If your cat is turning up her nose at meals, here are some possible reasons why

Andrews McMeel Syndication

Cats have a reputation for being finicky, don’t they? A whole advertising campaign was built around Morris the finicky cat. There’s no denying that some cats can be picky about what they eat, but it’s not always because they’re being demanding. Changes in appetite can vary by season or be related to illness.

If you’ve noticed that your cat eats less during summer and more as cold weather starts to set in, well, science backs up your observation. A study published in April 2014 in the journal PLOS ONE looked at 38 cats in the south of France over a four-year period. The cats had free access to food, and researchers observed that the cats ate least between June and August and most between October and February. In spring and early fall, the amount they ate fell somewhere between those extremes.

Changes in daylight and temperature trigger hormonal changes in mammals, altering their metabolism and influencing how much they eat. When it’s hot out, many of us are less active and don’t feel like eating as much. That may well be true for cats, too. As long as they maintain normal weight, they’re probably doing just fine.

Feline taste buds may also be in play. We know that cats have a genetic mutation making them indifferent to foods that taste sweet, presumably because their status as obligate carnivores means they have no need to seek out plant-based sugars. Researchers hypothesized that cats also would have no need for bitter receptors.

What they discovered, though, is that cats have at least seven functional bitter receptors, according to a study published in PLOS ONE in 2015. Those receptors might function to alert cats to bitter compounds in prey -- such as bile acids or skin secretions -- that should be avoided. The researchers suggested that commercial cat foods and veterinary medicines might contain bitter compounds that at least some cats find off-putting. The knowledge may help cat food manufacturers and pharmaceutical companies create foods and medications that are more palatable to cats.

If your cat isn’t eating, you might think, “Well, she’ll eat when she’s hungry.”

Don’t do that!

Just two or three days of not eating can cause cats to develop a potentially deadly liver disease called hepatic lipidosis. Any cat can develop it, but cats who are overweight or stressed are at higher risk. It’s often seen when cats are refusing to eat because of a change in diet, moving to a new home, being boarded or some other stressful situation.

Cats with hepatic lipidosis, also known as fatty liver disease, show signs such as dramatic weight loss, dehydration, lethargy, vomiting and jaundice -- a yellowish appearance of gums, eyes, and ear and skin tissue. Blood work indicates liver abnormalities and often a deficiency of vitamin K, causing a tendency to bleed easily. Your veterinarian may recommend an abdominal ultrasound to see if other organs such as the kidneys, pancreas or gallbladder are affected.

Without treatment to correct nutrient, fluid and electrolyte levels and reset metabolism, cats can go into liver failure. Sometimes offering some stinky canned food is enough to get them to eat, but in other cases, a temporary feeding tube may be necessary to get nutrition into your kitty and ensure that he doesn’t develop an aversion to eating. When begun early, treatment for HL is usually successful, and the condition rarely recurs.

The takeaway? Any time you notice changes in your cat’s appetite, complete appetite loss, or sudden weight loss or weight gain, take him to the veterinarian for a checkup.

Q&A

Toy joy

for parrots

Q: I just got a yellow-naped Amazon parrot. What are some good toys for him?

A: Parrots are so bright and quick! Toys are a wonderful way to stimulate their highly intelligent brains, give appropriate physical exercise and keep boredom at bay, reducing the risk of health and behavior problems.

Appropriate toys encourage and facilitate natural bird behaviors such as exploring, taking things apart and foraging. Climbing, swinging and perching are important elements of play for parrots. Flexible rope perches are good for climbing, chewing and foot workouts.

Look for puzzle toys that hold food pellets, nuts or treats and require your bird to manipulate pieces to get at the goodies. Known as foraging, this is natural bird behavior and should be encouraged.

Other toys are made with shreddable fibers, paper and other materials your bird can pick apart as if he were foraging for nesting material or investigating a natural environment. Don’t think of these toys as a waste of money if your bird destroys them in a day; they offer foot and beak exercise and physical and mental stimulation. More important, they discourage unwanted destructive behavior and fulfill your bird’s normal needs.

