Most calorific food for elderly cat

[CarrieMoonbeams]

Morning!

I think it's fair to say that I'm out of ideas with my oldest rescued cat, as he loses weight year after year.

He's 15, a British Blue, castrated, indoor only. He came to us a few years ago via my vet, my vet has known him for a couple more years than that and apparently the cat has always been on the slim side. He's very dinky (the cat, not the vet!)

He's had so many blood tests, urine tests, teeth checked etc and is perfectly healthy. He loves his food, eats really well and drinks a normal amount. Poos are always solid and he's very clean. He gets on really well with our other pets - he's just a lovely, chilled little cat who keeps losing weight! In the 3 years since we've had him he's gone from 3.4 kilos, to 3.2, and is now 2.9.

The difficulty is that he can't eat wet food as it upsets his tummy. He won't eat chicken, scrambled egg etc, and won't even go near his bowl if there's a flake of tuna, salmon etc in there.

He's on Purina One dry kitten food, unlimited amount and he grazes all day. He gets 10 Dreamies over the course of the day (any more and he vomits) and one Lik-e-Lix.

I can't pay the cat tax out of respect for his previous owner's family, but he was well loved and looked after until a very sad change in his circumstances led to him being handed in to my vet.

Can anyone think of a more calorific food we could try him with please?

Also please don't ask me the results of his blood tests, I do have them all but I put them in the loft before Christmas. My vet had no concerns whatsoever though.

I'm probably asking the impossible but if anyone has any ideas I'd be really grateful.

Could you try expensive kitten dry food?

Kitten food is usually full of nutrients with the intent of having the kittens gain weight. I say expensive because the cheap ones have less nutrients.

When this happened with my old rescue cat, it was because she had kidney disease. Her only symptom was losing weight. Good luck,!

Hills does a high calorie convalescent food in a tin, a/d restorative care. You can get it on the internet but your vet might also be able to sell you a tin to try. It's very tasty.

Have you tried a grain free diet? Something like Ziwipeak or Thrive?

Sorry OP, I didn't read properly - hadn't seen that he can't have wet food.

Thanks for your replies, really kind of you all to take the time. They're such a worry aren't they? He's a lovely little chap and I get so upset when I see his weight decreasing 😔

@Cherry35 he's on Purina One dry kitten food. He's been on that for about a year and he loves it, he eats really well. Just keeps losing weight regardless 😔

@mildlydispeptic sadly he can't tolerate any wet food at all, he just vomits after eating it. I'll have a look though and see if that possibly comes in a dry food equivalent, thanks.

@Zippedydoodahday no I haven't, thanks, I'll have a look at them.

Really appreciate everyone's suggestions, thanks 🤗

@mildlydispeptic don't worry at all, it was a large post wasn't it?! Typical me! 🤭

Good luck! He sounds a lovely boy, and very lucky to have such a caring human.

@mildlydispeptic you might have just saved the day! Hills do a prescription-only dry food called ON Care, which it says is also suitable for cats who are losing weight. That must be a fairly new one because I haven't seen it before and wouldn't have thought to search if you hadn't mentioned the wet food.

I'll speak to my vet when we go in next week, we go every month for a checkup and weigh in. Thanks again.

Ah, great to hear! Fingers crossed for the little guy.