Last updated on November 15th, 2016
MEET CAMILLE THE CAT, a classic tabby we adopted 10 years ago. She loves to be loved. She gives love, too. And talk about social! She’s the only feline I’ve ever encountered who will run to the front door when the bell rings.
Camille loves a soft, warm bed…
And naps with Tiger, our other cat.
She also enjoys a nice glass of Gamay each evening.
Okay, she enjoys a warm fire in the evening. The wine is for me.
Camille’s only issue is her weight. I feel she should gain a pound or two.
Medical history: A few months ago, Camille was having violent sneezing fits. I suspected a serious problem. But a thorough examination from her vet, Dr. Patterson, revealed a sinus infection. A course of antibiotics stopped the sneezing fits instantly.
Patterson also performed blood work, which turned up nothing. She said Camille’s internal organs are functioning properly. Her teeth are fine, too.
Now, Dr. Patterson didn’t seem too concerned about Camille’s weight. But when pressed, she suggested I offer kitty food (it’s high in calories), and saucers of milk (milk is okay: see comment #28 from Martha).
I tried the kitty food. Camille sniffed it, and said “What is this crap?”
I offered the milk, to which she said “What am I? A cat?”
Deli-cat is the only brand of dry food she will touch.
As for canned food, she receives Fancy Feast twice a day (she won’t so much as sniff any other brand). But she only licks the gravy, and leaves the meat behind. Maybe your cat does this, too.
Being a nervous parent, I Googled “food irresistible to cats.” The search turned up dried tuna flakes, sold as “Kitty Kaviar.” Reviews from myriad cat owners said the stuff is like crack for cats.
So I ordered an entire case: six canisters.
Camille sniffed the smelly stuff with terrific enthusiasm.
But she would not eat it.
So here’s a question for you cat owners out there: Have you encountered a similar problem to mine? And if so, how did you handle it?
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Kirstie says
I believe your cat has taken culinary notes from my cat! Mr McSteamy also eats purina- we get him the purina one for sensitive systems- he also sneers at all other pet foods. We had switched and then he lost some weight and had to go back to it. He also gets the fancy feast…once a day…only the whitefish with gravy in which he only likes the gravy. He does not eat cat treats nor does he touch the food of the human peons however he will make an exception for the juice from tuna. If your cat has been to the vet and has been given a clean bill of health, then your cat may just maintain a lighter weight. At one point there was a company that actually made cat food gravy…not sure who it was though and I have been looking for a while! We have a dog who is a vacuum cleaner when it comes to food so it is tough when the other animal resident tends to be very particular about what he eats!
Marjean says
Elderly kitties (sorry, Camille, but you have attained a certain age…) often become even more picky with their food than usual. One problem is their sense of smell is lessened and since they rely on that for choosing what to eat, it can lead to food refusal. So, that’s why something like those tuna flakes is recommended.
You can try smashing up the solids into the gravy of her canned food and see if she’ll eat more of it. Or you can do like I do for my 18-year-old kitty, Punkin. She gets whatever I can get her to eat and that means experimenting with all sorts of things because what she eats today, she won’t touch tomorrow. She especially likes plain chicken breast that I roast for her (plain, no seasonings with just a bit of distilled water to keep it from drying out) and I keep frozen salmon filets that I cook up a bit at a time. And tuna packed in water, straight from the can. She’ll drink the liquid that I drain off and nibble on the flakes a bit. Most of that goes to my lunch though.
What I wouldn’t do is give her any milk and I’m surprised your vet even suggested it. Cow’s milk isn’t good for kitties! Fresh water is all she should be drinking. It’s unlikely she’ll gain much weight at her age but if she’s maintaining her weight okay then you shouldn’t worry too much. If she’s steadily losing weight, then another trip to the vet is in order.
Janet says
My cats enjoy Nutrisource PureVita. It is made in USA and is grain free and claims to be holistic. Because it is costly and I feed 6 cats (all rescues), I don’t get canned food. Two of my cats are over 10. My calico Phoebe went through a big weight loss a few years ago, and we discovered that she was being bullied by Cookie. So now they each have their zones of the house and Cookie knows she is not allowed upstairs. They are such sensitive creatures. Phoebe is a healthy weight and plays energetically now in her “suite”. I was under the impression that milk was not good for adult cats.
Rebecca says
This my seem weird, but have you tried mashing up some grated parmesan cheese in the wet food? Kitties seem to love parmesan, and it’s something that won’t go to waste if you buy too much. 😉
karin g says
You could try cheese scraps Not the Expensive Brie, but cream cheese, plain tuna from a can, or bits of cheddar, we have cats that love yogurt, but since we eat the 0% fat that would n’t do., but regular yogurt
Julie Dacus says
My picky cat tends to like Stella & Chewy’s Freeze Dried Chick, Chick Chicken Dinner. I put a few nuggets in with his Wellness Healthy Indulgence Chicken, Crab & Herring, and (a partial packet for each meal), add water, and mash them all together. My other picky cat will only touch the gravy from a wet food offering. Otherwise he enjoys Chicken Soup for the Cat Lover’s Soul dry food. Sigh. . . . We had Picky Cat No. 1 muscle tested for some behavior problems and the results were interesting: add garbanzo beans and cod liver oil. Who knew!? It seems to work well, though. I mash in a couple beans when I have them and add a little cod liver oil from time to time. He loves it and he’s happier! One other thing we tried was Tropical Traditions frozen raw chicken and coconut. Neither cat will touch it. 🙁 Also, as if there weren’t enough to worry about, there’s this concern with older cats: http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2014/02/26/older-cat-hyperthyroidism.aspx. Good luck with cracking the kitty code!
Andie says
We do kitty rescue. I have found that the older kitties like lump crab fresh from the grocery store.
I always put water in with the food, canned or fresh, so they are less inclined to become dehydrated.
Also, as a precaution, hide any magazine with photos of kitties. She may be intimidated by societal pressures to look like the cats on the cover.
xo
Andie
Liz in Salem says
As the chosen chef for 2 elderly cats (18 & 17), I simmer chicken breast in water until just cooked, dice it into tiny bits (picky elderly cats) and serve it warmed up. This is my go-to when they decide Fancy Feast is not good enough for them. Warmed foods have more scent which attracts the eldest (dad cat). At just 6.6 lbs, I will give him anything to entice consumption. Fresh roasted, still warm chicken or turkey has them clinging to my legs begging for a bite. One likes lamb chop finely diced..I don’t share that willingly.
michelle harrison says
tuna juice from tuna packed in water – my cats LOVE this. they will also eat bits of roast chicken. actually one of my cats is a foodie and likes all kinds of food, but tuna juice has always been a winner with my cats. also we got a sample of a high end food that was ok for dogs and cats and everybody loved it, so we now buy that as our treats (cheaper than treats and much healthier). Oh and sour cream and cream cheese – my cat will go for that even as cheesecake, but esp. plain. I would try various things and what she does eat offer more. oh and the skin from whenever i make salmon. they like that too.
Kate says
I had an elderly cat who lost her appetite when she turned 15; she turned her nose up at everything she had previously wolfed down with great relish. Our vet gave us a bottle of the lowest dose of Valium; several times each week, I would give her 1/4 of a tablet, and she would gobble her food. This was an easy way to maintain her weight while she was battling heart problems, and she made it to 18 years still happy and comfortable and died in her sleep. Good luck with your kitty.
Carolyn says
Kevin,
I also have an older (Sophie’s 15) cat who doesn’t weigh much. She wouldn’t touch canned food for years (like Camille, she’d lick the gravy but leave the meat) but I tried it again about a year ago (at age 14) and she decided she liked it-only the “ground” or “pate” style-but only the Salmon and Tuna flavor gets eaten all the time. She’s been getting Purina Pro-Plan Focus (for older cats).
On http://www.love-and-hisses.com. Robyn has good luck with chicken baby food for finicky cats. (She calls it crack for kitties) Don’t know if it will entice Camille, but it wouldn’t hurt to try a jar. As others have said, just keep trying different things, and remember that what works one day may be dismissed the next.
Cats – they’re lucky they’re so darned cute 🙂
Love your blog, even though it usually makes me hungry…
Rachel says
My best friend’s cats get lean shaved turkey from the deli every day. They love it. Something affordable to try in a small amount. Good luck!
Rachel says
I should probably add that they get Kitty food also, they don’t just get turkey.
Brigitte says
The freeze dried Stella and Chewy’s cat food is a great suggestion! Try the really small sample sizes ($2.29 where I buy them)
Be careful of the salt content in any people food, including tuna juice!
Cow’s milk can actually give cats diarrhea so I would stay away from that. But what about some of the kitty milk you can get in cartons at upscale pet food stores to give to newborn/motherless kittens?
Good Luck to you and Camille!
P.S. My kitty is willing to share some of her all-too-easily acquired “fluffiness” with Camille!
jessics m says
We have a super picky 15 year old skinny as a rail kitty. We keep a case of each of her favorite foods on hand because she gets bored after a week or so and we have to change it up (currently she will only eat meow mix souffles on a plate, little princess!)and now she will only eat chicken, beef or salmon, she just strolls away from tuna. However, when she is really being a snob, and I’m really worried I will get her canned chicken chunks and give her 1/2,of a can a day. I’m not sure if she’s just being manipulative or what, but it makes me feel better! Oh the angst we suffer for those little fur monsters!
Lynda B says
I’m surprised that your vet would recommend milk since it can cause intestinal upset for kitties. Have you tried some fresh tuna or white meat chicken. I’m not talking about the cat variety, but the human type. I have 4 cats and each is different as to their likes and dislikes. My cats go insane for kitty kaviar. I can’t find it here in Virginia, but used to buy it and bring it back from a small, privately owned pet store in Illinois. Good luck and keep up the wonderful blog. I truly enjoy it. Thank you.
