how do I convince my old cat I'm not going to feed him even if he meows incessantly?

[oopslateagain]

...and by 'feed him' I mean the nice packet of meat-in-gravy that he's eyeing up, not the huge bowl of dry food that's right in front of him

I have 3 cats, but he's the oldest, he's 16 and a right old softie. All the cats have good-quality dry food available all the time (vet advice), but when dd gets home (around 3.15) they all have a pack of 'wet' food as a treat. Old Cat has decided that if he nags me enough I will feed him earlier. If I'm home at lunchtime he will start meowing piteously and looking at his dishes like I'm starving him. He will follow me round the house meowing!

I did try feeding them a bit earlier, but as soon as dd walked in he was around my legs again - because it was Food Time, obviously.

I end up either pushing him out the back door and locking the catflap, or shaking a newspaper at him all afternoon (he hates the sound).

Any ideas?

[oopslateagain]

.

[ChippingInMistressSteamMop]

Spoil him - he's 16!! They aren't with us long enough as it is, he's an old boy - what's it going to hurt if he gets a bit more food??

[stinkyfluffycat]

No idea, but will keep watching to see if anyone else knows...

My two are currently on dry food only and have been for 6/7 weeks now as wet food was giving them the runs (long haired incompetent cat + the runs = much unpleasantness for all concerned) and always have a big bowl of Iams down but still mew whenever anyone goes near the kitchen...

[ClaireDeLoon]

Agree with ChippingIn, I just spoilt my old boy once he'd got to that age - in fact when he started losing weight (kidneys) I would run to get him a pouch if he so much as chirruped or looked at the food bowl.

[oopslateagain]

ChippingIn I'd love to spoil him but if I open a pouch the other cats are there like a shot. I'd end up feeding them pouches of food all day long.

He is losing a little bit of weight but he will happily crunch away at the dry food all day long, he just decides it must be time for his nice food pouch and TELLS ME ABOUT IT!

[beautifulgirls]

Might be worth a vet visit and getting his thyroid function checked and kidneys too.

[ChippingInMistressSteamMop]

I understand the complication of other cats :)

My baby girl died last year, she'd had kidney failure for quite a while.

Baby boy alternately got pissed off and spoilt - he now has a 'supper' habbit

[TheDogsBollocks]

I would shut him in the utility or somewhere and give him the extra. I adored my oldie who I lost at the age of 16 suddenly last year, so would deffo be up for some spoiling if I were you!

[oopslateagain]

beautiful why? I don't think there's anything wrong with him, when I said he's lost a little bit of weight I meant over the past couple of years as he's got older and less agile. The vet says that is normal.

I am a bit worried about giving him lots of wet food tbh, he's always had dry food and I don't want to upset his tummy with a change of diet.

btw, I don't have a utility room , wish I did! They all get fed in the kitchen because they don't have 'table manners' - they all somehow manage to leave bits of food a foot from their dishes!

[beautifulgirls]

Changes in eating habits/weight/behaviour can be related to medical issues. We see a lot of owners who assume that weight loss is age related but it doesn't follow that because an animal is old that they get thin if they are healthy. It is all relative of course, very gradual weight loss can just reflect changes in diet or behaviour rather than a medical problem, but without testing if there are any concerns you will often not know. Having just been down that route with my old cat in the last year I can speak from an owners point of view too - first his thyroid, then his kidneys and finally last week still not doing well it turns out he is diabetic to add to the "fun". Explains why he wasn't responding well to the kidney diet though his blood tests for diabetes a month ago were fine. Things can change.

[Lizcat]

Echoing beautiful girls I have one feline patient who ran to hyperthyroidism, renal failure, horrific high blood pressure and then finally threw diabetes into the mix with his own special twist. The special twist being this week I'll be a diabetic next week I wont' on and off for several months before choosing to stick with diabetes on top of everything else. Personal geriatric cats never cease to amaze me.

[oopslateagain]

Oh thanks beautiful. The vet did say at his last checkup that he'd lost a bit of weight but it was normal, but I know they can do a 'geriatric animal' checkup where they do a blood test, I will ask for it next time. Better safe than sorry! I hope it is just because he is less active and has less muscle mass (what the vet said).

He's due for his checkup in July; I think I'll ring up next week and get him checked, I can speak to the vet about changing his diet then, maybe there is a 'wet' cat food that is better for him. I know he'd love it, I just don't want stomach problems! Dry food is better for their teeth but at his age I don't think that's really an issue.

BTW he is old and arthritic, can't jump on the couch or the bed, and meows pathetically when he wants us to pick him up for a cuddle and a fuss. This old geriatric cat was chasing his tail on the sofa today when he thought I wasn't watching him, then he shot off the couch and bowled over the kitten, and raced off up the stairs - pausing halfway to make sure the kitten was actually chasing him! . Old my arse!