my healthy, active senior cat not eating cat food, losing weight

stacie elolf

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My cat, Dong Wa, is 14 years old, cat  and is losing weight. He is not big boned, instead he is tall and long, with almost delicate bones.

He is not eating the high protein, no grain food, let me rephrase, he eats some, just not enough. The other day I had some french fries. He ate 2 small ones by himself, then I broke another one into small bites and he ate it.

What should I be feeding him? I also have 2 other cats, one maine coon/ragdoll (at a good weight)and a DSH tabby ( a little tubby, not much)

I have read feeding senior cats things from baby food-stage 1, to kitten food to cooking just for the cat.

Not too sure what I really need to feed him.
I will add a picture to show what I mean as far as being tall and underweight..
 

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The link to your picture is not working. Could you upload it directly so it shows up in your post? There is a tutorial on how to upload an image.

Sorry I can't help you with the feeding. If you find something that works I'd like to hear about it. I have two cats that are too skinny and one that is just plain fat and I'm still trying to figure out how to even things out.
 
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stacie elolf

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You can feel both his spine and ribs. He has always been on the lean side. He should weigh, according to his vet about 14 to 15 lbs. He is barely 11 lbs. He really is a tall cat.
 

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Hello @Stacie Elolf

I would really suggest that your 14 year old cat, be taken in to see your Vet, ASAP, since his losing weight sounds like a medical condition is causing it.

With cats, rapid weight loss can point to anything from kidney disease, hyperthyroidism, diabetes or cancer.

With senior cats, a senior blood wellness panel is often done, to rule out any medical causes of the weight loss.

Has Dong Wa been in to see the Vet recently, since his weight loss?
 
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stacie elolf

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Yes, he got a clean bill of health except for his weight. The vet told me to try different things and that eventually I would find one he will eat.

He is really active, still chases things on the TV, fluffs and runs all over the house.
 

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Yes, he got a clean bill of health except for his weight. The vet told me to try different things and that eventually I would find one he will eat.

He is really active, still chases things on the TV, fluffs and runs all over the house.
Okay, that is very good.

I was a little worried because usually medical problems explain weight loss, and once found, can be treated well.

Vet also can suggest high density diets, which are helpful in putting on weight.

Critical Care A/D cat food.

https://www.chewy.com/hills-prescription-diet-ad-urgent/dp/54506

And also Nutrical supplements for cats.


Sometimes a cat needs low carbs, moderate fats, and extra quality protein...so your mention of trying out any type of kitten food, which is calorie dense may help.

Wellness pate foods have some good flavours.

Does he eat dry and wet canned food, or only wet? What type of brands does he like?
 
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laura mae

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Plain chicken baby food can be quite a treat for cats and sometimes I use a bit as a topper to the food I actually want my cat to eat. The Gerber Chicken is the most popular with mine.
 
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stacie elolf

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His favorite food is chicken, stolen from dinner. He does like chicken broth, on dry food, sometimes. When it comes to wet food, he licks the gravy off and then he is done.

Here is a front shot of him.
 

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This website might help you in choosing a higher calorie food.

http://www.felinecrf.org/canned_food_usa.htm

It is a website for chronic kidney disease, but it contains a lot of useful information about calories, protein, and fat, in many commercial foods.

Then, you can check out the individual companies websites, for updated info, or even to request samples of their foods.

Some companies will give out samples.

This 'calorie counter' is useful, if you'd like to roughly enter what your cat's daily kcal should be. It's only an estimate, though, and should be verified by your Vet.

http://petsci.co.uk/feline-calorie-calculator/

You input the ideal weight that you need, then let it calculate for 'neutered adult cat', and find a food, that meets those daily requirements.
 
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stacie elolf

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If I do give him baby food, does he need anything else to make sure he gets all of the correct stuff?
 
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stacie elolf

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Thank you, ​I will try the web pages. I think that I will wait until the morning,

I really do appreciate your help and guidance.
 

