She's nearly 16 and has been gradually losing interest food for the past year. For several months I've gotten her to eat by surprising her with new foods, parts of my dinners, canned tuna and salmon, etc. I was even sticking peanut butter to the roof of her mouth for awhile to keep her weight up.
Now she's stopped eating altogether and no trickery seems to help. She otherwise appears healthy and seems to be pooping and peeing and not vomiting any more than usual. Except that after a week without food she is getting weak.
As she is old, I decided against force-feeding her and to let nature take it's course. I won't have lots of expensive tests run to find that she has cancer or whatever. She has led a long and happy life. What I'm wondering is this: is there something simple I may be overlooking?
If you are a vet or have experience with this, please respond and give specific ideas. "Take her to the vet" doesn't help me. I can figure that out on my own.
Sniggle2007-10-18T22:18:26Z
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Have you tried cooked chicken? Mine usually will eat that when off their normal food. Also, chicken or turkey baby food (my vet turned me on to this! ). Also, there is a product called Nutri-cal (another brand called Nutri-stat, this one tends to be less in price), it works quite well. It is a high calorie suppliment that is meant for animals that are off their food. It can be found at many pet stores or feed stores. Also, on my website there is a link to Jeffers Pet and 1800petmeds, they carry it as well. My site is below.
It may very well be your cats "time" considering the age but it could be something else too. I have known cats that lived into their 20s. If it were me I'd take her to the vet to be sure.
Hope I have helped some. Good luck and best wishes!
My kitty was the same way. Every morning 5:00-5:30 AM just like clock work, she was ready for breakfast. She ate half or little less food that was served. Again at 3:00 PM she was ready for dinner and she wouldn't be put off. Again she ate half or little less.
Routine was not broken. She wouldn't allow that. However, it was the amount of food she didn't eat that changed. Had to fill her water bowl 2 or 3 time daily. Did her duties as normal. It's when she stopped drinking water we both knew.
I called her My Long Haired Calico Beauty. She wasn't a true Calico, but had all the markings only with long hair and a big fluffy tail.
We knew her body was shutting down. She finally told us that she was going to let us go now. She let us go just about three months ago. Took her to the vet were she took her last well deserved rest. After 25 years she deserved that gentle touch good bye.
I know what you're saying. Kitty never complained, but we knew. Her body told us. You just know these things because they've been our bud's for so many years.
You sound like a positive person. You know your cat better than anyone else. I don't think you over looked anything.
What ever decision you make is between you and your best friend.
I'm sorry to hear (read) this. I'm a cat owner (had him since 6 weeks and now he's 9) and read that my breed of cat (Norwegian Forrest Cat) has a lifespan of 12-15 years. I believe that your cat is just ready to pass and this is how she is letting herself go.
If it's not, the only thing I could suggest is "hepatic lipidosis, a liver dysfunction which causes pathological loss of appetite and ..." I got that from Wikipedia (see link below). But in there it states that the cat will only get that after they begin to starve themselves.
Or maybe she ate something? Poison, a poisoned mouse, etc.? I do not know for sure.
Again, I am sorry for what you are going through. I can't even begin to imagine what you're going through. Best wishes.
My cat who is 15 also stopped eating. In her case it was because of pain from arthritis and she was getting depressed. I know cats sometimes try to hide the fact that they are in pain. If there is any chance that is what it is, I gave my cat a herbal product called "dog gone pain" (for dogs and cats). I gave it to my cat for about a month then stopped because she was so much better that I thought she didn't need it anymore and I was out. That was a Thursday. That night she started slowing down. Next day she hid in her closet and wouldn't come out. If I touched her she cried. Finally Monday I got some more. Gave her two Monday, one Tuesday morn and by Tues evening she was back to her (almost) normal self. Also I give her syn-flex glucosamine. I don't know if this is the same symptoms at all as with your cat but just in case it is I wanted to tell you about it. Best of luck.
There's this stuff called Nutri-Stat that's sold at PetSmart (I believe). It's a high calorie food supplement that has kind of a toothpaste consistency. When my animals are sick, it's about the only thing I can get them to eat. It has kind of a fishy smell to it, so maybe that's what they like about it.
But, and it seems like you're well aware of this, it may just be her time. She sounds like she's lived a long, happy life with a loving owner. Best of luck with whatever happens and give her a rub on the head for me...