Redwood City cat’s caterwauling, picky eating habits are puzzling
What should you do when a cat's picky eating becomes a problem?
DEAR JOAN: I’ve had my 18-year-old domestic long hair cat for 17 years. She has a very sweet disposition and is very affectionate although fussy about trying to do any work on her such as nail clippings. I take her to the local vet regularly and have been for years. However in the past year, she has become extremely difficult to satisfy regarding her wet food and has begun caterwauling throughout the day, anytime she seems to be up and about.
The vet hasn’t found anything indicating she may have any soreness or discomfort physically, and she manages to easily leap from the floor onto a bed or couch and back down without any difficulty.
I have two bowls of dry food that are out all the time and are refreshed weekly, and I give her canned food later in the day, but sometimes she won’t eat it, even if she loved it the day before.
The big issue that bothers me is the caterwauling, which started in the last few months. She never caterwauls in my presence, but when she finds herself alone, she starts in. As soon as I say something, she typically quiets down but then within a few minutes, if I’m not there, she’ll start again.
She’s become very clingy and spends a lot of time parked right next to me on the couch. At night, she lays half on top of me.
I’m really frustrated with the feeding issues but also with the constant caterwauling.
— Tom C., Redwood City
DEAR TOM: If your vet hasn’t found a physical problem and her dental health is good, I think your cat is displaying signs of her age.
She might be showing signs of senility or dementia. When she’s by herself, she might feel alone and abandoned, crying out to find you. Your voice reassures her she’s not alone, but she is further comforted by being close to you.
As for the food, cats are notoriously picky eaters, and she appears to have become more so. I’d try putting out fresh dry food every day, rather than leaving it out and adding to it. For the canned food, buy the same brand but in different flavors and give her a different one every day. Variety is the spice of life.
DEAR JOAN: I adopted my cat, Chong, over a year ago, and we get along great.
I have been feeding him Temptations from the beginning, but when I went to buy more, they were out of it. I got some Purina One, a dry food like Temptations, but he would not eat this.
Is it OK to just feed him Temptations? He really enjoys this. He has gotten to be a big cat.
— Phil Wilson, Oakland
DEAR PHIL: As long as you’re feeding him Temptations cat food, and not Temptations treats, I don’t think there is anything wrong with that. A diet of just treats is not OK.
Cats, like humans, have their favorite foods and often don’t like change. He obviously is happy with his brand of food.
It’s important to keep an eye on Chong’s weight, however, so on the next trip to the vet, discuss his eating habits. Many people believe cats eat only when they’re hungry, but that’s not true for all of them.
Animal Life runs on Mondays. Reach Joan Morris at AskJoanMorris@gmail.com.