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My senior cat is not eating and moving slow. What can I do to help?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Russian Blue | Male | neutered | 30 years and 10 months old | 10 lbs

My cat b .billy is ,amazingly 30yrs.old. No kidding. The past two days have been hard for both of us . His normally healthy appetite seems to be gone he has eaten next to nothing and he is moving considerably slower. I think his time is up but I dont want to put him down. I want to help him,what can I do?

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Destini R. Holloway, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on February 3rd, 2017

Wow! That is old for a cat. If he is nearing the end of life, then the best thing to do is to make him comfortable. However you won't know that until you get some bloodwork done on him to check his organ function and red blood cells, for any abnormalities. It is very difficult to tell what he needs without knowing what is wrong, which is why testing may be needed for him. You can try offering him slightly warmed cans of baby food and non-flavored Pedialyte (diluted with some water) until you can get him in to be checked out. If it is his time and there is nothing that can be done, you will unfortunately be faced with having to make the decision for him or let him go peacefully at home. Poor guy. Billy has lived such a long life under your care, and you should be proud of that, even though you may have to say goodbye to him soon. But it is important to do what is best for him and to seriously consider letting him go peacefully and not letting him suffer.

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Other Answers

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    Answered By Sara Farmer, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on December 4th, 2018

    If Melania has a decrease in appetite and has not been active recently she could certainly have a serious underlying disease. I would recommend having her examined by your veterinarian. There are some diseases that could cause these symptoms that would be treatable. Your vet might recommend blood work after performing an exam. If Melania has a life threatening problem and her quality of life has suffered you may want to discuss euthanasia with your vet.

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