When Tummies Rest Easy

I hesitate to write about this, as mention of good health with cats who don’t always have it sometimes jinxes it. Nonetheless, I like how Neville is doing.

It may be a coincidence but since he’s started eating this gastro-intestinal food, the number of times he has thrown up has decreased greatly. It used to be an occurrence he suffered almost every day. It didn’t seem to affect him much - except the loss of food and water - but of course, whether it is vomiting or regurgitation, it is a symptom of something else, perhaps something serious. Now, he barfs once a week or less, and it is usually mostly water when it happens. (In fact, it is only most likely Nev, since I haven’t been here when it happened.)

The kernels are not easy for nearly-toothless Nev to pick up, but he does eat a decent amount - amid throwing numerous kernels about on the floor.

Between this food and the soft-food Recovery, the Nevsky is doing well in terms of nutrition. If the new hard-food is responsible for his improved internal condition, I am grateful to it, and to the fact that he likes it. And I am grateful, too, to Recovery: it has not only a higher concentration of nutrients than other foods (it is meant for convalescents) but is accurately described as a ‘mousse’, so the old grey cat can lap it up easily, which his nearly-toothless mouth cannot with even Fancy Feast paté. (Yet Tucker, who was also toothless in his later years, had no trouble with any food.)

The estimate for Neville’s birthday is late April, so he will be sixteen (we think) soon. With his years, his diabetes and his hyperthyroidism, he is actually doing well. He is shaky on his feet periodically, but he can still climb cat-trees and jump on to a couch, if he wants. I am pleased that he is doing well, and that what he eats stays eaten.