Fattening Up - High Calorie Treat Plan

[gaogier]

Hello,

My oldest cat - 11 years old - has lost about 500g or 1lb in 5 months. He is a big cat, but is now underweight, so is there some sort of paste that is high calorie?

His old diet was, meat/fish for dinner when he came down for dinner -4/7 days. He also would eat purina pro plan junior, with cat nip yogurt buttons.

His new diet is, meat/fish when ever he comes down again 4/7 days. He also eats his normal catnip however i haven’t got in the normal junior purina pro plan, I have brought purina one indoor, and purina pro plan kitten, but still losing weight.

I get kitten/junior food as they don’t chew the bigger pieces and end up vomiting it up.

There are 5 cats who eat the dry food, it’s only one who has lost weight, as bubbles dose not eat much dry food now compared to 5 months ago.

 

[Willowy]

I would suggest taking him to the vet for bloodwork. Cats don't just lose weight randomly; something must be happening. At his age it's best to catch it early.

 

[gaogier]

It’s just due to lack of eating dry food...

 

[verna davies]

I agree with W Willowy . Your vet needs to examine him and carry out blood tests. He can also advise on the best food for a senior cat.

 

[gaogier]

So, the fact he is only eating 1/5 of the dry food as he doesn’t like it requires a vet’s blood test, why?

My vet is PDSA and haven’t mentioned blood tests, just weigh him and note it.

 

[CHIKITTIES]

Hi Gaogier,

Do you know why he stopped eating/eating less his dry food? Did you change to different brand? If it is same food, and everybody else is eating same as before, maybe something is happening to him - like dental issue? Maybe you can soak dry food in water and make is softer? I heard different opinion on soaking dry food, and don't know if it is good or bad, but just to test if he is having trouble hard food or not ...

If weight loss is due to his lack of eating dry food, he should be getting something extra to replace calories. I think other "food" is better than "treat", because treats are not complete vs. food has complete nutrition cats need.

I also think vet visit is good idea, 11 year is about the time when kitty getting into "senior" category. But I also understand you don't stress out kitty with vet visit if you think it is not health issue ...

 

[Ardina]

I also agree with the vet visit. Weight loss is often the first sign of something wrong, whether it's a simple issue like dental problems or a bigger issue like renal failure, hyperthyroidism, and worse. Given his age and the fact that cats are really good at hiding pain and illness, a vet visit with a senior panel of bloodwork is really important.

 

[Willowy]

If you really think it's just because he doesn't like the dry food, weigh him now, get him some of the dry food he does like, and then weigh him again in a week and see if he's gained at all (probably just a few ounces in a week, but if that's the problem you should see as least some gain). If not, it's not the dry food and he'll need to see the vet.

But if that's truly the problem, you shouldn't have to do anything special besides getting the dry food he likes.

 

[gaogier]

He has never eaten wet food.

His eats dry food (purina pro plan junior) for years, keeping his weight stable.
In September I went to France and found purina one cheaper, so I got enough for 2 months. In this time bubbles stopped eating much of his dry food, it lasted 2 weeks longer than expected. I couldn’t get the normal purina pro plan junior, so I got purina one (same as France). I then got purina pro plan kitten, thinking it’s the same as junior, but bubbles still won’t eat much of it. I then brought some junior which bubbles eat a lot of it.

I am going to stick with this junior food but it’s hard to get, now I believe they have stopped making it. So yes I believe the weight loss is due to diet.

I was hoping for some high calorie food or treats he could eat, to help gain normal weight for him faster.

 

[Willowy]

If he's that picky, there probably won't be any treats he likes enough to fatten up on. Is there a way you can order his favorite food online? I know you're not in the US so I can't recommend the usual sites but there's probably some website for your area.

 

[gaogier]

I believe they have phased it out.

I am thinking of this, or something like this
VetIQ Nutri-Vit Plus - Cat

 

[Willowy]

If he's that picky, you're probably going to have to try a lot of different foods before you find one he likes.

 

[HPeters]

there are calorie pastes that you can get (just apply to roof of mouth or nose) for cats that have gone off food. other options are heating wet food (body temp), or a chicken (or something else that doesnt have toxic human foods) baby food

 

[gaogier]

A little update one month on.

Bubbles has had the paste every other day, and his appetite has increased dramatically, not weighed him yet, but he is seems less fat.