Tracy says
Kevin, I had a cat for years that did the same thing. She would approach food with interest, sniff, then often just walk away. We finally figured. Out she had a bad case of irritate bowel disease. Sniffing the food triggered saliva production, which then triggered the intense discomfort of IBD –almost like a fierce heartburn. Some very fancy vets suggested we give her a quarter of an over the counter Pepcid AC every morning, and 10 mg of Prednisone as well. Prednisone (steroids) is helpful in humans for a variety of inflammations, but can only be used for very short periods without catastrophic effects. However in dogs, and even more so in cats, it is tolerated very well, and can even be used long term for chronic conditions.
We kept that cat alive on those two meds and pure meat baby food for many years. Rumble would also only lick the ‘gravy’ from her wet cat food, thereby missing much of the nutrition. We gave her pure, meat only (no ‘gravy’) baby food to which we added and mixed in powdered vitamins and. Intervals, as prescribed. We gave her a full jar, three times a day, and she gained weight and was pretty fat and happy for the rest of her days. (Warning: her poops were hideous, but we just kept that litter box eversoclean and all was well!)
Good luck with your sweet girl. If nothing else try it, nothing really to lose. But I’d you do try the Pred, be sure to wean her off it very, very gradually, should you find it ineffective.
Tracy says
Sorry for my typos. That’s Irritable Bowel Disease. Darn auto correct.
Ruth says
We have four cats, each one of them likes a different food, although they all eat the same dry cat food. All enjoy cans, but the skinny one (a Norwegian Forest who should weight at least 5kg and is never above 3,5kg – 10 years old) loves shrimps, paté, and spanish iberian ham, also loves turkey ham. If you can find it try, is low fat, it’s meat after all, so no harm to Camille, and doctors in Spain recommend it when you have stomach ache or have a stomach flu.
trish drake says
please don’t give Camille prednisone it can cause cushings disease. our poor jack suffered so .
Rebekka says
Have you tried Murr Cat food (http://www.murrfoods.com/) – I’ve heard from cat owners who have hmm hmm “specific eaters” that this is the only stuff their cat will eat. I have a small dog and the only thing he will eat is their dog food – and steak of course… 🙂
Janice Fuda says
try mashing up the meat bits into the gravy. I had a cat (and currently have a dog) that I have to do that with “stew” type foods.
Nolie says
I work/live with lots of cats. The elders do get fussy. Like alot of the suggestions (and have tried most). Baby food, kitty crack, NO MILK, and they seem to especially prefer their food creamed. Not sure I saw it listed, but I’m assuming your vet checked for thyroid issues (very common in older animals)? I even have an elder dog right now that I have to grind her kibble and mix with wet food and water before she’ll eat it.
So glad to hear you’re doing so much to keep your elder healthy.
moyra says
One of my friends, an ardent cat lover, has had very good luck feeding jars of baby food (the meat varieties).
Mamie says
Did the vet’s exam include her teeth? I’m guessing it did, but a kitty with a sore tooth won’t want to eat. Check for even tiny cracks. They can cause big problems.
Food considerations: I have a 15 year old diabetic cat (who also runs to the door when the bell rings. He wants to check out who is coming into his house and deem them either acceptable or unacceptable). His primary diet is Newman’s Organics cat food. Neither he nor his female companion will eat anything else. They just sniff it and walk away. In this age of ever increasing corporate profit, the stuff going into non-organic pet food is truly frightening. We also supplement their diets with bits of wild-caught salmon, chicken, tuna “juice”, and tiny bits of ricotta or cheddar cheese (treat only).
Also, sorry to say, but a common problem in older kitties is cancer. We lost one to fast growing tumors that were not detected on two physical exams. They were finally discovered when the vet did an ultrasound.
All the best to you and Camille. I hope it is an issue of a precious palate, rather than poor health.
Durf says
That is a beautiful little girl. She doesn’t look scrawny to me, but, like me, my cats have the opposite problem. My cats love real tuna fish and shrimp. They don’t get it regularly, but have you tried real fish?
Terri says
Puree her Fancy Feast. Cats usually like meat baby food, but it is not a cheap treat. I’ve had a couple cats that loved Temptations treats. My two Persians loved a bit of canned tuna and tuna juice. Also try real fish when you cook it.
Martha says
I am a vet! And both milk and Prednisone are aok for cats , as in people, in moderation. Cats are naturally finicky. It is in tgeir very nature. They will eat what they want when they want unlike dogs who will eat most anything! Ha ha my cats eat well and love white thna, solud white albacore. I make my own food as well with ground chicken, cooked rice and boiled eggs pureed for the cats and lumped for my bulldogs.
Martha says
Sorry about auto correct. Better to write with an old time pencil.
Lynne James says
My cat did the same thing – plus she frequently (daily) threw up. Than I switched to a totally grain free diet (Wellness Indoor) and she is doing great! She never throws up any more and she is a good healthy weight. I think she couldn’t tolerate all the extra fillings in most cat foods…
Annie says
We rescued a six year old cat from a year in a shelter cage last summer and discovered soon after we brought her home that she had feline stomatitis. Treatment: complete teeth removal! We started her on wet food even before the surgery so that she would be able to eat but now, months after and happy as a clam, she does not want the wet food anymore. Our dog was getting the sizable leftovers and the cat preferred her mini morsel dry food by Science Diet. Her skin and coat are now gorgeous, her mouth seems great and she is all around super happy. She throws up very, very rarely and has not had a hairball in 6 months. She goes gaga over cooked poultry liver though…. Only negative to this kitty: she snores… So glad we found her!
elaine says
I think cats are like people in that they come in all shapes and sizes! Camille, bless her lucky little heart, is a slim, trim girl. She is like my annoying sister-in-law who can eat anything (although she is never hungry…darn it). My cat, Mr. Mouseman, is like me…he is always hungry and never denies himself! Unfortunately, we both look like it too!
I think Camille is perfect the way she is and lucky to have such a good home!
Kate says
My elderly pets like cottage cheese!
Dianne says
Hi Kevin, there is a lot of good information from the holistic vet Dr. Becker who is affiliated with Dr.. Mercola at
http://healthypets.mercola.com/
I had a business selling holistic pet food years before it was available at the stores. It is much easier now to get quality food for pets. Cats are obligate carnivores, they must have a meat diet that avoids grains. Also, years of annual rounds of vaccination kills off the good bacteria in their system. To replenish their gut bacteria try probiotic formulas like BioK or homemade fresh Kefir. If they can’t digest their food they learn to avoid it to stop the uncomfortable gut symptoms. You could add some digestive enzymes as well.
You could try the frozen raw formulas if available – is there Global Pet Food Stores in the USA? Or you could order direct from a company like ‘Riplees Ranch Pet Food’ . Cats seem to like the cheaper food, but that can be because it is loaded with chemical flavor enhancers and the cans have BPA etc. for preservatives and you should definitely avoid the moist food/treat packets with glycol.
Studies out of Britain are showing the long term health damage caused by GMO foods in livestock/pets. Best to get organic if you can or as others do… lightly cook up organic meat and grind up raw bones to include.
Cats don’t drink enough to eat only dry kibble – you need to moisten it first… just a few minutes prior to feeding.
If all else fails, you could catch her a few mice from the garden 🙂
good luck with Camille,
Sharon Shade says
Deli-Cat is all my semi-feral cat will eat. However recently she has started drinking milk and eating tiny amounts of the Purina wet, but only the ocean fish flavor. If your cat is a good weight, I wouldn’t worry about it. For my sick cats, I’ve given them baby food and chicken broth.
dawn says
Actually, more mature cats are like mature people, they need less. However, I do see that when there is an addition of catnip every other day, the appetite gets better. I had a tabby for 13 years and he gained a lot of wait, then when he was about 10 years old, good health, he began to loose weight. He ate, but not like he did when he was younger. Also, I find the season is important. In the winter my cats eat more; in summer they hardly eat.
I also feed non-domestic cats that look like they are own their last legs. I started putting out catnip, which I grow, harvest and store for winter too, and found that these cats would eat more with catnip as part of their treat.
Cheers
Just a suggestion.
cathy says
wow it touches my heat that there are so many people who care so much for your cat! What a beautiful, heartfelt tapestry of intospection, concern and sypathetic suggestions! We give our cat raw eggs which is quite gross to me to watch them eat but they love it. Our dogs look on with jealousy! I do agree with some of the other notes that better for your older cat to be a little lighter than to suffer with overweight which is much more common of a dilemma and much more difficult to address. May God bless your kitty with long life, playing in your garden and health and may she contnue to bring you much joy!
Heather says
Our “Geriatric” (not that she acts her age) cat started with the same issues when she was about that age (She is now 12). She had a broken leg that we rejected veterinary advice for amputation at the age of 4, and our “new” vet suspected arthritic changes. She just would not eat anything that we provided. After loosing a few pounds it was suggested that we try a good quality Kitten formula, and this has proven to be helpful for her. We now tend to stay away from lower quality foods, with her eating a predominantly adult food. If she starts to become finicky we offer her the kitten food until she is full of pep again. I have also reduced her weight expectation from 9-10# to 7-8# as just like humans older beings just do not need to consume large amount of calories as they do not burn the calories and added weight can place undue stress on their bodies. Good luck with your Kitty.
Susan Iseman says
Kevin: If you get this, my cat would respond to wet food that was warmed up, believe it or not.
We fed him cat food that was low in grains, and Trader Joe’s sells a “holistic” dry food by Bench and Field. He has since passed, and I still sing to him every day….good luck
Barb says
Has your kitty had her thyroid tested? Hypo thyroid can cause weight problems. My 19 year old cat has done very well since she has been treated. At first we tried to treat it with special food. It was rather expensive and the dogs loved it.
Candace says
Try baby food. Gerber meat flavors. I had an older cat that just quit eating and my vet suggested this. Worked well. It was easier than cooking for him!
Arlene says
Hi Kevin,
I see that there are many suggestions here. I didn’t have time to read them but I wanted to give you my thoughts.
