What To Feed An Older Cat That Is Losing Weight
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- Опубліковано 28 тра 2024
- What to feed an older cat that is losing weight.
Is your senior cat extremely thin? Does your cat still have an appetite but is unable to maintain a healthy weight?
In this material we’ll talk about the importance of being proactive and a few food selections and food adaptors you could try in an effort to meet your pet’s nutritional needs.
Enjoy the video! We hope you find it beneficial.
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My linx point siamese was loosing weight, and I took him to the vet. They ran blood test, and determined it was a disease developing in the kidneys. They ran a urine test, and it also was elevated for protein. They told me he only had 1 to 3 more years left. He was 15 years old at the time. They told me to feed him special diet cat food low in protein. Unfortunately just shy of his 17th birthday, he passed away. I remember when I adopted him as a kitten from the local shelter. He would play fetch with you like a dog was, and loved to lay on my lap. He left a permanent place in my heart that I will never forget. We will meet again someday.
My 18-year-old Siamese started losing weight, so I took her to a Dental Veterinarian Specialist. She needed 4 teeth pulled (2 were infected and 2 were fractured), then the Vet cleaned the rest of her teeth (all under anesthesia, since her health was good otherwise).
The first 2 weeks of healing, we had to feed her canned food & water through a syringe (separately). After that, she began eating again on her own & regaining her weight. We never knew her teeth were hurting, but we’re thrilled with the results & will be celebrating her 19th birthday soon! 😻💖🐾
One of my cats had the same. Two teeth pulled and the others cleaned from gum. The vet suggested to feed her Hill's T/D. Dry food that does not break immediately. Instead they are rather large pieces that cleans the teeth by scaping them while the cat is eating. At the end they fall apart, so the cat can eat them easily.
I am proud to say I live in a multi-cat household! As my cats get older, I sneak the senior cats into the bathroom and give them some extra wet food treats blended with a little water for extra hydration. When I have a special needs cat with diabetes, for example, I feed them in the bathroom first so they are nice and full when I put out food for the other cats. ❤🐾💙
I believe my senior cat’s soul are still with me even it over been 2 years since my cat passed and my sect cat a year. I know it strange.
No it's not strange. You love your cats and their sweet spirits are still with you. 5 of my cats have passed and I still love and think about them daily. My one boy who is with me is now old and I'm scared for the day he leaves, I love him so much.
My senior girl in her final years responded very well to meat based baby foods mixed with squeeze butter/margarine for extra calories. She had no known tummy issues from it. Just my 2 cents.
I would stay far away from margarines. TRANS fats galore
My cat has lactose intolerance. She is 17 in June. Bloods fine but she refuses to go out and is v skinny although eats well. Soo sad
Would butter be okay?
@@sarahkennedy1481
Have you had her bloodwork done?
T4 thyroid, diabetes, kidney function?
You will have to ask your vet to include these tests or they may not routinely do them.
Oh and have her teeth checked as well♥️
Cool idea! I think I'll try the baby food idea for my 13 year old. Thanks for posting.👍
Great video! Peace to all that have a very old kitty who is struggling to eat anything.
Thank you. Peace to you and your kitties as well.
I have an almost 18-year-old super senior and yes, she is losing weight. She eats her canned wet food and has no issues asking for or wanting food, but over time, she has lost a good deal of muscle mass. I saw at a cat and kitten center in Canada and they were giving Inaba Cat Treats to their cats. Because my senior cannot eat dry food or treats, this paste is her new favorite treat. For me, the thing I noticed is that it has a great smell and when I notice that she isn't eating her food for some reason, I put this right on top of her canned food and she eats the treat and the food. I get them from Amazon and would recommend them to anyone, but especially for a cat that is having a hard time with eating and keeping weight on.
Thank you for I am having the same issue 🐈
@@morningglory7118 Good Luck.
I noticed this with my dog who was thin after a staph infection. If I could put something on top to temp him to start eating, he would eat a normal amount if food. Otherwise he barely ate at all.