Birds are attracted by movement, bright colors, unusual textures and interesting shapes. Look for toys that twirl, are shiny, can be chewed or make fun noises.

You can make toys from things you have around the house. Finished with that newspaper? Place it at the top of your bird’s cage so the pages fall through the bars and let your Amazon shred it. Birds love to demolish cardboard boxes. Choose one of an appropriate size and let him go to town on it.

Offer several types of toys, and rotate a couple out every week so your bird always has something different to tease his birdie brain. -- Dr. Marty Becker and Mikkel Becker

Do you have a pet question? Send it to askpetconnection@gmail.com or visit Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker.

THE BUZZ

Quiz can help

identify arthritis

-- Does your cat have arthritis? Answering the following six questions can clue you in: Does my cat jump up normally? Does my cat jump down normally? Does my cat climb stairs or steps normally? Does my cat go down stairs or steps normally? Does my cat run normally? Does my cat chase moving objects? If the answer to any question is no, take your cat to the veterinarian. Approximately 45% of all cats and 90% of cats older than 10 years suffer from arthritis. Pain relief can help improve mobility and quality of life.

-- Not many people are traveling these days, but when they must, people with pets are at a disadvantage if they need to transport their animals to a new home. Canceled flights and limited space for animals in the cabin leave few options. Some are stranded, while others are spending large amounts of money and time to try to get their pets where they need to go. Using pet transport agencies such as Airborne Animals or Pet Express may help, but even those experts are having trouble getting animals on flights. If you need to move with your pet in the next few months, start planning now, and have not only a plan B but also plans C and D.

-- Three animal experts have received top awards from the American Veterinary Medical Association. Robin Downing, DVM, was named 2020 Bustad Companion Animal Veterinarian of the year for her work protecting and promoting the human-animal bond. Janice Siegford, Ph.D., professor of animal science and welfare at Michigan State University, won the 2020 AVMA Humane Award, presented to a nonveterinarian who has helped to advance animal welfare. Receiving the 2020 AVMA Animal Welfare Award is equine veterinarian Harry Werner, DVM, in recognition of his advocacy for animal welfare. -- Dr. Marty Becker, Kim Campbell Thornton and Mikkel Becker

ABOUT PET CONNECTION

Pet Connection is produced by a team of pet care experts headed by “The Dr. Oz Show” veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker, founder of the Fear Free organization and author of many best-selling pet care books, and award-winning journalist Kim Campbell Thornton. Joining them is behavior consultant and lead animal trainer for Fear Free Pets Mikkel Becker. Dr. Becker can be found at Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker or on Twitter at DrMartyBecker. Kim Campbell Thornton is at Facebook.com/KimCampbellThornton and on Twitter at kkcthornton. Mikkel Becker is at Facebook.com/MikkelBecker and on Twitter at MikkelBecker.

Eating is a good marker of health, so when dogs eat less, it can be worrying to owners

By Kim Campbell Thornton

Andrews McMeel Syndication

My dog Harper has always had a good appetite, so when she stopped wanting to eat her evening meal a couple of months ago, I was worried.

Appetite loss can signal many different ailments: poor dental health, kidney disease and cancer, to name a few. Sometimes it’s a result of age-related physiological changes, such as a slower metabolism or reduced sense of smell. It can also be weather-related: Some animals eat less when it’s hot.

I took Harper to her veterinarian for a checkup. She had her teeth cleaned in November, so I didn’t think it was a painful mouth. He examined her and ran some blood work. She was fine.

Friends weighed in with their experiences. It’s not uncommon for older dogs -- Harper is 12 -- to begin eating less.

Maryna Ozuna’s elderly shiba eats only about half of what she used to take in, but her weight stays constant. Dee Green says her senior dogs typically prefer only one meal a day.

With the shelter-in-place order, Harper’s activity level is reduced. She’s not going to nosework class anymore or to Laguna Beach for outings. “If her exercise has diminished, she may not be as hungry,” says Debbie Horwitz, DVM.

She could be bored. Nosework on Friday nights has been the highlight of her week for six years now. We practice at home, but it’s not the same as getting out and going somewhere. High temperatures haven’t set in yet here in California, so I don’t think it’s the weather.