I had 2 rescue cats, one that live to be 25 yr. +. We’re not sure exactly how old she was when she found us. When we looked for food- dry or otherwise, I made sure the first 2-3 ingredients were meat, not by products or meal, Cats are carnivorous – meat eaters. I used to use IMS and Eukubena. They are actually made by the same company. Mix it up and add some cooked meat, livers, gizzards etc. We do this for our dogs too.
You can also try “Blue” or “Taste of the Wild” brand cat food, I haven’t because the girls passed before I found these brands, We feed the Dogs Blue or Taste of the Wild with a mixture of cooked meat and rice. The vet says that’s the best for them.
Try giving her chicken and other non spicy meats you may be having for dinner. They like variety as much as you do. Also, give her tuna & the juice or sardines for a change.
Make sure you read the labels for content.
Looking at her picture, she doesn’t look like she needs to add weight.
Another thought, we used to use the drops on the neck for fleas, until one of our little girls developed kidney problems. That is a poison to the pests, it also affects cats & dogs. I would look for holistic ways of dealing with this problem.
BTW, I also follow Dr. Becker & Mercola, plenty of good information there. The comments by Dianne above are great!
Good luck with all this.
Hellen Greenblatt says
Hi: Your Kitty may be be having gastrointestinal problems, so when she eats, it hurts her tummy. Hyperimmune proteins may make a major difference and also keep her acitve for longer.I have over 70 reports from pet owners if you are interested in seeing them. [Full disclosure: I hold non-royalty patents in the area.] drhellengreenblatt.info
MaryAnn Quinn says
My Kiah will not touch Kitty Kaviar either but a sprinkle of Kitty Kaviar on food was a way to get Calie to eat.
I feed the kind of food not found in your traditional grocery store. We have a high quality, more natural pet food store in our area, which, by the way, just moved into a brand new, much larger building. Business is booming for them!
I feed Kiah Taste of the Wild dry food and BFF for canned. BFF (has a heart on the can, Best Feline Food) might not be the greatest all the time because it’s all fish based but it’s the only canned food she will eat except the variety that has Bonito (Kitty Kaviar) in it.
Patti says
Our cat, Molly, is 18 years old. She has hyperthyroidism and is being treated with medication which has really helped her a lot. About 3 years ago she became VERY finicky about what she would eat. She used to eat dry food only but was losing weight and not eating (partly due to the hyperthyroidism). We have an independent pet store in town which carries more “holistic” brands of food so I went there for advice. I started trying canned food and she seemed to like it, but then would stop eating it. So, I would try another brand or variety … she would eat it for a few weeks and then didn’t like it. Over a period of several months I tried many, many different varieties of food. I finally found a food she would eat and has been happily eating it for a year now. It is the canned food from Earthborn Holistics: http://www.earthbornholisticpetfood.com/us/cat_formulas/
The price is reasonable … actually less than some of the others I tried. When you open a can, it looks a lot like a can of tuna … chunks of fish and even tiny shrimp. I told my husband if there was ever a natural disaster we could surivive on Molly’s food if needed. 🙂
If you have a local pet store (not a chain), you might check out the Earthborn brand. If they don’t have it, they could probably order it for you. Good luck!
Evelyn H. says
Try cooking her some fresh chicken breasts and give as chunks or pureeing
Susan Davis of Southern Touch Farm says
Love my kitties and enjoy getting messages in my inbox that link me to your recent blog updates. I have too many cats. They are abandoned souls left by others who apparently believe I should be responsible for all of the unwanted cats in my area. One old man, Max, left this old world in his mid twenties. Five of these current ones are ancient and all are leaner now that they are so very old (youngest of this group is 14). Fresh raw goat milk, if she will drink it, is the best! High butterfat content is better if you can find some from a farmer that know which goat has the highest butterfat. Your vet is right to tell you to use milk but the better choice is the goat milk over cow milk and raw unpasteurized is better than store bought tho lots of high end pet food stores (not the chain petco or petsmart) carry it pasteurized. Tempt her appetite with small tidbits of raw hamburger. Suspect she will love that idea. I boil chicken parts including liver and other organs (no salt please) and make pate platters as another has suggested and the baby food is also a good idea. I feed the Six Fish formula made by Orijen. It puts weight on some kitties. It is the best formulation of processed cat and dog food I can find on the market and I really do appreciate the products used and the facility where it is manufactured. You can google Orijen for more info. Of course, it is only found in certain store so you would have to search on the site for a location near you. I’m not gonna lie – it is expensive. It is a dry kibble and we leave some out all the live long day so they can munch at free will. We freshen their small dish of food each morning and night. My youngest rescue kitty is a tad on the hefty side now that we have fed Orijen for close to a year now. Well, that’s a few of my ideas I thought to share with you about feeding geriatric feline. Hope your friend kitty will find her perfect taste delight and live for many more years with you! Have a beautiful day!
Linda Allen says
Cook chicken livers and chop them up fine. Good luck!
Cheryl says
Years ago, one of our young cats had his jaw wired shut after being hit by a car. The vet gave us a recipe for “kitten glop,” which we trickled into his mouth with a feeding syringe – many times a day. Every time we made the glop, or fed him, we had to bar the doors to keep the other cats away. We’ve used the glop a few times since, for a rescue kitten, elderly cats, any cat who needs a bit of a calorie and nutrient boost. I lost my original recipe but google it every time I need it. It contains a few things that may seem odd, like pedialyte, mayonnaise, and evaporated goat’s milk, but it’s been a miracle worker in our house. We adapt it as needed (leaving out the pedialyte, for example, if the cat just needs calories), but always use a recipe that calls for goat milk (surprisingly available!), turkey baby food, gelatin, and mayonnaise in the recipe. Miles, the guy who introduced us to kg, made a complete recovery, and is now a sleek big cat with an amazingly plush black coat. It’s a simple recipe, makes enough for multiple meals or treats, and keeps well in the fridge for a few days – just lock the cats out of the kitchen while you’re making it! Good luck to Camille!
Joni says
What I’ve heard is to take a can of tuna (either in water or oil) and pumpkin and blend it together in your blender – supposedly cats love this!?!
Gail says
I think from what I’ve heard is a thin Cat is healthier then a fat one. When I got Ginnie from a friend she was so finicky. She was eating the worse food. I found that she love’s Halo. She also love’s a tiny bit of Friskies in the morning. The kind in the plastic container with the rip off tip. She has put on weight but not too much.
Gail says
Also heard human tuna is bad for a Cats kidneys. Would check on that first. It also really makes them even more finicky.
susan says
Valium from the vet will work for most cats.
Also-cyproheptadine will work well. I had a diabetic/pancreatitis cat who HAD to eat with insulin and if she did not we could get into serious trouble. Cyproheptadine worked beautifully- As I remember there was a compounding vet in the south who made it in kitty chews (like soft kitty cookies) and it worked like magic. She loved the cookie and within 20 minutes would usually gobble her food. Worked for a friend’s elderly 18 year old non-eating cat really well.
Anne says
My beloved Emily got this way with age. She found duck pate canned foods irrestible. I mixed in some canned high calorie senior cat “milk” supplement to help get her girlie figure back.
Lourdes says
My “Snuggles” just turned 14
She has always been little and anorexic looking. I have taken her to the vet and I always get told that she is just a small cat. I have tried canned cat food, but she won’t have anything to do with it. She likes the dry crunchy food. She has never begged for table food either.
Rhonda says
My cat, Bandit, was 22 when I had to ease her suffering. She only licked the gravy from the cat food too. But, she did enjoy ham and turkey. Occasionally she would enjoy tuna too.
Nancy Jalaty says
One cat likes a little mineral oil on his wet food. Good hair ball prevention. Both cats like good quality oven roasted turkey lunch meat. They both like to lick coconut oil from my fingers.
Mary Beth says
My four cats like (and ask for) whole cream or half and half. Just a few tablespoons a day. They won’t touch plain milk. I think it’s the fat content. Of course they get their whole foods kibble as well. They are all glossy and healthy and trim and range from 6-16.
Marjie says
Maybe kitty is just fine. If the vet is not worried, and she is healthy, maybe you should not worry either. Some cats, like some people, are just thin. She is better off thin than fat health-wise.
Just saying. I have one like that (among several.)
Caroline says
We bought food from the Vet which stimulates appetite. We also got a paste from the Vet which adds calories and tastes good to cats. And finally, we got pouches of a powder called Forti-Flora which when sprinkled on cat food enhances the smell and taste and attracts them. These 3 tactics have worked well for all 4 of our elderly cats. One lived to be 20, one was 19, one just passed away at 16, and his brother also 16 is still with us.
Liz from Shrewsbury, England says
Hi Kevin,
My cat had a very similar problem to yours. My vet advised to ditch the tinned and dried food and feed only white meat: fish, chicken, turkey, etc. Not only to gain weight but to aid a speedy recovery. Of course, this went down very well indeed! I now feed white meat to my cat at least once a week. She is 16 and thriving.
leota bliss says
I commented about your kitty under your garden tour. But it your kitty has a clean bill of health from the vet I would not worry. But the comment of goats milk worked wonders for my other thin cats. Do not use canned goats milk, fresh if you can find it.
Belle Meline Mears says
Camille the cat looks pretty good to me – from the photos you have posted here. She seems to have some meat on her bones……not looking in any way malnourished. But as photos are not always as revealing as daily observance in person – I yield to your own personal instincts about your own pet.
Some cats ARE finicky eaters – they just don’t care. But does Camille get outside and hunt? Perhaps her repertoire is more eclectic than you might be aware of. Voles and chipmunks, birds and other fancy feasts might be subsiding her routine feed indoors.
Have you ever tried canned mackerel? It seems to be a winner in terms of wow effect for both dogs and cats. I would put some with mashed veggies and rice/potatoes for the dog – and the cat would want some mackerel too…..so I often gave a few tablespoons to the cat too a couple of times a week. The bowl would sometimes be picked over – other times devoured.
(Yes, often Monty the Dalmatian had polished it off – but other times it was the kitty)
The other suggestion is just to relax – and try random tidbits when you have time and think of it. Eggs are sometimes a welcome thing…….raw yolk. If I had a bird for dinner – some hash of that – or just whatever you have on hand they might like. In general – my experience with the milk thing was same as you – not much interest. Hehehehe.
