Encouraging eating

[paddypaws]

With any supplements I always try and buy a good brand as cheaper makes are often not so bioavailable and easily absorbed...so I too use Solgar. I was using it to help with diabetic neuropathy in my other cat so have carried on using the same dose of one tablet per day. B vitamins are water soluble so any excess will be shed easily by the body. Thankfully they are very small tablets so easy to give to a cat....I sneak mine in with a Thrive fish treat or 3 but remember always to give a snack or a drink after dry pilling a cat to avoid damage to the oesophagus.

[Mark]

Solgar B-12 methyl cobalamin

I have been meaning to buy some for ages for my stomach. Thanks for reminding me - I got some today. 

Couple of questions. What dose do you give a cat?  - not for now but in case I need to know later.

I bought the Solgar ones and they were about £10 for 30 (1,000 microgram/1 milligram)

I have seen lots of other brands for a fraction of the price and they still say they are Methylcobalamin.

[paddypaws]

I went the whole hog and bought all 3 flavours of Bon Appetite....and none of mine will touch the food with the spray added! Then again they are not overly keen on Fortiflora sprinkle which is supposed to be irresistible to cats! I have more success with Thrive dehydrated fish added to the bowl...not cheap but they do love it.

[Mark]

I never thought it would work, but I bought some "Bon Appetit" flavour enhancer spray from VetUK. When I saw the ingredients - ie evening primrose oil etc, I was even more convinced it wouldn't work. If I give Clapton Renal food, he walks off - but if a add a few sprays of Bon Appetit and he actually eats some. I wouldn't say he eats the lot but it does make quite a difference. I bought the chicken flavour.

[paddypaws]

Rosella I have exactly the same situation with one nervous nibbler and 2 fat greedy gobblers!
I have been giving the nibbler Solgar B-12 methyl cobalamin and it does seem to have improved his appetite somewhat...so he now eats a meal in one or two locations rather than 3 or 4!

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

Not that old then if they got it right, Sasa his lookalike is now 10. no 11!

My goodness how time flies ands Misa is aboiut 9, well they are both coming up to those ages.

I would ignore too and thats what I am doing with birmans who will be 17 in Aug cos neither can be pilled so no use getting worked up over something where nothing can be done!

Must cherck where the limpet is, under the bed I reckon lol

[Rosella moggy]

If you accept RSPCA info Gill, he is 8 1/2.  Vet says he does not look like an older cat and he's certainly very active.  He's a devil for chasing the wee uns esp Millie although the only fur ever left behind following contact appears to be his   

However he had to have all but 2 canine teeth removed immediately after we brought him home from RSPCA, just after he had been neutered, supposedly aged 5 in October 2006 .  RSPCA inspector rescued him and his pal and his pal was pts (FIV I think  ; thankfully Freddie tested negative)

I think perhaps age may not therefore be terribly accurate but imagine that age cannot be guaranteed in a lot of rescue situations  .   I am however "sort of" turning a blind eye to the potential problem (says she as she lifts her boy back onto table next to her so he can finish off the chicken he left 5 minutes ago  ).... until next blood test.  Meanwhile he is on far more of a wet diet and intend to try some senior food on next shopping trip.  Can't hurt 

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

Ihope Freddie keps on picking, how ever many locations 

I cant remember how old he is but seems cats get fussier with food as they get older 

[Rosella moggy]

Diabetes test done and not an issue Liz.  Didn't test for thyroid ..... yet.  May well do next time around.  Just did general geriatric profile and everything else apart from kidney stuff was fine.  I have a copy of results so can compare next time. 

Vet says it's possible the 2 readings above normal range could be due to slight dehydration but will know better when we do next test.

[Liz]

Have you had him tested for diabetes if he#s drinking a lot and loosing weight thats what our Tiger did and he became a diabetic and put the weight on once that was established

May also be thyroid maybe expanding the blood test would be a good idea for you both - don't they just love to worry us

[Rosella moggy]

Freddie had blood test last week and urea and createnine readings were above normal although not desperately so.  He will be going back for another blood test in a few months meanwhile I am not panicking.

Reason we decided on blood test are he sorta picks at food (absolute pain when the other 5 just hoover everything and Freddie doesn't like to eat alone), he likes his water and has gone from 4.5kg to 3.7kg in last year or so.

Just thought I'd share latest experience in successfully getting him to eat more.  After he has initially nibbled in kitchen, I leave him for a couple of mins and then let him have 2nd nibble on poof, another couple of mins then 3rd lot somewhere else.  All 3 times with me nearby and it seems to help.  Each time he looks like he doesn't want anymore but the couple of mins break and change of location seems to help?  .