There are many different types of cat supplement that are available to help your feline pet in a variety of different medical situations. It's important to remember that you should never provide your pet with a supplement of any kind unless you have checked it out with your veterinarian first, as these different supplements can do a number of different things to your pet's body that you may not be aware of without a vet's assistance. In particular, a high-calorie cat supplement is a dangerous thing to use if you don't know exactly how and when to provide it to your pet.
When a High-Calorie Supplement Is Appropriate
In a number of different medical situations, cats will lose their appetites or will generally refuse to eat. These things can happen for a variety of different reasons. Unfortunately, it's not so simple that you should give your pet a high-calorie appetite stimulant any time he is refusing to eat. The reason for his refusal must first be analyzed and determined. In certain cats, for instance cats that are older and overweight and suffer from fatty liver conditions, increasing the appetite will actually only lead to further damage and potentially fatal side effects.
Some of the conditions under which you will likely need to use a high-calorie appetite stimulant supplement, according to your vet, include the following:
- Feline anorexia
- Cancer
- Diabetes
- Feline obsessive behavior
There may be other situations when using these supplements is appropriate as well; speak with your vet about these other conditions as well.
How to Use a High-Calorie Supplement
A high-calorie supplement is a small pill or liquid injection that you'll need to provide orally to your pet. The result is that this supplement, which is densely packed with a high number of calories, will expand your cat's stomach and, more importantly, jump start his metabolism. As the metabolism works through the high-calorie supplement, your cat will continue to be hungry for additional calories after that. The reason that a high-calorie supplement is more useful in some cases than regular food is that you can provide a good number of calories in a small physical mass; if your cat has refused to eat for several days or longer, it will be very difficult to get him to keep down a large mass of food.
You will likely only need to provide your pet with one high-calorie supplement. Again, your vet can help to determine whether more are necessary; it will generally depend entirely upon how well your pet reacts to the supplement that you give to him. If it begins to stimulate his appetite and he eats regularly and as normal as a result, you will likely not have to worry about using additional supplements.
Speak with your vet for additional advice and information about how and when to use a high-calorie appetite stimulant for your cat. These stimulants are available at most pet food and pet supply stores for your use.