Old cat with a poor appetite

[branv]

My poor Penny has a bunch of probs right now (Asthma, xrays for which revealed she's in the beginning stages of lung cancer), fortunately her appetite isn't an issue (she's HUGE), and the pred she's on makes her appetite even bigger.

That being said, to help with allergies related to food issues, I changed her to wet food, grain-free only. I am feeding her Innova, and man is the smell STRONG (yeach!). But it sure brings the cats running! It's the pate type mix, not a chunky one, so easier to eat. Very high in protein, less than 10% carbs (empty calories), and you can't believe how beautiful both my cats fur is now. It's more expensive than the cheap, filler food they sell in the store, but I get the xtra large 13 oz can for $1.79.

BTW: if your cat likes the gravy, and avoid chunks, you can always mash it with a fork and add some water. Also helps with the thicker pate'ish foods. Plus it gives them more moisture in their diet, which too many cats miss out of from eating dry food.

Good luck, I'll keep my fingers crossed!

 

[Kay1]

I suggest what others say - have the vet check the kidneys. In February, my 9 year old cat stopped wanting to eat much and I took her in and she was in kidney failure. I think I waited too long, since she was young in my mind, and I might have been able to prolong her life if I had taken her in when I first noticed her appetite dropping significantly. I still feel guilty.

.

I'm so sorry about your kitty but please don't feel guilty. You're only human and I'm sure you did the best you could knowing what you did at the time. Besides, you don't know whether or not you could have prolonged her life and she's comfortable and at peace now.

 

[flying_babyb]

friskies sells little 8 oz boxes of cat food, they look like the larger sized travel ceral boxes. You get 6 for like 3 bucks. Each box is a differnt flavor. This works for my picky kitten who will ONLY eat round bits.

 

[dromio42]

After the vet (ours has a thyroid issue- totally fine with daily meds) You might try iams kitten food - for our Phebe, 15 yrs. (who has had lots of digestive issues) it was like chocolate on Christmas morning. She's great now, just 1 year since we were talking to the vet about how long she might have.....

 

[christiane]

Thanks everyone! I just googled the Nutri-Cal and it sounds like it may be good for Smokey. I am also going to pick up the VitaGravy since he likes gravy so much!!

Nutrical is just sugar & vitamins in a paste --it is not what your cat needs. Please take Smokey to the vet.

 

[Rustysmom]

We are going through this now with my Mom's cat. My mom passed away in March and Penny has been staying at her house until we sell it because I have 2 cats and I don't think she would get along with them. She's only about 12-13, but something is wrong with her. She has what looks like glaucoma, and has been taking human meds for that for the past 3 or so years. She's gotten skinnier and skinnier, and yet the blood tests come back ok.

Lately she's been eating less than usual, so today I went over there and gave her some tuna in oil and she ate that up and then some turkey baby food, which she also ate. I also brought over some Fancy Feast for DH to give her. He goes there before and after work to give her her pills and to keep her company. I hope it's just the heat that making her eat less because she really freaks out when we try to take her to the doctor, and I'm afraid he's going to want to put her to sleep.

 

[SGMCO]

The cream sounds like a good idea! Nope, he has no dental issues. What he eats the most of is Purina One 'hairball control' food which is a small dry food. What he really goes for best is the 'gravy' in wet cat foods, which it's hard to find one with lots of gravy. I am paying a small fortune for him to lick out the gravy and leave all the food from the pouches. Thanks for the cream idea!

I buy my Cat the larger Soft food can (13.5 ounces) and only scoop out two tablespoons
at a time--I add extra water to this and it makes as much gravey as you want. My cat will eat everything that is in the bowl. I then cover the can and put in in the fridge. She will eat the whole can within the week without any waste. It cast about .84 cents per large can compared to .52 cents for
the very little cans (5.5 ounces).

 

[ktkerber]

I have to second the opinion of everyone who suggested you take the kitty to the vet. My cat died from liver failure when she wouldn't eat. Our one cat died from congestive heart failure and it was shortly after that when I noticed the second cat wasn't eating very much. I just assumed it was because she missed the first one so much. They had never been apart since we got the second one when she was 6-8 weeks old. After awhile I did take her to the vet, but it was too late. I still feel guilty about it too. I just kept thinking she missed her best friend and would come around. We tried all kinds of food, cats milk, vita gravy, and the vet gave us some kind of viamin supplement. She just would not eat. I even gave her the cats milk by medicine dropper. My advice to you: Don't wait too long!

 

[maggieusa]

Please take you cat to the ve to make sure things are okay

 

[snarlingcoyote]

Thanks for all the great ideas guys! Our black cat is 17 and thus far is happy with Fancy Feast Salmon Medley or Tuna whatever-it-is. But it was hard to discover that THIS brand of wet food (we're dry feeders ourselves) was the one she wanted. And ONLY these two flavors.

Thanks OP! Now I have things to do for her ready in the back of my head for the future!

 

[Muushka]

Please take you cat to the ve to make sure things are okay

This thread is 15 months old!!

OP, how is your kitty doing?

 

[lisalum]

i think my post has been deleted i don't know why

 

[Muushka]

i think my post has been deleted i don't know why

Wow! Your post count is 1, welcome to the Dis!

 

[pk1959]

This thread is 15 months old!!

OP, how is your kitty doing?

OP here, I couldn't believe that this thread came back up. Not exactly a happy ending and this pretty much brought it all back. Had to have Smokey put to sleep on Nov 17th of last year. After looking at that little face for almost 19 years and then having it gone was just so hard to get over. He was such a joy for all those years.

In April of this year we did however go to animal control and pick out a new fur baby. He's 8 months old now and boy had I forgotten the 'kitty' stage!! Looking forward to the time when he will start doing 'cat' things like sleeping 18 hours out of every 24!! We really are having a blast with him and love him every bit as much as we did Smokey. I'll just be happy when I can think of Smokey and not have tears.

 

[Muushka]

OP here, I couldn't believe that this thread came back up. Not exactly a happy ending and this pretty much brought it all back. Had to have Smokey put to sleep on Nov 17th of last year. After looking at that little face for almost 19 years and then having it gone was just so hard to get over. He was such a joy for all those years.

In April of this year we did however go to animal control and pick out a new fur baby. He's 8 months old now and boy had I forgotten the 'kitty' stage!! Looking forward to the time when he will start doing 'cat' things like sleeping 18 hours out of every 24!! We really are having a blast with him and love him every bit as much as we did Smokey. I'll just be happy when I can think of Smokey and not have tears.

I am so sorry about Smokey. It takes me several years to even be able to speak a lost pet's name without crying.

But kuddos to you, getting another, and one who needed a home!

I hope that the happy memories of Smokey soon overtake the sadness of losing him.

 

[pk1959]

I am so sorry about Smokey. It takes me several years to even be able to speak a lost pet's name without crying.

But kuddos to you, getting another, and one who needed a home!

I hope that the happy memories of Smokey soon overtake the sadness of losing him.

Thank you Muushka It's nice to hear kind words from someone who 'gets it'!!