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Cats/My 7yrs old Burmese cat

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Expert: - 11/16/2009


Question
I am writing to you to hopefully get some answers about some things my cat has been doing since I got him,I have only had him for about 5yrs now. Somethings he has always done like, won't eat or drink in the floor with the rest of the cats. His dishes has to be up on the counter top, away from all the other cats and we had him first. When I took him into the Vet. to get his shots, I told him about this and he said not to worry about it, most pedigree cats are kinda picky about little things like that and not to worry. But, lately his eating habits have changed, the Vet. says just change the food but, my cat won't have no part in that! We have tried wet food, he turns and walks away, we have always given him dry so, we have tried all kinds and still he just looks at us like as if to say, " this isn't my food!" So we went back to his old food but, what he does when he eats, he will just take a few bites and then he starts gagging, then he stops eating. He still drinks water fine, but he is getting skinny as ever. Do you know what is going on with my cat? Thank you for your help or advise in anyway.  

Answer
Melissa,

Not to second guess your vet, but I would want to get the bottom of why your Burmese is gagging as he eats!?!?!?!?!?  This may offer some clues as to his other behaviors.  Cats do not normally starve themselves, even though they may be finicky.  This pickiness may be due in part to a medical problem and should be investigated thoroughly, especially the gagging!

As to his "peculiar" eating habits, he has, clearly manipulated you into following his wants and desires when eating, whther his diet is good for him or not.  Cats are very persistent and very set in theirs ways, so I am not sure how easy or difficult it would be to change some of his eating idiosynchrocies, once he has been treated for whatever appears to be ailing him.

Once he has a truly clean bill of health, you may want to see if you can gradually "convince" him to eat what you want him to eat. However, the first order of business is to get his eating back on some kind of track, so he can stop losing the weight!!!!!

Just my opinion of the situation you have presented.

Concerned regards... Norm.  

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Norman Auspitz

Expertise

I can answer most non-veterinary questions about cats. My particular expertise is pedigree cats, breeding and showing. However, I am versed in feline behavior, cat breeds and their characteristics, general feline husbandry, and the like.

Experience

I judged for the Canadian Cat Association from 1975 until 1982. I am currently an approved allbreed judge for the Cat Fanciers'' Association (the world''s largets cat registry), and have been judging for them since 1991. I have been breeding pedigreed cats since 1971 and have been exhibiting pedigreed cats in shows since 1970. I obtained my first pedigreed cat in 1970 and have never looked back. In 1971, I obtained my first Abyssinian which has become my primary breed. In addition, I have bred Manx and Persians. Currently, besides the Abyssinians, I am also breeding Maine Coons.


Organizations
Cat Fanciers'' Association, inc. (CFA) and the Manx, Maine Coon, and Abyssinian breed councils. I am currently Abyssinian breed council secretary.

Publications
Cat Fancy Magazine, The Abyssinian Chapter in The Cat Fanciers'' Association Complete Cat Book, and Articles for various editions of The Cat Fanciers'' Association Yearbook

Education/Credentials
I received a B.S. from Drexel University in 1968, a M.Math from University of Waterloo, in 1970, a Ph.D. from University of Waterloo in 1975, and a MBA from McMaster University in 1980. I received my approved allbreed judging status in the Cat Fanciers'' Association in 1999.

Awards and Honors
We have produced a number of Cat Fanciers'' Association (CFA) National winning Abyssinian and Maine Coons. We have produced a number of Abyssinian and Maine Coon Distinguished Merit females (an award for a top producing cat), including the first Distinguished Merit Abyssinian in the red (sorrel) color. I am the CFA Abyssinian breed council secretary and belong and/or hold office in a number of cat clubs. I am also a member of the CFA Judges Association.

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