In the end – you are blessed with a family vet, and Camille has a good report – so you can rest easy.
Fun seeing your adorable dog too – and Tiger. I have forgotten your dog’s name – but I am especially attracted to Beagles.
Enjoy your lovely blog. This weeks recipe is a real tempter!! Thanks for the fun.
JG says
I have rescued dogs an cats for years and when they come to me they are almost always underweight. I use goat milk from a can to supplent their diets and it has never failed me. I currently have six rescued cats and they are all very healthy. This tip came to me from my late grandmother.
Theresa Hamilton says
My brother inherited an older thin cat from a friend who passed away last year. Lola was very picky & her previous owner fed her only Fancy Feast.. Lola started losing more weight grieving for her mom. My brother did some research & came up with this idea. He buys a quality frozen ground up turkey, & defrosts it. He makes into small meatballs, put them into a frying pan w/ a cover, adds some water & steam cooks them. The he freezes them & packs them into a container he keeps in his freezer. Every day, at Lola’s meal times, he takes one out & micro waves it. , & lets it cool down & Lola loves them ! . I saw Lola recently & could not believe it was the same cat!! She is healthy, has a nice weight on her, & even her fur has taken on a nice luster….. One other idea, I had an older cat who was very thin. When I moved to Ohio, I took her to a vet for some advice. He said do you know a hunter? I am a vegetarian so was very puzzled. He got a piece of venison out of his freezer, & had me cook up a bit each day & my cat LOVED it. I mean I was grossed out, but anything for my Grover cat, she lived to be 23 years old!
Lulu says
Hi Kevin,
I have had the same issue with a feral cat whom I fed for 5 plus years and with a rescue dog from Cuba whom Ive loved for 12 years now. If I refused to give in, in hopes they eat what “I think or read was appropriate”, they would rather starve…..the best was real sardines, tuna and salmon washed clean of any residue from the tin for Kitty and well my dog, she loves diced Roll-Over sausage roll ( beef, chicken or lamb) mixed with people food, squashed veggies, potatoes, rice whatever. What ever Bull twiddle the pet food companies and Vet say about what is best for your cat or dog, we all know……real food is what keeps us healthy and living without disease. cats and dogs are carnivores……they do not eat grains, fruits etc unless its touted as ‘good for them’ and used as animal food filler. Most kibble has NO meat in it at all, just meat by-products.
I also believe that animals without emotional problems eat when they are hungry and as long as they are not starving may be just as picky as people. Keep in mind, there is no nutrition in store bought cat or dog food. tests have been shown that one can boil old car oil, and old leather boot and salt, send the results for ‘dog/cat food approval’ and receive an ‘okay’ its food.
Real food, just as your pet is real is the answer. Stop worrying. they are like children, they eat when they are hungry but it is up to us, to see they are given nutritional choices!!
And that is all I have to say about that!
I wish everyone would think about it. How can a bag of kibble that costs $5, feed yr animal for a month and actually contain nutrition? I feel so sorry for 99% of all pets!!
I think your cat is fine……
Marge says
My vet says 14 pounds is maximum weight for a cat. How much does she weigh now? I wish I could get the six pounds off of Buster and send it to Camille!
Rhonda Strahler says
One of my kitties (I have 3) has a “delicate stomach” (she regurgitates food very easily), and is quite picky to boot. She won’t touch tuna but loves sardines (if I rinse them first). She will also eat canned (9Lives) beef-in-gravy and tolerates it well. I also buy Cod Liver Oil and put a bit on her food every few days also, it seems to help keep her weight up.
Marcia from Northern Indiana says
Bootsie and Mittens (both rescue) are in total disbelief that there are finicky cats. They eat Science Diet for adult cats and Pounce Moist seafood treats. Being both house cats, I have to throw the treats across the room so they can chase them to get some exercise.
Make sure Camille is not a thread eater.
stephanie hamilton says
i have read through most of these comments …. just shows how many people love what you do! the one thing i haven’t seen anyone mention is catnip. you might try sprinkling just a little on her food and see what happens. my cat, who is a 20 lb ragdoll and a picky eater, will eat ANYTHING with catnip sprinkled on it. give it a try. and the lemon tart is looming large in my future, too! lovely, lovely, lovely…
Lynne says
Have you tried “tuna soup”? When I open a can of water pack tuna and squeeze out the water the resulting “soup” is a real treat.
Rachel says
I had an elderly cat with heart problems who was quite finicky. In the last few months of his life I resorted to cooking chicken gizzards in water (no salt), grinding them up in the food processor and generously moistening that with some of the cooking water. I gave that to him in small portions, 2 or 3 times a day. He actually seemed somewhat enthusiastic about that.
Karen Burks says
Most cat and dog foods are terrible. Research them on line and you will see.
I put my dogs on a raw diet and they loved it. There are raw diets for cats also, so Google it and try some. After all Cats and Dogs are carnivorous and cereal all the time has to be boring. Try this site: http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Raw-Cat-Food Just remember that handling raw foods can cause all kinds of problems so wash, wash, wash hands, surfaces, bowls and utinsils.
Geni says
Leave your poor cat alone! Like some humans she is probably just naturally thin. Purina is not a top of he line pet food brand. Maybe go to a pet store or to your vet and see what specific food is recommended for the little beast and try that. Fancy Feast is also not all that good. The “meat” is not what it seems and the nutritional value of it is not much. My vet told me it was like junk food for cats. My cat had the same thing all the time and wasn’t finicky but she was fat–20 lbs on a small frame. She was fast though–snagged humming birds out of the air on occasion. I miss her crabby little disposition! (My vet didn’t recommend dairy for cats because it CAN cause kidney problems. . . so I never fed it to my cat.)
Martha says
Maybe your cat just has a fast metabolism rate. I have had cats for years and some are too fat while others are on the thin side. My cats like yogurt…I don’t give them a lot at one time, but the minute I open the container, I am practically attacked. I would rather have a cat that is on the thin side than cat that is too fat. I guess you will just have to experiment with her. She is a beautiful cat, but since I love cats, they are all beautiful!
Marilyn says
Stella and Chewy is the best suggestion. It is all natural and the best food you can give Camille. You could also feed her raw food and sprinkle Stella and Chewy on top or mash it in. PLEASE do NOT feed Camille any more grain. Would she be eating grain in the wild? Cats eat meat. My cats’ doctor asked me this years ago and it sent me on a journey that has led me to feeding my cats the healthiest way I have ever feed any of the cats I have owned. They eat raw meat and Stella and Chewy. They are beautiful, healthy and happy. No grain and no GMO for my furry children. Think about it. 🙂
sue b says
my kitty wouldnt eat wet only gravy but then i found the mousse type and she would eat that/ can buy in store. a heads up….just lost mine. vet said typically 13 yrs old start having kidney issues. so you may need to check into that asap as it is typically a slow developing thing and 9/10 times you dont find out til its too late…… also maybe if you puree it so its mousse consistency.. worth a try???? good luck.
Shirley Goff says
In my youth we had a cat that we fed raw kidney from the butcher shop, just a few slices a day. One kidney would last maybe 10 days. I don’t recall what else we fed, but the cat loved it. My daughter started feeding their dogs homemade fresh food with a good balance of protein/fat/carbs, and they have thrived as never before. They stopped scratching themselves all the time.
Diane H Hinkle says
Well, you have gotten a ton of advise from cat owners. I have learned some things my self from reading………………..interesting. I am forever trying different foods with varying results. One of four cats will eat one thing and one may not. It is funny trying to figure it out. But I learned a long time ago that anything dairy was a no-no. One little female gets violently sick at her stomach within minutes of lapping up a table spoon of milk. She cries for it but I won’t give it to her and watch her cry out loud as she gets rid of it. One other gets sick, also, from dairy. The other two won’t touch it. I, too, am in amazement that your vet recommended it.
Have a good day.
christine hurd says
Our newly adopted Russian Blue cat is named Lucy. Quite picky with her food (unlike my previous cat).
My solution is to mix a spoonful of wet food into her dry food. She eats Little Friskies Indoor food along with some Little Friskies canned Mixed Grill or Salmon Pate. Otherwise she will not touch the wet food at all.
And we had to take her to an emergency 24 hour vet one night because the poor thing was doubled over in pain because she was so constipated that she couldn’t even stand! After I started mixing a little wet food with the dry food every day she has been in good health.
Teresa says
Have you tried the oil off tuna packed in oil?
Martha says
I know there are a bunch of great ideas here that I didn’t read (I know you read them all!). If you keep trying I’m sure you will find something she likes. I had a cat who got very picky as she got older. I cooked ground turkey and rice with a fair amount of water and she liked that.
We all do love our kitties.
Elaine ransom says
Does your cat hunt? Anytime we’ve had an underweight cat, worming has taken care of it. Usually tapeworms seem to be the problem . Currently our plump cat eats only mice and kibbles,won’t eat people food, only the liquid from canned fish. Real protein raw or cooked is left behind. One of our previous cats would eat butter in hunting season no matter what or how much she was fed but she was slim. This is the first cat in 50+ years we’ve had to ration.
Diane R. says
I have 3 indoor cats and 3 ferals that live on my deck. All are picky and love the cheap crappy food like Friskies wet and dry and Fancy Feast…..those 2 foods are the worse thing you can feed them. I hate giving those to them, but like someone mentions above, they are flavor enhanced.
A couple of things I have learned over the years.
By products are a complete NO, but meal is good and sometimes better than table food.
When you cook chicken, cod or salmon, boil in plain water. Go lightly on tuna…not good for cats.
Also, re: cats that only lick the gravy…I just found out that cats only chew in an up and down motion, not side to side like humans do. So I try to stick with pate and sometimes buy the chunks and put them in a small food processor so they can eat it. I even tried cutting the chunks with a knife, but they don’t cut….another example of crappy food.
Most cats are lactose intolerant and need water…many cats don’t drink enough water so I add a bit of water to their moist food.
