Managing the inappetent hospitalised cat: International Society of Feline Medicine guidelines

Inappetence (also called hyporexia or anorexia) is a common presenting symptom in cats, but suboptimal nutrition can have many negative effects on feline patients, including prolonged hospitalisation and shortened survival. Cats are strict carnivores with a high protein requirement, and when starvation is combined with the hypermetabolic state found in sick cats, a loss of lean body mass can occur. This can have negative effects on wound healing, immune function and gut function. Inappetence in hospitalised cats is not just caused by the underlying illness; it can be exacerbated by stress, as well as factors such as pain, nausea, ileus, constipation and the adverse effects of medication. All contributing factors should be managed, along with the primary disease process, to correct malnutrition. Nutritional assessment of each hospitalised cat allows the identification of patients who require prompt intervention. Appetite stimulants can encourage voluntary food intake and feeding tubes allow provision of nutrition, fluids and medications, and can be managed at home to expedite discharge. The food intake of hospitalised cats should be closely monitored and inappetence should not be ignored, nor intervention delayed.