Civvie having problems

[Squalliesmom]

HERE is the link to my previous thread about my civvie Vinnie.

He has been on ABs and has only had one coughing spell, that I am aware of, and has only sneezed once, too. That's good, right? But I think maybe he cannot smell! He has lost weight, and is always a skittish eater - if anyone moves through the room or the other cats come near, he will leave his dish and frequently not come back to it. However, he is always hungry, he's the first one into the kitchen at mealtime, and he's very vocal about telling me all about it, too! But I have been trying to give him his pills in Pill Pockets, and have found that he doesn't eat them - he barely even sniffs them. So I tried another type of treat that I can stash a pill in - same reaction. Today he wouldn't eat his lunch at all, looked at the dish and walked away like it was empty. I tried several times, sticking it right under his nose, but he acts like it isn't even there. Then it clicked: he can't smell it!I finally sat down with him on my bed and crumbled some Pure Bites over his food; as soon as he saw me do that he was all over that dish, ate it all up. But without that visual of me actually adding something to it I don't think he would have eaten any of it.

Does anybody have experience with a cat losing it's sense of smell? Why would this happen? He is not congested. Any thoughts or ideas would be welcome! Thanks!

 

[Lillie]

Could the AB's be causing his lack of interest in regular food? I've noticed with my cat Leo that if he is nauseous his behavior would be to go to the food bowl, take a slight sniff, and walk away. If it were something strong in odor like Pure Bites Duck he would have more of an interest. Usually when they walk away from a food even if they haven't eaten for a while it means they may be nauseous. I've never heard of a cat losing his sense of smell but I suppose it's possible.

 

[tiffmaxee]

The antibiotics definitely can effect appetite.

 

[Squalliesmom]

Could the AB's be causing his lack of interest in regular food? I've noticed with my cat Leo that if he is nauseous his behavior would be to go to the food bowl, take a slight sniff, and walk away. If it were something strong in odor like Pure Bites Duck he would have more of an interest. Usually when they walk away from a food even if they haven't eaten for a while it means they may be nauseous. I've never heard of a cat losing his sense of smell but I suppose it's possible.

The antibiotics definitely can effect appetite.

That was my first though, that the ABs had made him nauseated, but he doesn't act or seem nauseated, and once he realized it was food he ate the whole thing. He was definitely hungry, he really scarfed it down.

 

[Sharon14]

I have a couple cats that look at the food when I put it down and will walk away. But if I put some on their nose and they lick it off they'll eat. Don't know if that's a smell thing or they're just being cats... I don't think mine are nauseated because they're perfectly normal otherwise and often run out to the barn where there is dry food

ETA Lucy you keep changing your avatar, and every new one is even cuter than the last!

 

[Lillie]

Maybe he's tired of his regular food. Have you tried a different kind?

 

[Squalliesmom]

I have a couple cats that look at the food when I put it down and will walk away. But if I put some on their nose and they lick it off they'll eat. Don't know if that's a smell thing or they're just being cats... I don't think mine are nauseated because they're perfectly normal otherwise and often run out to the barn where there is dry food

ETA Lucy you keep changing your avatar, and every new one is even cuter than the last!

Thanks, Sharon! Vinnie just acts like he doesn't realize it's food, even if I dab a bit on his nose. I just don't get it.

My phone is filled with pictures of my cats, lol, I could probably post a new one every day and still have some left over! I like this one because his face is so expressive, I think, but I wish it wasn't so dark. Oh well, I'll probably change it again soon...