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Nutrition for Older Car

post #1 of 9
9/12/10 at 9:13am
Thread Starter 
Horace is now 15 and I suspect can't smell his food as well any more. He has always eaten dry food, his teeth are good, his health is good, but he has lost weight (from 12# to 10.5#) over the past few months, because he just doesn't want to eat anything but treats. Is it time to start feeding him canned food to supplement his dry food? I hate to see him wasting away. Any suggestions appreciated. I know we haven't much more time with him.
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post #2 of 9
9/12/10 at 9:17am
Has he recently been to the vet for a senior blood panel?

Dry food IMHO is Not for the older cat... wet food is very good if he will eat it ...

What dry is he currently eating?>
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post #3 of 9
9/12/10 at 10:41am
Thread Starter 
Yes, just had his blood panel. All systems are fine. I have tried Purina One, Friskies, DeliCat. He will eat any for a day or two and then won't (after eating DeliCat daily for 15 years!). I will try to supplement with wet food. How is tuna? What is recommended? He's never had it, but loves a little bite of lox when we have it on Sunday mornings.

Yes, CAT. The car runs fine on just gasoline!
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post #4 of 9
9/12/10 at 12:30pm
what is your budget per month? where can you shop? Human tuna is a NO No since it can cause vitamin deficiency
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post #5 of 9
9/12/10 at 3:52pm
Thread Starter 
Whatever it takes to make him healthy and happy for whatever time he has left (maybe several years, no?). I went to the store and got Friskies Salmon (because he likes salmon). Gave him 1/2 can. He ate it all and licked the dish. I'll give him the other half tonight. I always said I'd never feed him canned food, but.....
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post #6 of 9
9/12/10 at 4:14pm
Canned food is actually much better for cats than dry

Where can you go to get cat food (petsmart, petco, independent food stores, etc???)
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post #7 of 9
9/13/10 at 12:07am
My kitties are currently fed Friskies as a supplement to dry kibble all day.

Prissy, my 10+ girl, gets the bulk of her food from the wet at night. She's a picky eater anyway, but Friskies she will devour.

Just a word of warning. With all 4 of my babies, Friskies makes for some stinky poops. Just be prepared.
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post #8 of 9
9/13/10 at 5:01am
Quote:
Originally Posted by LaRiberena View Post
Whatever it takes to make him healthy and happy for whatever time he has left (maybe several years, no?). I went to the store and got Friskies Salmon (because he likes salmon). Gave him 1/2 can. He ate it all and licked the dish. I'll give him the other half tonight. I always said I'd never feed him canned food, but.....
I'm glad you are switching him to smelly canned food, lucky Horace!

Sudden food changes can cause stomach upsets and diarrhea. Be sure to give him a probiotic daily until he is used to the new foods. Some choices are benebac, probios and fortiflora. Benebac and probios come in a gel tube and are relatively inexpensive. Fortiflora is a tasty powder that most cats love, but it is expensive.

I use probios, it comes in a large plunger tube labeled for large animals, you give a pea sized dot every day. He will probably lick it right off your finger.

I get the probios it at the feed store. If you have a pet supply store benebac may be easier to find.
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post #9 of 9
9/13/10 at 8:02pm
I agree... wet food will be/is good for him. He obviously likes it, for one thing. For another, it adds moisture to his diet. And his kidneys probably need a little extra.

Maybe stay away from fishy foods because of ash content? Anyone else want to chime in here? Especially since he is an older gentleman.

Buy the best quality food you can afford that he will eat. Sharky is one of the site's food experts. I would seek her advice as well as whatever the vet tells you about Horace's health.

I don't have any seniors. I feed Taste of the Wild feline formula dry (this is grain free and may not be a good idea for a kitty his age. Not sure.) And I use various combinations of Petsmart's house brand wet - Authority, Nutro Max Cat and Natural Choice wet, and Fancy Feast - the pate(classic) variety only because most of the others have soy and corn in them and those in particular give my boys upset digestion.

Occasionally, I will give them Wellness or Before Grain wet ... they like the BG Beef formula.

ETA - Benebac also comes as a powder that can be mixed into the wet food. Amazon is a good source for these things both for choice and price.
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