We’re all guilty of enjoying a little snack before bed occasionally, so why shouldn’t our feline companions get to do the same? One senior cat has been indulged with a “shot of whipped cream” every night by her owner who wants to just “let her live” a little.
A video of the nightly routine was shared by TikTok user @katie_levans. The clip has had three million views since it was shared on March 20.
A message overlaid on the clip reads: “So every night my cat gets a little shot of whipped cream. My mom started doing it when she was watching her.”
The footage shows a hand grabbing a can of whipped cream from a refrigerator and feeding it to a cat sitting on a chair. The dispensing tube of the can is placed near the mouth of the feline, who is shown licking the whipped cream coming out of it.
A caption shared with the post reads: “She’s 16 let her live.”
Felines over 14 years of age are considered “geriatric” and are “comparable to humans that are 76-100 years or more,” noted veterinarians Ryan Llera and Krista Williams in an article for VCA, the animal hospital chain.
The senior cat’s excitement over her nightly snack is understandable, because eating is an activity in itself especially for indoor cats, given their lack of environmental stimulation in other spaces.
Regular feeding can help treat and prevent any stress-related health concerns for cats, such as cystitis, inactivity, overeating and other obesity-related problems, notes a 2018 consensus statement by the American Association of Feline Practitioners and published at the website of the American Veterinary Medical Association.
It’s important to “resist the temptation to begin feeding human food willy-nilly from the table,” warned Williams and veterinarian Robin Downing in another article for VCA.
They explained: “Once human food is given like this, it becomes much more difficult to transition back to balanced cat foods. It is actually quite difficult to balance a cat’s long-term nutrition when feeding them homemade food.”
Some human foods may help increase the appeal of regular cat food to our fussy feline friends and encourage consumption to help meet their nutritional requirements, such as the ones outlined below in the VCA article:
- “No-salt-added” chicken or vegetable broth.
- Fresh or frozen water-based vegetables (such as green beans, broccoli, cauliflower, lettuce).
- The occasional “dry-scrambled” egg.
Owners should consult with a veterinarian to determine whether these human foods are suitable for their cat and how much of these can be added to their diet in a day without risking weight gain, Williams and Downing advised.
‘So Sweet’
TikTok users adored the senior cat in her moment of indulgence in the latest viral clip.
Peg said “I love this post! She’s living her best life!” and Sweet Cheeks wrote “This is so sweet. I love it!!”
Connieblu noted: “Love love! Spoil them babies!”
Joy wrote: “She enjoys this so much. grandma started this? She’s the best.”
Meg said: “There’s just something about old kitties getting excited.”
Newsweek has contacted the original poster for comment via TikTok. This video has not been independently verified.
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