What should I do if my
dog or cat has lost its appetite?
- If you are using wet food try warming the food to body temperature.
- Offer tasty foods, such as paediatric foods.
- Specialist veterinary diets are available. These diets are extremely palatable and highly digestible.
- Provide small frequent meals and remove the bowl between feeds.
- If you have a strong relationship with your pet, try hand feeding them.
- Smearing a small amount of food onto their paw, or directly onto their gum may help stimulate their hunger.
- Use china, shallow bowls. This is especially important for cats as they don’t like their whiskers to touch the side of their bowl.
Cats
Switching a kitten to adult food or an older cat onto mature food is best done by a process of gradual transition.
Getting the timing right
Kittens should be switched onto adult cat food at 12 months of age. This should ensure they are receiving the proper nutrients for an adult cat.
Cats who are 7 years or older, should be switched onto a mature adult, or senior cat food. This too should ensure they are receiving the appropriate levels of nutrients for the older life stage.
Pregnant, and nursing cats should be transitioned onto a kitten diet. They need energy-dense foods to ensure they are getting the correct nutrients.
How to transition your cat’s food
Gradually decrease the amount of your cat’s current food, while increasing the amount of the new cat food. Continue to do this over a 7-day period.
There will be fewer digestive issues and better acceptance of the new cat food if you do this transition slowly.
For older cats, or cats with health conditions, the transition should be done much slower, over 10-14 days.
Cat Feeding Tips
- Provide privacy, and a quiet eating area away from loud noises and other pets
- Cats should be fed away from where they drink, rest, and toilet
- If you want to hand-feed your cat, the person offering the food will need to have a good relationship with them
- If the cat food has been refrigerated it will need to be warmed to room temperature before feeding
- Stir thoroughly to distribute “hot spots” that occur during microwave warming. If it’s too warm to touch, it’s too warm to feed
- Cats prefer to be fed from a flat dish, or shallow bowl. They don’t like their whiskers to brush against the side of a dish.
Contact Brookmead Veterinary Surgery in Cranleigh for help with caring for your cat.
Dogs
How to transition your dog’s food
Gradually decrease the amount of your dogs current food, while increasing the amount of new dog food. Continue to do this over a 7-day period.
There will be fewer digestive issues and better acceptance of the new dog food if you do this transition slowly.
Kittens should be switched onto adult cat food at 12 months of age. This should ensure they are receiving the proper nutrients for an adult cat.
Cats who are 7 years or older, should be switched onto a mature adult, or senior cat food. This too should ensure they are receiving the appropriate levels of nutrients for the older life stage.
Pregnant, and nursing cats should be transitioned onto a kitten diet. They need energy-dense foods to ensure they are getting the correct nutrients.
Special times to transition your dog’s food
Gradually decrease the amount of your cat’s current food, while increasing the amount of the new cat food. Continue to do this over a 7-day period.
There will be fewer digestive issues and better acceptance of the new cat food if you do this transition slowly.
For older cats, or cats with health conditions, the transition should be done much slower, over 10-14 days.
Other Veterinary Services
Nurse clinic
From health assessments to weight management and bandage care,
our nurse clinics provide specialist help and advice about a wide range of
pet care topics.
Puppy Parties
Our Puppy parties are a very popular activity at our veterinary practice! They are designed to provide valuable socialisation and education experiences for your puppy.
Alternative Treatments
Homeopathy has been used with animals for at least 190 years. Veterinary homeopathy is often called upon when all other conventional options have been exhausted.