So recently (about a month ago) my family found out our cat has gingivitis. We’re working on getting another vet appointment to get x-rays for her teeth to see if she’ll need surgery or a cleaning, but we can’t schedule the appointment yet due to financial and schedule issues. I’ve noticed my cat has lost a bit of weight. She is a big cat and you can see it when picking her up and when she’s laying down with her belly up. Recently, I’ve noticed she’s been a bit lighter when picking her up and her belly has gotten a bit smaller. I don’t have exact weights, but when I have time tomorrow I will weigh her. I’m just wondering if this is something to be concerned about like with her eating habits and if I should possibly switch over to wet food at least until we get the next vet appointment. I haven’t noticed anything different in her behavior, like I don’t believe she’s been more active and it’s hard to know if her eating habits have changed because my cats usually eat at night or I’m at school so I can’t really tell. Any information would be appreciated I just need to know if I’m being paranoid or if this is a real concern.
Possibly it hurts her to eat. Switching to wet food or adding water to dry food to soften it might make it easier for her to eat. After my cat’s dental surgery she could only eat wet food or dry food softened with water as prescribed by the vet. Hope that helps! If she’s still eating and just less that’s ok. If she stops eating that’s a concern as cats can go into organ failure if they don’t eat for a while.
Look for low cost vets in your area. Or a shelter’s program for low incomes. They offer a few services at low costs for eligible people. I hope that the other commenter’s suggestion works.
How old is your kitty? Did she have bloodwork done at her last appointment? How bad were the teeth? Does she seem to not want to eat or is eating less than normal? Canned is definitely better for them than kibble, if you can do the switch over to mostly canned that’s be awesome, not only is it going to be gentler on her mouth if she’s painful it’s also going to be better for her kidneys.
@Fife
I believe she is around 8 years old. We didn’t do bloodwork at the last appointment, but I think it might be a good idea. I haven’t noticed her refusing food, but I can’t tell if she’s eating less since I can’t always be home when she eats.