Harry (we named him) is a 20 year old stray of two years since his owner passed away. He came into our home June 2022 and we let him in. He is chipped and has been seen by our cat clinic. He has next to no muscle but is still able to jump up onto our kitchen counter when there is food around. We have him on high blood pressure medication along with thyroid. For a 20 year that was covered in flees and ticks is now playing with toys, grooming himself and is eating well. He no longer throws up or has diorama. We give him raw chicken breast, senior wet food for cats, dry food he can graze on when he wants it and he is doing great. He has started to hunt too and that is amazing. He has been brining mice in and he does eat them. Never write the old cats off. They still have a lot to do when looked after well. Don't worry either if your senior cat is losing weight. They can put it on again. Work with them.
Good to know
@@JayCee-hw4zc Hello Jay. Harry passed away this summer and we miss him dearly. I also go the date wrong, he came to us in 2021, typo on the year. We had 2 wonderful years with him and he was so very happy and loved. I made a video for family and friends that loved him too when he passed away. A montage of clips I made when he decided to choose us. I'll see if I can find it if you fancy a look. We miss him so very much.
ua-cam.com/video/ibn_Q-XFtfM/v-deo.html
Sorry to hear that
@@JayCee-hw4zc Thank you. He was 19 years old when he came to us. We found out because he did have a chip and from that our Cat Clinic stablished his owner had passed away. We then went through a few months of paper work in order to adopt him legally. His chip details were changed to our name and address and from then on we were able to have him looked after by the clinic and pay for and administer medication. We will never forget him and if you see the video you will know he actually chose us. What a clever lad !
There is a product known as the Pet Food Warmer. It's been around for a while & keeps pet canned food at the proper temp. It costs roughly $50.00. Its only drawback is that it's rather small. I've had mine for some 2 years. Made by a company called Animal Instincts.🐾
When my little Natasha girl was getting up in years she was losing weight and she was a slender cat to begin with. She didn't have any health problems the vet could help with. We tried a brand of frozen raw food and boy did that perk her up. She had about another year and a half of good quality life and I'm sure that food was a big part of it. We'd tried different brands of wet food, baby food, treats, etc., and she didn't have much interest in any of those. But she loved the ground duck and one other, I think it was pheasant.
Our senior is 18 with hyperthyroidism and moderate kidney disease. Some dementia too. He definitely wants to eat but a lot of times turns his nose up at what I’m offering. I’ve wasted so much food (and money) on things that sound good to ME, but ultimately not to him.
My roommate and I have a male senior cat that is 17 years old and over a year ago was diagnosed with 3rd stage kidney disease. Spencer lost considerable weight--about a fifth of his total weight. With a special diet augmented with Churru spread he has regained some of his lost weight and has new energy. He gets along with a new two-year old companion and they take turns eating and he loves to lick her food bowl after she is finished eating because she gets much better-tasting food.
Thank you for this one! My cat was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism and has lost a lot of weight and is always hungry. I was already giving him wet food twice a day with dry food on the side. I added a third wet food and extra treats to his day and he doesn’t act as hungry. He is an older cat so I am just giving him whatever he wants to give him a wonderful end of life. I am going to try the oil suggestion and see if it helps any because even with extra food and treats he is still losing.
Careful though , he did say cat may get diorreha
@@grindelston5968 yeah I caught that too so not going to use much.
My senior cat still has a good appetite ,i'm glad to say ,and isn't losing weight .I give him plain cooked chicken 2-3 times a week and a daily saucer of cat milk as supplements to his cat food .The cat milk is for extra moisture and calcium ,it's also something he loves so it's a win win .I totally agree with letting older cats eat in peace ,apart from encouraging them to eat enough it's also better for their digestion if they are in a relaxed state during and after meals .
I have watched two of my boys waste away. It was very impactful! One was from old age, the other is unknown. It hurt so much, I only rescue heavier kitties now. My current loves are 13 and 8, approximately. My Vet felt the 8yo could stand to lose some weight. However, he is losing weight without intervention. He is scheduled for a "cat" scan of his digestive tract.
I have a super senior. My beautiful old lady Rocky Rd is currently 19yrs. Soon to be 20. She saw a vet about 6months ago for the first time since she was fixed between 2-5ish. He told me she is doing amazing for her age. The only problem she has is being blind. I really enjoy watching/ learning from your videos.
