How much wet do your older cats eat?

[ifonly4]

My girl has hyperthyroidism which was picked up as she'd lost a lot of weight and was eating like crazy. She's been begging me recently for more food and her T4 levels are elevated again, but this coincided with losing our other cat. I've always just put food down on demand, so never known exactly what's normal for her, so would be interested to hear how much other oldies eat.

She's 17, weighs 4kg and on a good day eats 3.5 pouches, on a bad day 6 pouches and a couple of treats. When her hyperthyroidism is back under control, it would be good to know how much others eat.

We give our older female cat with 3 legs , on demand, 1 and a half pouches and a small handful of dried a day, BUT she eats special James Wellbeloved grain free food and or raw turkey which will cure your cat. (they shouldn't eat wheat or non specific meat). We have tested various foods on our strays so we know the value of raw turkey (cut in long thin slices).

My big boy only has 2 pouches a day. Used to be 3 (1.5 twice a day) but he was overweight so cut down. The recommendations on the box seem way too much?

My cats have 2 pouches a day each. If they turn up and are particularly insistent they will get another - one is prone to turning up for her breakfast, having one mouthful and then wandering off and wondering later where it has gone. They always have a bowl of crunchies.
Both are a good weight.

mine get a pouch each a day and then put down dried food the rest of the day. Occasionally the kids will put down another pouch but I discourage it, especially in the summer as flies get to it when they let it sit

CMOT That is normal cat behaviour when they trust that the food will be there. It's a pain in the hot weather but we cover Millie's food with a fly cover. She hardly ever finishes the food when we put it down , and now annoyingly the strays don't either!

My 17 old moggie also has hypothyroidism, she weighs about the same as yours. She has 3 small tins a day plus dry food available all the time. She will also mug you for extra chicken or ham if it's going. She's on 15 mg vidalta mon-fri and goes down to a 10mg dose at the weekends.

Dora If you want her better, try the James Wellbeloved cat food it's incredible, one of our strays wasn't looking at all well and it cured him totally. It is more expensive but they don't eat any where near the same amount as the other stuff. Or try lamb\steak and or turkey raw or slightly cooked. with mashed green beans.

I am not on commission or connected in any way to them, it's just such good stuff.

ppeatfruit - trouble is, her food isn't there later as evilgingercat has eaten it. She does this with mice as well and will wander round vocalising about someone stealing it. She's a funny little thing, but much better than when she first came to us after being in rescue for a year

Yes CM we have the same problem with one of the strays nicking her food! We keep him out when we 're not at home to trouble shoot!

Thanks for the good recommendation, I will look into that!