Green, a trainer, says dogs refusing to eat is a common complaint she hears from clients. After health problems are ruled out by a veterinarian, she recommends feeding dogs from puzzle toys instead of dishes. “Provide a wide variety to minimize boredom.” That trick works for fellow cavalier owner Lynn Williams, who hides 6-year-old Poppy’s food around the house for her to sniff out.

When health is an issue, an appetite stimulant combined with something stinky, such as canned tripe, can help. That’s what worked for Annie, Cindy Siddon’s 16-year-old lurcher with kidney disease. Other senior dogs respond to a little canned food or homemade chicken broth mixed with their kibble. Warming food for about five seconds in the microwave, then stirring before serving, can enhance aroma.

Call the manufacturer and ask if a food’s ingredients have changed. That can put dogs off their feed.

Certain medications may cause nausea or appetite loss. If your dog is on medication and her eating pattern changes, tell your veterinarian right away.

I tried several things with Harper: offering different proteins, tossing kibble on the floor for her to find, switching to a plate from a bowl, feeding her in a separate room and offering kibble by hand. She loved that. I didn’t want it to become a habit, though, and Dr. Horwitz, a behavior specialist, agrees.

“Once you start hand-feeding, that’s a hard thing to stop,” she says. “If she’s healthy and not losing weight, I don’t know that I would make a big deal about it.”

When we try different things to get them to eat, she says, dogs may find this new behavior interesting and wait to see what else we might offer. While that can be entertaining for our dogs, it’s frustrating for us. Better to simply put food down, give a set amount of time for the dog to eat it, and take it up again if they don’t want it. As long as your dog has a clean bill of health from the veterinarian and isn’t losing weight, try adjusting to the new eating schedule.

Harper now eats her main meal in the morning. I offer food in the evening, but if she doesn’t want it, I don’t push. We’re both happier.

Next week, Dr. Becker will address finicky felines and why feeding them requires more finesse.

Q&A

Private cat room

good solution

Q: We have three cats. The two younger ones are brothers and will turn 2 in a few months. One leaves our elderly cat alone, but his brother is always looking to pick a fight with her. She isn't a fighter, but she defends herself. He always loses, but that doesn't deter him.

To stop that behavior, we have put her in a room and keep the door closed. She has a window in there, as well as a cat tree. She also has her cat bed and some bins she can climb on.

She gets plenty of exercise. We put a hanging mesh screen in the doorway recently so she can get some airflow. We attached the bottom of it to the door frame with some tension bars and Velcro. That worked for a while, but then the brothers figured out how to get in. We’ve tried a lot of ways to secure it, but it’s still a work in progress. Our house is small, so we don't have a lot of options.

A: We’re impressed by the efforts you’ve made to keep your senior cat happy and safe. Giving her a private room seems like the best solution, as long as she gets daily human attention and interactive playtime. She may be perfectly happy with the way things are now. It’s better for her than always having to worry about being bullied by the younger male.

Can you replace the door with a screen door? That way, you could close it while still providing her with airflow and preventing the other two cats from invading.

There are ways to work with cats to help improve their relationships, but it can take a long time with no guarantee of success. This may be your best option. -- Mikkel Becker, Lead Animal Trainer, Fear Free Pets

Do you have a pet question? Send it to askpetconnection@gmail.com or visit Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker.

THE BUZZ

Guidelines protect

pets and people

-- If you or a family member develops COVID-19 and must have someone else care for your pets, help everyone stay healthy with the following guidelines developed by the American Veterinary Medical Association in partnership with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the shelter medicine community. Key recommendations: People entering the home should wear masks, gloves and other protective wear, including foot coverings; bathing pets isn’t necessary; animals exposed to people with the virus should be housed separately from other animals in the home; dogs may be walked outdoors for exercise and elimination but should avoid direct contact with other animals; close contact with humans should be limited. Pets do not spread the virus, but they can acquire it from humans. The guidelines help ensure their protection as well as that of healthy people caring for them.

