Recommendations for keeping a senior cat full?

[Freddieandchip]

My mom has 2 cats that are almost 16 years old. Over the past few months, one of the cats has become obsessed with food. He lost some weight and the vet initially thought that he had hyperthyroidism but all of his blood work came back completely normal. They recommended not giving him high protein food because they said it could be bad for his kidneys. They recommended feeding him double portions, which my mom has been doing but sometimes it’s too much and he throws up. Does anyone have any recommendations for treats or foods that are high calorie but not too high in protein? He has gained some weight but since he is so old he still has less fat than he used to and so definitely think he could gain some more weight

 

[FeebysOwner]

There is absolutely no reason to lower protein for an elderly cat, even ones who already have kidney disease (until the most latter stages), much less ones that don't. Older cats experience muscle mass loss by very virtue of the aging process, a reduction in protein is not helpful. I would ask to see the blood results to see just where his kidney related levels are.

Has this cat had his cobalamin checked? If it is low, he could need B-12 injections to help him better absorb nutrients, which can cause weight loss - and could contribute to his hunger too.

I know it is difficult to decipher how to ascertain if a vet's opinion is the right one, so it might be worthy of obtaining a second opinion on his actual health. His records are your mother's at her request, at no additional cost, and they can be shared with other vets to avoid repeat testing.

But, if it were me, at a very minimum, I would put him back on the diet he was on before - that is presuming your mother changed his food to accommodate the vet's recommendation. I would also give him back the amount of food he was eating before these changes, if not more if he will eat it. Lastly, older cats tend to do better with more frequent, but smaller meals. So, if your mom is feeding him a lot at one time, especially if she removes the food after a while, he could be gorging himself to ensure he gets to eat all that he thinks he will need, but in a shorter than appropriate timeline for him. Doling out meals 3-4 times a day is better for older cats. But it could also be the 'new' food that is causing the vomiting.

If we are missing any additional information that could be helpful, please let us know.

 

[cmshap]

My mom has 2 cats that are almost 16 years old. Over the past few months, one of the cats has become obsessed with food. He lost some weight and the vet initially thought that he had hyperthyroidism but all of his blood work came back completely normal. They recommended not giving him high protein food because they said it could be bad for his kidneys. They recommended feeding him double portions, which my mom has been doing but sometimes it’s too much and he throws up. Does anyone have any recommendations for treats or foods that are high calorie but not too high in protein? He has gained some weight but since he is so old he still has less fat than he used to and so definitely think he could gain some more weight

My very first question, along with many others', will be, what type of food are you talking about (like specific brand and type), and how much are you feeding?

 

[Binxie]

Might the cat have developed a malabsorption problem, if the cat is not absorbing nutrients from the food that may translate into eating more in an effort to make up for the nutrient loss.

 

[Robyn5678]

I started feeding my senior (18 years old) several small meals a day. Otherwise she vomits. I feel she’s been eating more and putting on a little weight. She’s been losing recently and all her lab work came back fine. I feed her both friskies shreds and purina pro plan essentials (wet)