Avoid steroids/prednasone if at all possible…they only take the symptoms away, but do nothing for the actual problem. And it is possible their immune systems will shut down.
Be sure and google what NOT to feed to cats and dogs…especially grapes and raisins. So many cats and dogs are dying of kidney failure. If you use baby food, be sure there is no onion powder in the ingredients.
It is all so confusing re: food for our furry friends. Camille looks great Kevin. She would feel very boney (like spine and rib cage) if she was too thin. So to be so lengthy…lot’s of good advice here, but always google what you’d like to try before you try it. Just sayin….
Katherine W says
Hi, I love cats, but am no expert except to say one thing: I would not feed any of my pets food made by Purina. This is based on numerous pet food recall reports I track for my own 3 dogs and my dog-sitting clients. Purina consistently leads the “bad food” pack. I like the ground turkey and rice option as previously mentioned. Good luck! She’s a beauty!
Monique says
Hi Kevin,
I’d suggest going to the website http://www.catinfo.org to learn more about cat nutrition and how to deal with finicky cats when it comes to changes in diet.
I’ve found this website to be an excellent resource for all things cat related.
Love your newsletters and recipes and have tried a few very successfully, looking forward to the next one!
Good lick and keep us posted on your kitty.
Monique
Elaine ransom says
Just to add a thought. There are cats that like veggies. Many eat grass and over the years we have had one cat that would eat sauerkraut before we could jar it, two that loved cantaloupe , and another that stole peas off the vine in the garden and would eat mushrooms if we turned our backs…a whole tin once.
Dianna says
Our old kitty was suppose to eat the $1.85 a can food for putting on weight. She wouldn’t touch it. She did however, like tuna, but since her kidneys were compromised we couldn’t give her tuna. So our solution was to drain the tuna in water and mix the juice in with the
expensive cat food. She thought she was eating tuna and lived on for another year before the kidneys died out….she was 21 when she died. It has been two years and we still miss our little Iggy dearly.
Angela Creais says
Slinky is a petite 7 pound tabby. I’ve noticed when I travel and a certain friend watches over her that she’s a little chubby when I get home after a long trip. Turns out my friend loves to give her Temtations treats, in excess IMO. She gets down to her fighting weight again on a daily diet of half a can twice a day of Fancy Feast with a quarter cup of dry food made especially for kitties with urinary problems. Oh, she loves the milk left over from my cereal bowl and will circle me when I have it.
That’s my two cents, Kevin.
Dori says
Looks like enough advice to keep you and Camille busy experimenting for the rest of her life. Which is what we do with fussy cats. Gone are the days when the cats thrived on table scraps.
Wendy says
I didn’t read all the comments, not sure if this has already been suggested: In the past, my elderly/sickly cats would almost always go for certain baby food meats: chicken, lamb, and turkey were the favorites. You can add some to food they already like, feed it to them straight from the jar, nuke it for 5 or 10 seconds, whatever works. Beef baby food wasn’t of interest, and I never tried ham. Pureed pumpkin (pie filling) or butternut squash is usually well-tolerated, and recommended by some vets. I hope this helps!
Wendy
Lorra says
She is a cat !! Who knows more about cats than a cat? The vet is second in such knowledge, and he wasn’t worried. If she doesn’t have access to the occasional mouse, put a small bit of raw meat out. If she doesn’t like it, so be it. Leave her food out so she can eat when she wants to. Obviously she is not overeating, so quit fussing over her.
Candi says
My picky eater likes cereal milk. That is lactose free milk ( because I’m lactose intolerant ) left over in my bowl after I eat cereal. She won’t drink the milk plain. It has to have first had one of my unsweetened cereals in it.
She is also a gravy eater. As she has gotten older she has started eating more of the actual food. We get the Fancy Feast Classic which is the puréed form. We get several flavors and open a different flavor each can, rotating through the flavors. My cats object if I feed them the same flavor everyday.
Laura Johmson says
My cat cannot turn down Salmon, shrimp or boiled chicken with broth. And he will eat MEOW mix original. Some cats are just thin.
Warren Dahlstrom says
If your a pampered house cat you can’t be too thin or too rich!
Elaine says
I have 5 cats. I buy the best quality I can – usually organic Newmans canned (chicken or turkey) or Wellness (chicken or turkey). For dry, my cats like the Purina Naturals … but I am going to try another brand .. Publix’s Premium … as it doesn’t have corn.
My cats stay mainly in the house so even if they don’t eat a lot they stay at a medium weight. I used to have a white cat who ate a lot but was just skinny. Perhaps she had some Siamese in her.
As a treat, I sometimes get a large can of Mackeral and share it with all 5 cats for dinner. If canned Chicken is on sale, I’ll grab a few of them and that is a dinner treat now and then. It is cheaper than canned cat food if it is on sale (but without the added nutrients). My cats love chicken livers when I cook them for myself … but that is a little too expensive for my budget except on very special occasions.
The only cat treats mine get are called HALO Liv-a-Littles. It is dried 100% chicken breast … it also comes in beef, salmon, etc. They are sold on Vitacost.com … and though they are pricey, they are a healthy special treat for my guys.
4 of mine are tabbies too (a feral family I adopted) … the 5th is a solid gray cat who is naturally skinny … but a good eater. If your cats are active outside like you, they are probably very healthy … just a little svelte.
When I was training my feral cats, I had to buy Gerber’s Chicken & Chicken Gravy baby food (#2) … no other brand, no other flavor. It is what people who domesticate ferals use to get them to come to you. The smell and the taste are irresistible. It can also be used on sick cats who won’t eat.
Maggie says
I have two stories for you Kevin. The first is about Kitty Fisher, a seal point Birman girl, one of the great loves of our life. At the age of 7 she bled some from the colon and was diagnosed with “old cat colon” by a vet in Austin TX who also practices holistic medicine. We were advised to prepare our hearts to say goodbye within a year. But a diet plan was suggested to give her a fighting chance.
Here’s the diet plan we used which required my attention once a month to prepare.
In a crock pot simmer ground chicken (rotate with turkey or lamb each month), add some larger bones of the chicken for gelatin. Larger bones help prevent bone fragments being missed. Remove bones before next step.
When meat is tender add finely minced carrot or sweet potato, celery, zuccini, spinach or other greens. Cook a little white or brown rice in separate pot. The idea is to have plenty of gravy; cook the rice separately so it won’t absorb the gravy. I added some fresh herb now and then. The cats loved it.. If your cat won’t eat this food, don’t worry. My problem was keeping the humans from eating the cat food.
If you are not supplementing dry food or canned you will need to add an amino acid cats require..I believe its Taurine. Ask the vet. The happy ending was Kitty Fisher lived 8 more years to 15.
Here’s how to give the transition to new food the best chance. Replace 10% of the cats favorite food with this formula mixed in with 90% favorite for the first few days..adding extra gravy if necessary. Move up to 25% of the new formula for a few more days. Continue the process every few days until the transition is complete.
I think the second option may work better with your Camille.
Our Zoe, another Seal Point Birman spent her first 7 years mothering babies in a breeding program then retired to live with us. She’s known about Kitty Kaviar and quality foods all her life but as her 15th birthday approached her weight was tanking. We began supplementing her diet with 1/3 jar of baby meat with meat gravy at bedtime. The weight returned to 1/2 lb below her normal weight where it remains. After consulting with our vet we were advised to thin the baby food with purified water to make it like soup. The purpose was to lighten the protein load on the kidneys. All three kitties look forward to this bedtime ritual now.
Should I go to bed without serving their snack Zoe sets up a rucus until I am fully awake and bedtime snacks have been served. The grooming that follows is the most luxurious of the day. Vet says its purely psychological. What an easy way to make them happy and keep the weight on an aging sweet kitty. Zoe just passed the 17 1/2 mark and is going strong…quite a feat for a Birman.
Maggie says
Sorry Kevin. I failed to add that the slow cooked diet should be package in portions that will feed just 2-3 days..and frozen. I prefered using ziplock freezer bags in the small size and each bag contained 2-3 days supply which was placed in the fridge the day before needed to thaw. You could also prepare fish instead of meat..but a slow cooker wouldn’t be needed. The cats seemed to prefer a much heavier meat portion, with maybe 25-35% veggies and a little less percentage on the rice. The rice should be quite soft.
Be sure to add extra gravy to each bag. Press all the air out before zipping and lay them flat to freeze. I kept a rectangular plastic container on the freezer door where these packages could stand upright for easy removal.
I think I’ve got it covered now.
Maggie
Arianna Norris says
Cats of a certain age do tend to lose a bit of weight. You didn’t say how much she weighed now, but she looks about right in the photos. Do you have her food out all the time aka open feed? As to switching up her food, always mix the old food with the new food 50/50 for a bit. Also, Delicat is not the best, but it’s adequate. I’ve always fed my cats a mixture of Iams and a Purina brand (cuts the cost) for their dry food. Your problem with the Fancy Feast is common. Try a pate instead of shreds. My 18yr old cat won’t touch the shreds either. And now, with age, he prefers Friskies Classic pate’s. Not too much milk unless she’s always gotten it, but cheese is ok mostly. GL. And if you need more info on elder cats, my oldest so far was 22 when she left us, just email me.
Suzanne K says
I second the ‘warming food’, heard it increases good smells. My Spooky has always been a (spoiled) temperamental eater. She’s gotten sick and totally stopped eating. The tuna juice helps a bit, but her ‘go to/always works’ is a bit of fresh liver, either chicken or beef. Cut in very small pieces. I’ve seen where lots of your readers cook it. I don’t. I figure, in nature, she’d be eating raw gopher livers… so I give it to her raw. I do it now as a weekly treat but it definitely gets her ‘eater’ going when she’s refusing everything else. I also give her a tiny bit of salmon oil on her liver (since she doesn’t like it) for some extra high calorie/fat goodness (really helps her coat too). When I get an organic whole chicken from the store, she gets the organs from the insides and loves them.
