna but giving the circumstances I can't afford him no eating.

He also likes comercial cold meat breast turkey does anyone knows how good or bad it is for him,?

I've looked at the ingredients and they don't look so bad no so many calories but it does say it contains sugar

 

Mine refuse my cooking too !
I don't know about the meat or why it would have sugar in it ?
Bump for more experienced eyes on food

 

Have you researched nausea? Have you or your vet brought up the possibility of nausea?

I see from your spreadsheet that she vomits clear water. Vomiting clear (possibly frothy) water, eating only gravy, and being very picky about food are classic signs of nausea.

How is her hydration level? You can assess this by doing a skin turgor test and looking at the color and wetness of her gums.

My cat Peanut did many of the same things (and more!) due to nausea from his renal failure. He ate Fancy Feast classic chicken and turkey & giblets flavors most consistently, even during "bad days" where he regurgitated. Pepcid helped with his nausea, but switching him to a renal failure diet (Purina NF) has helped treat his nausea the most. It took me a solid 6 weeks to get him to eating mostly Purina NF, but I'm very glad I kept up with it.

What will best treat your cat's nausea depends on what is causing it, but essentially all nausea will benefit from small, frequent, scheduled meals. My Peanut also benefits from having his food pureed with water in a food processor until it's a uniform mixture, similar to a loose pudding or slurry.

Edit: I see the medicine mirtazapine is an appetite stimulant. An appetite stimulant may have no effect or even adverse effects on eating if the underlying nausea is not addressed concurrently. This medicine is mentioned a few times on the nausea page I linked above, please read the warnings about it carefully.

 

if it is nausea ondansetron (zofran) is amazing! My Rico has kidney issues and he gets it 2x a day it works wonders!
He is 12-13 pounds and gets 2mg each dose-
Also I am not sure the age of your kitty but if your kitty is a senior is is hard to test for hydration as many older cats skin will "tent" regardless of hydration-Rico tents before and after his fluids are given. His gums are both slick and tacky--which is part f his plot to drive me completely insane!
Dre also gets fluids but no signs of nausea just a fuss butt!

 

That's very interesting and frustrating. How do you assess Rico's hydration level?

 

Well since I have been giving her the denamarin every night again(liver supplement) she appears to no longer throw up. We have had several good days now. Seems her sugar is running a bit higher. Also over the last 3 days she no longer will eat the fancy feast gravy lovers chicken. She appears to only be eating the young again mature zero.

 

She is hydrated she drinks a ton of water still

 

The only true way is from blood work. I can also tell by his behavior and mood.

 

Yet another benefit of secondary monitoring.

I find keeping a daily, brief journal invaluable in learning how to 'listen' better and spot patterns in behaviour.


Mogs
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Maybe you need another cat to eat the leftovers. It seems such a waste to throw away food. With my 4 cats and 2 dogs, a dropped scrap of food is gone before it reaches the floor

 

I have 1 other but he is not food motivated... they are 16 and 17 years so the outside cats get as much as I can get them to eat.
It is frustrating and expensive!