My Senior Cat Is So Skinny. To coax an older cat to eat, first address these problems and then start feeding a high calorie cat food for weight gain. Senior cats may stop grooming themselves and look scruffy.

To coax an older cat to eat, first address these problems and then start feeding a high calorie cat food for weight gain. Since senior cats may have a harder time reaching for food bowls that are placed too high or too low, put your cat’s dishes somewhere easily accessible and get a bowl stand if necessary. Weight loss could also be associated with aging.