-- The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is launching a $5 million initiative to help provide pet food to vulnerable pet owners and support animal welfare organizations that may be struggling financially. Some shelters are remaining open during the pandemic but have instituted safety practices to limit virus exposure, such as requiring appointments to bring in or view animals for adoption, drive-up fostering and adoptions, and online training. If you’re in a position to help, contact your local shelter to find out its needs.

-- Pets show stress in many different ways. Yawning, showing the whites of their eyes (nicknamed whale eye), excessive licking or grooming, sudden hair loss (like when your pet is at the vet and is shedding hair like crazy), increased barking or whining, trembling, pacing, suddenly starting to hide, eating less and breaking housetraining can all be signs that pets are anxious. You can learn more about recognizing, preventing and managing pet stress at fearfreehappyhomes.com. -- Dr. Marty Becker, Kim Campbell Thornton and Mikkel Becker

ABOUT PET CONNECTION

Pet Connection is produced by a team of pet care experts headed by “The Dr. Oz Show” veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker, founder of the Fear Free organization and author of many best-selling pet care books, and award-winning journalist Kim Campbell Thornton. Joining them is behavior consultant and lead animal trainer for Fear Free Pets Mikkel Becker. Dr. Becker can be found at Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker or on Twitter at DrMartyBecker. Kim Campbell Thornton is at Facebook.com/KimCampbellThornton and on Twitter at kkcthornton. Mikkel Becker is at Facebook.com/MikkelBecker and on Twitter at MikkelBecker.

How veterinary medicine is changing in the wake of COVID-19

By Kim Campbell Thornton

Andrews McMeel Syndication

The way our pets receive veterinary care changed dramatically two months ago. One day we were in the exam room with them; the next, we were all driving to the clinic, calling from our cars to announce our arrival, and staying in them while masked vet techs came and took pets inside for exams. Intercoms at clinic entrances enable germ-free communication with the front desk. Telehealth is trending.

High-tech accommodations that veterinarians and pet owners have made to deal with the COVID-19 virus will likely remain in the future. Phone calls, video and social media may all play a role in the way pets receive care -- and the way we witness it.

For instance, if you can’t go in with your pet, can you still see the exam and communicate with the veterinarian?

“Absolutely,” says Peter Weinstein, DVM, executive director of the Southern California Veterinary Medical Association. Once the pet is in the exam room, he says, it’s easy to initiate a Zoom, Skype or FaceTime call with the client so they can see what’s going on.

Veterinarian Julie Reck, who practices in South Carolina, foresees utilizing video and social media more frequently to let owners see what’s going on if a pet has to “go to the back” for a procedure or is recovering from surgery.

“We do a lot on our social media for our veterinary page,” she says. “We get video content of our patients all the time, whether that’s while we’re in the exam room or if they’re in the back treatment area. If we’re going to change that dynamic and separate the pet parent and the pet, we need to up the ante with that a little bit.”

Anxious about letting your pet go into the veterinary clinic without you? It’s not surprising that he might be weirded out by that masked and gowned technician and veterinarian. Separating pets and their people isn’t ideal, but veterinary staff can ease pet anxiety by using low-stress or Fear Free handling techniques, food rewards, stress relievers such as pheromone diffusers or soft music, and non-skid surfaces on exam tables to help them remain calm and comfortable.

Remote health care, or telehealth, may become more common for what were once routine in-clinic visits. Beyond a pandemic situation, it can benefit people who are sick but have a pet who needs to be seen or who don’t have access to transportation. It’s also useful in remote areas where specialist care or even general practice care isn’t available.

Maybe your dog has a lump on his chin. If you have an already-established doctor-patient relationship, you can take a photo of the lump and email or text it to your veterinarian for advice on whether it can wait, or if needs to be treated immediately.

In some instances, you may not need an already-established relationship for your pet to receive treatment. Last month, the United States Food and Drug Administration temporarily relaxed some requirements regarding physical examinations to make it easier for veterinarians to prescribe drugs in certain situations without directly examining the pet. State veterinary medical association requirements may still be in effect in some areas, though.

