Part 0800.0005

[Lydia]

I know there's some owners of older cats on here and I'm looking for advice please.

 

My question is - is this normal for cats to go off wet food? And, if so, can I feed them Go Cat all the time? Is there another complete dry food which is better for them that I can try a sample of?

 

My 2 ladies will be 12 in 3 weeks. They've always had Felix wet food, initially tins but now sachets. They have always preferred Felix (we've tried Whiskas, Sheba, Waitrose own and the rest, but they've always noticed). Neither have ever been keen on the fish flavours.

 

Meg has had her fussy moments over the years but nothing major and she'd go back to eating whichever flavour it was after a bit. Minty has always been a feline dustbin and refused nothing.

 

A while ago Meg started eating less in one sitting but going back to it later. No problem, we just moved her food out of Minty's way and put it back when Minty had gone and Meg came back to it an hour or so later.

 

Then when we were on holiday and my parents were in charge, first Meg then Minty began to refuse wet food outright. We initially thought this was because my parents were trying to feed them fishy flavours but no, they gradually refused every flavour. They've also started refusing fresh chicken, tuna and any other 'proper' food which is completely unheard of.

 

Then sometimes they will eat one. But then you open a new sachet the next day and it's refused again so that goes in the bin.

 

They will eat Go Cat or Science Plan T/D (which I have to get from the vet and that is difficult). Thing is that they drink loads when they eat just biscuits and I am concerned about kidneys.

 

Bottom line is I'll feed them whatever they'll eat but what I don't want to do is get a great big sack of one thing only for them to refuse the stuff a couple of days later.

 

Any advice gratefully appreciated.

[cathybc]

I would firslty suggest a check up at the vets to ensure there is not an underlying problem, especially of they are refusing 'proper' food

 

Sometimes very slightly warming pouch food in the microwave can increase its smell which makes it more appetising (apparently!)

 

I think it is OK for cats to live on dried food only, mine were all on Hills CD (V.expensive!) at one point and were fine, I think you just need to ensure that they have plenty of water. But again, a vet would be able to confirm.

 

I also think most foods come in small bags - although I bought a 2KG bag of one food, which they ate, but when I then bought a huge bag - they didn't

 

(business idea - trading half eaten bags of food amongst fussy cat owners!)

 

I have also heard that giving them a variety of foods can make them fussier, and that it is therefore better to just keep them on the same thing - although to us that seems boring.

 

No real answers I am afraid, but hopefully some ideas from advice received from various vets over the years.

[Chucky Mama]

Are their teeth and gums OK?

[Lydia]

Yes teeth and gums and are fine and they've both had full body MOTs. We were a little overdue with worming but only a bit so not sure it's that.

 

The vet was stumped to be honest.

 

Now they've gone off the Hills T/D (not Science Plan as I said earlier) and I'm running out of options for what to feed the little madams.

[BarbaraJ]

You sure someone else isn't feeding them? if not I'm of the 'well if they are hungry they will eat it' brigade, never heard of a cat starving itself to death!

My Lilly prefers fish so i tend to buy fish types but they are fussy little things cats

[Space Chick]

I am going through the same with my cat Thomas who is nearly 9. He will only eat pouches in jelly NEVER Gravy or sauce ones, and then he tends to go through phases, some weeks only fish ones will do, the next week it could be poultry types, until he throws us a curve ball of meaty ones like beef or rabbit They have to be either Felix or Whiskers no other brand is suitable.

 

So my usual game now, is trying to work out what week it is I have started showing him boxes and asking him to choose. He sniffs one box and then another box, and the one he sniffs the most tends to be the winner

 

However, I always ensure he has access to Go Cat Senior dried food, this he scoofs down all the time

 

Cats, got to love 'um

[Chucky Mama]

. We were a little overdue with worming but only a bit so not sure it's that.

You're right, that wont make them anorexic. The thing with anorexic animals is that when they stop eating they seem to loose the urge to eat again quite quickly. It is strange that they have both stopped Could it be that they are eating elsewhere like someone else mentioned? Are they loosing weight/condition. Perhaps weigh them so that you have an idea. If they are maintaining their bodyweight then at least you know not to worry too much. If I were you I would stick to one food and encourage them to eat just that otherwise they will run you ragged and really take you for a ride. Warming food/frying and adding garlic can make it more palatable. Once you get them going they will get the feeling of hunger again as their stomachs empty and should continue eating.

[Lydia]

They're definitely not feeding elsewhere - Minty's not left the house except to sit in the porch or on the decking for about 6 nano seconds at a time since 2005 and Meg only goes out once in a blue moon. Plus we have Freddie the feline visitor from next door but one who likes to come in and decorate the walls so we tend to keep the flap locked.

 

Last night they changed tack again. I slipped in a pouch, just to see if they would and because I need to get rid of the remaining ones, and served up half a pouch a half Go Cat each. They scoffed the lot!

 

Space Chick, I'm glad it's not just us who have got them to choose which flavour in the past and whichever gets sniffed the most wins

 

Thanks for all the advice. I feel better for getting them MOT-ed and assured they're in good condition for their age. I think this is just how it's going to be from now on and we are just going to have to get used to the revised feeding arrangements, and the local cat rescue can have all the opened bags of whatever they've gone off

[Lydia]

Well things got back to normal for a while and both cats ate normally. However, last Thursday the vomiting started, first Minty then Meg followed. Both then lost their appetites. Meg got better and is fine now but Minty did not and last night the vet diagnosed suspected pancreatitis

 

She's at the vets today for blood tests, xrays and the rest.

[Couperwife]

I have started showing him boxes and asking him to choose. He sniffs one box and then another box, and the one he sniffs the most tends to be the winner

Cats, got to love 'um

 

hey I do this

 

im so glad im not the only one

 

cathy

x

[Chucky Mama]

Well things got back to normal for a while and both cats ate normally. However, last Thursday the vomiting started, first Minty then Meg followed. Both then lost their appetites. Meg got better and is fine now but Minty did not and last night the vet diagnosed suspected pancreatitis

 

She's at the vets today for blood tests, xrays and the rest.

 

 

Any news?

[chickencam]

How is the poorly puss?

 

My mogs are pretty fussy and we find that giving them a few days on just Iams makes them crave wet food, they will then eat it much better until the next time they go of it. They are only 5.

[Lydia]

Well the tests proved nothing too nasty was happening, so Minty had a shot of this, that and the other and was sent home. She celebrated her return home by doing the world's most enormous poo on the kitchen floor (at least it wasn't on the carpet).

 

She's eating normally....for now.....but I can't help thinking that in a month or so's time we'll be back to vomiting again.

 

For now though we're good and I've tentatively put the disinfectant and carpet cleaner back in the cupboard.