Why won't my cat eat after rhinotracheitis, even with stimulants?

Its ok to syringe feed her as long as she isn't fighting you on it. If she's very resistant to this, do not continue to do it, as it could put her at risk for aspiration pneumonia (if she sucks food down into her trachea instead of swallowing it down her esophagus). You can use some saline nasal drops (available at any pharmacy) as this may help clear and break up some of the nasal congestion, just be certain that it is completely drug free and xylitol free--SALINE ONLY! You can also use a cool mist humidifier to help ease her congestion. As for the food, you are doing everything right. Keep warming up a little fresh food each time, you can try tuna juice on it as well, or roast (unseasoned) chicken. Chicken baby food is also sometimes a good choice for cats. Good luck with her! Thanks for asking Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Poor Sourpatch! You typically should start to see some improvement within 24-48 hours, but it can be longer based on the severity of the infection. He likely isn't using the litter box because he hasn't eaten or drank, so he has no need to pass anything. When cats have a respiratory infection, they can't smell their food. Smell is very important to cats, and they won't eat something if they can't smell it. To tempt him to eat, I would gently warm up really smelly wet food, such as sardine or fished based. That will get some moisture in him as well, and hopefully he will start eating soon. If he still isn't eating after trying this in another 24 hours, I would take him back into the vet.

An upper respiratory infection often involves nasal discharge or swelling of the mucous membranes which can then disable the sense of smell and then cats do not want to eat. One way of helping that is to 1) remove any discharge from the nose as often as possible with a moist tissue. 2) feed her fishy canned food, preferably pate style, and warm it up in the microwave. This will intensify the aroma of the food. Clavamox tastes not so good, and sometimes it can also make a cat not hungry. However, it is absolutely necessary that your kitty eats at least a little bit every day in order not to get a serious liver disease. Try to hand feed her, if she will not eat from the bowl. If she does not eat at all she will need to be seen by your vet for a recheck.

Yes, nasal discharge can reduce the perception of smells and therefore reduce the appetite. Try to clean the nose with a wet cloth and offer different type of food. Upper respiratory disease in cats are quite common and sometimes can resolve without treatment but if Trio isn't eating and is getting thinner means that he might need specific treatment and support. I would definetly consider to have him checked by your local vet. Please post again on the forum if you would like to discuss it further. I hope my answer was helpful.

Thanks for the question. It sounds like Gregory has finished 2 days of the medication that was prescribed by your veterinarian. I would recommend finishing the prescribed medication, and then going back in for a recheck if he isn't improving. At any time if Gregory is getting worse, then don't wait to finish the medication. Often, without more testing (lab tests and x-rays) we don't know exactly what we are treating for. If Gregory is not improving, your veterinarian may recommend more testing to try and find a cause for his symptoms. I'm glad he is doing a little better so far, and I hope his appetite improves.

I recommend finishing out his liquid antibiotic via oral syringe if you haven’t already. If he is still eating his dry food, then I wouldn’t worry too much about him avoiding canned food for now. You can try putting a very small amount of canned food in his mouth every few days after to show him that the food no longer has a medicinal taste. With patience and time he may start eating canned food on his own again. If he is not eating at all ( including dry food), then I recommend bringing him in to see your veterinarian as complete inappetance for more than 2 days in cats can lead to a very serious condition called hepatic lipidosis. If he is not eating at all, your vet may do additional diagnostics and/or recommend anti-nausea medications and/or appetite stimulants. Good luck!

Leo may not be eating because he can't smell is food. When cats can't smell their food, they won't eat. Try gently warming really smelly wet food like sardine or fish based. If he eats that, then add the lysine to it. Also try bringing him into the bathroom when you take a shower or putting him in a room with a humidifier. The steam may help his congestion. If he really starts having trouble breathing, take him into a vet immediately. Best of luck.