by Photography By Shaeree

Some Possible Clues To Why You Senior Cat Will Not Eat

Once the vet has checked our pet and found no feline symptoms and appears in good health and we cannot determine the cause we need to check some possibilities.

It is important to remember that every cat’s situation is different and so if you find your senior cat will not eat we need to try to think like the cat and find out what stimuli is causing it.

The first thing to check is to see if the food is bad always check the sell by dates on the packaging or if the can or box is damaged which may have caused the food inside to become stale or tainted. Smell the food to see if it is different from normal and look at it to make sure there is no mould etc. This could be why the senior cat will not eat.

Next if your cat goes outdoors you need to check for other sources of food. I once found out that my next door neighbor was feeding my cat him, so my senior cat would not eat because he was already full. Also consider that cats are carnivorous predators and may be catching some meals. Is there a natural supply of mice, moles or birds nearby?

Cats normally eat in small portions at a time and you may not have noticed the last feeding time. Cats by nature are hunters that eat what they catch and their instincts are not to eat again until they are ready to hunt again. It is natural for a cat act in this way and may not be a problem at all.

Have there been any changes in the senior cat’s environment? New or missing members of the household or even moving the cats feeding location can have an effect on this behavioral problem. Remember that cats like to eat in quiet places privately. This could be another reason the cat will not eat.

A little known fact about cats is that they have an inbred mechanism to change their diet from time to time. Try keeping a couple of containers of different food in the house and see if a change in the food helps. It is basically a survival instinct so that when the usual sources of food disappear the animal will be able to adapt to new food easily. This does not mean you have to throw the old food out; they just go off their original food because they want a change diet for a time. Try warming a can of cat food or moistened dry food in the microwave to increase the aroma of the food. Be sure to stir the food before feeding it to your cat to eliminate any hot spots.

You might also want to try a senior cat food older cats may have decreased absorption of nutrients from their intestinal tract, and often lose more of them through their kidneys and urinary tract. Also, some older animals eat less and may not receive their daily needs of vitamins and minerals. Senior cat foods have higher nutrient content.

Sometimes a senior cat’s sense of smell isn’t what it used to be and if a cat can’t smell their food they generally won’t eat it. Try adding a little but of tuna to the cat’s next meal and see if this helps.

Or another reason your cat will not eat is that maybe their regular food has gone through a recipe change. This can be a common reason for a cat not eating. Pet Food Company’s can change the ingredients or recipe without notifying you at all.

Your senior cat not eating may be due to the fact that they are just upset. Stress is another large cause of the cat’s loss of appetite. Felines can be very sensitive animals and your cat may be under more stress than you are aware of. One reason that may cause your cat stress could be a territorial dispute or a fight with another cat. A territorial dispute can be very upsetting to your cat and ruin their appetite. Make sure that other cats are not hanging around your home.

Sometimes when a cat doesn’t eat for awhile it can lose the urge to do so, if nothing is done this can cost a cat his life quite quickly so it’s important to get started as early as you can to find out what’s causing the appetite issues and get it corrected. Stay in touch with your vet and let them know what is going on with your senior cat. If the cat is not eating of drinking at all serious complications can develop quickly.

Ok, My Cat Oreo found a bag of Iams Senior in the PC Room… She carried with her teeth into the main bit and started using her paw to get into it. I got there a bit late with the camera so its her trying to get into it.
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