Cats getting fussy with food in old age
Discussion
Our two cats are now about 16 and 13 years old. We got them from a rehoming center about 11 years ago, pretty much since then they ate Gourmet Perle wet food and some sort of dry stuff, a couple of years ago the older one was diagnosed with kidney issues so he's been on Semintra every day for that and we switched the dry food to some special variety for cats with kidney issues on the vet's advice.
We were advised to switch them to a senior food as both were losing weight a bit so we put them on Felix Senior. For the first week or two they were fine then they seemed to go off it. Switched to Sheba stuff, same story. Most recently we put them on Webbox senior and for a few months it seemed they'd found their appetites again but recently they seem to often not touch it and will pester us for food when there's plenty in their bowls.
Is this sort of thing "normal" when cats get older or could there be something else at play here? Any other suggestions for senior foods that anyone's had any more success with?
We were advised to switch them to a senior food as both were losing weight a bit so we put them on Felix Senior. For the first week or two they were fine then they seemed to go off it. Switched to Sheba stuff, same story. Most recently we put them on Webbox senior and for a few months it seemed they'd found their appetites again but recently they seem to often not touch it and will pester us for food when there's plenty in their bowls.
Is this sort of thing "normal" when cats get older or could there be something else at play here? Any other suggestions for senior foods that anyone's had any more success with?
This is what happened with my cat, turned out to be IBD. He is much younger though.
While I was finding all of this out with vets trips, I also found online that many people feed a raw diet, this can be hard to manage.
I'm now feeding him a subscription based food (KatKin)
https://katkin.club/
They send enough food for 14 days and you keep it in the freezer, it's nutritionally balanced and the right amount of calories per day for the cats size, weight and age. It also is just cooked meat, so it's good for the cat, many off the shelf foods really aren't.
They really go mad for it too.
Worth a look, it works out cheaper than feeding off the shelf food too.
While I was finding all of this out with vets trips, I also found online that many people feed a raw diet, this can be hard to manage.
I'm now feeding him a subscription based food (KatKin)
https://katkin.club/
They send enough food for 14 days and you keep it in the freezer, it's nutritionally balanced and the right amount of calories per day for the cats size, weight and age. It also is just cooked meat, so it's good for the cat, many off the shelf foods really aren't.
They really go mad for it too.
Worth a look, it works out cheaper than feeding off the shelf food too.
One of ours is suffering from terminal renal failure and has been in twice now for IV fluids.
She has lost interest in eating and licks water from the shower base, slabs in the garden, the bird baths, but wont drink the clean water we put down for her.
We have tried her on all the same foods with little success. She will eat a bit of cooked beef or chicken, and licks the gravy off of Sheba flakes, but all the signs are that she has not got too long left.
She was in the vets last weekend and her kidney recovery after the IV fluids has dropped off since the last session in November so we are just trying to make her comfortable and will have to do the right thing before she suffers too much.
She has had significant weight loss over the last 6 months and it is sad to see how thin she has got.
She is about 16 and has had a good life and been well looked after and loved and that is all we can do for them really.
She is sitting beside me now asleep
She has lost interest in eating and licks water from the shower base, slabs in the garden, the bird baths, but wont drink the clean water we put down for her.
We have tried her on all the same foods with little success. She will eat a bit of cooked beef or chicken, and licks the gravy off of Sheba flakes, but all the signs are that she has not got too long left.
She was in the vets last weekend and her kidney recovery after the IV fluids has dropped off since the last session in November so we are just trying to make her comfortable and will have to do the right thing before she suffers too much.
She has had significant weight loss over the last 6 months and it is sad to see how thin she has got.
She is about 16 and has had a good life and been well looked after and loved and that is all we can do for them really.
She is sitting beside me now asleep
Thanks both, very useful.
So Katkin then, basically Hello Fresh but for cats - whatever next I'll have a look at that.
@Monkeylegend, sorry to hear that
I had wondered at first if it was the start of the decline for the older chap but he seems otherwise OK (stiff/sore hind legs so doesn't jump much or run about a lot), generally happy, affectionate, etc. and it's not just him, it's the other one too. It's not that they've lost interest in eating, if we switch food or give them something like tuna etc. they get stuck right in, just they seem to lose interest in a given brand of food after they've been eating it for a while.
