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Related: Culture Forums, Support ForumsQuestion for those who own, or have owned cats:
What can I feed my cat to increase weight gain ???
My cat licks everything, but does not eat it. She will drink all the liquid, but leave the food.
Examples:
Tuna
Salmon
Chicken
Pork
Canned cat food
She barely eats dry food. (Soft or hard).
I have bought her every treat on the market, (soft and hard) and she is not interested.
She has always been thin, but she is getting thinner.
Is there some weird food that all cats love that I am not aware of ???
She has no health issues.
She is 19 and has never eaten tuna, salmon, chicken or pork.
ret5hd
(20,536 posts)SamKnause
(13,111 posts)She has never been a big eater.
She has never eaten tuna, salmon, chicken etc.
hlthe2b
(102,448 posts)obvious as many of their teeth look fine even to an examining veterinarian on an "awake" cat.
Regardless, maybe try making a well-blended gruel using a blender and mixture of her most favorite fish, cat foods, dry foods, whatever and the favored liquid she tends to go for.
SamKnause
(13,111 posts)Her teeth are fine.
She has never eaten many of the foods I have listed.
This is not a new thing.
She doesn't like anything.
She is 19.
If she gets any more finicky she will run out of things to lick.
I have never seen such a strange cat.
Jamastiene
(38,187 posts)Fancy Feast Tuna Feast Flaked is like crack to most cats, even those that don't normally like fish flavored food. It might get her eating.
It sounds like she didn't learn how to eat solid food or something. That is why I asked how old she is.
I once raised a kitten from 2 days old and ended up having to go back once I started trying to ween her off the bottle. She would stick her face in the food and lick it and suck the juice. The vet said to keep her on the bottle longer and that did the trick. I was working in the next town over at the time and we went to Hardee's over there and I got a chicken sandwich, which was not what I normally got. She chewed her first bit of food when I dropped a bit of chicken by accident and she spotted it. It just took her longer to ween off the bottle, because of being human raised instead of raised by her cat mother, who had abandoned her.
Can you look in her mouth to see if her teeth need to be cleaned? That might be another issue that isn't easy to spot. Sore teeth can cause that too.
Is there any certain type of food she seems more interested in than the others? Like does she like chicken better than beef or something like that?
GreenPartyVoter
(72,382 posts)GreenPartyVoter
(72,382 posts)hyperthyroidism. Mine also lick plastic, especially when they are super hungry and I havent fed them yet. Keep her drinking and call her vet for advice. You will get the best answer from the person who knows her best.
Dairy is not great for cats, but will she lick butter?
SamKnause
(13,111 posts)She drinks plenty of fresh water everyday.
She is 19.
She has never eaten tuna, salmon, chicken or pork.
She doesn't lick anything but food.
I haven't tried butter, but she doesn't care for milk.
She doesn't like anything and never has.
I was hoping there was some food that I never thought of that she would like.
GreenPartyVoter
(72,382 posts)members, four-legged and otherwise, ate less as they got older.
You might try the butter to see what happens. Fats have the highest calories and are the easiest to get down.
janterry
(4,429 posts)n/t
procon
(15,805 posts)associated with her old age and common end of life issues for our dear cats. Even if you think she is in relatively good health for her age, your vet might want to check for diabetes and other metabolic diseases associated with older kitties. The vet can also recommend a safe diet plan that won't put a strain on her kidneys and other weakening organ systems. You'll also want to discuss and plan for the inevitable day when you'll need to help her cross the rainbow bridge.
I have had some success in cooking (braised or poached) various cuts of poultry and fish for my old cats with poor appetites. Try turkey and chicken thighs, frozen whitefish like pollock. I would avoid beef and pork. The texture of the meat is also important so experiment with a puree meat thinned with broth, or finely chopped or shredded meat. You can also add a teeny bit of cottage cheese, butter or veg oil, and chopped egg. The rich broth from the cooked meat might be tempting to her taste.
Sometimes hand feeding will encourage these older cats to eat a little more than when left alone. Just experiment, try small meals served every few hours might work too.
Good luck to you and your precious kitty.
Donkees
(31,492 posts)Appetite Stimulant
According to Texas A&M University's Department of Veterinary Medicine and Biological Sciences, cobalamin might have a "pharmacologic effect as an appetite stimulant." It notes that feline patients who don't eat and have a vitamin B12 deficiency often start eating again after receiving injectable cobalamin supplements. Once the injections stop, the cats also stop eating. That's true even if the cat has a a normal serum cobalamin level when tested. If that's the case, vitamin B12 shots should be given every week or two.
Administration
In addition to the injectable form of vitamin B-12, an oral paste and transdermal version are also available.
https://pets.thenest.com/b12-shots-stimulate-appetite-cats-10100.html
Phoenix61
(17,023 posts)He was 16 pounds in his prime but has steadily lost weight the last year or so. Ive got him on CBD oil and that has really helped with his arthritis. Cats are really sneaky about showing pain. I can tell hes definitely more comfortable.
happybird
(4,646 posts)Their premium line is tuna, tuna and seafood or chicken liver in aspic. We never tried the super premium varieties. When one of my guys got old and stopped eating his regular food, its the the only thing hed eat. Some days hed just lick all the aspic, other days hed eat the meat, too.
http://fussiecat.com/our-menu/