Record amounts and pace meal by meal
Smaller and slower is a pattern, and patterns need numbers, however rough. For each meal, note what you served, how much of it she ate — all, most, half, a few mouthfuls — and roughly how long she stayed at the bowl before walking away. Record whether she returns later to finish, grazes in several visits, or leaves the remainder permanently. Tally the day's total against what she used to eat, because five small meals that add up to her old intake mean something quite different from five small meals that add up to half of it. If she is fed alongside another cat, feed her separately while you track, or her share will be guesswork and a bolder companion may be quietly eating the difference.
Watch how she chews, not just how much
The mechanics of eating often explain the pace. Sit nearby for a few meals and observe: does she pick up pieces and drop them, tilt her head to chew on one side, swallow soft food eagerly but labour over crunchy pieces, or paw at her mouth afterwards? Note whether she approaches the bowl keenly, sniffs, and then eats slowly — appetite present, eating difficult — or drifts over without enthusiasm and leaves after a taste, which suggests appetite itself is low. Record any drooling, bad breath you had not noticed, bleeding at the gums if you see it, or a preference for food at a particular temperature. Run a comparison for a few days between a soft texture and her usual crunchy food, served in the same place, and log which she finishes faster and more completely.
Track weight, water, and the litter box alongside food
Intake is only meaningful with output and condition beside it. Weigh her weekly if she tolerates it, or feel along her ribs, spine, and hips and note whether she is holding her shape or slowly sharpening. Log her drinking — more time at the water bowl alongside smaller meals is a combination your vet will want to know about promptly — and her litter habits, including appetite-linked clues such as looser stools, constipation, or vomiting after meals. Note her energy and interest in the household as well: a cat eating less but still seeking company, warmth, and her usual spots presents differently from one who is also withdrawing and sleeping far more.
Check the feeding setup before blaming her appetite
Some slowing is environmental, and ruling that out sharpens your report. Note whether meals happen in a busier place than before, whether a new pet, visiting dog, or building noise coincides with eating times, and whether her bowl sits where she must compete, climb, or bend uncomfortably to reach it. A stiff neck or sore hips can make a floor-level deep bowl slow work, and whisker pressure from narrow dishes puts some cats off lingering. Try a wide, shallow dish, a quieter spot, and a raised bowl for a few days as separate small tests, logging whether pace and amount change with each. Serve fresh portions and remove leftovers so each meal reflects food at its best.
Bring the intake history, and escalate if the total keeps falling
At the check, present the meal log plainly: typical amount per sitting, time taken, chewing observations, the soft-versus-crunchy comparison, and her weight trend. Ask your vet to examine her mouth and teeth as well as her general condition, and agree what daily intake is acceptable for her, what you should track next, and what drop should trigger a call. Do not wait for the routine appointment if she stops eating entirely for a day, loses weight visibly over a short span, vomits repeatedly, drinks far more, or seems painful when eating — in a senior cat, a shrinking appetite combined with any of those deserves prompt advice, and your dated record will make that call far more productive.
Storing the meal amounts, chewing notes, and weight trend together in her KinsLe Pet Passport turns weeks of smaller, slower eating into a clear history your vet can judge at a glance.