They do both drink a bit of water these days but our vet said that's not abnormal for older cats and as they're leaving more of the wet food and eating more dry they won't be getting the fluids from the wet food.
So Katkin then, basically Hello Fresh but for cats - whatever next
I'll have a look at that.@Monkeylegend, sorry to hear that
I had wondered at first if it was the start of the decline for the older chap but he seems otherwise OK (stiff/sore hind legs so doesn't jump much or run about a lot), generally happy, affectionate, etc. and it's not just him, it's the other one too. It's not that they've lost interest in eating, if we switch food or give them something like tuna etc. they get stuck right in, just they seem to lose interest in a given brand of food after they've been eating it for a while.They do both drink a bit of water these days but our vet said that's not abnormal for older cats and as they're leaving more of the wet food and eating more dry they won't be getting the fluids from the wet food.
8bit said:
Thanks both, very useful.
So Katkin then, basically Hello Fresh but for cats - whatever next I'll have a look at that.
@Monkeylegend, sorry to hear that I had wondered at first if it was the start of the decline for the older chap but he seems otherwise OK (stiff/sore hind legs so doesn't jump much or run about a lot), generally happy, affectionate, etc. and it's not just him, it's the other one too. It's not that they've lost interest in eating, if we switch food or give them something like tuna etc. they get stuck right in, just they seem to lose interest in a given brand of food after they've been eating it for a while.
They do both drink a bit of water these days but our vet said that's not abnormal for older cats and as they're leaving more of the wet food and eating more dry they won't be getting the fluids from the wet food.
We have two cats and throughout their time with us they have both been very fussy eaters.So Katkin then, basically Hello Fresh but for cats - whatever next
I'll have a look at that.@Monkeylegend, sorry to hear that
I had wondered at first if it was the start of the decline for the older chap but he seems otherwise OK (stiff/sore hind legs so doesn't jump much or run about a lot), generally happy, affectionate, etc. and it's not just him, it's the other one too. It's not that they've lost interest in eating, if we switch food or give them something like tuna etc. they get stuck right in, just they seem to lose interest in a given brand of food after they've been eating it for a while.They do both drink a bit of water these days but our vet said that's not abnormal for older cats and as they're leaving more of the wet food and eating more dry they won't be getting the fluids from the wet food.
One prefers dry food, the other wet food, but they both eat some of the other. With the wet foods they will eat them for a few days then go off them for a while so we have always alternated between different brands, plus tuna and pawns, cooked beef and cooked chicken.
They also both graze throughout the day rather than eat a full meal in one go.
They eat better than we do it seems
Cats generally are fussy about what they eat unlike our Labrador who will wolf down anything we put in front of her within 30 seconds or so.
Might be worth while getting him checked, a blood test and urine test will tell you a lot.
Been meaning to round off this thread for a few weeks now. We're a few months in since switching the fussiest cats on earth to Katkin and (without wishing to jinx it) it's been a resounding success. There are a couple of varieties they don't eat so readily but for the most part they're eating well and seem to be putting a little weight back on but the main difference is their coats - they feel incredibly clean and silky now, like they did when they were youngsters.
So, thanks for the Katkin recommendation, another one from me.
So, thanks for the Katkin recommendation, another one from me.
Katkin is (or was) one of the cheap ones!
Weight loss can also be hyperthyroidism; a quick blood test will show it and treatment is easy.
ETA: Had a browse of the Katkins website - my god it's twee isn't it! - but decided Furbag was worth a trial run!
Amusing the bit about medical conditions - whichever one you choose the answer is 'Yes, Katkins is ideal'
They also send you a special deal if you introduce a friend - both parties get 50% off their next order - so PM me if you want to scratch backs.
Weight loss can also be hyperthyroidism; a quick blood test will show it and treatment is easy.
ETA: Had a browse of the Katkins website - my god it's twee isn't it! - but decided Furbag was worth a trial run!
Amusing the bit about medical conditions - whichever one you choose the answer is 'Yes, Katkins is ideal'
They also send you a special deal if you introduce a friend - both parties get 50% off their next order - so PM me if you want to scratch backs.
Edited by Simpo Two on Friday 15th July 20:10
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