My cat is senile.

[oopsdeadagain]

My elderly cat (16yo) has been wanting food literally all the time. I feed him and a few minutes later he is crying for food. He has been going through six packs of wet food every day (he has refused dry food for the past six months).

I took him to the vet today worried it might be his thyroid. She said he is in really good condition for his age, his coat is lovely, his teeth are fine, basically everything is in tip-top shape (except for his cataracts and arthritis which we already knew about). But he is going senile. When we feed him, he eats and then forgets about it and thinks it is his dinner time again.

We have been a bit stern with him when he cries for food right after he's eaten, thinking he is just being greedy. I feel awful.

The vet said to buy senior pouches, and feed him a little bit whenever he wants food.

Mind you, him being a bit wrong in the head means he does fit in well with this family

[MyLittleFluffball]

Could you get a second opinion from another vet? For example (and I only say this because it has been my recent experience - not to scare you), he may have a tumour which is using up energy resources and therefore he wants to eat more.

How does she know he's going senile? I just find this explanation a bit unconvincing. Surely he could sense the feeling of fullness in his stomach, and wanting to eat is not just about remembering when you last ate?

[piprabbit]

Did the vet say if he is gaining weight (you don't mention anything so it sounds like he's not getting fat).
If he is eating loads but not putting on weight, I would be concerned that there might be a physical (rather than mental) problem.

[oopsdeadagain]

She gave him a thorough checkup, he has maintained weight for the past six months (as I have not fed him every time he asked for food). He seems perfectly healthy, she palpated his abdomen and his neck, there was nothing obvious. He is bright-eyed and has shiny thick fur, he is not vomiting, his stools are normal... basically there are no other indicators of illness.

She did say she could do a blood test but didn't think it necessary as he only has one symptom. Anything major would show up in other ways too.

He has a couple of other little 'things' that indicate things are not quite right - his litter box is in the downstairs loo but he has pooed a few times behind the door instead. He asks to be let out, stands still outside then asks to be let back in, then asks to be let out again and goes off into the garden. It's like he starts to do something then forgets what it was.

It does seem like 'senile' describes what is wrong.

Fluffball my parents have a friend who sadly has alcoholic dementia, she does exactly this - she eats dinner, it is cleared away, and five minutes later she asks her husband what he would like for dinner. She doesn't remember eating and doesn't realise she is full.