Suzanne K says
For DIane R, I read that having a cat’s water bowl near their food bowl isn’t good. Their instincts tell them that the food could go bad and contaminate the water so they don’t drink as much. I’ve separated them by quite a distance and do believe more water is being consumed. Also have several water bowls throughout the house. And, vet said that canned food has fewer calories than dried due to water content, so dried (if they’ll eat it) will actually add more weight.
Pete H. says
Try baby food. Watched “My Cat from Hell” the other day and Jackson Galaxy used baby food to help with a distressed cat. Camille does not looked distressed at all, but maybe worth a try?
Good luck!
Lori says
I have an older cat also-he is 17 years old. She pretty much acted like yours-liked the gravy but that was about it. My youngest son told me to feed her tuna. She loved it. So now Bitts gets a good quality dry mixed with either ‘people’ tuna, salmon or other fish. She also likes real chicken. He has put on weight and looks great. Hope this works for you.
Judith Priglmeier says
Cats, like people, have different body types. I have a wonderful 3-year-old female gray tabby named Jenny, who weighs in at approximately 16 pounds! She is a complete love and is not fussy on what she eats – so far. I have had previous cats to whom I gave all sorts of fancy vet brands, etc., and they eventually succumbed to various health issues. When I got this particular cat at age 9 months, she had been eating Purina dry cat food, plus a teaspoon or so of moist food twice a day., so I continued to do so, and she has thrived. I currently feed her Purina indoor cat chow, plus Fancy Feast fishy-type moist food. She has dry food available to her on a come-and-get-it basis. Of course, she never refuses a tiny treat of canned tuna or tiny bits of cheese, on occasion!
Susy says
I agree the kitty looks good to me, not to thin and she is very pretty! I used to feed an older kitty baby food as others have mentioned. With my current kitties I add extra water to the canned food to make more gravy and I mix it quite well, they also lick out the gravy first but do eat the wet food as well.
despina says
Dear Kevin.
I know how much you love them all. did you try to add some chicken to the Deli Cat. If she can tolerate the fat try the dark meat.
canned human food tuna is not good in the long term for them.
Ask Dr. Patterson if she can give Camille an appetite stimulant.
Carole says
Has your cat’s weight dropped? My cat weighed 7.5 lbs all her adult life and was offered all she wanted to eat. That said, she would only eat dry food. She lived at the Humane Society for a year and I believe that’s what she got used to. I’ve learned recently that a straight dry food diet is hard on a cat’s kidney’s. I wonder if you could mix dry and wet together, gradually backing off the dry.
naturegirl says
How about potatoes and butter or peas and butter. Both are beloved by many finicky kitties. Hope it helps! Or sweet potatoes and butter….good luck. She’s a cutie!
Julie B says
Our 13+ year old cat quit eating dry food abruptly and only wanted canned, although now he switches back and forth. He, too, pulls the trick of just licking the gravy off many shredded canned foods – very common behavior, I’ve learned.
I’ve found that he’s most enthusiastic about pate style foods, rotating randomly through about 3-4 flavors that he prefers. I also give him high-calorie treats. He loves the liquid from tuna fish as well as Parmesan and olive oil.
We tried a high calorie gel addition to his food and he turned up his nose at it.
We’ve also found that location counts; he likes canned food served in my office (I telecommute) and/or in our bedroom, preferably ON the bed!
Good luck, Kevin. I know how important it is to keep their weight stable as they age and how much it hurts when they don’t seem to eat enough.
melody says
here is an interesting articles from Dr Mercola’s pet site– a naturopathic approach.
http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2010/03/10/how-to-transition-your-cat-to-raw-food-diet-part-1.aspx
here are some of their products.. i like the enzymes.
://shop.mercola.com/catalog/pets,88,0.htm
i am only a customer and get no perks by mentioning them here. My older girl used to enjoy cream cheese..especially salmon flavored. I also pour the water from canned tuna on her food.
Sandra says
Our cat, Rudy, had eating issues until I found Pet Naturals of Vermont for cats Daily Digest. I put one on his dried food (Science Diet, d/d duck and green pea formula). He has gained weight and doesn’t throw up. There is a new bounce in his walk. Happy cat!
Anne says
our 18 year old, Lucille, loves lapping up a fresh, raw egg we’ve mixed up with a little water…all our cats love this and have thrived on this extra for all the years we’ve had our own chickens.
Good luck, Kevin!
JaneGrace Bowman says
There are so many suggestions…I have one finicky cat and one vacuum cat! Zipper, the finicky one needed to gain weight. I slowly slowly switched his dry food (which I keep full) to a brand called Orijens which is all meat and raw. I think the grain in the other dried foods affects the bowel. I do indulge with canned gravy food twice, which he licks the gravy first, but comes back to eat the rest later if the other cat doesn’t get to it first, but I’m ok with that. He is a social eater, that is if I sit with him he will eat more. He is the little cat, so I think he likes the protection, even though he is best buddies with the bigger definitely alpha cat.
And, even though experts say no dairy, I do give them CREAM and a tiny bit of organic cheese as their treat.
Dee says
Real food is the answer. I live with three gastronome cats. The youngest is just a year and has never eaten commercial cat food, he never liked it. So mama here has to cook for him, he enjoys free range, organic duck, chicken, lamb and liver; and wild caught fish. They all get spoiled with lobster on their birthdays and are partial to unpasteurised cream, olives and my salted butter semifreddo!
Good luck Kevin!
Janet O. says
I haven’t read all the 100+ comments, but here’s what has worked for my cats when geriatric. Their sense of smell and taste do change, and some antibiotics can also alter their senses. I made puree of liver cooked in plain chicken broth and cooked plain chicken- no fancy rotisserie spices. Puree the skin also. She may like the broth in a bowl separately, and mix some into the puree. Add a little butter for fat calories and a very small bit of salt if HRH needs some flavoring. She might like a scrambled egg mixed in. Puree is easier to eat and digest, esp if there are hidden dental or low energy issues as chewing is a lot of work. If she enjoys catnip, try a sprinkle on top. Be sure to tell her she Can Not eat this as it will appeal to her natural contrary needs. Eat some on a cracker (you’ll need salt) if she turns up her nose, for she may need convincing that the concoction is edible. You can skip the catnip for your portion- unless you need some mellowing out!
Skip the corn,wheat, and rice cat foods- older cats do not digest them well. Keep an eye on the litter box to see if she is constipated or peeing excessively. If she is a fish lover give her some freshly cooked fish. Avoid canned tuna- too much salt. My mom used to make creamed codfish cooked in milk and butter. I hated it but the cats all came running. Older cats have difficulty digesting milk so use Lactaid, esp with grated cheeses if HRH likes them.
Christine says
I have a Devon Rex cat that has a digestive issue. No IBS but she does digest her food too fast, does not get the nutrients out of it and screams the whole day for food and doesn’t gain an ounce. She is such a lightweight kitty and needs to gain.
She’s real picky with food and throws up commercial food.
What worked for us was to cook for her. I put in my slowcooker a chicken or chicken breast and let that sit until finished. I put it in my kitchen machine and give it a few pulses until shredded, too much and she won’t eat it, she like to chew on something but you can make it as smooth as you want. Of course she needs her vitamins and taurine. I get this from my vet and put it through her food. But you can easily buy them online as well. Look for ‘cooking for your cat’ on Google for info and recipes. My chicken gives m food for her for about 10 days. I freeze it in small containers.
Tuna is often the thing that most cats will eat and according to my vet there is nothing wrong with giving only seafood or tuna in particularly.
The tastiest brands (and high quality)according to my kitties are Fussy cat(available at Amazon) and the Soulistic brand from Petco. At Petco especially the Tuna has a lot of gravy which is always a hit. I often combine this with Kitty Dahli’s chicken.
Since I started home cooking for my kitties she gained weight and has a little tummy now instead of looking like a anorexic cat.
Gina says
Hi Kevin,
Our fussiest cat, Popoki, will only eat Fancy Feast Mornings Soufflé with Wild Salmon, Garden Veggies and Egg. Must be the soufflé with salmon!…as he walks away from the shredded salmon.
Best of luck with Camille!
Jay Muggs-Sykes says
Kevin!
It’s Lent. Camille is fasting!
Adela says
My cat (Sooty) is a 13 year old Coon Cat. He was about six months old when I got him from a group of Ferrell cats living along the Rogue River in Oregon. Throughout the years Sooty has gone through several stages of not eating his canned food or not eating the dry food. I just leave him alone and make sure that he always has plenty of fresh water and I always keep dry food in his dish. I let him eat whenever he feels like it. I notice that when he’s in a hurry to go out and play, he eats only the gravy from his canned food. An hour later he’ll come in and finish the rest of the food. Sooty is a healthy cat who still runs around with younger cats. He has never visited a Vet for any type of illness. So I think I’ve done the right thing with him all these years.
Gale says
Hi Kevin,
My “tiger” is a fussy eater. One of the only canned foods he likes is “Fancy Feast Trout”. It’s the one in the green can. Apart from that, he can’t resist a bit of butter, boiled ham and whipped cream , though we just give him a taste of these now and then because we worry that these foods aren’t good for him.
Oh, let me add. Camille is a pretty cat and doesn’t appear to be underweight. Just thought I’d put in my 2 cents.
Sue says
Soulistic cat food in a pouch. Luna tuna is my cat’s favorite. It’s tuna in pumpkin squash. I mix antibiotics in it and she snarfs it down! Also – check if your vet has protein in a tube for cats. It is very high in calories and is yummy to the cat.
Georgia Willis says
My Siamese, Pingpong, refused to eat as he got older. He was raised on Meowmix but lost some teeth and refused the ground version. Since he always picked out the turkey flavored chips first, I bought fresh ground turkey, added a small amount of garlic salt and cooked it in the microwave. Voila, he started gobbling his food again. Does Camille show a preference to a special taste such as fish or poultry or ? You might try cooking one of those fresh.
Hope this helps. I had tabbies before the Siamese and just loved them.
