Cat w/ early kidney issues: takes longer to finish food.

[terestrife]

My cat used to inhale food. The past few months it was her longer in the day to finish her food. She still eats all of her food but it takes her longer. The only change is that I started adding extra water to her food (maybe 1/4-1/2 cup of more water per day.) im still debating stretching out her meals more. I just dont know if I should be giving her body time to digest food and not have her eating all day long.

She gets 4 portions of wet food 4 times a day at; 2:30 am, 4:30 am, 2:30 pm, and 4:30 pm.

Her weight is staying stable. Just worry that she doesnt love food as much. I should mention that if i add tuna water, she will inhale her food. So not sure if shes just bored?

 

[di and bob]

There is sodium reduced tuna out there you might try that to reduce her sodium intake. Is there a reason for the AM feedings? Or is that your schedule? she would adjust to a schedule that would be easier on you. The water may be making her food be not as tasty to her. if she is supposed to be drinking more water, try setting several small bowls of water around the house. They see a bowl, get curious and go over to inspect, and usually drink.

 

[Antonio65]

Is she eating slower all her meals or just the ones at 4:30?
The second meals in the morning and afternoon seem too close to the previous ones, so she might be less hungry.

 

[terestrife]

There is sodium reduced tuna out there you might try that to reduce her sodium intake. Is there a reason for the AM feedings? Or is that your schedule? she would adjust to a schedule that would be easier on you. The water may be making her food be not as tasty to her. if she is supposed to be drinking more water, try setting several small bowls of water around the house. They see a bowl, get curious and go over to inspect, and usually drink.

She wont willingly drink water. Its not something that draws her attention. She needs more water due to early issues with her kidneys. Vet suggested that I add more water to her food.

The reason for her 2:30 am food is that the cats sleep in my room. If she doesnt get fed overnight that means that I wont get a wink of sleep. She can howl for hours when she wants food. When I started feeding her at that time she started letting me actually sleep.

I will try the tuna, thank you! That is a good recommendation.

Is she eating slower all her meals or just the ones at 4:30?
The second meals in the morning and afternoon seem too close to the previous ones, so she might be less hungry.

Sometimes in the afternoon, and sometimes in the middle of the night. Shes been on this schedule for so long, but im not sure if its bad for her digestion to spread her meals and give her food every 6 hours? Her digestion wont be getting much of a break.

 

[FeebysOwner]

I don't think getting your cat to eat more, and faster, at one time is necessarily going to mean her digestive system get a break - and, not sure her pace in terms of how she is eating isn't her own built-in way of giving her system a break.

I don't know how long it takes her to eat that 4:30P meal, but if not terribly long, it could explain why she wants something to eat at 2:30A. That could be too many hours between meals.

My cat Feeby has never been a fast eater, mostly has always wanted to graze; but as she ages (she is now 18+ yo), she eats less at a time and stretches it out over a longer period of time. I do suspect she eats like she does because she feels better when she eats just a bit at a time and waits for that to 'settle' before eating more.

 

[Furballsmom]

Hi
If her weight is staying stable, I think personally the only change I'd make is the low/no sodium tuna juice (there's one brand I'm thinking of right off the top called Safecatch that has a low sodium variety, there may be others).

Also try the baby food soup from this article;
Tips To Increase Your Cat’s Water Intake – TheCatSite Articles

You could see if the support group on felinecrf .org has thoughts for you about this, or a nutritionist might be even better for your purposes.

Diplomate Directory

 

[suzeanna]

Watering down the wet food too much can definitely make a difference, at least for my cat, in willingness to eat something. When I accidentally do this and she hesitates to eat, I sprinkle a little bit of "chicken dust" (freeze-dried chicken treat bags always end up half pulverized) on top and she eats it normally.

P.S. I also have a cat with early kidney issues who rarely proactively drinks water, so I basically rely on getting it all into her food. I recently went through a period of switching her to a new different food, and adding water to those was a learning curve. Some foods she could tolerate quite a bit of water being added to, most not.

 

[maggie101]

I have a slow eater just diagnosed with ibd. At night she eats with me,other 2 cats locked out. Morning my cat that tries to steal her food I shut in the bedroom. Otherwise my cat with ibd will let her eat it

 

[terestrife]

My cat was diagnosed with early kidney issues a few months ago and goes for her 3 month check up saturday. I feel like she eats slower the past few months. She used to inhale her food. I don't know if it's the kidney issues, or if the extra water makes the food less palatable. I feel like her overeating changed when I changed her recipe. So who knows?

I changed her to a schedule so she eats every 3 hours. But she sometimes ignores the food for a few hours. Should i be concerned about her food getting bacteria? I use the catmate feeder. I fill the machine at 5:00 pm and it opens at 10:00 pm and 4:00 am and then fill at 6:00 am so it can open at 10:00 am and 4:00 pm.

