# Elderly cat not eating much.



## PeppersMaMa (Jan 23, 2010)

My cat is 14 and has not been eating much. I think this has been going on for a while and have just now noticed because I have another cat who has been finishing off his food, making me think that my older cat actually finished it. I noticed when I realized he was losing weight. I have taken to syringe feeding him until I can scrape together the money to bring him to the vet. My question is, how much should I be feeding him of the syringe food? The mixture I am using is, wet canned food, with just a little water, and blending it in an old blender until it is creamy and smooth. He has always been a food beggar, ever since he was a kitten, so I never know when he is actually full. So.. How much, How often, and is there a certain kind that is higher in calories and nutrients that will help him put some weight back on. 

p.s.
Yes, I know, not having the means to take my own pet to the vet is awful, but we are on the tail end of a recession and we are all doing the best we can right now. I have gone to several different forums asking for advice, and have only been yelled at and told that I should rush him off to the vet right now. I really need some help here and was disgusted at the way I was treated by other cat owners. Instead of being welcomed and getting the answers I needed, I was scolded and got no help. Please, even if you think that I am a horrible owner, answer my questions for my cats sake. I can't take being turned away again.


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## laurief (Jun 22, 2008)

Don't worry. I'm not going to scold you or turn you away. You know that your cat needs to see the vet as soon as you can manage it. At your cat's age and with the lack of appetite, I wouldn't be surprised if your cat has some degree of renal insufficiency. What does your cat's stool look like? If it's hard, small balls, that's another common symptom of possible renal problems.

As far as feeding goes, it's best to get your cat eating as much on his own as possible, but if he's not eating adequately (as is apparently the case), then syringe feeding is a good way to supplement calories. There are prescription diets that are high calorie, formulated for debilitated animals. One such food is A/D. I'm not sure if you can buy this without a veterinary prescription or directly from your vet, but you might check with petfooddirect.com.

Alternatively, I recommend you use a canned cat food that is low in phosphorous (in case your cat is in renal failure). Here are a couple of links to pages that provide nutrient contents of various canned foods so you can choose low phosphorous options:

http://webpages.charter.net/katkarma/canned.htm
http://webpages.charter.net/katkarma/canfood.htm
http://binkyspage.tripod.com/canfood.html

Your cat should eat at least one 5.5 oz can of cat food a day - more if he needs to gain weight or if he's a larger cat. If his kidneys are ailing, it's best to feed this in numerous small meals throughout the day. If he'll eat some or most of it on his own, great. If not, you can split it up into as many syringe meals as you can handle.

I hope your cat regains his strength and appetite and that you can get him to the vet as soon as possible.

Laurie


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## doodlebug (May 13, 2006)

I'm not going to yell at you, but I do want to educate you and explain why those people told you to get to the vet...

A cat typically doesn't stop eating or have a decrease in appetite and start losing weight without some underlying cause. At his age kidney disease, diabetes and cancer are the most likely culprit, but there can be others. The first two are very treatable and and he can live several years if controlled. But if you don't get him to a vet and get a diagnosis in a timely manner, it may progress too far to be controlled. 

So, force feeding him food won't help put the weight back on him or stop the progression of whatever is going on if the underlying cause isn't treated appropriately and quickly. 

However, you do need to get food into him so whatever issue he has isn't compounded by hepadic lipidosis (aka fatty liver disease). You don't mention his weight, so it's tough to know how much, but using a 10lb cat as an average, they need ~6 oz. per day to maintain their weight. EVO 95% meat and Wellness Core are the two best foods around. The high calorie foods typically used for assist feeding are prescription only and you won't get those without a visit. 

There are resources for help with vet bills here:

http://www.littlebigcat.com/index.php?a ... inarybills

http://www.care2.com/c2c/share/detail/300198

You need to do whatever it takes to get your cat to the vet within the next couple days or you're putting him at risk. You didn't say how he's behaving, but if there's been any change the he may suffering as well. In fact, if he's lethargic or hiding, then he does need to get to the vet immediately.

(ETA: Take Laurie's food recommendations over mine, treating this a kidney failure for the time being is the right direction to take).


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## PeppersMaMa (Jan 23, 2010)

Thank you both for your help. As far as his behavior goes, it hasn't changed at all. Since he has gotten older, he has slowed down some. But that is to be expected. I know my cat needs to go to the vet. I was 8 years old when my parents got me Pepper, and it kills me that I can't afford to give him the care that he needs at the moment. I did look at the vet help services, and there are none in my state, but there are a few that I might be able to apply for that seem to not be state specific. So hopefully one can help me. If I could do "whatever it takes" to get my cat to the vet, I would have already done it. Believe me.


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## MeatballsOwner (Jan 22, 2010)

Peppersmama - call around and ask a reputable vet if they have payment plans - mine does (I havent used it "yet" but its there!). They want to help you and your pet. Just please dont defunct on it, if you do go this route...lol... ruins it for the rest of us! 

Also there are several lenders that extend credit to veterinary clients - Ive always seen the brochures up on the counters at various vets. 

I agree, get the the cat to the vet asap - no judgment made here. My 5 y/o cat stopped eating and turns out he was in liver failure and had pancreatitis!! I just thought he was sick of his food (he gets mad if his food gets stale so now I have to buy 5lb bag$ instead of the bigger ones that save me money!). Glad I brought him in...


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