I’m looking for some advice because I’m having a bit of trouble with my 9-year-old cat who has chronic gingivitis. He’s refusing to eat dry food, even when it’s soaked, and wet food is still too hard for his liking. We give him Felix chunks in jelly, but he just licks the jelly off; if he tries to eat the actual pieces, he lets out a cry of pain and leaves them. The jelly isn't very filling, so he’s begging for food almost all day but turns down everything we offer. The only thing he'll have is a raw egg, but I'm worried that won't be enough for him on its own...
I’ve just tried giving him an omelette, but unless it was chopped into tiny little bits, it was still too tough for him.
When we give him his meds (an oral liquid once a day for a week), he’s much better straight away, but as soon as the week is over and we stop the medication, the gingivitis flares up again...
It breaks my heart to see him so hungry but refusing everything except eggs.
Do you have any ideas for food he could eat just by licking it, which would give him all the nutrients he needs so he's not hungry or losing out?
Thanks for reading
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Hi there,
I have a 5-year-old cat with the same problem. Every month it’s an appointment at the RSPCA, and sometimes even before the month is out, he has to have two jabs before he'll start eating again. While I'm waiting to get him to the vet, I give him those lickable treat sticks; it's the only thing he'll eat, he can't manage anything else. I've tried blending his food, even making it completely liquid, but nothing works apart from those sticks. Unfortunately, it seems like this is for life, so we're at the vet's quite often.
Mine’s 16 now; I rescued her after she’d been living outdoors. I’m treating her with homeopathy plus one Dermipred 5 tablet every day. She also gets 5 granules of Apis mellifica, Baptisia tinctoria, Lachesis mutus, Carbo vegetabilis, Kreosotum, Borax and Mercurius solubilis, all in 5C. I give her good quality grain-free dry food from Essential Foods online, as well as wet food made with organic, human-grade ingredients. You can also get Edgard & Cooper, but I’ve found their products can cause a bit of diarrhoea.
Has your vet said anything about what might be causing the gingivitis? From what you’ve said, it feels like the medication is just treating the symptoms rather than the root cause, as it flares up again as soon as the treatment stops.
Yes, for now the main priority is just getting him to eat something other than eggs! Right, I'll try your advice and keep you all posted. I'll also check with the vet to see if there's a more effective medication.
If he likes fish, you could try plain fish fillets (mackerel, sardines, etc.) – just make sure they're boneless. Cook them and then mash or blend them with the cooking liquid. For the consistency, keep thinning it out with the liquid until it’s easy for your cat to manage.
Hi there, try making some soups with blended meat and veg. I’m a vet nurse, but just be careful not to use anything too acidic as it causes inflammation. Give it a go and let me know how you get on!
Hi there,
He really needs to eat.
If he’s refusing to eat, it’s likely down to pain. You really need to head back to the vet (or at least give them a ring first); he can’t carry on like this.
Try some raw chicken, blended up just before you serve it.
The wet food is too firm and he won't eat it (even when it's blended). He's also struggling to pick up the chunks of meat, so he just leaves them and comes back to me meowing.
