Cat Chat Feline Forum

I decided to see if you lot had any bright ideas for soft cat treats, either bought or home made.

My grumpy granny, Tiggy, is going a bit thin around the hips and i would like to give her extra bits of food when the other two aren't around. She is about 13/14 years old and her teeth aren't in the best condition, but the vet recommended that unless she really had problems eating it wasn't bad enough to risk anesthetic due to her age. She can still eat fine, but does so slowly, and while she will have some of the dried food I think it might be a bit rough on her mouth.

The three cats are generally fed two pouches between them three times a day, and unless it is something they don't like (looking at the boxes of Felix in Gravy picked up by mistake) it is all gone very quickly. Saturn is the type that believes in eating it as quickly as possible while it is there, Tiggy is more of a grazer so when she returns to top up there is nothing left. If I tried to put more down for her, Saturn would end up as round as he is long. Hence why I want something I can give her on the side and stop him eating.

I was down stairs earlier, making myself a coffee and she wandered into the kitchen looking hopeful. I thought I would get her a bit of cooked ham out of the fridge, turn back and I have three little faces all looking hopefully at the piece of ham in my hand. I managed to give her about half and divided the rest between the others I then had to hold Saturn while she finished hers, which is why I want to be able to give it to her where the others aren't expecting it.

Most of the treats I have bought tend to seem rather on the hard side, I have seen packs of dried chicken which I considered, but when I looked at the price I could have bought a whole chicken for the same amount as two tiny bags. I have thought about trying to dry meat myself for her, but I haven't ever tried it, don't know how to do it, and I don't know if it would keep for 24 hours out of the fridge even if I managed it. I have airtight lock boxes that I could keep it, or any other homemade cat treat, in and refill it each morning from a store in the fridge if need be.

So have you lot any bright ideas for treats that would be kind on a sore mouth and can be kept at room temperature for a day or more.

Midnight has very few teeth. He swallows Dreamies whole. They don't touch the sides. Each cat gets three just before bedtime. They queue up waiting to be hand fed.

Midnight struggles with dry food out of his bowl but seems to manage hand feeding much better.

Isn't it funny that the cats sense food coming out of the fridge? I used to think it was smell based but they seem to know even when they are outside.

Webbox sticks, and supermarket own equivalent, are soft and squidgy, and most cats like them

Having said that, I'm surprised your vet thinks a cat of 13/14 is too old for an anaesthetic - many cats quite a bit older than that are given dentals, and I would have thought that being in pain and struggling to eat, plus the possibility of bad gums affecting the organs, would outweigh any small risk

I've tried Dreamies and she will sometimes eat them, other times leave them on the floor, the same with Tiger sticks, which I would assume are similar to the Webbox ones.

I think our vets do tend to be on the side of caution when it comes to anaesthetic, as well as balancing the odds of doing it too soon and then having to do it again in 4 or 5 years time when the risk is even greater. When Blue had problems I could see that he wanted to eat and after a mouth full he would walk away, she isn't like that, but there is a scale build up on her teeth. If there was real signs that it was giving her problems I would take her straight in, as it is I don't know if she is just being fussy and holding out for something better, or is having problems, she just wants to eat a lot slower than Saturn who seems to inhale his food and then move onto whatever anyone else has left.

I guess there is a bit of feeling that she is my old kitty now and I don't want her to feel her nose is being pushed out with Saturn seeming to get the lions share of the food.

I have considered a chip operated feeder, but I think he would learn to move in while she has it open and then either get brained or just eat with the lid resting on his head.

Ruth B wrote:I have considered a chip operated feeder, but I think he would learn to move in while she has it open and then either get brained or just eat with the lid resting on his head.

It wouldn't brain him. The lid hinges up in the middle, so the closing edge would push under his chin. You can see a video of how it works here:
https://www.sureflap.com/en-gb/pet-feed ... pet-feeder