I need kitteh HALP!!

[Rosemary2205]

Geezer cat. A fight to keep her interested in eating. Down to only eating meat baby food. I'll be honest, I'm glad she's perked up and still eating but the best price I can find anywhere is 97 cents a jar and the little squirt is going through 3 jars a day. Because my husband and I are both disabled, and the price of gas and and and. I seriously have NO budget room whatsoever and can't afford 90 bucks a month for cat feeding. I've tried every which way to adjust and it can't be done.

She loves quite a few flavors of regular canned cat food but for some reason has recently decided she doesn't like the texture. She wants it pureed. I know this sounds idiotic but how can I get canned cat food pureed as smooth as baby food? I do not have any kind of food processor or blender or immersion blender, but know someone with a kitchen full of goodies they never use that will lend it as long as I need it.

Thanks in advance.

[DS1]

1. As the resident lounge curmudgeh, I don't provide "halp".

[Shakespeare]

9. Please post prolifically tonight in GDP. Your assistance will be most appreciated.

As will your snark.

[Dangerously Amused]

11. Dude. Not everybody is as clever and cool as you are.

Cut the rest of us some slack when we're hurting, okay?

[EstimatedProphet]

2. OK

[khashka]

5. EP you used to be so mucher nicer as a mod

You're getting mean!

Khash.

[EstimatedProphet]

6. You do know that that's a photoshop...

[Brigid]

12. I am almost falling out of my chair laughing at ths,

and I have tears in my eyes; so I can barely type! Does that make me a bad person? :hide:

[khashka]

3. Prob solved

> I do not have any kind of food processor or blender or immersion blender, but know someone with a kitchen full of goodies they never use that will lend it as long as I need it.


You can also use an eggbeater (the manual kind) or even a fork. Just add a tiny bit of water to smush it up in. Not pureed but close. More work though.

Khash.

[Rosemary2205]

4. That's a no go but thanks - I tried the fork method

I have ground cat food and smashed the every loving snot of it with a little added water. The texture doesn't seem to be what she wants. Not smoothie enough.

[Dogtown]

14. Pureeing heats the food

which aids their ability to smell it.
Cats don't locate food by sight, if it doesn't smell like food they won't eat it.

Much, but not all, of the anorexia in older cats is caused by a waning sense of smell, often originating in tooth infection.

If you can heat it and test it like baby formula, it may help. You can also add a tiny bit of canned fish or chicken, bought at dent-a-can for cheap, but don't feed just people food, they must get taurine and it's mixed into catfood.

The baby food will cause problems long term, but if you supplement it with pureed canned cat food or dry catfood mashed in a little hot water it will supply his needs.

Eventually you might have to *gently* force feed him, about 10-20 CCs at a time by syringe. Your vet will provide an oral syringe and it can be washed and reused many times.

Sad to say, anorexia in older cats is sometimes a result of renal disorder. If the kidneys are failing you'll see frequent urination/drinking and the urine will be nearly clear. I'm very sorry, but if that is the case it may be time to say goodbye to your friend, as a kindness.

PM me if I can be more help. I'm not a veterinarian, just an old cat lover with a lot of experience.
:hi:

[Rosemary2205]

17. I believe she is having some kidney problems

she's been to the vet a few times. God bless that vet. he keeps nursing her along in a way that she's not suffering and is willing to take 5 bucks a month because that's all I can pay. He gave me some liquid vitamins for her that I can add to the people food or try to get it in her mouth, but this is one wiggly cat despite her infirmity and advanced age. This creature is as feisty as any little old grandma with a big purse you'll ever meet!

[PeaceNikki]

7. I would check the goodwill and or garage sales for a food processor.

[stuntcat]

15. yah!

if you could get one for cheap it would pay off with the money you save. (Baby food shouldn't cost that much anyway x( )

[DeposeTheBoyKing]

8. I would also try to get her some NutriCal

It's high calorie gel you can get at PetSmart - smear it on her mouth/nose and get her to lick it off.

Good luck - I know how frustrating this can be.

[Dangerously Amused]

10. Maybe mash up the wet food and then try "soaking" it in water overnight.

That might break it down to a better consistency than mixing it with a fork can. Then in the morning drain the watery stuff on top off, and let her lap it up (if she will). Re-mix the stuff on the bottom. Don't know if this will work, but it's a cheap fix if it does and worth a try.

Good luck.

