My cat is suddenly eating people food...?

Question

My cat is 13 years old. She has forever shunned people food and would only eat cat food. Recently, like the last few months, she has taken to eating people food. Whether it be off the floor around the bottom of my son's highchair, or right out of the bowls that the food is sitting in!

I am concerned because she has also recently been seeming really thin, like you can feel her spine.

Just wondering if anyone else has experienced anything like this?

Answer 1

Hyperthyroidism is rampant in the older cat population.

She is showing two symptoms -- an insatiable appetite and loss of weight.

She needs to see a vet for a blood panel to determine if she has this condition. There is medication to control it and return her to a normal state.

Don't delay! The condition causes high blood pressure (could cause blindness if not treated). It is very uncomfortable for the cat. They are always hungry, never satisfied. Their hearts are racing and they feel restless and distressed.

Answer 2

When is the last time she had a complete physical and bloodwork at the vet?? Getting thin can come with age, but not all old cats are skinny. I would really suggest you call your vet and make an appointment just to be on the safe side and they will also be able to tell you if there is nothing to worry about.

Good luck

Answer 3

my cat is 11 and she is doing the same thing. she used to weigh 18 pounds!! she has lost some weight in the past 3 months, she too is eating people food. whatever she can get she'll eat. she is peeing an awful lot too. maybe it is just old age. i recently switched her cat food to the Urinary Tract Prevention and she has changed her way of eating and peeing alot. The vet says she is otherwise ok. He doesn't think she is underweight or anything she just lost alot of water retention she had before switching to the Urinary Tract food. She is doing fine though.
Good Luck!!!

Answer 4

Take your cat to the vet as soon as possible. Your cat has not been feeling well for the last two months or more.

I think 13 in cat years is something like 60 in our years.

Answer 5

If she is that thin, she could possibly have worms, she needs to see a vet. If she is eating people food, be sure it is thoroughly cooked. It could also be that she is just craving your attention, now that you have a baby. My cat is also 13 years old, but weighs about 15lbs. I had a cat once that got really thin, and I took her to the vet, and He said she had worms, and ask me if she ate mice? Don't all cats, I asked?

Answer 6

Well, considering how old she is, cats tend to get skinnier as they get older, but maybe it might just be time to switch the type of cat food you use. Cats are picky about what kind of food they eat, unlike dogs of course. Do you give her just dry food, or wet food? Or both? Is she going for the dry people food, or wet? Or both? You need to try to give your cat some different options of food to eat. Mabye you could give her some shrimp or chicken if you think she is going to starve if she won't eat. As for my cat, he gets some Fancy Feast, wich is wet food, and dry food, wich helps control his hairballs. In whatever matter, if you think your cat needs some help, then you need to get it checked out by the vet. They can help you figure out her problem with eating people food, and why she is getting so skinny. Either that, or mabye she is just getting too old. My cat had an intestinal block up a year ago, and he wouldn't eat his own food for 3 weeks. So we got him surgery to get the hairball in is intestines removed. Mabye she is justing getting tired of her own food? You might need to get this checked out by the vet if things start to get out of hand. Hope I helped!

~Nicole ;-)

Answer 7

I had a tabby cat and he would eat just about everything...bread, noodles, vegtables, some fruits. Probably not good for them to eat human food since cats are really meat eaters and that's what their bodies need.

Answer 8

She needs food. No wonder why the cat is so thin. It wants anything to eat. Also it is nearly at its death. It probably wants to enjoy something before it dies.

Answer 9

Time your having and exercise appropriately. Never eat before you work out, and wait 30 to 60 minutes after training to make sure you catch your metabolism on its highest.

Answer 10

I have never experienced that.. ever.. My cat and the one before does not like people food... they were both very particular.. even though I had a nice piece of juicy steak.. they.. t he cats.. would not eat it.