Whenever the pandemic is over, lingering fear will likely affect the way veterinary medicine is delivered. We may see hybrid models combining traditional delivery of veterinary medicine with new drive-up, drop-off or telehealth services.

Dr. Weinstein counsels patience to pet owners and veterinarians who are navigating new territory and are concerned about their own health as well as that of their families and pets.

“If we can all respect one another’s needs, we’ll all come out of this just fine,” he says.

Q&A

What’s in a

pet name?

Q: We have a new dog, and our family can’t agree on a name. Do you have any tips on choosing a great dog name?

A: I love coming up with pet names and hearing the names people come up with for their animals. Some choose one name and stick with it for each succeeding pet, such as Bingos I through IV. Themes are popular. Think chocolate Labs named Godiva, Chip, Fudge or Mocha.

Lots of pets are named after comic strip or cartoon animals, actors and pop stars, or movie characters. Snoopy is a classic; lots of dogs are named Elvis after the hip-swiveling rocker; and Taylor Swift named one of her pets Benjamin Button.

One trend I love is giving “people” names to pets. I can’t tell you how many dogs and cats I know named Max, Jack, Bella, Chloe, Zoe, Charlie, Sam, Maggie and so on. I think that’s a good thing: It marks our animals’ roles as full-fledged members of the family.

Choose a name with positive associations. Names define animals to others. Think about it: The pet named Outlaw or Trouble comes loaded with baggage, even if he is sweet and snuggly.

Choose a name that’s easy to say. Usually that’s a one- or two-syllable name, often ending with an “a” or “e” sound. Think Stella, Buddy, Sophie.

Avoid choosing a name that rhymes with no. Names like Beau, Joe, Coco and Cosmo are cute and popular, but it can be easy for a dog to mishear them as “no” and come to dislike his name.

In the end, though, after being a veterinarian for 40 years and a pet lover my entire life, I can tell you this: Pets don't really care what you call them, as long as you call them for dinner. -- Dr. Marty Becker

Do you have a pet question? Send it to askpetconnection@gmail.com or visit Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker.

THE BUZZ

Pets don’t need

COVID-19 testing

-- Does your pet need to be tested for COVID-19? No. Two dogs and two domestic cats tested positive for the virus. Those animals were living with people who had the virus and likely transmitted it to their pets. A test for pets is available to veterinarians, but it is administered only if the animal is living with a person who has been diagnosed with COVID-19 or the animal is showing signs of COVID-19 and other more common infections have been ruled out. Your veterinarian would also consult the public health department before deciding if your pet needs to be tested. The majority of pets are not at risk for the disease.

-- Most of us are familiar with destructive chewing in dogs, but some cats chew destructively as well. The habit is called “wool-sucking” because cats who engage in it seem to prefer items such as wool sweaters and blankets. (Some cats prefer plastic items such as grocery bags.) Wool-sucking cats -- who tend to be members of the Siamese family -- typically lick and chew at the same spot on an item and return to it again and again. The behavior most likely has a hereditary component, since it is most common in the so-called Oriental breeds. If your cat is a wool-sucker, put away items you don’t want her to chew on and offer interactive play instead.

-- There’s lots to celebrate and be aware of regarding pets this month. May is not only National Pet Month, it’s also Lyme Disease Prevention Month, Pet Cancer Awareness Month and Chip Your Pet Month. Coming up are International Chihuahua Appreciation Day on May 14; National Rescue Dog Day on May 20; and International Hug Your Cat Day on May 30. (Cats don’t really like to be hugged. Give a nice head scratch instead.)

ABOUT PET CONNECTION

Pet Connection is produced by a team of pet care experts headed by “The Dr. Oz Show” veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker, founder of the Fear Free organization and author of many best-selling pet care books, and award-winning journalist Kim Campbell Thornton. Joining them is behavior consultant and lead animal trainer for Fear Free Pets Mikkel Becker. Dr. Becker can be found at Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker or on Twitter at DrMartyBecker. Kim Campbell Thornton is at Facebook.com/KimCampbellThornton and on Twitter at kkcthornton. Mikkel Becker is at Facebook.com/MikkelBecker and on Twitter at MikkelBecker.