My cat is 21 years old. She was wasting away and she has cat dementia. My vet recommended Royal canin. Aging wet food.. she has picked up weight and she has a good quality of life
My Vet prescribed topical Mirataz (or Mitazapine) and it has been great to stimulate appetite for my Senior.
My B/W Tux JJ 16yrs had the death sentence past on him by the vet over 2 yrs ago after a small problem plus a his medical. I disagreed knowing his habits and took him home. I see him chasing his tail, grooming himself, property patrols, eats well, loves mince beef raw, chicken cooked, tuna, bacon, a little cheese, unsweetened yogurt, a variety of cat biscuits plus processed tin cat food. This diet has been in place all his life. Comes in most nights to a whistle, talks back when talked to and purrs on contact. The best judge of your cats overall condition is you, the vet may well be right, but love wins. Not sure if the prognosis was in part $ driven (Hate the Vet) 🙂 NZ
So glad you listened to yourself! ❤
We're routinely aware of our boy Lenny, receiving the correct feline appropriate food. This comprises of wet food and dry. Last evening with the Mrs out bowling, I helped myself to some Kokoda, raw fish cut into thin strip's marinated with lemon juice and Coconut milk and tiny cubes of onion and bell pepper. I left the bowl on a counter top to answer the call of nature, but when I returned, Lenny was at it going hard like there was no tomorrow. There must have been something about the mixture he had that he enjoyed eating. I did notice that he quickly headed towards the bathroom where he often drinks from a dripping faucet if it's turned on for him. But who would have thought that a well feed family feline and all round good guy companion, would go for food with ingredients that his humans would believe to be unsuitable for a domestic cat? I'll be more circumspect in future and stick with food especially made for cats.
You should definitely be more careful. Alliums (onion, garlic,etc.) and citrus are very toxic to cats.
Maybe modify that recipe for him. You can have your meals together
I think onions are bad for cats blood.
The cats I've had only wanted to eat all the time. My cat, Willie, will be thirteen years old this month and he doesn't play much anymore. Pretty much he performs the functions of a baby, eat, poop, and sleep. That's not meant to sound funny. It's not so easy to get an old cat to lose weight. He's in good health and I'm thankful for that. His feedings are scheduled. It's not possible to leave a bowl of food there without him practically inhaling it. He gets small amounts five times a day. He's also eating a prescription diet. He gets hairball gel with his lunch and a hairball treat at ten am.
You emphasized this several times, but for viewers -- *please* check out any weight loss issues with a vet. My vet recommended putting my previous two cats on a kidney disease diet -- one was just below the KD level and one was just above, and they ate together from adjacent bowls. Without that diagnosis, I'm not sure what I would have done, but it wouldn't have been good. It took a while to find a KD food they would eat, but it was worth it. The older cat lived to 18, although the younger (and bigger) cat didn't make it quite as long. And 18 isn't a bad age for a couple of mutts adopted from an animal shelter!
Having a real problem with this issue for my senior cat. She is not real keen on wet or dry cat food, so I supplement her diet every chance I get with either some chicken from the deli or canned salmon or tuna. She does not seem to care much for the fish, either.
Great information ❣️ I will have to take my 17yr old Miss Cleopatra to the vet if she doesn't improve within a week or 2 🐈
Hands down the best damn cat channel on this platform
Some cats like wetter food, especially if they have lost teeth, so mixing canned food with some warm water to thin it down that they can lick up can help a lot.
Bad advice. Dry food is the worst you can give to your cat, specially if she's elderly. They need water and they don't drink enough because by evolution, in the wild they get the water from the food. A prey is typically 80% water, while dry food is only 5% water. Never mind the chemicals and contaminants. Give her at the very least, good quality (no grains) canned food which has more water, and also mix it with a tablespoon of spring water, and always make sure she has access to fresh water every single day. Don't use tap water as it also has small traces of contaminants like lead or even arsenic. If the cat is elderly it's likely she has the kidneys compromised in some way. I got excellent results for my elderly kitty with Q10 (active ubiquinol) supplement and a well known kidney supplement based in special herbs plus low-phosphorus kidney diet and spring water to drink, as well as the occasional good quality fish oil mixed in the food if kitty likes. For those who know the level of damage CKD can cause, my cat was in clear decline. I started the first week with an aggressive treatment of 100mg Q10 soft gels opened up and mixed in the food each day for the first week. She completely changed at day four, when she became more energetic and started to eat normally. Then reduced the supplement to a normal dose of about 10-20mg a day and she's fine one year later, still eating and jumping around despite she would be 17 this year. Look online about research regarding Q10 in its active form called Ubiquinol and avoid a the passive form called Ubiquinone because the later first need to be processed by the body before it can use it. It's used for energy as it works at the cellular mitochondrial level, however, research shows it also improves kidney function. It was not clear at first how much it helps, but after losing a cat to CKD years ago, I decided to try in part because there was nothing to be found about adverse effects. The results were and are impressive.