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If I do give him baby food, does he need anything else to make sure he gets all of the correct stuff?
Yes, although baby food is good to tempt a cat to start eating again, it is NOT a balanced meal.

You really need to find him any type of cat food, that is complete and balanced, which he likes to eat, and feed him that.

Many of us rotate, and change the canned food flavours we feed daily.

Even if its something like Friskies canned, or Wellness, or Fancy Feast.

It does not matter how expensive or inexpensive the cat food is, as long as your cat will eat it.

And that the cat food is complete and balanced.

I also feed my cats both dry and wet food, daily.

They always have dry food available, and wet is fed twice a day.
 
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stacie elolf

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So, put a little baby food on wet food. Is broth okay for dry, or should I try baby food on it too, until he is eating. He does like a dry food that had puffed bites in it. I just don"t remember which one it was.
 

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Originally Posted by Stacie Elolf  

Thank you, ​I will try the web pages. I think that I will wait until the morning,

I really do appreciate your help and guidance.
Sure. You are welcome.

(And also make sure your senior cat has good teeth, since this sometimes causes them to eat less. Some Vets do not check the dental area, unless the cat guardian mentions this.)

I know that there is a lot of information, but it is basically 'trial and testing' to see which cat food, our cats will eat, and like.

Sometimes they only eat something, for a short while, and then want something new.

If your cat liked dry food, then crumbling a little of the dry, on the wet food, may get him to eat more.

As will warming the food, and using different flavours which are smelly or stronger, to attract him.

If he only likes gravy type of foods, then asking at the pet store, which types come in gravy formulas will help.

When you decide, and come back, then you can begin a 'new thread ' in Cat Nutrition, asking for specific questions about a particular cat food.

There are many members, here, that know far more about cat food, than I do.

Someone is always around, to help answer questions.

Good Luck.
 

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So, put a little baby food on wet food. Is broth okay for dry, or should I try baby food on it too, until he is eating. He does like a dry food that had puffed bites in it. I just don"t remember which one it was.
I don't usually put the baby food onto the wet food.

I usually just reserve baby food, for emergencies, when a cat will not eat....So I am not really sure if putting it on wet food will work.

And I don't know about the chicken broth.

I don't usually mix the wet and dry foods. They get a bowl of wet, and a separate bowl for dry.

Has he stopped eating completely?

Or has he just been eating less and less?

If you go to a pet store, ask if they have any samples for free, so that you can try out more than one brand.

(I'm so sorry,  my computer is so slow tonight, and acting buggy.)
 
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stacie elolf

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He is eating, just not enough. I guess he is making it up with my daughter feeding him ftom the table.
 

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He is eating, just not enough. I guess he is making it up with my daughter feeding him ftom the table.
Although your daughter means well, and I'm absolutely sure that Dong Wa enjoys the table food, .
.it is really hard to monitor what a cat eats, as far as the extra salt and preservatives in our own people food.

Your cat may be wanting the taste of the table food, over the taste of his own cat food, so that could be the reason he does not eat enough of his own cat food.

It sounds like he's been doing it his whole life, though, so it may be difficult habit to break out of.


This sounds weird, but perhaps your daughter could tempt Dong Wa with some tasty cat food, by giving it to him from the table, similar to how he enjoys the table food.

In this way, it may trick him, into thinking that all his humans are eating the food, and so he should too.

Just put it on his own small plate.

It's a strange trick, but it is worth a try, to get some extra calories into him.


Good Luck in finding him a food that he will like, and enjoy eating.

There is another chart in this Cat Site Article, which also mentions commercial cat foods:

This is the article: http://www.thecatsite.com/a/what-makes-the-best-canned-cat-food

And this is the website it links to: http://catinfo.org/commercial-cat-foods/

(ps. I know I gave you a lot of information to read through. Don't get overwhelmed.

Just read a bit at a time, like I do.

And just come back and ask the other members more questions.

Have a good week.)
 
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Has he had a poor appetite for years, or has he noticeably stopped eating as much very recently?
 
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