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She has terrible teeth and has for a long time but all vet blood tests come back "normal" yet she dropped a ton of weight a few years back and has looked terrible since, her fur has lost its luster and she just looks raggedy no matter how much I brush and groom her. The vet was no help, really, just suggested a really awful prescription diet which made no sense to me because in order to prescribe something, you'd have to know what was wrong and her panels don't point to anything at all. So unfortunately my only option has been to keep her on good food and as much as she'll eat. I feel so helpless but without a hint in her panels, there's nothing else to do
If she will eat it, I would ditch the kibble and go all wet, something high quality and nutritious. Not senior, just healthy. There are many many recommendations on this forum for high quality wet food. "Crunchies" are not good for any cat (in my humble opinion), especially one with bad teeth if that's what it is.
The vet was no help, really, just suggested a really awful prescription diet which made no sense to me because in order to prescribe something, you'd have to know what was wrong and her panels don't point to anything at all. .
I think it's time you dumped this vet or get a second opinion on the cat. Don't tell Vet #2 anything about Vet #1. See what the new vet comes up with.
My old lady kitty is 15 (not sure when her birthday is, as we rescued her and her momma when she was a baby).
I looked at the baby food meats today (Gerber and Nature's Best brands)... Gerber has cornstarch in it, while NB does not. Both have high levels (seemed high to me anyway) of potasium and sodium. However, after looking at the canned food I got from the store (ash is the number 4 ing. ), I think I am going to go with Nature's Best baby food mixed with some organic broth / gravy. She is still eating crunchies (the bowl is always available for the cats), but I think this will be a good supplement to ensure she doesn't lose any more weight.
For those who asked: the vet found nothing wrong with blood work and physical exam. The weight loss would likely seem minimal to someone not familiar with the old gal, but I can see a difference. Nothing extreme or alarming...but she is so little that it could become an issue pretty quickly is I do nothing.
Just go easy on the baby food, a steady diet of baby food can cause constipation in cats. And of course it is not nutritionally balanced for cats.
I'm glad you are reading the labels. You do want to avoid too much sodium for a senior cat (high blood pressure is a risk) and of course don't use any food that contains any spices, including and especially onion or garlic.
Baby food is good to get a cat with inappetence eating again, but I really don't think it should be used regularly.
A better choice might be to add a meal of commercial raw to her daily diet. Also look into digestive enzymes, which help the cat's body utilize the nutrients in the foods she eats. And I wouldn't leave dry food out all the time. Cats who don't much feel like eating are going to feel even less like eating if they are constantly smelling food. And dry food goes rancid sitting out pretty quickly, not a very appetizing aroma I would think.
Feed her scheduled measured meals, small meals more frequently rather than large meals. This is much more effective in keeping a senior cat at an optimal weight than free feeding kibble.
And meal time becomes a very special bonding time, besides.
Location: the wrong side of the tracks Richmond, VA
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Originally Posted by =^..^=
I think it's time you dumped this vet or get a second opinion on the cat. Don't tell Vet #2 anything about Vet #1. See what the new vet comes up with.
Oh definitely. Since we've moved to Richmond from DC recently, I've found a lovely vet who gives me great deals on rescue cat visits and treatments and such and really took the time to walk me through what was going on with my first female rescue since we moved here who was about to go septic and even called me after her spay (instead of waiting to talk to me when I came to pick the cat up) to go through what she discovered. I trust her completely and am so happy to have found her, I really didn't like our DC vet. So yes, a yearly senior checkup is in the works for senior cat, I am really hoping this vet has better insight. Even if she can't figure it out either, I'm sure she will have way better suggestions than prescription food for a problem we haven't determined.
But that's a good idea, I will try to stall them on her vet records from the last vet. Although I have a feeling if this new vet looked through them, they'd find some major stuff the other vet missed.
Hill's Science Diet has a can food called A/D that has helped many of my cats maintain their weight during illness. When they get really sick I have to give it to them in a syringe so you must mix it with a little water then suck it up and administer. Cats will not like this so be sure to gently hold them by the skin on the back of their neck and put the syringe on the side/corner of mouth. Do it gently, yet quickly. They won't like this but hopefully is will help her to gain some weight, or at least maintain weight until you can figure out a treatment plan for kitty. When kitties quit eating it is a bad sign. At times you can supplement their diet by doing this but eventually they get too sick and quit eating. When this happens I continue to hand feed and hand hydrate them to keep them comfortable...I can't bear to see them starve.
You can get your vet to prescribe this and quite frankly I'm surprised your vet neglected to tell you about this. Good luck!
PS- Baby food works too. Chicken/Turkey/Beef infant food works. It smells but they like it and it can get them interested in eating again.
baby food. The chicken, and the beef. I feed this to our cat towards the end, it was all he could eat. I mixed it with warm water. Sometimes i just held him and let him lick it off my finger. He did not gain weight, but this helped maintain his weight, and he perked up.
make sure the baby food is salt free or very low salt.
Another important ingredient in cat food is taurine. It's an amino acid that is critical for the heart and eyes, and it helps with digestion. It's put into both dry and wet. When it's in dry food it sometimes doesn't stay in the cat's system long enough to be absorbed and goes out the other end with all the rest of the indigestibles. That's another reason that wet food is better.
I also have an elderly cat who's lost a bit of weight and muscle mass simply due to age (on the same idea of what happens to humans). I feed him small amounts many times per day (about 1/2 can Fancy Feast per meal, maybe as many as 6 times a day). He just doesn't have the appetite like he used to have at a meal when he could devour a whole can.
Just realized this was a very old thread. Ah well - maybe there are some folks out there with the same questions.
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), I think I am going to go with Nature's Best baby food mixed with some organic broth / gravy. She is still eating crunchies (the bowl is always available for the cats), but I think this will be a good supplement to ensure she doesn't lose any more weight.
