Our old dog passed on last year but that's another story. Our old cat always used to sneak some of the dogs biscuits but no more of course. Not sure if its a coincidence or we never noticed previously, but our cat seems to forget when it has been fed and be mewling for food not an hour after he's been fed if we are in the kitchen where we feed him. He'll also leap after us if we leave the living room to go to the kitchen - unless he's asleep. He's regularly de-wormed with that liquid you drop onto the back of his neck (he still brings birds back occasionally - despite his age).

Now he can't really be hungry and it can get very annoying - it really is as if he's forgotten! the nutjob lol.

Can cat's go senile? I thought cats only ate when they were hungry!

Any solutions/advice most welcome

Thanks

Mark

The key here I'd "old" cat.

Older cats simply cannot process food as well as younger ones. This can be just a physical thing or the start of underlying (treatable) problems such as thyroid issues.

This is why there is senior cat food with the correct balance nutrients to assist an old metabolism.

It may be he he simply isn't getting what he needs, or can extract, from the food he is given, and is therefore in essence permanently hungry.

My 16 year old started eating loads last year, but she was also losing weight. She was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism, and now has to take tablets every day. It's worth getting him checked out, just in case.

My experience too. I had a cat at 18 that exhibited exactly the same. Went from a large (not tubby) cat losing over half her body weight. Thyroid problems were diagnosed and felt it wouldn't be right to have an operation so went on tablets.

Took a few months and several blood tests to get the balance right, then six monthly blood tests to maintain the balance.

She lived happily until she was 23.

So my advice would be to get him checked out too.

Same experience here.

Our cat is 14 and she too went through a phase of crying for food all the time, eating four sachets a day and yet apparently wasting away. She is hyperthyroid and has been on tablets for a couple of moths now. We seem to have settled on a suitable maintenance dose and she is much happier. Her appetite has reduced and she is putting a bit of weight on. Her coat is also in much better condition.

OP is your cat putting weight on, staying the same or getting thinner? If he is getting thinner it may well be thyroid problems.

Thanks everyone

Willow doesn't appear to be putting on weight - so I guess it maybe Dan's (thanks!) suggestion that he needs the food for 'older' cats..we'll pick some up at the weekend and hope that helps! Blimey - i'd thought at 16 he was an old cat but see he may have some years ahead of him! i just hope the new food helps as it is upsetting to hear him pestering for food.

Thanks again everyone

Can you get blood tests run as older cats often get thyroid issues, which are controllable with medication.
Yes, cats can and often do get dementia, which leads to more crying unfortunately.

Our 17 year old cat had to have a thyroid operation because he was losing weight - either that or have 2 tablets shoved down his throat every day.

He now has arthuritus as well.

If the senior food doesn't seem to work but he's not an overweight cat ( due to eating too much ) you need to get him checked.

My 16 year old cat was bugging us constantly for food last year, she was getting through 4 or 5 sachets a day, she went to the vet for her boosters who said that she was a healthy weight but she had lost weight and if she lost any more to be worried. We always alternate her food from Felix to Whiska's but we swapped her food for Gourmet Gold (in the little tins) before Christmas as it was on offer and she loves it, she doesn't bug us for food as much and she actually leaves some and goes back to it later. She has also put weight on.

Thanks Ellie, Towers.

He didn't really like the senior food - and didnt eat it all. This morning I gave him a different flavoured one which he liked more - i'll see tonight if he finished it.

Out of interest how often do you feed your cats? Ours is 16 years old and I'd say of average size and weight. We feed ours in the morning and at about 5:00pm - 1 pouch each time and give him biscuits before bedtime. As I've mentioned he'd previously supplemented this by nicking some of the dogs biscuits which were always available - so it's hard to tell if he's eating more or less (he doesn't have access to dog biscuits now he passed away last year ) but he never used to pester at all.

Any input welcome!!

Our cat has half a pouch in the morning and evening ( 1 pouch a day ) but biscuits are left down all day, which he doesn't eat in a greedy fashion, just nibbles a few and walks away until next time.

She gets a tin of gourmet gold for breakfast, if someone is home she will get one for lunch if they aren't we put some down for her before we go to work, then she gets fed again at about 5pm then again before bed. She can't eat dried food as she is allergic and it makes her rip her fur out and lick herself red raw so there are never any biscuits down for her to munch on at night or during the day.

My cats are 3 and 1 years old and meow aaaalll the time for food and we don't know why, we have tried worming etc but that didn't do anything.