Thanks for a video which singles out senior cats and their needs. In a multi-cat household [I have 12] it is so easy to assume they are keeping up and eating. I pay special attention at meal times to who is eating and eating what and how much. Also to who is getting access to the food or getting pushed out. Both senior cats and ktitens can suffer from this. I have mutliple feeding platters and top them up according to how much is disappearing and to whom. My guys get fish for breakfast and meat for dinner and access to a container of dry food all the time. Also cat milk. My seniors and juniors love it. Or human milk, lactose free with a smidge of cream if they're lucky. Two of my senior boys are thin but still appearing for meals but are a little fussy now on what they will eat. I feed them away from the rabble. An occasional treat. On the whole I think my Pride is well fed. It is the most basic, important thing one can do to keep cats [ and all animals ] happy and healthy. End of rant :)
Kitten food
Thank you.💋🥰❤️
I had heated wet cat food in my microwave and their is metal in wet cat food my microwave shorted out!!
Try boiling your kettle and drip small amount on cat food.
I went to the dollar store and bought a few cheap white ceramic saucers. I just heat the canned food to take the chill off.
I always add a bit of hot water to wet food - my cat loves to lap it up
To warm up food, Heat water in the microwave until very hot and mix it into canned cat food. Heating food in the microwave alters its composition.
Do you mean there is metal in the food? Or that you put the metal can in the microwave?
My 18yo will only eat dry snack food. Would love ideas or advice.
Thanks for the idea! My senior darling lost some weight. She's stable now, but she could do with some chub on her. She gets a special kidney food, but I'll ask my vet if I can supplement it with baby food.
My senior cat lost about 1.5 pounds in 2020. After labs showed no major health concerns, and with the vet’s blessing, I added a small can per day of his favorite wet food, and briefly supplemented his dry food with more interesting flavors. He gained his weight back. I do leave a small amount of dry food out for him to nibble on.
I have an 18 year old cat eats all the time has kidney disease just sleeps and eats alot and drinks alot of water eats wet food any meat I make and baby food meat because his teeth are bad
Thank you very much. This exactly is my problem for the last 2 years for my 18 yo.
As a senior cat owner (15 years old) your videos have been so helpful! I do have a multi cat household and have been spending more time with my senior guy and he has improved so much! He's also taking the arthritis shot for cats and has been doing fantastic on it. Worth researching!
Thank you for posting!
Thank you ! 😺
Thank You!
Thank you for these videos.
This was a great session. There was so much information. I file it all away for when I am ready to welcome another fur friend into my heart. Thank you.
Another great informative video, I have a senior cat and 2 teenagers and one 2 year old. My senior cat is the queen and the others know it. No food stress as they all have their own bowls and are fed wet food in the morning and I leave dry out all day for them to “graze” Works great for my household
Thanks for sharing
Thank you so much for having this topic I was wondering about it today. I have a sixteen-year-old lilac Siamese is getting pretty skinny and she eats a ton of food
My boy has weight loss from CKD. I've taken him off dry kibble completely. He's doing better, not throwing up all the time. I've changed him to better quality catfood, he won't eat the CKD diet. I've added supplements to his meat. He will only eat 6oz of meat given out in several meals. He's a MC and I know he needs to eat at least 2x that but he just wont 😟
I can relate to your message. I've got an 18 year old. She's a happy chappy with a good appetite (who hates the vet so examination is impossible unless sedated and I won't do that again) but seems a bit lighter than a month ago.
