If It Isn't Broken ...

A while ago, our vet told us to switch our Senior Cat to canned cat food to aid in hydration and stave off some common ailments of older cats (urinary tract disease, for one).

Our cat has existed solely on dry cat for for the entirety of his life with us (except the odd bird or mouse that he caught in his wandering days). We tried hiding medication in canned cat food when he was a kitten and that was enough for him to decide that nothing good could come out of a can. So dry cat food it was.

But when our vet suggested this dietary change, I thought we should give it a try. I knew of his past aversion to canned cat food so I expected that the transition would be gradual and he would continue to satisfy his appetite with the dry cat food as he weaned his taste buds to a new consistency and flavor.

I was wrong. Once he didn't detect any hidden medication in the moist cat food, it was as though the dry cat food did not exist. We increased the amount of canned food to satisfy his appetite and went on our merry way.

It seemed that the need to top off his water dish declined. My guess is that he wasn't as thirsty because of the water content in his food. Though I knew that it was vital that he drink ample water, we just kept following doctor's orders thinking that it would all work out.

We kept this up for a few months. Until I noticed disturbing evidence in the cat litter that all was not as well as it once was. The sight of blood gave my heart a start. I thought maybe it would just a one-time occurrence. I was wrong. When I mentioned this to my Middle Son he calmed my fears by suggesting that it was probably his body adapting to his new diet and perhaps he was constipated.

I watched and wondered. Nothing changed. So I went to our neighbourhood pet store and talked to the experts there. I was directed towards the best of the healthy canned cat food and told of all of the evils of all of the rest. Ahhh ... a solution at last. I thought this was the answer we were looking for.

Except our cat would have absolutely nothing to do with that blasted health food. He still had his dry cat food as an option so I had little fear of him starving himself. But it seemed as long as he saw the bowl that the moist cat food was served out of, he expected salmon paté of the unhealthy kind.

So ... I started the weaning process back to his dry cat food. It took a while as he appeared to be waiting for better things to appear in his dish, but he finally gave in and readapted to his dry cat food. The food that he has been enjoying his entire life.

His appetite is back, he is drinking lots of water and his litter box has not held any bad news. His fur is shiny and soft and he is acting like the kitten we know and love. He is doing well.

He wasn't 'broke' to start with. We changed what was working for him and turned his digestive system upside down. Why does one tamper with what works?

It made me wonder about the cravings and food habits we develop. If we are in good health and not depriving ourselves of what our body is telling us it needs, could those cravings be telling us what we need to know to keep things in good running order?

As I sat back and enjoyed my third cup of coffee this morning, I satisfied myself by believing there is something in that cup of caffeine that is working for me. Perhaps it is just a habit. But maybe, just maybe it is something that makes my system run a little smoother.

It's working for me. So I'm not 'fixing' it!