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Elderly cat and milk

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[Deleted User]
[Deleted User] Posts: 0 Newbie
500 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
edited 2 May 2021 at 12:09PM in Pets & pet care
We have an elderly cat - he's about 23 years old (he came from CPL in 1998 as a youngster)
He is surprisingly agile for an old boy but is allergic to milk, as I believe the majority of cats are ?
He disappears out of the cat flap every morning, returns temporarily at lunch time - then again every afternoon, back by 5:30 every evening
Recently - he has been drinking milk at a neighbours - we can tell because he vomits it up as soon as he returns
This is clearly not doing him any good - so we try to keep him in - he likes the outdoors and whines and claws until he is let out
What can we do to stop him from drinking milk ?
We have tried speaking to neighbours but they all deny that he is visiting them - he could be going several hundred yards - so we cannot track him
We tried the "Paper collar" trick but that was ripped off by him as soon as he left the house
He doesn't wear a normal collar - never has done
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Comments

  • Robin9
    Robin9 Posts: 12,764 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Ideally he shouldn't have milk - but he's survived very well to get to 23 - let him have the milk - perhaps give him some Anti - Hair Balls biscuits to aid his digestion.
    Never pay on an estimated bill. Always read and understand your bill
  • coffeehound
    coffeehound Posts: 5,741 Forumite
    Tenth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    Could you give him his fill of lactose-free milk before he goes out?  Kind of pre-emt him wanting any more
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 0 Newbie
    500 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    edited 2 May 2021 at 1:12PM
    Robin9 said:
    Ideally he shouldn't have milk - but he's survived very well to get to 23 - let him have the milk - perhaps give him some Anti - Hair Balls biscuits to aid his digestion.
    I agree - but he does not have hairballs - wouldn't that make him vomit more? 
  • Could you give him his fill of lactose-free milk before he goes out?  Kind of pre-emt him wanting any more
    No - we tried cat milk on him a few years ago and he wouldn't touch it! 
  • coffeehound
    coffeehound Posts: 5,741 Forumite
    Tenth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    edited 2 May 2021 at 1:22PM
    Could maybe try him with supermarket lactose-free -- it tastes like normal milk but slightly sweeter
  • Could maybe try him with supermarket lactose-free -- it tastes like normal milk but slightly sweeter
    He is a wise old cat and won't do anything that he doesn't want to do - so I doubt it!!
    He has my wife wrapped round his little claw - she has to let him out at 2 or 5 am EVERY morning! 
  • Mnoee
    Mnoee Posts: 961 Forumite
    Fifth Anniversary 500 Posts Photogenic Homepage Hero
    You could try a poster or two in the street? "Have you seen this cat? He's fine, but please don't feed him milk." sort of thing. 

    It might not work, but little harm trying. 
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 0 Newbie
    500 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    edited 7 May 2021 at 3:42PM
    He has now started to smell rank - it is not his "rear end" that is clean - it seems to permeate his whole body
    Could it be his anal gland is blocked? 

  • Silvertabby
    Silvertabby Posts: 10,091 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Eighth Anniversary Name Dropper Photogenic
    He has now started to smell rank - it is not his "rear end" that is clean - it seems to permeate his whole body
    Could it be his anal gland is blocked? 

    Could be - has he been 'scooting'? (rubbing his bum on the carpet)

  • yksi
    yksi Posts: 1,025 Forumite
    Fifth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    When you say rank, is it like urine smell all in his skin? Because that's kidney failure. It's incredibly common in cats of advanced age, I'm afraid.
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