What food is best for a cat with stomach cancer and poor appetite?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I am sorry he was diagnosed with this tumor. This is unfortunately a very aggressive cancer. If he is going to just be on palliative care at this point then the focus would be more on making sure that he is comfortable and eating and feeling well. Prednisolone is a good idea. Another medication that just came out in the market is Entyce which is an appetite stimulant that I have been using in cancer patients which may improve his appetite. At this point you can feed him whatever he prefers though something that is tasty and they tend to like is canned tuna so you can try that. The Entyce has worked great for my cancer patients so far and he may have a better appetite afterwards. Also, an anti-nausea medication like ondansetron. Your veterinarian could prescribe these if that would be ok with his medical history. Good luck!

I'm so sorry that Katie was diagnosed with lymphoma. Athough they have not done as significant of studies in cats as they have with dogs, our goals with cancer are to feed a food high in protein and fat, but low in carbohydrates. This is especially important for cats since they are obligate carnivores, so a canned food is ideal. A salmon based diet is a wonderful idea since omega 3 fatty acids can have some anti-cancer effects. My cats love Blue Buffalo Wilderness Salmon. They also love Wellness Turkey and Salmon. Cats rely on their sense of smell to entice their appetite, so smelly fish based foods are a great idea for a cat with cachexia. I also find that rotating foods on a regular basis can be very useful for cats on chemo, so they don't get turned off to a particular food if they are nauseated. I hope that was helpful! Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

VetriScience NuCat Multivitamin Everyday Health Bite Sized Chews available on chewy.com and amazon.com are highly palatable multivitamins that would be good to supplement Greg’s diet with. Prescription Royal Canin recovery canned diet is generally palatable (yummy) to even sick or hospitalized cats and is another option as well that your vet can either sell from his/her practice or prescribe. Good luck!

Hello. I am so sorry that Oscar has such a sad diagnosis. Unfortunately, either one of these can cause a significant loss of appetite. The only two appetite stimulants we have for cats are mirtazapine & cyproheptadine, & even these are not miracle drugs. Some cats prefer foods that are warm, some prefer them when cold, so you can try this. Hand feeding may work a bit as well. You can also talk to your vet about the possibility of adding some anti-nausea medication like Cerenia. Hopefully, you can at least get Oscar to eat a little more for as long as possible. Good luck & thanks for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

They make cancer specific diets such as science diet N/D. The problem is when you have cancer, the cancer cells steal the nutrients that their body needs and that helps it replicate, so you are essentially feeding the cancer. The main goal is the keep a good appetite and use small frequent meals

I am sorry to hear about your kitty! A decrease in appetite is not unusual in cases of cats with cancers and on certain medications. Definitely keep your vet in the loop about where her appetite stands/how she is doing eating as they may want to adjust/add medications. This article gives information/ideas on this issue: https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=4952607 In some cases we do end up placing feeding tubes to provide nutrition if needed. Some cats enjoy the food warmed up, so you can try warming it in the microwave (always check temperature before feeding to ensure not too hot). Some prefer wet food, some kibble, some like kibble that has been soaked to soften it. Trying a buffet to give varieties to choose from may help you discover what she finds appealing.

Oh dear, I'm sorry to hear that you and Bonnie are in this situation. Bonnie's weight loss could be caused both by her lack of appetite, as well as any cancerous process and/or subsequent kidney disease. You can try to tempt her to eat with bits of boiled white meat chicken, small amounts of tuna, or even meat-based baby foods. Also discuss appetite stimulant medications (cyproheptadine and mirtazepine are two commonly used drugs) with Bonnie's veterinarian since they may be helpful. However, if none of these strategies improve her appetite and her overall quality of life is declining, it may be time to consider euthanasia. I hope this helps and that all goes well for Bonnie.