My cat Zéphyr is nearly 16. I took him to the vet three weeks ago because he wasn't eating much... neither his dry food nor his wet food pouches, except for the gravy. He had a full check-up... nothing out of the ordinary.
Since yesterday, he's stopped eating again. What do you think of those cat soups?
Thanks in advance for your replies
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Same here...
She’s 10 years old and for a few months now she’s been eating less and less of her dry food and meowing constantly for ‘soup’.
The soup has little chunks of meat in it, which she won’t eat.
She only cares about the liquid! She’s also obsessed with those creamy liquid treats you get in a tube.
A trip to the vet didn't find any issues.
If you’ve tried anything else that works, please do share 😅
Lots of cats only lick the gravy off – mine certainly do, and they don't have any dental issues. Because of that, I’ve stopped buying the pouches in gravy and switched to the "Gold" mousse-style wet foods, which are really palatable. I had one little girl who had stopped eating but got her appetite back thanks to those and some Nutri-plus gel.
Yes, you can buy it over the counter; you can even find it online or order it through a chemist. I’d recommend always keeping some to hand as it keeps well even after it's been opened, and it’s suitable for kittens too.
What makes me think it’s a dental issue is that he licks the gravy but leaves the solids... but if the vet didn't notice anything, it must be something else...
Anyway, my cats aren't having any more issues with not eating due to cat flu, but could this Nutri-plus gel help in that kind of situation? No vet has ever suggested it to me. Can you get this gel over the counter? It’s not that I’m trying to avoid a vet appointment, it’s just that none of my pets have that problem at the moment... but I’d like to have some in just in case.
For a cat, a small squeeze of about 1.5 to 2 cm morning and evening is plenty. It really perks them up; I always keep some at home as I have senior cats myself, and I’ve actually saved a few of them thanks to this stuff.
I didn't realise they made soups for cats. He absolutely must eat; you can blend some of his dry food with a bit of warm water and syringe-feed him. Put the runny paste into a syringe, place it in the corner of his mouth, and give it to him in very slow, small squirts so he doesn't choke.
You could also supplement his diet with Nutri-plus Gel. It’s a very palatable paste that contains all the daily nutrients a cat needs. Just put a pea-sized amount directly into his mouth if you can, morning and night. If not, put it on his paw and he’ll lick it off. You can find it at the vet's, ordered through a chemist, or on various websites.
If he stops eating, he’ll go downhill very quickly given his age, and Nutri-plus Gel often helps kick-start their appetite. He needs to stay hydrated too—you can do the same with the syringe if he isn't drinking enough, but always go very slowly.
My cats really enjoy it, but I did find it quite pricey for the amount you get. Mind you, for those dealing with cat flu or cats that aren't eating much, these soups have a much stronger scent than most standard wet foods.
To get back to the point, if your cat is happy to eat soups—even though I think manufacturers could definitely be a bit more generous with the portion sizes—it’s better they eat a little bit than nothing at all.
Also, have you had the cat's teeth checked by the vet? There might be an issue there. Is he going to the toilet normally, even if he isn’t eating much?
