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Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

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Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

The litter tray

What do you feed your old cat??

82 replies

archfiend · 13/10/2013 14:18

Am posting in the hope of inspiration! We have a 14(ish) year old cat who is becoming increasingly picky about what he eats.

He will eat food in gravy, but only eats the gravy and ignores the meat so when he is hungry again later the food has dried out and he won't touch it. Everything else is ignored and accompanied by scratching, whinging and generally making a nuisance of himself because he is hungry.

His teeth are ok and he will eat dried food if he has to (usually left down for him during the day) but he only eats small amounts as it isn't really what he wants.

We have tried all of the usual brands and variants but he just doesn't seem to like any of them because he's a bastard picky. He doesn't eat 'real' food like fish or chicken and he doesn't drink a lot of water.

He is currently ok health wise but obviously as he gets older I am worried that he will just stop eating anything.

Does anyone have any suggestions for what else we can try before he drives us totally round the bend?!

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Report

archfiend · 03/11/2013 13:01

So far so good - he is eating the canin food in small regular amounts which is a big step forward. Now I guess we just have to see what happens when the drugs wear off!

Hopefully he will continue to improve, but I don't want this to turn into a cycle of drugs - food - drugs wear off - stops eating and goes downhill. Am due to call the vet next week to discuss so will see what they suggest.

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cozietoesie · 03/11/2013 13:19

Well getting some food into him is good but I know what you mean. My Darling Twoago suddenly restarted eating after being given steroids - they seemed to just give his whole system a kick up the ass - but the apparent resurgence of appetite tailed off pretty quickly.

Fingers crossed for him.

cozietoesie · 03/11/2013 13:20

PS -has he stopped throwing up?

archfiend · 03/11/2013 16:10

He has stopped throwing up which is good, but he had a pretty hefty anti-nausea drug yesterday. He has eaten most of one pouch of the royal canin food over the course of today and it has stayed down.

It's awful when they seem so much better and you don't know if it's them or the drugs - time will tell I guess!

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cozietoesie · 03/11/2013 17:17

Yes, it is awful. Getting hope up and not knowing whether it will be dashed.

My own experience, though, is that if it is the drugs, it won't be a matter of months or even weeks before you start to find out. More like days - say 5 or 6 days - before the apparent improvement starts to edge off again.

I'll be hoping for him.

archfiend · 03/11/2013 17:39

Thanks. He's just tucking into his fifth (sixth?) 'meal' of the day!

I agree, I think that if he is going to go off again it will be around Tuesday/Wednesday so my plan is to keep a close eye on him and ring the vets around then if I notice any changes. She has suggested ongoing steroid tablets if he has perked up and then goes off again, but I know that is not a long term solution and we have to get the damn things into him.

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spottywoowoo · 03/11/2013 23:57

I came on tonight to start almost this exact same thread. I really feel for you as we're in this position with our cat. He's gradually stopped eating over the past 4 weeks or so, and is now worryingly thin. He was never a big cat but I can feel every part of his spine. We're back to the vet tomorrow morning but it just feels bad to me - he's 12 this month and I don't want to put him through any operations or too much stress, but I also don't want to make the wrong decision. I hope things get better for you.

archfiend · 04/11/2013 07:13

spotty thanks - he is still eating this morning so we will see how gets on over the next few days. I hope that your vet can help to find some answers - it's awful when they stop eating and you don't know why.

I agree about not putting them through too much. Our vet has said if he was 2 then they would be looking at a wider range of options re biopsies etc but as he is 14 it's not fair to put that much additional stress onto him.

Hope that it goes well at the vets today, let us know how you get on.

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spottywoowoo · 04/11/2013 10:47

That's good news archfiend- hope it continues!

Not so good here - liver problems, back to vet for bloods later but not too optimistic .

archfiend · 04/11/2013 14:05

sorry to hear that spotty, hope that the vet can help if at all possible.

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spottywoowoo · 04/11/2013 16:21

The worst news unfortunately and he's booked in to be PTS tomorrow morning. The vet was lovely and let me bring him home for everyone to say 'goodbye' but it's going to be hard. How's your lovely boy?

cozietoesie · 04/11/2013 16:25

Ah Dear, spotty. So sorry.

archfiend · 04/11/2013 19:35

Oh spotty I'm so sorry . I hope you have a quiet evening with lots of cuddles with him tonight. Such a sad decision to have to make.

Himself is currently ok, am expecting the drugs to wear off in the next day or so, will see how he gets on then.

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spottywoowoo · 04/11/2013 20:04

Thanks archfiend - can't believe he has so little time left with us, it's horrible.

That's great news about your cat though, I really do hope it keeps going. The vet told me today that they're seeing cats of 22 years + now that food and care is so much better, so fingers crossed that he's one of them.

archfiend · 05/11/2013 07:43

Best wishes for this morning spotty

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cozietoesie · 05/11/2013 07:51

Thinking of you this morning, spotty.

Hope Himself is eating this morning archfiend.

archfiend · 05/11/2013 09:38

Himself has eaten some of his breakfast today, although not as much as previous days. Whether this is the drugs darting to wear off or whether he is just full for the first time in a while is hard to say at the moment.

Will keep an eye on him and plan to ring the vet tomorrow if he starts to go off again.

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cozietoesie · 05/11/2013 10:02

I'd agree to keeping an eye on him for the time being - all cats can have days when they're not feeling so hungry. Possibly watch out for his activity level as well. If he stops eating and starts sleeping/lying around in a corner all the time, you may be in difficulty.

Best of luck to him.

cozietoesie · 05/11/2013 10:18

PS - keep an eye on whether he's peeing and pooing as well. Eg if he's been pigging himself, he might be starting to get chocked up inside (if he's not pooing well) and that would slow down consumption or maybe even cause a sick if he does eat.

archfiend · 05/11/2013 14:11

He has spent most of today on the sofa, but to be air that's what he does most days! Hasn't pestered me for food and as far as I know hasn't been outside. Hmmm.

Will see how he is later when it is closer to his normal meal time.

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cozietoesie · 05/11/2013 14:20

Well I don't know how it is with you but it's cold and nasty here and Seniorboy is sticking to his electric blanket even with some cold meat down for his lunch. I wouldn't blame your lad for not wanting to go out - especially as he's not 100% even with the meds.

Remind me - does he have a tray inside? If not, might be a good idea to set one up for him so that he doesn't need to go out if he doesn't want to.

archfiend · 05/11/2013 15:09

It's not that nice here either!

We tried a tray, but he sneered at at, threw the litter around and stalked outside... I think that it is a bit of a lost cause, so I will have to resort to stalking him when he disappears to his favourite bush.

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cozietoesie · 05/11/2013 16:11

Fair enough. But at least you have one in he cupboard so that it could be hauled out if needs be.

Best of luck in stalking him at 11 at night in the rain!

archfiend · 05/11/2013 20:49

Ha! Thanks!

He hasn't really eaten any dinner either so I will be calling the vet tomorrow. Sigh.

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cozietoesie · 06/11/2013 09:18

How is he this morning? Did he seem interested for his breakfast?

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