[suninvited]

13. Is your cat sick?

Why is she not interested in eating? I would say if it is a perfectly healthy cat, she is just being picky and she will eat when she gets hungry.

[Flaxbee]

16. could you buy one jar of baby food a day for her, and

perhaps blend it in a borrowed processor with 'regular' cat food? There might be enough smell/texture if you can add a bit of baby food to cat food to interest her.

Good luck. I have 7 cats of my own, a few approaching geezer-hood, and it worries me a bit.

[1]

18. two thoughts...

kitty might have tooth problems. it leads to wanting softer foods.

can you lift kittie's gums up to see or take a sniff? without getting bit?

you will see/smell if that is the problem. it should be apparent.


if that's not it... the other thing might be just a stubborn kitty.

present the food. if kitty won't eat (after a reasonable period), cover and refrigerate that food until the next day. present again. a kitty can go days without food and be fine, don't worry about that. open a new can after two or three days and if kitty still won't eat then it's probably not a stubborn kitty.

beyond these suggestions you need a vet's help.


that's all i know. i wish the best for you and kitty...

[CC]

19. If you can borrow a food processor

try it. If kitty still won't eat cat food try boiling a whole chicken and running it through the food processor (meat and juice, thoroughly de-boned). Add the gizzards minus the neck and I have added a container of chicken livers most of the time too. I would try adding a bit of wet cat food to it too so kitty gets some of the vitamins and minerals needed for cats. Spoon it into an ice cubes tray and freeze it. Then put the frozen chicken cubes into baggies in the freezer. Pop one of two out and heat then, adding a small amount of water. Finger test it all for hot spots and serve warm. If kitty eats it ok you can add as much more as you need to fill her up. Nutrical would be a great thing to add to her diet too. It not only provides calories but can increase her appetite.

Good luck and hope kitty gets to filling better and eating lots soon.

[badgerpup]

20. My vet suggested yoghurt

...the plain stuff, with the active cultures, and tuna water (not mixed together).
Of course the little purry guy in question at the time had FIP (which is 100% fatal) so we were more about keeping him comfortable and hydrated than anything else. He liked the tuna water and yoghurt, so he'd eat it.

[Whoa_Nelly]

21. Puree it yourself?

If you have a blender, mix regular cat food up and serve.

or get a baby food grinder and do the ame thing :hi:

[Lorien]

22. Baby food should only be used as a treat for cats. It doesn't contain

enough taurine to keep her healthy.Taurine comes from organ meat. From Wikipedia:

Taurine and cats

Taurine is essential for cat health, as cats cannot synthesize the compound. The absence of taurine causes a cat's retina to slowly degenerate, causing eye problems and (eventually) irreversible blindness as well as hair loss and tooth decay. This condition is called central retinal degeneration (CRD).<19><20> In addition, taurine deficiency can cause feline dilated cardiomyopathy, and supplementation can reverse left ventricular systolic dysfunction. Taurine is now a requirement of the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) and any dry or wet food product labeled approved by the AAFCO should have a minimum of 0.1% taurine.<21>



My senior cat won't eat. What should I do?
Most importantly, if your cat is getting thin and not eating well, she should have a complete veterinary exam to rule out any possible disease problems. For a variety of reasons, some already finicky cats become even more so as they age. To encourage a cat to eat more, you can:

* Warm canned or moistened dry food in the microwave to increase the aroma of the food. Be sure to stir the food before feeding it to your cat.
* Add a little water from canned tuna to increase the aroma of your cat's food. Ask your veterinarian if your cat might also have small amounts of bacon drippings, hamburger grease, clam juice, chicken drippings, or baby food added to her normal diet.
* Switch to canned food (if currently feeding dry food). Consider switching to special high-calorie, nutrient-dense diets made specially for "stressed" animals.
* Feed smaller amounts of food more often. By offering a small amount of food several times each day, your cat may actually increase her total daily intake.
* Ensure your cat has a quiet, stress-free place to eat. Be sure younger cats or other household pets are not harassing her when she eats.
* Pet your cat and talk softly to her as she eats (but only if it does not disturb her).
* Feed balanced, veterinarian-prescribed homemade diets.
* Ask your veterinarian about short-term use of appetite stimulants.

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/pic/article.cfm?dept_id=0&siteid=1&acatid=297&aid=471#answer_11

[suninvited]

23. I also read where it said baby food

may be flavored with onion, which is a no no for cats.