Simba, the Lion King, 22 and getting thinner

[les26]

We are watching our "Lion King" Simba getting thinner and we know that is normal, he was a stray that we took in about 16 years ago and at that time they guessed his age between 6 and 8, so he's really up there at least 22 maybe more! He hasn't had teeth for a long time now, and we cannot get him and take him to a vet, when he had his teeth issues years ago we had to get someone in here to net him and it was awful, we aren't going to put him through that as the stress would most likely give him a heart attack like happened to his "girlfriend" Sabrina last year, and if it is something wrong what can we really do for him at this point? But he still is one of the first ones to come in for breakfast, still pushes me for treats, we are getting all kinds of softer treats and bisques and "soups" treats for him and he still eats them, Di & Bob told me about that last year with our dear little Sugar and she liked them so we get them for him now too, he still eats hard crunchy ones too, he still jumps up on a chair or the sofa, Deb saw him jump from the coffee table to the sofa the other day which is incredible for his age, but we don't like the fact that he is thinner, plus he throws up at times but so do several of our other ones. But we just keep feeding him and loving him up, and are making sure that he isn't going to be in any pain, but he still uses the litter box and eats and drinks so...

We know the day is coming for all of us, but it's tough especially when it is a little one. But he was skinny and his ribs were showing when he showed up here many years ago, I didn't think he would make it but he did, and he is EVERYBODY'S friend, lots of bonks and rubs from him over the years.

Hang in there old guy, we need you around yet...

 

[betsygee]

Aw, sweet boy, hang in there, Simba.

 

[les26]

Deb & I were at Petsmart yesterday and got him a LOT of different types of squeeze ups and broths and softer things, we noticed that he still eats Fancy Feast hard food but turns his nose up at the wet food anymore, but it isn't like he wants to eat and can't because he is sick it's just more like he doesn't care for it anymore, finicky, so we got him different things to try and the young cashier said that he just had to do the same thing with his cat! We gave him some of them last night and he LOVES the Temptation Creamy Puree chicken flavored, and also ate some of the other ones too, so he is interested in eating. And he always loved chicken, and today I grilled some and when I brought it in he went NUTS and I had to give him a lot of it along with Sylvester and Slim, and when they had enough they left. But Deb was inside with him today and said he comes into the kitchen a lot and eats the dry food and still drinks, still is interested in coming in there when we are in there, still jumps up on to chairs and walks around like he is on a "mission" lol, so we think he is just thinner because of his age which is natural but also was just finicky and tired of the same old same old...but as you know you can spend a small fortune trying to switch cat food brands!

But he is still cruising around here, loving the different things we bought, hopefully if we mix it up enough he'll stay interested in them!!

And when he gets treats so does Sylvester and boy is he on to that!!

 

[les26]

The old guy is really chugging along now, really eating a lot of the things that we bought him and this morning even was eating some of the regular wet Fancy Feast like he used to, and you can noticeably see that he is gaining weight so we are so happy and hope that he is okay! This morning he was standing right in the middle of the kitchen when I went to feed them, ready to go lol!! We also read with older cats it is okay to feed them smaller meals but several times a day, so we are doing that with him too, trouble is some of the others come in and want to jump on the bandwagon with it which we don't hate but really don't prefer, they'll start looking like blimps lol!!

But he's eating and interested in things that we bought, it's almost like he knows that we are helping him!

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

what great news

 

[les26]

Well mommy and daddy (mostly daddy) have to cut it back a little with the treats and the new foods, the poor little guy had diarrhea last night about 4 times and we don't want him to start having problems that way! I think the squeeze up kind of treats might be the culprit, they are soft and runny, so we'll limit them and use more pate and softer foods for him.

Ugh...

 

[les26]

We bought him LOTS of different kinds of foods and treats and he is eating and gaining some weight, but we have to watch so he doesn't get sick from it. But he REALLY knows how to "play" us, holds out for us to give him several different things before he decides on what he will and won't eat lol, it's actually pretty funny! But he also eats dry food on his own, drinks, uses the litter box, jumps up on chairs, and is still somewhat active, and again for 22 or maybe even older he will lose some weight, but he doesn't appear sick at all, like Deb said "I think it's just his age catching up to him" and I agree.

But he's still here, playing finicky with us lol!! Today he likes this, but tomorrow he doesn't, likes that then doesn't, you know, like a cat?!!

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

So you've gotten the diarrhea under control? It was just a one time event?

 

[les26]

So you've gotten the diarrhea under control? It was just a one time event?

Pretty much so yes. I think he was just eating too much of too many new things, at that time he was really into the Temptations Squeeze Ups so we bought a load of them and of course now he doesn't want them lol! But Sylvester and some others will be happy to get rid of them for us!

 

[les26]

So you've gotten the diarrhea under control? It was just a one time event?

Well it was back again yesterday, and he was more lethargic and hiding out, we could tell he didn't feel good, so much that Deb and I said our tearful goodbyes to him last night, telling him to "do what he has to do", and that we love him etc., we both were writing the old guy off and wondering if it was his time. But as we went to bed she told me that FOUR of them had diarrhea yesterday, and when she told me that I felt a sigh of relief and it dawned on me that we probably are trying WAY too many new foods, what the heck is wrong with us? We were thinking we would "spoil" him with these other wet foods and soups and pates, and we even bought a Rachel Ray dry food thinking it would be better for him than the dry Fancy Feast that he eats, that was on Tuesday but by yesterday he wasn't quite himself but he did beg from me at supper like he always does, and I said the other cats aren't wigged out like when they sense that one is dying, so I said "maybe it was just a bad day", went to bed after MANY prayers, and this morning when I went to feed them there he was, standing in the dining room, came right into the kitchen, I said "Hi Simba!" and he gave me a little answer back, put out the wet Fancy Feast and a few bowls of Blue wet food that he seems to like to eat, mixed in the vitamin/fish oil concoction and some Glucosamine, put them down and he started to eat some of the Blue then switched to a Fancy Feast so I just let him go, saw him drinking water too and he went up onto his chair like before, but then he went behind a little cubby hole in the kitchen like he did yesterday but he doesn't seem in distress, so hopefully he was just feeling the adverse effects of us trying to "force" him to eat more so he gains weight, but it seems like we just need to back off, go back to what we did before, add some of the Rachel Ray dry (is that good food?) but keep the Fancy Feast out like we have been doing, limit the new things including new treats which I'm sure also can mess him and them up, and hope for the best.

And last night we had a wild thunderstorm here that lasted for hours and kept us awake more than we wanted, scared the cats too except him, we don't think he can hear too good anymore but I am going to work on fumes as we were REALLY upset and stressed out over him last night; we know his and all of our times will come, but we don't want any of us to suffer, but it doesn't seem like it is there yet for him, but it looked a little like that yesterday but if he was wiped out with diarrhea of course he's going to be lethargic...


Ugh...we're trying to help him, but need to think this out better.

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

Hoping everyone feels better today

 

[les26]

Hoping everyone feels better today

Thank you. In the last few days we tried baby food as suggested and he turns his nose up at that, but Deb cooked some chicken which he LOVES and we give it to him by itself but also mixed in with wet food and he is eating and seems to be a bit better, more perky and good attitude. We also are going to try a holistic product for Hyperthyroidism since his symptoms seem to really fit that, as taking him to a vet would end in disaster, and at 22, 23, 24 however old that he is isn't worth it, but he seems better so we do too.

Thanks again!!