Food suggestions for Pippin

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fjm
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Food suggestions for Pippin

Post by fjm »

Pippin is 18 in a few weeks, very creaky with arthritis and had radio iodine treatment for hyperthyroidism two years ago. Over the last year he has lost a lot of weight and on Sunday he took to his bed and didn't even want to eat, usually his favourite activity. So off to the vet for blood tests, expecting kidney issues or something even more sinister, and rather to my surprise (and his vet's) everything came back more or less normal. Very slightly elevated creatinine, but not enough to explain loss of appetite, signs of slight infection but no fever, and all the other organs in a remarkably good state for a cat of his age. He has had a slight sniffle, and the working hypothesis is that he ran a temperature for a few days but it had cleared by the time he saw the vet, which is consistent with his rapid improvement since then.

But he is still not very hungry, even for food that used to be a treat. What he wants is very smelly food with lots of runny gravy - what I want for him is a high protein/high calorie food with no carrageen, preferably low phosphorus, that he will eat! Any ideas on brands that will hit the spot? I am still staying out of supermarkets, but have neighbours who will shop for me if I can't get it click-and-collect or online. At the moment he is enjoying Pro-Plan renal sachets, bought for Tilly, which he is not usually allowed as it gives him the squits; Sheba minis found in the cupboard from when I did an emergency stock up in the early days of Covid; Felix soup with a bit of real food mixed in. I will experiment with the home made to try to adapt it to his current tastes, but need to keep him eating meanwhile.

He is definitely better - back on my lap instead of spending 23 hours a day in his bed, and he really enjoyed the warm days we had this week.
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Kay
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Re: Food suggestions for Pippin

Post by Kay »

nothing smellier than pilchards in tomato sauce - probably too salty but high protein and dirt cheap, and most cats love it
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Re: Food suggestions for Pippin

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Good idea, Kay - I had a cat years ago who thrived on mackerel in tomato sauce. That was on a tropical island with limited options. I'll try him with sardines in tomato - I have some in the cupboard.
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Re: Food suggestions for Pippin

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One good thing about renal food is that they make an effort to make it highly attractive. If he likes the Pro Plan pouches he might like the tins, it's a light mousse type pate so ultimately lazy, and I'm happy to post you a sample to try.

The only other renal food I have tried mine on that you haven't already got was Hills pouches but they are quite low protein I think.

When my Misha was sent home from the vets for her final couple of weeks they reluctantly agreed to give me some high energy convalescence food, they said it wasn't very good for her kidneys to which my response was they're already not working it's a bit late now.

And then in non-renal cat foods there's Gourmet Gold pates and melting hearts which are fair protein not particularly high but also a mousse type pate, or others in their range that are a bit more to get teeth into.

Oyster, shrimp and tuna seem to haver the lowest phosphorous of the fishy seafoody smelly type foods, if that's any help at all. And beef, out of the meats.

My Misha used to love mackerel in tomato sauce too, I was told tomato is not good for kidneys but that doesn't seem to be Pippin's pressing problem at the moment.
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Re: Food suggestions for Pippin

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I think his snuffle has reached the gunky stage - explains the horribly smelly breath! Many thanks for the offer, Mollycat, but he has only nibbled at the pates and mousses I have tried him with, so I think I will stick to stuff with gravy. What he really, really likes are Seraquin and Vetzyme B+E tablets - I may try concentrated home made chicken stock spiked with those ground up, with pureed chicken and beef. He is much better in himself than a few days ago, and it's good to know that there is probably nothing major bubbling under the surface, but from past experience we may be dealing with bunged up sinuses for some time.
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Re: Food suggestions for Pippin

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Right - the one he really likes and really eats and that (fingers crossed) does not upset his tum is the Purina Pro Plan renal. But does this mean that he might also enjoy the non-renal, and is it higher in protein, which he really needs at this stage? Anyone any experience?
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Re: Food suggestions for Pippin

Post by Mollycat »

You know the score with cats! Molly has eaten 23 cans of Purina Pro Plan Renal mousses, decided she does not like the Purina Pro Plan Renal loaf/pate texture, tried a couple of others and now leaves half of the mousses she initially wolfed down.

They claim the protein is less quantity but higher quality, by which they mean that it breaks down with less of the waste products like creatinine. Took me a while of puzzlement to find out what that quality protein is - according to Helen the best is eggs. This statement is grossly oversimplified and out of context amounts to a misquote, so it's taken from under the High Quality Protein header here http://felinecrf.org/which_foods.htm#hi ... ty_protein

You can always top up his protein intake though?
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Re: Food suggestions for Pippin

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I thought I could, Mollycat, but more than a teaspoonful of minced chicken in a half sachet and it becomes inedible. A large chunk of chicken breast is grabbed and gobbled, though. No matter how long I liveI don't think I will ever fully understand feline thought processes...
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Re: Food suggestions for Pippin

Post by Mollycat »

Aren't they just brilliant! That's exactly how I've done it with mine over the years, never mixed the meat in with the food, always given it either as raw or cooked as titbits while I'm preparing or eating it myself. Titbits at my table are actually healthy!
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