There are a few dietary wet food options specifically designed for cats recovering after operation/illness. These contain high volumes of vitamins, minerals, proteins etc. Usually given for a short period of time. It is generally a mousse, therefor easy to eat for most cats. I have some good experiences with my senior (ill) cat. Though you might wanna be careful with overdoing. Variation is often key. Look at it as an addition and also consult your vet.
I may need this in the future, but I’m more in need of advice on how to keep my cats a lower weight and keep them regular.
When the cats need a lower weight ; you can check if the food they eat is on the fatter side, for example there’s good quality canned food that’s lower in fatt and watch closely how much they should eat per day, weigh portions. The canned food must be complete and for adult cats. Also complete raw foods that are not to fat, or raw diet that you make complete. Dryfood has more calories than the foods mentioned above, so the less they eat this, the better. Often websites say that smaller portions is healthier for the ph in the blood per feeding, you will probably find information about this on trust worthy cat websites , as I am no cat expert, there are these free cat webinars and sometimes I listen to them for my own cats. Treats take in 10% of the daily amount of food. When they don’t like a new food, that you try they should have something they do want to eat , good luck
I forgot to mention that it’s important to keep track of their weight, maybe with a pet weighing scale, and to know what would be a healthier weight for each cat and take the time so no crash diet and as mentioned, websites say that cats must always eat, in the case were a cat might not eat a new food, they must eat something they do eat. These are tips from Catmoneo, I use for my cats
@@angeliqueruis4520 it seems like wet food upsets their stomach if they eat too much.
Good quality salmon oil will help a lot. 2 or 3 times per week.
Refried beans out of the can works as well as shrimp cocktail sans sauce
Loss of weight is a huge warning sign. It is important to engage with your vet for diagnostic tests. There are a lot of expensive tests (~$1000 per test). Your vet may hesitate to mention them. If, like most people, you can't afford them, try to figure out which test have the best bang for the buck for your cat. Someone else may have said this, but I didn't see it: Taurine deficiency takes a while to develop. Always talk to your vet, but boiled chicken breast or high quality meat based baby foods, as was mentioned by others, (be very careful about additives) can boost the cats appetite and help het it back on cat food.
Better to use olive oil. It will also help with any constipation.
Vegetable oil isn't good for any being... it's super inflammatory. Why not use an Omega 3 rich fish oil, which the cat will probably tolerate better and has nutritional benefits in addition to being anti-inflammatory?
I feed my 15 year old cat raw liver, and dry on demand. He also has a teaspoon of flaked tuna. He is an indoor cat, plus on safe balcony. He is a non vaxer and has the energy of a much younger cat.
I’m scared to take my 15yr old cat to vet! I took her 5yrs ago to have an abscess taken care of and now she only wants to eat wet food bc that’s what vet had her on a week after dental surgery. She eats good but will beg for my food now when I eat. I can feel her spine and could not before. I know I need to take her to bet but scared I lose her and just lost my mom and Sasha has been by my side since my mom passed and can’t think of losing her too!! Any advice is much appreciated! blessings to all
Loving someone is so painful when we lose them. I just lost my dog a few days ago, unexpectedly. Lost my kitty 6 months ago. There are days I’m in agony, days I’m distracted by cat/dog sitting for others. Agony days, I pray and cry and read and pray. I’m still in a state of disbelief. I’ve not been without several dogs and cats for 45 years. It feels so foreign to me and I keep feeling her presence. I realized just yesterday, this is the price we pay for love. Love comes with a price tag. It’s called legitimate suffering. I can only imagine what you’re going through. Fear sucks, especially when it prevents us from doing the right thing for ourselves and others. I pray you’ll find the strength to do just that. God bless you, sweetheart. Life is tough sometimes, that’s why we have each other.
It’s super stressful for a senior cat to bring kittens into the home. Couldn’t you just wait?
I would warn against gmo corn and other bad ingredients in their food. Buy high quality food.
I tried raw Elk and Bison to add to 17 yr old Martins diet.
He loved it! He was hyperthyroid well controlled by meds.
All 4 indoor only cats caught a terrible upper respiratory bug.
All recoverd but Mary didnt. Zdid it come in on my shoes? no visitors...or other cats cme here.
