So bloody unfair

[PinkSparklyPussyCat]

We got back from a weekend away yesterday and, as usual, Harry made a huge fuss of us. I gave him some of his favourite biscuits but he seemed reluctant to eat them so I put it down to the fact he'd eaten more biscuits than wet food while we were away.

The same thing happened later on so we took him to the vet this morning to have his teeth checked, as this is how we noticed his last infection. She checked him over and he's in good shape, including his gums and remaining teeth, but his jaw is unstable. The vet is looking into the possibility of a permanent wire or screw in the jaw, but this probably won't be possible because of the damage to his jaw from the infection.

What does he need to do to have a change of luck? He's absolutely fine in himself so there's no question of PTS but I am worried about the future. He's 12 years old so not young but not old theses days either. We're switching him to wet food only so the budget will take a hit but that's neither here nor there, he just won't be happy without his biscuits as he prefers them to wet food.

I'm don't really know why I've posted this, I think I just needed to share with fellow cat lovers!

This was him this afternoon looking as lovely as ever!

Poor Harry. I understand how you feel, everytime our old girl (14yo) is ill especially with her ongoing problems I think she deserved a run of decentish health.
I think it's part of being cat staff.

My main worry is that we're going to Florida next month and, while our cat sitter is brilliant, she's not with him the whole time. I think he'd be miserable in a cattery as he likes to sleep on our bed and potter about in the garden.

It's stressful being cat staff!

These things never happen at the best time. Am sure your cat sitter will take good care of him. He is a handsome fella.

He knows it as well! My pet sitter is a vet nurse and I always give her updates on his health. Apparently he's one of her favourites and she refers to him as 'our boy'! Apparently the little traitor was laying on our bed each time she came round and he meowed at her until she went in and rubbed his face!

Haha brilliant. Ours now stays in the cattery which is part of our vets. At Christmas time full on diva came out-she refused the food we took for her (special diet) so the cattery staff had to check with the vet they could try another which did pass her taste test. She spent the aftenoons out her pen sleeping at the top of a cat tree thing looking down on the other cats in their pens.

Poor lad.

How would he be on a wet food diet?

Your cat has the worst luck he really does. Poor Harry.

He does like Natures Menu (well some of the flavours) so I think he'll be ok, it's just trying to work out what to do when we're not home as he usually has a pouch morning and evening and dry for lunch and sometimes supper. Does he have a pouch and a half or do we hope he's ok on one morning and evening? He's not exactly skinny but the vet was glad he hadn't lost weight!

He had no trouble for the first 8 years we had him and then he lurched from one problem to another last year. He's asleep under the table next to the radiator so he's happy!

I'd give him a wet meal for breakfast, tea and supper, I think. NM doesn't seem to dry as quickly as other foods - and you can but try and see how he gets on?

Good luck to the lad anyway. He certainly deserves some by now.

Let us know how he gets on. Vinocat sends headbumps his way.

I'm probably going to split the third pouch with half for lunch and the rest for supper if he needs it and increase it to a full pouch if he wants it. If he's slept all morning he doesn't always need lunch so I can play it by ear. Luckily I can get home most lunchtimes and if I can't DH can so we can get the hang of it and leave notes for each other so Harry doesn't con us with the poor starving pussy cat act!

Poor wee thing. Would he be interested in his fav biscuits still if you soaked them in water, or is it the crunchiness he likes in particular? The vet advised me to do this for one of my cats who wasn't so keen on drinking water but loved his dry food.

I agree. I'd play it by ear. He'll likely adjust to any new timing.

I think it's the crunchiness Trust. When he broke his jaw last year we tried soaking the biscuits and he looked at me as though I'd lost the plot!

Thank you to everyone for all your support and Harry sends head bumps back to Vinocat.

A bit of an update. I spoke to the vet yesterday and they don't want me to take him back at the moment, I've got to monitor him and see how he goes. If I think something is wrong they'll see him straight away. The problem is the lack of bone density. If he had a normal jaw it could be screwed much more easily.

I have a question regarding his food. Looking at the feeding guidelines he's supposed to be having 4+ pouches a day. Yesterday he had 2 and didn't worry for more. If he'd asked for more he would have got it (although probably not more than 4 pouches, he won't fit through the cat flap!). Am I ok to give him his normal 2 pouches and a bit more if he wants it or should I put down the extra pouch? I'm reluctant to waste food but I don't want to starve the poor bugger!

Ooh, I haven't seen that one - I'll have a look, thank you.

I think he may have been hungry this morning as he hoovered up his pouch and was promptly sick over the curtains. I left DH clearing that up...

Is it Nature's Menu he's eating?

It is cozie. He must be hungry as he literally brought up his entire breakfast (sorry for TMI!) so we've put down half a pouch of the beef flavour, one of his favourites, and he's refusing to eat it. He's prowling around the kitchen looking for biscuits. I can't have him starving himself but I have no idea what to do!

I've always run a strict food routine. Every meal is a different flavour from the one before and if any of it isn't eaten, the remains are removed and fresh put down - at the designated time. It might be a little expensive at first but they soon settle to the rhythm, I've found.

He's refusing to eat wet food at lunchtime. The problem is he's then gorging himself and being sick. In the end I gave in and gave him a teaspoon of biscuits today. He ate some and then took himself off to bed. The biscuits we the flattest he has and so don't take a lot of chewing. DH then took up what was left.

The problem we have is we can only feed him at set times at morning and night. I can usually do lunchtimes but it can change.

I'm waiting for the vet to phone me back with some advice as I'm really at a loss. In some ways I'm happier when he has a few biscuits as when he leaves them I know something is wrong with his mouth! I've got no way of knowing when he has wet only.

He's sort of got you taped, hasn't he?

He has. We're going to try a new plan of attack and put out a pouch and a half morning and evening. Hopefully he won't stuff himself and make it last and not realise he's having extra wet food.

It won't work will it?