Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Management of anorexia in the cat.
- Journal:
- Journal of feline medicine and surgery
- Year:
- 2001
- Authors:
- Michel, K E
- Affiliation:
- Department of Clinical Studies-Philadelphia · United States
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
Many cat owners bring their pets to the vet because they notice their cat isn't eating normally, which is called anorexia (a lack of appetite). This can happen for various reasons, and understanding why a cat stops eating can be complicated. Factors like changes in the cat's environment, diet, or even how their body signals hunger can all play a role. It's crucial for veterinarians to identify the underlying issue and to monitor how the cat's reduced food intake might affect their health. Overall, addressing a cat's appetite is important not just for their health, but also for how owners perceive their pet's well-being.
Abstract
One of the most frequent motivations for seeking veterinary attention for a cat is when the owner recognises a loss of normal appetite in his pet. The medical term for a lack of appetite for food is 'anorexia', and it may be partial or complete. While anorexia is a common manifestation of disease, the mechanisms underlying decreased food intake are complex and not completely understood. The regulation of appetite involves interaction of external stimuli with signals from the gastrointestinal tract and central nervous system. Aberrations in any of the internal control systems for hunger and satiety, or changes in external factors such as diet or feeding environment, can result in partial or total anorexia. The challenge for the practitioner is not only to diagnose and treat the underlying condition, but to recognise at what point inadequate food intake has or will impinge on the patient's nutritional status to the extent that it might deleteriously affect clinical outcome. It is also important to bear in mind the significance that the patient's appetite and food intake has for the cat owner in his overall perception of his pet's condition and quality of life.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11716624/