O
I took my cat to the vet and after testing her, he d decided she was low in hormones and gave me medicine to increase her hormones and she began to eat normally. Have your cat checked if they quit eating and good luck!😊
My 16 year old hyperthyroid cat is on a completely raw meat diet. She’s thriving’n❤
Exactly what are you feeding your cat?
I don’t give my cat dry food on a regular basis. Only as a treat.
I'm curious, where do you usually find those adorable cat videos that you share? Do you go to a specific website or social media platform? Or maybe you have a favorite UA-cam channel that you follow? I myself enjoy browsing through various online sources for cat videos, from funny memes to heartwarming rescue stories. It's amazing how these cute and cuddly creatures never fail to brighten up our day, and I'm always on the lookout for new and exciting content to share with friends and family. So, where do you get your daily dose of feline entertainment?
I'm multi cat with 7 . My two oldest are my beloved Aby's and just this week I have decided
to get ahead of things and start supplementing their regular food times with boiled, shredded chicken thighs. They are inexpensive, high protein and easy to prepare. Cover with an inch or two of water , bring to a boil and simmer for 30-40 mins. Take out of water,
cool, shred/chop. I put it in separate little glass jars, baby food jars and a bit bigger work
well. Put in frig and then I have them ready to go for the day. I try to give them "mouse"
size amount 2x per day and they are loving it. Only done it for 3 days and they already look
better to me. Making a fresh batch tomorrow. Thanks for all your great vids. p
Our cat in her final years got so she would not eat regular cat food. She would, however, eat human baby food (meat). It got rather expensive, but my baby was worth it.
Feed her more food little bit 4 or more times a day meat or baby food meat and leave dry food out all day to nibble on and of course lots of water
The bank of Dave
Add Taurine to their diet.. They need more.
Comment section better advice than video
Fathead is allergic to seafood he isn't a normal cat.he is king of the cats here.
Say hi to Mr. Fathead for me.
@@benton-benton will do.hes a 6 or 7 yr old maincoon who don't put up with much and a mouse catching fool.people before me passed him on and would never let him outside one of them had him declawed.he doesn't let that stop him.he let's me know about things too.dont get him started with the brushing.
Of course he's normal, whatever normal is for cats :) I have two cats who are vegetarians - that is, they don't like meat. Hmmm, maybe a little chicken.
👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
Kitten food works very well to fatten up a senior kitty.
What kind of kitten food, kibble or can?
Seriously you actually recommended vegetable oil? There is no such thing as vegetable oil. Vegetables don’t have oils and it is now being recommended that not even human eat vegetable oil because of the way it is processed which cause inflammation. Wouldn’t say coconut oil or butter be a better recommendation? After all isn’t that how cats eat in the wild by eating the fat of their prey?
Actually, Dr. Andrew Jones, a Canadian vet, recommended sunflower oil for cats .
@@freemanmt oil is only good if it is pressed. If it is in any way processed it will cause inflammation. So yes if the expeller pressed oil should be fine.
I have two that are 6 years old. The won't eat anything but SQUEEZE UP chicken deals-- or TEMPTATION treats and TEMPTATION solid food. OH- and they will eat STEW (chicken/tuna) that comes from the same place as the squeeze ups. I've actually gone to Petsmart and bought some of EVERYTHING they had- and tried them- NEITHER of them will eat ANY of it. not the BEST so called "healthy" food or anything. Heck- the won't even eat REAL MEAT.. no matter what. Vegatalbe oil is VERY BAD for US humans- so I'm not giving it to my cats either. I'm CARNIVORE and the benefits have been GREAT-- and I notice the "veggie" added to the squeeze ups makes them NOT eat that either.. so NO oils-- espeically since I KNOW them to be VERY BAD for them.
Most Vegetable oil have pesticides or are GMO
Organic oils only!...Thanks 🙏 ❤✨🐱✨
please never feed vegetable oil to your cats !! research species appropriate diet for obligate carnivores
Senior cats usually have health issues, especially those who are loosing weight. Dry food has been proven to be detrimental to your cat's health. Why are you recommending food that will additionally burden an animal already experiencing health challenges? This is absurd advice.
I can't believe the awful advice your giving.