Losing my mind :)

lucyrima

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Hi - 1 1/2 yrs ago I was away x 2 wks and friends fed my then 12 yr male blk (and only) cat - which was terrific, except... something I had not thought about when we talked beforehand was what spec. times they'd come in, just a.m, late afternoon and bedtime (or something like that - with snax). Well, I had a real schedule going all those yrs, and he was great about it. I don't go out to work so it was fine... until it wasn't. The friends apparently came in at diff. times, but I think they were at their 'same' times, only midway between my set ones... and I have tried so hard to go bk to mine, feeling guilty half the time and murderous the others. Is there any way someone knows to de-program him and get bk to his reg. schedule, or ?? Thing is, I don't want to snack him too often, or completely change what I used to do when (just not suitable), and he doesn't seem to be able to go bk to normal even after all this time. Any help would be appreciated!
 

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Hi. Maybe you could explain a bit more about the actual issue. As in: what schedule was he on (including canned or dry foods), what schedule/timing you think he seems to want now - and equally important, why this is an issue now when it hasn't seemed to be for 1 1/2 years. Also, it might help to explain why this change is an issue - for either you or your cat.

Don't forget, he is older and there may be other issues going on that are health related. Looking forward to hearing more details!!
 
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lucyrima

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Hi, thanks for replying... do want to emphasize tho' that he's still less than 2 yrs older (just 14 in Mar) and is otherwise very happy and healthy - never any trouble and never any bathroom issues (really!). Also gets lots of attn as I'm 'it' here, with few visitors. ANYhow, his diet has been the same forever except for grad. intro. of small changes to snax over few times altogether. He normally gets 1/2 can of F. Feast + 1/2" square of Cesar + 3 Temptations at 7:00-ish a.m. I don't know about the U.S. Cesar formulation, but here the dog/cat ones are essentially identical except for cats' taurine. At 8:30+ he gets a 1 1/2" sq of my egg yolk. At 10 he (got) tbsp of skim milk (whatI drink that) and maybe 1/4 (if that) of a bacon strip. B-fast is a big deal here :).
 

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Thanks for adding more details, but I am still not really understanding the issue. It is possible, if he is eating OK, that he prefers what ever changes were made by friends (even if accidentally) - which if you described that part I missed it. Your schedule suggests he doesn't get any food beside the morning hours? A cat needs to eat more often than just in the morning, and the older they get the more that is true.

A 14 yo cat is no longer a young cat, so if there are issues that go beyond what you have explained so far, it is not out of the realm of possibility that there is a health issue brewing.

Sorry, but that is all I can offer on the additional information you have given so far.
 
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lucyrima

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I was not finished but the thing 'sent' by mistake... I was saying that "What I drink" (tried to delete the 'that' but it Sent instead... Anyway he then has lunch at noon - 2 good tsps of Whiskas 6 oz can + 3 more Tempts. Sleeps til ? 3-ish, gets bits (tbsp) of people chicken, or other suitable meat, then at 7 a 'good' tspn of Whiskas + 3 Tempts. At 8:30-9 gets 5 Tempts in a foraging game with boxes, and at 11 a sort of repeat of 3 pm snack. And he was fine with that until... plse read my orig. post.
 

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OK! Thanks for finishing your post! So, now that you've explained what your normal routine is/was, can you explain what your friends changed in that routine, and how that is presenting a problem?
 
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lucyrima

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Ok, got your last... so as you can see above the big 'problem' is that even unlike other time changes in the day that we've both now been able to work out, his wanting lunch at 11 vs his otherwise 12-12:30 time makes me bonkers because he does get 10 am snacks and then the noonish lunch... but 11 am is so not normal.
 

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Just a guess - make his earlier 10 Am snack bigger, so that he can go longer before his normal 12-12:30 meal. Your friends accidentally came across a regimen he likes better. Sorry, but it doesn't sound like such a huge change that it can't be tried/tested. A 14 yo cat can sometimes do better on more frequent meals - it sounds like that may be his case. If that is all this is about - no offense intended - helping a cat at that age to keep eating is a good thing, even it means making changes that might require some adaption on your part. :)
 
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lucyrima

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Thank you, I get your reasoning, but I think, considering what he gets prior to that (b-fast, eggs, 10 o'c snack) I might actually instead just cave and at 11-ish give him something to hold him til lunch... I don't know why I've been stubborn after all... shouldn't stand on 'principle' just because. You know when you get older you can fall into being tooo routine, and I don't want to do that. Glad to know you're there, and thanks for giving me the chance to talk this thru!
 

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I have a cat which is 16+ yo, that has - trust me - put me 'through the ringer' when it comes to foods and food eating habits! Sometimes, you just have to do what you have to do!!
 
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lucyrima

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Thank you for understanding. I think I'm spoiled cuz he's been SO good for so long that I expect miracles. But we'll work it out... I just don't want him to get fat (or me :).
 
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