appetite

Question
Any suggestions for getting a cat eating again? Vet says plump her up, but she doesn't seem interested in any canned foods I have tried or the chicken I cooked up for her.

Thanks for your time!

Answer
Hi Kevin.  Chicken is really the biggest weapon in my arsenal, so if you're not having luck with that, I'm not sure what else to recommend.  Your vet might carry a food such as Hill's a/d or Royal Canin's Recovery, which both have very tempting aromas.  My cats also like some of the ocean fish flavors of Fancy Feast and Sheba Premium cuts if you haven't tried these.  

I would imagine such a lack of appetite has been brought on by a medical condition?  Your vet might be willing to administer an appetite stimulant.  There's a medication called cyproheptadine that often works, or if not, valium will sometimes make a cat hungrier than it will sleepy.  If the condition warrants it, some vets will administer an anabolic steroid called stanozolol.  They feel it may boost appetite.  And some people have luck giving their kitties some fresh or dry catnip to encourage appetite.