Georgia
Sonja Jones says
Tuna from the can. OR…drizzle the juice from the can on top of the dry food. Our cats use to gobble that up! It got to the point that any time we ran the can opener the cats would come running. Sometimes I had to let them sniff the can of green beans just to show them it wasn’t tuna!
I have to agree with the others, Camille doesn’t look underweight to me.
Marsha Smith says
Having the same problem with our 16 yr. old Maine Coon Cat–has turned into a very finicky eater/the only thing he will eat now is chicken with the broth. I roast a chicken and make small pkgs. of it with the broth and freeze it to have on hand. It is cheaper than the pricey cat food and I know it is not chicken by-products. He also eats Wyssong Vitality dry food on the side.
Ginny says
Lots of good suggestions here…A couple doses of Pepsid worked for my cat, according to vet directions….could try 2-3 drops of oil on her paw daily for a few extra calories. olive or salmon/fish.
Bonnie Morgan says
okay did you read the ingredients in that purina cat food .. ? Not the healthiest you can get for them( Poultry by-product meal, ground yellow corn, wheat flour, corn gluten meal, soybean meal, brewers rice, beef tallow preserved with mixed-tocopherols ).try taste of the wlld .. it is a much healthier brand of dry food and has no grain or meat byproducts in it . My cat wouldnt even touch wet food until I got her natural balance ultra formula . its not chunky but still has a good texture and even smells good to me .. stay away from dry foods that have any by products or grains (by products are the LEFTOVERS of the animal and grains could be GMOS ugh ! ) You can order these on Amazon or go to your local pet store one that has has organic and high quality pet foods . you do that with your own cooking .. do it for your pets as well ! Who knew ? one more to try wild planet brand tuna .. I give my cat the liquid that is in the can (water based) and a little of the tuna (its the most fabulous brand for humans so I am not apt to share much ) and she laps it up .. fancy feast and purina are not very healthy shhh.. I didnt say that !
LynnB says
Lots of recommendations here. I’ll add my (hopefully) helpful views and perhaps a bit of background.
Firstly your cat may just be a supermodel of the cat world who doesn’t put on weight – it’s only an issue if she’s LOSING weight.
Milk – some cats are lactose intolerant, just like some humans. So, if your cat can drink milk and not get diarrhea then fine. Any sign of diarrhea, then get her the modified cat milk. If she can tolerate milk, then full fat yogurt will help with the weight issue.
2 Food – if you want your cat to put on weight, then it’s about calories (don’t we all know that). My suggestion would be to try different high calorie human foods eg cheese, oil (I’ve always given my cats a teaspoon of oil a couple of times a week to assist with furballs – mine prefer canola but I have had cats in the past that enjoy olive oil), mashed potato, scrambled egg and so on. The last elderly cats I had used to get bits and pieces that I’d cooked for us eg quiche, and so on – I’d try anything. Remember though that onions and other alliums, grapes, chocolate, and some artificial sweeteners are toxic to cats.
3 Medicines – I’m probably telling you how to suck eggs, but cats have weird biology and many common medicines will kill them. My rule is never ever give them anything unless you yourself have heard directly from a vet’s mouth that it’s ok.
And finally, I suspect Camille is a mackerel tabby! I’m not sure which cat is which in the photo (which is great by the way) but as far as I can see the one on the left is mackerel and the one on the right is the classic tabby. Mackerels have a black line down their back and stripes coming down their body in lines from their spine (just like a fish bone). Classics have round markings on their sides, which look vaguely like oysters.
LynnB says
Oh I forgot to add that human tuna is bad for cats because it can deplete taurine in their bodies, an amino acid which is essential for them. So if your cat likes tuna, then buy cat tuna which generally has added taurine. A little human tuna occasionally is ok, but not on a regular basis.
ktmm says
since i watched my beautiful bearpaw go from a hunky chunk o’ muscle at 19 lbs, to half that in a matter of a few weeks and then saying good bye to him, i started reading A LOT about cats and how they eat. i highly recommend a book called The Natural Cat by Anitra Frazier. It really struck a cord with me. The biggest insight of all was that cats are extremely sensitive creatures, smelling food all day messes with their instincts. i think you would like the book and be able to make the recipes in the book for your feline friends since you know your way around the kitchen quite well. i hope you find a healthy solution for your beauties!
Theone says
Kevin all the responses ( not read) (I’m sorry) made me laugh. mainly because I thought the photo of your cat……she looks great. to me. sorry…
Betty says
My elderly dog got sick and stopped eating…. I mixed up a little cottage cheese and a raw egg and that appealed to him. When you’re making scrambled eggs, you could remove a couple of tablespoons for the kitty and mix with cottage cheese. Maybe a little raw meat would appeal to her?
Jenny says
Hello,
I am also a vet! Has your kitty lost any weight or is she maintaining her weight? If your vet thinks her current weight is fine and she is not losing, then she is eating what she needs! I have to say she looks great in the photos you posted!!
If she has been losing slowly, as so many healthy senior pets do, you might try some high calorie canned foods (your vet will probably carry several brands science diet a/d, max cal or other similar foods). They are highly nutrient dense and the fat content ups the palatability!
Gently warming canned foods increases the aroma of the food, which encourages eating more! Some kitties also love stage one chicken or turkey baby food.
You might check her weight monthly for a few months to see if she is losing and then touch base with your vet if she is consistently losing weight. Keep us posted!
Monika says
She looks GREAT!!
Don’t worry about eating more. I go through the exact same problems with my 17 year old kitty except that she weighs only 6 lbs now, looks like a bag of bones but is otherwise doing fine. I give her whatever she will eat (cold cuts, raw hamburger, fancy feast, liverwurst) Have to get inventive since she usually does not eat the same meal twice in a row.
Good luck and don’t worry.
Pat Merson says
I have a cat that eats only dry cat food and dry treats. She like your cat is healthy. Like people
cats come in all sizes and shapes. If she not broke don’t try and fix her!!!
Cheryl in Oklahoma says
My cats always licked the gravy and left most of the meat in canned cat food. Now I add about a third can of water and puree it in the blender or with a stick blender, until it’s like a creamy soup. Only takes a few seconds. I pour a little at a time and they lick it all up! A regular canning jar fits my blender, which makes it handy to blend and store right in the jar.
Thanks Kevin, really like your blog — beautiful pictures and great recipes.
Richard says
Unless you have OLD pics. your Cats look fine.
Is there something you’re not telling us?
Lots of great comments here.
Our last cat, a Special Bangel, got a Rare and still unknow sinus condition.
When a Cat can’t smell it will not eat.
Taj passed after 4 Vets and a Lot of $$$$s with no know diagnosis.
Miss the Great KID.
Now have 2 others 14 and 6. They can have as many as 5 diff dishes with and W/O gravy.
Mashed and not. When they are ready they eat kibble. The older small one W/12 teeth missing is the gravy licking one. Both were left over at Estate sales from people who moved to senior living where they couldn’t take animals. What kind of society is this?
Lots of good comments here. Good luck. Let us know what works for YOU !
Carin says
We have had success with Gerber baby food, recommended by our vet.
Turkey is the favored one for our kitties. Bon Appetite Miss Camille!
Such a lovely kitty to,,,
Audrey Popp says
My cats eat Taste of the Wild. The oldest is 22 and in pretty good health.
Diane M says
My 15 year old Graham developed an allergy to grains a few years ago, which we learned when we tried a cat litter made from wheat. He broke out in sores and licked much of his hair off. We went back to clay litter and switched to grain free food. Since then he slowly became more and more picky, lost interest in food gradually, then started vomiting at least once a day. Then diarrhea started. Graham had been 16 lbs in his prime. By last October he was down to 6.8 lbs. The vet did bloodwork and found he had pancreatitis and also suspected irritable bowl syndrome and an infection (just what kind has never been determined). He also had a bad tooth which may have kept him from eating. Graham was put on prednisolone and amoxicillin (antibiotic). His vomiting and diarrhea stopped and he started to eat well and gain weight. In addition to the grain free dry food (Orijen Cat and Kitten) the vet suggested a bit of half and half each day for extra calories and fat. He tolerated this well. Graham also loves Stella and Chewy’s Yummy Lickin’ Salmon and Chicken Dinner freeze dried dinner. Just add water. He begs for it! Now, Graham is 13.8 pounds, and runs around like a kitten. He is known as “The Miracle Cat”. He will stay on a low dose of pred perhaps for the rest of his life. It is tolerated well by cats and calms his irritable bowel. He is a healthy, happy cat again, and we are thrilled that with our vet’s help, we are able to help him feel the best that he can in his older years. If Camille continues to lose weight, you might want a second opinion. IBS can be difficult to detect.
Nancy Fopeano says
You might try Vitamin B… it might help perk up her appetite. However, lean cats live longer and are much less prone to arthritis, diabetes and many other complications of aging. If she’s otherwise healty, let her be Twiggy!
eileen says
I would highly recomend a grain free food. I feed my cats Purevita dry and then supplement with grain free canned food. My cats DO NOT need to gain weight, but did start gaining weight on Taste of the Wild grain free, it is high in carbs from other things such as sweet potato. So try this and see if Camille gains weight !
donna g says
I feed my cats taste of the wild like Eileen above. Try putting a tablespoon of organic unrefined coconut oil on her food. You might have to warm it first – it’s great for the coat and joints as well.
Linda says
Check your cat’s teeth. If they are wearing away or hurt your cat will not eat well. Also check for worms. They will make your cat thin. I always keep fish mox on hand. It is just plain amoxacilin but it is advertised for fish tanks due to laws etc… If my cat gets hurt that breaks the skin or shows signs of upper respiratory infection I give them some amoxacilin in canned food for a couple days. With the upper respiratory infection I also use an over the counter antihistamine. And if I give them a bath I watch for signs of cold and treat. Changing the food helps also, but if your cat has sore teeth that is probably the problem. A vet would give your cat amoxicilin if the teeth are infected before he pulls any. Good Luck!
