When a Senior Dog or Cat Stops Eating, Vets Say Look for Pain and Nausea First

An elderly dog that ignores its usual kibble, or an old cat that no longer walks over to its bowl, is probably not just being fussy. A review published this week in Veterinary Practice News argues that in aging pets and animals in palliative care, a poor appetite should be treated as a warning sign of something else, most often pain, nausea or distress, and investigated like any other symptom before anyone reaches for an appetite stimulant.

Why older pets lose interest in food

Hunger is controlled by signals from the brain, the comfort of the gut and the chemistry of any disease the animal has. The review describes several ways illness disrupts that system. In pets with cancer, inflammatory substances released by the body can switch off hunger while also breaking down muscle, a wasting condition called cachexia that extra calories alone cannot fix. Kidney disease lets waste products build up in the blood, which causes nausea. Liver disease and long-term pain add their own problems.

Sometimes the issue is simply getting to the bowl. A dog with arthritis may find the walk to its feeding spot uncomfortable, and an older cat with stiff joints may avoid a bowl it has to jump up to. Dental pain and stomach ulcers can also put an animal off food. According to the article, an arthritic cat or a dog with a sore mouth will not reliably respond to appetite medicine until that discomfort is treated.

What treatment can involve

Once a vet has looked for causes that can be reversed, several medicines have research behind them. The review lists these:

• Mirtazapine, the most studied option. In trials in cats with chronic kidney disease it improved appetite and weight and reduced vomiting, and a version applied to the skin is FDA-approved for weight loss linked to that disease in cats. The effect in dogs appears smaller but still measurable.
• Capromorelin, which mimics a natural hunger hormone. It was the first FDA-approved appetite stimulant for dogs and was later approved for cats. In one controlled trial in healthy beagles, food intake rose by roughly 60 percent over baseline.
• Anti-nausea drugs such as maropitant and ondansetron. The authors note that stopping vomiting does not always bring back appetite, and that nausea without vomiting may need a different drug.
• Pain relief, which the review calls one of the most effective steps for pets with arthritis or cancer pain, because untreated pain suppresses appetite more reliably than almost anything else.

Which of these, if any, suits a particular pet is a decision for its veterinarian. Owners should not give human medicines or leftover prescriptions to a pet that is not eating.

Practical changes owners can discuss with their vet

Not every step involves drugs. The review points to simple measures that can make food more appealing or easier to reach:

• Warming energy-dense, tasty food slightly to boost its smell, since many older and sick pets have a weaker sense of smell.
• Using toppers, warmed low-sodium broths or lickable purees, which add aroma and moisture. The authors stress there is little independent evidence that specific products work, so they are best seen as a way to tempt a pet rather than a proven treatment.
• Raising food and water dishes and placing feeding stations away from stairs or spots that require jumping, especially for older cats. Studies cited put the share of older cats with signs of joint disease anywhere from 20 to 92 percent, and cats tend to hide that pain.
• For senior dogs, a non-slip mat under the bowl or a bowl set at a modest height suited to the dog.

The article also describes gentle fingertip pressure on certain acupressure points for 20 to 30 seconds a few times a day as a low-risk comfort measure, while noting that the evidence varies a great deal from point to point. Ask your vet to show you how before trying it.

Why it matters for owners

The main message is that a senior pet going off its food is worth a vet visit rather than a wait-and-see approach, because the cause is often treatable pain or nausea. The review also warns that force-feeding an animal that is dying or very nauseous can cause distress, food aversion and inhaled food, so in hospice care the aim is comfort and voluntary eating, not hitting a calorie number. If your pet has stopped eating, call your veterinarian. If it is also vomiting repeatedly, collapsing or may have eaten something toxic, contact an emergency vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center.

Planning ahead with a younger pet

The authors suggest owners of puppies and kittens can make old age easier by offering a variety of food textures and temperatures early on and by practising calm handling of the mouth and paws, paired with treats. A cat that has eaten only one dry food for 12 years, they note, is much harder to support through appetite loss. Evidence on several of the supplements and complementary techniques mentioned is still developing, and the review does not set out a single plan that fits every pet.

Source: Veterinary Practice News