31°f/-5.5°C, frost. Will it be the killing frost? We shall see after the sun comes up. Clear skies, no wind.
Our old boy Clyde has gotten very picky in his old age. He is coming up on 17 this Spring, but he seems as spry as a kitten, and very trim.
But, he has gotten very choosy about his food. Last year he decided he would no longer eat the dry cat food we have fed him since he was a baby. So we started buying canned cat food, and wow is that expensive. Almost $60 a month to feed the cat! But he loved it.
Then last week he started turning up his nose at the canned food, so I cooked him some chicken and rice.
He loved it. He ate all of that batch so I made another (which by the way is actually much less expensive than the canned food). He purred as he ate yesterday...and now this morning he won't touch it. I don't know what changed overnight! So now I am trying to figure out whether to just wait and see if he will eat it later, or if I should add egg or something to tempt him.
Good grief. Of all the things I thought I might do in my life, cooking for the cat sure wasn't one of them! However, if you have any suggestions of what to do with my picky eater, I am all ears!
This is Day 4 of NaPoBloMo, National Blog Writing Month. The challenge is to write a blog every day in November. I blog often, but not daily so we shall see if it can keep up! If you want to join in, here is the link.
...cats can be so picky!
ReplyDeletePicky eating might be something like thyroid problems...which I had with several cats. May be time for a vet to look at him. Love the idea of NaPoBloMo and I just signed up. Since I blog every day anyway! But with travel over Thanksgiving, it might be a challenge!
ReplyDeleteMy vet (who is a holistic vet) says home cooked food is the best for animals but I don't have any cat recipes from her. When I see her for Lizzie's annual next month, I'll ask her if there's a site she recommends. Cat food prices have soared -- I've noticed that in the last six or eight months. Especially "good" food (main ingredient meat/fish, etc.). You probably have a meat grinder -- you might be able to do a chicken puree with that, add a little veg. Lizzie goes in spurts on stuff but still able to do the kibble/wet combo. Though you're right -- sometimes it's all right at night and the next morning, meh. Still -- she gets hungry enough and it's usually gone!
ReplyDeleteMy cats get a daily snack. They got used to it when I had to give the dog a pill daily. They have started doing the same thing with their snack. Love it, then don't. All three at once. I have no advice.
ReplyDeleteRice for cats?? Cats are obligate carnivores. My cats eat raw meat..and occasionally some grain free canned food.
ReplyDeleteNo blogging every day this month for me.
ReplyDeleteMaybe the lack of appetite is the start of Clyde's final decline. AC's cat went through that.
Oh, I hadn't realized that you were posting every day. I just checked out your post about your cellar and was really amazed at how much food you have stored down there. Wow!
ReplyDeleteI have no cat advice for you. Good luck with your daily posts!
At his age he can eat what he wants, right?! My cat is almost 15, but I've only had her 5 years. She just turned up in the backyard.
ReplyDeleteI think when cats become more mature their sense of smell often diminishes, and their sense of smell has driven their urge to eat for all their previous years. Sometimes the smell of something "different" is enough to spark their interest and encourage them to eat. I usually go with the fishier options for canned cat foods, in part because the smell is stronger, and also it's different from the smell of their chicken-based dry food. And I also warm it just a little bit - either with a few seconds in the microwave or by just stirring in a little hot water - so the smell will be even more obvious.
ReplyDeleteAs cat age, they are more likely to have teeth/mouth problems which can affect their eating.
ReplyDeleteHe is such a sweet boy and looks like he deserves to be spoiled. If the weird eating continue consider having his thyroid checked. It happens a lot in older cats. Thanks for visiting. I'm looking forward to getting to know you :)
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