I don't think getting your cat to eat more, and faster, at one time is necessarily going to mean her digestive system get a break - and, not sure her pace in terms of how she is eating isn't her own built-in way of giving her system a break.

I don't know how long it takes her to eat that 4:30P meal, but if not terribly long, it could explain why she wants something to eat at 2:30A. That could be too many hours between meals.

My cat Feeby has never been a fast eater, mostly has always wanted to graze; but as she ages (she is now 18+ yo), she eats less at a time and stretches it out over a longer period of time. I do suspect she eats like she does because she feels better when she eats just a bit at a time and waits for that to 'settle' before eating more.

my cat has always gorged on her food. All i have to do is add tuna to her food right now and she will eat every bite.

Hi
If her weight is staying stable, I think personally the only change I'd make is the low/no sodium tuna juice (there's one brand I'm thinking of right off the top called Safecatch that has a low sodium variety, there may be others).

Also try the baby food soup from this article;
Tips To Increase Your Cat’s Water Intake – TheCatSite Articles

You could see if the support group on felinecrf .org has thoughts for you about this, or a nutritionist might be even better for your purposes.

Diplomate Directory

i cant use the baby food soup. i tried giving her water with tuna liquid to entice her and this made her stop eating her food because she preferred the water.

Watering down the wet food too much can definitely make a difference, at least for my cat, in willingness to eat something. When I accidentally do this and she hesitates to eat, I sprinkle a little bit of "chicken dust" (freeze-dried chicken treat bags always end up half pulverized) on top and she eats it normally.

P.S. I also have a cat with early kidney issues who rarely proactively drinks water, so I basically rely on getting it all into her food. I recently went through a period of switching her to a new different food, and adding water to those was a learning curve. Some foods she could tolerate quite a bit of water being added to, most not.

i will try adding a topper, thank you!

I have a slow eater just diagnosed with ibd. At night she eats with me,other 2 cats locked out. Morning my cat that tries to steal her food I shut in the bedroom. Otherwise my cat with ibd will let her eat it

Kitty used to be the one stealing food and she still goes to investigate Elsas food but takes forever to finish her own food LOL

 

[terestrife]

Kitty is doing better with the 6 hours apart feeding. But I realize that her food opens at 10 am and it's still partially frozen when i check it at 12:00 pm. After 5 hours (i put in the food today at 7am) its still partially frozen. Should i worry about that? I guess it gives her an incentive to keep checking when its ready to eat, but the food stays out for a few hours. I put frozen wet food on the catmate feeder. So her food opened but she hasnt eaten cause its frozen. Not sure how to change things. I can only add food morning and night. I freeze her food because its home made and wont last many days in the regular fridge.

 

[Furballsmom]

Can you place the frozen food meal in a baggie and place that into a container of warm water for a few minutes? Experiment with this and see how it works for her.

 

[terestrife]

Can you place the frozen food meal in a baggie and place that into a container of warm water for a few minutes? Experiment with this and see how it works for her.

Should i do that in the morning with the portiin that will open 4 hours later? Just worried about bacteria growing. Especially when she doesn't run when she hears her food anymore. I read a post in this community once about a cat that passed away from food that was left out.

 

[FeebysOwner]

I know not every cat is the same, but I pretty much leave Feeby's canned food out (exposed, not in a feeder) for 8 hours before I toss it. I do think I am on the 'high' side, but IMO 4 hours later, especially when covered, is safe.

 

[Furballsmom]

Especially when she doesn't run when she hears her food anymore

Try different amounts of time in the water bath to see what works. Slightly warmed food, that isn't frozen will have more if an enticing smell and she might like it better

 

[terestrife]

I know not every cat is the same, but I pretty much leave Feeby's canned food out (exposed, not in a feeder) for 8 hours before I toss it. I do think I am on the 'high' side, but IMO 4 hours later, especially when covered, is safe.

That makes me feel better. Thank you!

Try different amounts of time in the water bath to see what works. Slightly warmed food, that isn't frozen will have more if an enticing smell and she might like it better

Thank you!
I tried it tonight and both cats inhaled their food. Kitty came running and ate two hours earlier than i intended.

 

[Furballsmom]

Kitty came running and ate two hours earlier than i intended.

Oh my goodness

 

[terestrife]

I tried defrosting and leaving her food ready for 10am and she comes running to eat it early. so much for not being hungry. This cat is going to drive me crazy.
Edit:
Ignore her messy food area. I just cleaned it for her yesterday. Does this look like the face of a cat avoiding her food for hours?

 

[Furballsmom]

She's gorgeous

 

[terestrife]

Update: i haven't had anymore issues with Kitty leaving any food uneaten. Splitting her meals further apart worked. she's gone back to begging for food again.

The only negative is now Elsa (my other cat) wants all her meals warm. If the food i give her is slightly cold she complains about it and keeps meowing. ‍ she used to eat cold food just fine.

 

[Furballsmom]

Goodness, cats