Tuesday, August 6, 2019

Eating, and Not Enough of It

I sometimes wonder what I’d do if I didn’t have a cat to worry about. I’d probably worry that I didn’t have anything to worry about.

This week, it is Tucker. He has actually been on my mind for a while. He has been losing weight, very gradually, over some time, and that concerns me. It isn’t a swift enough reduction to make me think there is something very serious, such as cancer, behind it (though that too is always an anxiety). To be honest, I think he is simply not eating enough. It may be because he has no teeth, but that is not really a bar to his eating either hard- or soft-food. He just doesn’t like anything that I feed him. He doesn’t like cat-food.

Oh, he eats enough to stay alive; he eats enough to assuage his hunger. And his appetite is present - for the foods he likes. And the foods he likes are human-food. I have been cutting up roasted chicken for him; also, some lean roasted pork. But of these, he doesn’t eat enough to constitute a meal, even when a large quantity is offered.

I would like to give him some good quality cat-food that he would love, but how do I determine which that would be? Simply buying this variety or that, and testing their taste on the roly poly would become rapidly and prohibitively expensive. I have tried additives, toppings, flavourings, etc., but, while he may not dislike everything, his heart is clearly not in anything I have given him. It’s been a long time since he has cleaned his bowl.

The search goes on.

16 comments:

  1. The Hubby tells me that I invent things to worry about, especially with the cats! Perhaps Tucker's nose isn't picking up smells, or he needs an appetite stimulant. Our Manny eats 1/2 his meals, then must be coaxed into finishing the rest. Often, that includes nutritional yeast sprinkles, or a few kibbles on top. Now, I think the cat is simply used to this meal two-step, while his brofur CB gobbles down his bowl in one go and must be separated until Manny finally finishes. I hope that you find a solution for Tucker's eating issue!

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  2. I think ALL of us who have pussy~cats,
    have had pussy~cats, know what strange
    creatures they are, they all have there
    strange ways, which sometimes concerns
    us humans..we eat certain times of the day,
    and l eat ALL my food, l waste nothing, but,
    if a pussy~cat eats it's fill, it will leave
    what it does'nt want, and that could be worrying
    to us, unlike a dog who 'woofs' it's food as if
    there's no tomorrow..! :).

    Stick at it John, l know you will, and tomorrow
    Tucker may finish and lick his bowl...Bless him!x

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  3. A cat's taste in food is always a mystery. Years ago, we took in a cat who, for her whole life, would not eat ANY food except shrimp. SHRIMP. After a lot of coaxing, we eventually persuaded her to eat dry food, but for all the years she was in our household, there wasn't a single canned food or human food she'd touch.

    Anyway, it may simply be that as Tucker gets older, he doesn't feel the need to eat as much. Knowing cats, he may change his mind tomorrow and suddenly start eating like a horse.

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  4. Sasha did that too, he'd eat about 1/2 his meal and that would be it. I started covering it and putting it away and then offering it to him later in the day. Feeding time is twice a day, once as early as they can wake me, the second around supper time. I provided the food just before bed and found he would eat more then. Lately though he's been eating his entire feed. So who knows? Maybe they have times when they are more hungry than others.

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  5. Yes, the food thing really gets to be a challenge to figure out.

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  6. I have gone through that too with admiral and sometimes with Katie.

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  7. it would certainly be nice if cat food companies would sell a MUCH smaller bag so we could test drive things without a huge cost or waste

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    Replies
    1. Sample-packets would be excellent. My usual pet-supply shop has some samples, which they give away, but one doesn't like to ask for too many.

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  8. catfather; we just did knot reed what we just red; BURD...
    seer ee iz lee pal....BURD !!!???

    trooth tho; tell dad ta sneek sum canned kitten inta yur
    diet; will help keep weight on coz oh de caloreez; ya due knot
    knead it everee day; may bee 2 timez a week....

    N round heer; in summertime; none oh uz like ta eat much, like we due in winter...thiz bee trooth two

    ♥♥♥☺☺☺

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    Replies
    1. Alas, he does like a bit of the bird... I have tried the dry kitten food, but not the canned. I will try that.

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  9. It is well known that cats can be finicky eaters. My Alex will eat only dry food - no canned food, treats , or "people" food for him. And goodness knows you've had your hands full lately, John, with Raleigh and Cammie. But the fact that Tucker is diabetic and losing weight is worrisome. Why don't you give the vet a call and see if she thinks the weight loss is due to Tucker just being finicky or if it's a problem with his diabetes. At least speaking with her will ease your mind.

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    1. I just completed one of Tucker’s periodic ‘curves’, and have sent it to his doctor. I will be speaking to her about it, and will ask about the roly poly’s eating then. From the looks of his readings, and from his other behaviour, I don’t think his appetite has anything to do with his diabetes, but it’s something to inquire about nonetheless.

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  10. It is frustrating trying to find something that suits. Maybe it is a natural reduction of appetite due to the hot weather.

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  11. Interesting ideas from your readers. My princess, Lucy, is finicky and only eats certain things. We have a Petsmart store here that will refund your purchase of kibble if your cat or dog do not like it. I tried three different brands and Lucy snobbed them all. So glad they have a policy like that! It can break the pocketbook. Do any of your pet food stores in your area do this?

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    Replies
    1. None does that I know of, but I will ask.

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    2. When Buddy Budd first had trouble eating a few years ago we tried several things and ended up using Life Essential Sprinkles. They are freeze dried chicken and since everyone liked them so they did not go to waste when he started eating again.

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