Michelle says
I have had many cats over my seventy plus years, and have many like friends. In my experience, elder cats often develop conditions that might be best checked out (you probably have)–and sometimes a loss of appetite is the symptom and can be corrected with short term steroids (often). I wish the beautiful Camille best possible health and many happy meals to come.
Linda Marie says
Kevin, I have to tell you.. I have not read all the sharing’s above .. too many. All I want to do is share with you my experiences with my Clawdina! (and I have had them!) Experiences meaning her eating habits! I fed her IAMS dry for 10+ years, no problems. When they came out with ‘dry indoor only’ food I gave her some cuz she has always been indoors, she loved it. She did have ‘cat-attitude’ tho;… she would not eat canned food, no shrimp, fish, tuna, chicken, turkey, even human tuna right out of the can! I tried them all. Then, out of no where, one night she went for my broiler pan that I had just broiled a steak on! I had to stop her for fear she would burn herself ! (Her food was up on the kitchen counter, but behind the sink so the dogs would not get her food…Dogs love it but it is NOT GOOD FOR THEM AT ALL!) She was black with little green eyes, and I had to ask her: “What do you think you are… a leopard ? ! Sure enough, she went for it big time and ate it every day until she was no longer with us at the age of 15+. I always got her Fancy Feast, and it had to be beef ! And she loved the gravy.. she went to that first ! I never thought she would go for beef ! I got the ‘pate’ kind as she had already lost some teeth, and yes, she would lick it clean, but then she would eat the whole little can in one 24 hour period.. and more if I let her. The less she actually had to ‘chew’ the better. Plus she ate her dry food too and she didn’t put on any weight either… I think it has to do with their age, and I think all we can do is to just keep the dry food bowl full at all times. …… I do miss her… she had no claws when I got her, but she was fearless! She would bite instead ! And she also had extra toes and thought nothing of walking up to the dogs and just slapping them in the face with her clawless mitt ! My Australian Cattle Dog has always been terrified of her ! Good Luck Kevin !
Linda Marie says
Need to add: Clawdina was at one time 12 lbs. When she passed she was about 7 lbs. I could not put more weight on her but she ate very well, (better than the dogs !… I like what ‘Monika’ above had to say! Thank you for EVERYTHING Kevin, I really appreciate you!
Sandy Dean says
Hello Kevin, you have had so much good advice-here are two more bits.
1.) Stress-not always detected by humans, but it greatly affects cats. I had one cat who did not gain weight until another cat went elsewhere.
2.) Raw food-I had an older cat who stopped eating and my vet said to give her high-grade raw meat, like small amounts of hamburger or raw chicken chopped up (a little bloody). It worked.
Good luck!
Susan hart says
We have a finicky 14 yo girl who will eat one food well then stop all together. We change up a lot. She loves canned tuna and tuna juice on dry food. We recently changed to science diet for older cats in the small kibble. You can sometimes change dry food when they are resistant by adding a small amount of new food to old food and increasing until it is all new food. Our cat also likes chicken giblets cooked and chopped fine. Use the broth to wet dry food and make gravy for giblets. When she starts eating just the gravy from fancy feast I quit giving it to her and go to the classic or delights.
We recently went through a upper respiratory infection and got abx. And steroid shots. She went off food for a few days but when appetite came back she would go to the kitchen anytime anyone went through and waited for food. She made up for not eating but she always looses weight in the spring. Not sure why. Good luck!
Sally says
Feed your cat raw food. No cat is meant to eat dry cereal.
It’s dead ‘food’, and nutritionally deplete, and eventually makes every cat sick.
But humans like convenience, so pouring some dry cereal kibble
into a bowl seems a lot easier than giving our babies as good a food as we eat.
WE don’t mind handling raw meat for ourselves, but most people’s reaction to raw meat for cats
is repulsive. Doesn’t make sense. If they were out in the wild, I guarantee they’d be hunting for
flesh and blood, what their bodies require for optimum health, not foraging in a wheat, rice, or corn field, hoping some grains fall down.
There’s great raw pet food companies online that’ll deliver it right to your door, or check with your local meat market. Another bonus is you’ll stop cleaning up cat vomit, and probably never go to the vet again. An occasional can of sardines would be a healthy snack as well. For us too.
Annette says
Full disclosure: I’m not a cat owner, but the cats I have encountered have generally loved a couple special foods. The risk is that if you get kitty to eat a new exotic yummy, she might decide her previous menu is no good and you’ve only switched up the problem.
If the food bowl is empty, add a bit more and see if she’ll indulge.
Canteloupe
canned tuna or other fish (water pack, not oil- too much odor)
“hide” bits of other food in her dish, see if the game entices her to check out the bowl more often.
and a bit of catnip to stimulate activity and appetite.
A svelte kitty may not be your cuddly ideal, but it really is better than too plump. As long as your vet isn’t concerned about her weight, let her be what she is. Too plump is the concern for most of the rest of us, people and pets.
I have a house rabbit who, as he has aged (9+ yr now!), has lost a bit of weight and ‘makes faces’ at his previously loved food and snacks. Aging simply affects smell and appetite. Sounds like you and the vet are giving good care, the rest is up to her nature.
Kara says
Hi Kevin,
Our previous cat, Meowzer, stopped eating! When we took her in, the vet did an x-ray and found a tumor around her intestines. We, decided it worth every penny, to try and save her so he operated and somehow she didn’t get enough oxygen during surgery and never really recovered afterwards and we had to put her down. They tested the tumor and it was cancerous. Just a thought! Maybe, the vet should do an x-ray, of her just to check for tumors.
Good luck! I’ve enjoyed reading all your recommendations!
kara
Marjorie O'Keefe says
If your kitty is too skinny, maybe she’s eaten a nasty mouse and gotten worms. Seems too easy. Perhaps she’s just svelte. My 15-year-old young lady has eaten nothing but dry cat food all her life and stayed very slim. When she began over-grooming, I began giving her a rounded teaspoon of canned shredded food a.m. and p.m. She’s gaining weight and has stopped the incessant licking.
Jana says
When I need to get meds into my feral cats that I feed, I always use the liquid from tuna in OIL (not water, you want the fat calories here) or salmon, makrel, sardines, whatever she’ll eat.
Tricia B. says
Dear Kevin,
Most of my cats have lived well into their teens. Our current friend, Isabella, is almost 17 and exhibits tastes similar to Camille’s. She is slender, happy, and as active as one would expect an elderly lady to be. If the vet isn’t concerned about Camille’s weight, stop worrying and enjoy her presence.
Lee McCann says
My baby is called Mouse. However she has become a real pork chop and she is very hard to lift. So I had to have her lose some weight. The opposite of your problem. I have another kitty
who is a stray and was starving when she arrived. I have always fed my kitties Purina Naturals which has a lot of vitamins and minerals. I even feed it to my feral populations, but no canned food because the hard food protects their teeth and they stay healthier.. I also feed the inside kitties Fancy Feast but not the gravy type because they just lick up the gravy and Mouse throws up. I buy either Fancy Feast classic or Sheba Pate’. no gravy to lick up.
Back to the weight problem. Mouse gets 1/4 teaspoon of canned food 2x a day and 1/3 cup of hard food 2x a day. Rosebud gets 1/2 can 2X a day and she will eat some hard food when I’m not looking. she came to me with bad teeth and a hernia. After all that was fixed she put on enough weight to be about 5 lbs but she is a tiny cat. She had the claws on all 4 feet removed and I would like whomever did that to have all their fingertips and toes removed.
At last I have a suggestion for you! ‘try giving her some pate’ but much less of it and more dry food since she will eat that and it seems to have more calories. She may not be hungry enough after the gravy. However your vet is not concerned and if he says she has no worms, then she will be fine. Thanks for listening and good luck with your baby girl. Lee
kitty has not competition for food so she just grazes when she wants to
a
Susan says
I have never tried this trick on my cat because my husband won’t share his sardines! A man involved with cat rescue uses sardines to lure the feral cats into the trap. He says sardines are irresistible to cats. Ick, I wouldn’t’ t eat one ever! If you try this please put it in you newsletter.
Mrs. C. says
Heat the food up. It releases scents more appetizing to cats if heated.
Ava says
Hello!
I just discovered this blog and signed up for the newsletter. I just spent 4 hours of my life pursuing it and it was worth it. Love your style and and admire what seems to be a life of deliberate but unpretentious elegance.
I bought my first house, an 85 year bungalow in providence R.I. I did-am doing a TON of work on it and planted my first garden, about two weeks ago.
Camille is a woman of a certain age, as is my Russian Blue, Julia. since she is older, her sense of smell may be fading. Julia is more likely to eat if I microwave her food for 17 sec-she can smell it so it stimulates her nose. I also give her a soft boiled warm egg or warm scrambled if she is being super fussy.
I’ll be back!
Tracy says
My Sheba only ate purina dry, nothing else. She would be sick if I even tried to offer other food. She also lived to be 20 so I think perhaps she knew what was best for her. She was not a heavy cat and never had any other issues:) I also had litter mates of another mother and they lived twenty two and twenty three but were a little heavier. Happy Cats are the best!!
DK says
My little one also lived to be 20 and was just very light weight. Some are just more svelte than others!
Sandy DeMuth says
Wow! I am so happy to see so many cat lovers. I personally have not found any animal I didn’t love. To put my two cents worth in, I had a cat back in the 1980’s that had leukemia. Needless to say, he would have bouts where he would not eat. As I perused some of the other answers, I would have to vote for baby food and deli meats. When he would lose his appetite, I found those two tricks were the most effective.
If the picture of Camille is recent, I would agree with the vet that there is nothing wrong with her weight. Some of us in the world are just light-weights. If she works out at the kitty gym, perhaps what you are looking at is simply muscle tone.
Robin Schmidt says
This may have already been suggested, but our vet suggested a meat flavored baby food. Also, to put the food on her nose or paw and they will lick it off. Hope all these suggestions help.
Trish P. says
My cats also lick the gravy off the Fancy Feast, so I got them Pate-style canned food. This was a big hit; even the fussy cat likes it.