Expert: Jana Connell RVT, CVT - 8/7/2010

Question
Hello!  I have a 5-year-old female tabby/himalayan white cat (yellow-green eyes)who is neutered and declawed.  We noticed that for the past 2-3 months she has started to act strangely.  She's had 3-4 hairballs in that time, eats very little, and seems to want attention all the time.  Specifically, she used to completely empty her food dish (we feed her Purina Cat Chow) every day-day and a half, but now she eats about a third of her bowl per day.  Her feces seem normal, but she recently pooped under our coffee table, and a week later she did it again.  Her litter box was clean.  She used to be a slightly stand-offish cat, but now every time I'm around she's meowing at me and wants to sit on my lap whenever I play the piano or work on the computer.  That in itself isn't all that strange, except that she never used to do that.  As far as I can tell she is otherwise healthy.  She hasn't had a physical in a year or two, but before that was caught up on her shots.  I appreciate your time and insight!       =) Kathryn

Answer
Without a physical exam it would be pretty hard for anyone to know what might be ailing her but I would start with her food if I were you.

She is eating what we refer to as 'garbage food' and maybe it's finally catching up to her. Purina doesn't maintain any kind of fixed formula in the production of their foods- which means that they buy whatever is cheap on the docks that day to create each batch. What that does is created digestive upsets with cats.

She is also not getting her energy needs met or she wouldn't be meowing at you all the time. Her tummy might hurt too. The defecating under the table is an example of that. Cats will always do something that gets your attention when they don't feel good.

Get your cat on some Science Diet Indoor Cat formula. This food is specifically made for cats just like yours and will address her hairball issues as well as her digestive ones. Science Diet is made with a fixed formula so that ever batch is the same quality, batch after batch.

Because this food is so nutritionally dense, it tales less to satisfy your cats energy needs and she will not be hungry. Feed her according to the bag directions and always transition her over slowly over a 7 day period.

While this might not be the heart of the issue here, it will certainly help her other conditions.

She may just be getting more affectionate with age. Many cats do that. It is not unusual but if you aren't used to her being that way it could seem strange.

I would definitely get her to the vet for a check up, an update on her vaccinations and you can always get your Science Diet there as well.

I hope she gets better or falls back into something you are used to!