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The litter tray

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

Old cat problems

18 replies

madcatladyforever · 16/06/2020 08:53

So, my 19 year old cat is shiny, healthy, plays around like a kitten and of course at her age sleeps a lot and she has amazing teeth, I got them sorted out a couple of years ago.
She's very deaf but can hear a loud whistle, I whistle when I come home so she knows I'm here and she comes running.
She's had a lifetime of ill health with gut problems, hyperthyroidism, vomiting, she had a stroke and completely recovered. She's been on the edge of being PTS several times but always bounces back - it's ridiculous.
Anyway since she had radioactive iodine treatment last year (painless, wonderful treatment) she really doesn't have any health problems anymore, it seems to have cured everything and she is enjoying her twilight years basking in sunshine and catching tadpoles in the pond.
I havent kept her alive when she should have been PTS, it's just that she always seems to bounce back before I get the chance to do the deed!!
But there is one thng, my house smells like a farmyard, she has some pretty disgusting habits much like a geriatric human, stepping in poo and trecking it round the house, thank God for the aquavac, and her poo smells really awful, like muck spreading on fields. Thank goodness I live alone.
The vet says it's nothing ominous just her age and that I should put her on dry biscuits but she HATES them and at her age I am not going to deprive her of nice food because eating is one of her favourite activities and she gets all excited when it's dinner time. i can't take that away from her.
Is there any wet food you know of that improves the smell, I don't give her cheap rubbish I buy Lily's kitchen organic food which seems to be the best of a bad job but still it smells awful. She doesn't have bad breath so it's not oral and I had the vet check her teeth again last week.
Does anyone know of any food that will make cat poo smell like flowers?
If not I'll just have to lump it (no pun intended).

OP posts:
Want2beme · 16/06/2020 11:35

She sounds adorable. What a great age she's reached. I don't know of any wet food that'll be less smelly. I'm sure you've done research, but I've just seen this, if it's of any help?

pet.reviews/best-cat-food-smelly-poop/

Oh yes, photo please. That always helpsGrin

Haretodaygonetomorrow · 16/06/2020 11:42

Yes we need a photo please. If she’s already on a high quality food it could be a food allergy. One of mine is allergic to chicken and if he gets hold of some his poo absolutely honks. Is she insured? An allergy blood test would reveal any issues.

madcatladyforever · 16/06/2020 15:39

yes she is insured although it's sky high because we've claimed ridiculous amounts over the years. I hadn't thought of allergy testing, brilliant!
Thanks.
And the obligatory photo of course.

Old cat problems
OP posts:
Want2beme · 16/06/2020 16:07

Aah, she looks so young. She's lovelyGrin

madcatladyforever · 16/06/2020 16:22

She does, everyone says she looks young for her age, I guess she just has good genes, but she has grey fur threading through the black now on her paws. She is properly cute and loves a cuddle.

Old cat problems
OP posts:
Fluffycloudland77 · 16/06/2020 20:07

She is in remarkable condition for an older lady.

Would she try raw food? It’s meant to reduce stool size too or something.

Veterinari · 16/06/2020 20:20

Is she tracking the poo because her mobility when she toilets has reduced? In which case analgesia would be a good call. It's highly unlikely that a 19 year old cat doesn't have some level of osteoarthritis

madcatladyforever · 17/06/2020 09:23

I think you are right there Veterinari, she does limp slightly, I had to take the lid off the covered litter tray and just have the one shallow tray on a small tarpaulin on the floor to catch the bits she kicks out. She couldn't climb into the hooded one any more.
We're off to the vet on Monday for a good check up, was supposed to go back in February but the vet was only seeing emergencies during lockdown.

OP posts:
madcatladyforever · 17/06/2020 09:25

I tried her on raw food last year, her face said why are you trying to give me poison, she wouldn't even sniff it lol.

OP posts:
madcatladyforever · 17/06/2020 09:33

Can't resist another photo, she's being so cute this morning, she's murdering her catnip banana. She has good and bad days like any old lady.
Last year she was a walking skeleton because of the thyroid problem and the medication gave her chronic diarrhoea and incontinence, after her treatment she put all the weight back on and the diarrhoea stopped.

Old cat problems
OP posts:
Veterinari · 17/06/2020 17:06

@madcatladyforever
She's lovely!

I'd definitely sounds like she has pain in her back legs - great that your vet is able to check her soon

BlueTreeBlue · 17/06/2020 18:28

She looks very well and sprightly!
What litter do you use? I swear by Catsan and it absorbs the smells quite quickly.
Wet food does make the poo smell a bit more, but if she doesn’t like dry food, then there is no alternative. Zooplus sells a good variety of high quality wet food. They are all quite meaty.

BlueTreeBlue · 17/06/2020 18:30

She’s got such a good body for a 19 year old. When mine was that age it was a struggle to get her to put on weight and she never looked as well as yours is looking now.

Fluffycloudland77 · 17/06/2020 18:39

Oh dear. All my 4 childhood cats LOVED chicken livers so I lovingly cooked them for dear departed Bengal boy who gave me the same horrified look of fear.

You can probably buy a probiotic to put in her food.

BlueTreeBlue · 17/06/2020 18:40

There is a brand of biscuits called Royal Canin - Exigent for fussy cats. There are three, one is the one for fussy aroma, I would get that one and see if it tempts her. Not to replace her whole diet but as a little extra and also biscuits are good for their teeth because they rub off the plaque.

Plump82 · 17/06/2020 21:22

My old girl (she made it to nearly 19)had bad arthritis and spondylosis which caused her issues getting low enough to poop and then cover anything. We used YuMove for while which worked well but she eventually got put on gabapentin which really helped.

emmacat · 18/06/2020 17:37

My old girl loves lillys kitchen but it gave her the worst smelling poos ever!! She had a spat of loose stools and the smell was horrific. Mines ever so dainty and it was such a worry, when I swapped her food shes been fine ever since solid and relatively non smelling poos.

FrankieChips · 19/06/2020 10:30

We have the same issue with our 17 year old. Our house stinks and she pees outside the tray almost every day (sits in the tray, put's her bum over the edge. It's a HUGE tray). She has a cat flap too but has no interest in going out anymore.

We tried Lily's and had some success with Country Hunter but she's gone off it now.

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