Cats and their fussy eating habits...

[Ryewolf]

Ever since I got back from Stratford, my little cat has been driving me nuts with her fussy eating habits. She's gone off all the cat food, both dry and wet, that she'd normally eat... I dunno what to do, every time I go downstairs or into the kitchen she follows me down and and is pestering for food... I've tried 5 different brands of wet food, two dried.... The problem is almost all supermarkets now only sell multi-pack boxes - of which she'll maybe eat one flavour from each, and given that there's usually four flavours per box and 3 pouches of each.... means I now have around 36 pouches of food that she just won't eat.

I've tried PetFresh, which was £5, forget what the weight was, she took one sniff at it and never ate any - the birds ended up eating all that.

Gormet Perle, she only likes 2 out of all the flavours available, out of 2 separate boxes - again these are £4-£5 for a box of 12...
Iams, she used to like several of these, but now won't eat them
Wilko's own brand, again there's 2 flavours out of 2 boxes that she will eat
Tesco own brand, she used to like these, but now won't eat them
Whiskers and Kitekat she just won't eat
Go Cat dry food is another she won't eat
Tried Sheba - she didn't like any of those
I even cooked some fresh chicken breast, which again she ignored

I'm at my wits end trying to find something she will eat.. to be honest it's costing about £30 each week - which is more than I spend all week on food for myself and I end up throwing more away than she eats.........

 

[chorleyjeff]

The cat will not starve. Just offer some decent food. The cat will give in if you do not weaken !You are he boss - right ?

[Ryewolf]

I've tried all sorts of food, from expensive to cheap, - both dry and wet, there's some that I put out this morning that is still there - untouched...

Any suggestions on decent food? I ususally leave any food I put out until the following morning, if she's not eaten by then, she won't ...

[Ryewolf]

To be honest, I don't know what you mean about decent food, fresh roasted chicken ain't exactly 15p per pouch pet food - more like £4 for 2 fillets - of which I ended up eating the other one because the cat wouldn't, so your reply isn't helpful or useful, as you offered no suggestions...

[Clicker]

Hmmm  have you checked to see if she may have tooth problems ... common in cats who easily get a tartar build up .There is a product that comes in a long sachet in two different flavours as I recall that are used to squeeze over the food to act as an irresistable appetiser .I am trying to think what it ws called but I bought it  in a national pet store outlet .I used it a couple of times when a cat was off her food  ... I'm afraid the last cat  that had similar symptoms  turned out to have a tumour in her stomach that was inoperable due to her age of 17 years yet  she showed no other signs of being unwell till after a month she started to lose weight very quickly .I do hope your lovely little cat is  ok Geoff . Maybe a check up at the vet can ascertain there is nothing seriously amiss. Is she behaving normally in other ways ...are her toilet habits the same if you have a litter tray that is used ?

[Ryewolf]

Yes, everything is normal, she has no teeth problems, the vet said she is only around 4-5 years old. She doesn't seem to be off her food just doesn't like the food I've been giving her. She was at the vets just before I went away, and she was eating normally, I know cats can be a bit fussy with what they eat and can suddenly go off their food....which is apparently normal

[Clicker]

Sometimes if they have a mild upper respiratory problem ...even a type of hayfever allergy which can affect their sense of smell...and if they can't smell the food they just wont eat it. Have you tried tinned sardines or mackerel;  just  adding a bit to her usual food ...

[Ryewolf]

She will eat tinned tuna all day, but you're not supposed to feed cats tuna fish apparently it's not good for them - though most major cat food brands have tuna, the problem is I don't want her going  that either all the time. If you think about what wild cats would eat, they wouldn't be eating Tuna fish, which are bloody big and they'd have no way of catching them.... Unfortunately they don't do mouse or bird flavoured cat food..

It really gets desparate then I'll go see the vets

[FUJI]

Hi Geoff,

Having had a cat that used to want hardly anything but yoghurt for a time, I know where you are coming from......another would only eat the cheapest dried food.....The late Big Ollie....would eat anything including freshly caught rodents with relish.

Our ancient 22-23 year old goes frantic for raw chicken, loves it.......try that, just a little at a time' we use the fatty trimmings off the breasts....she also loves the poultry selection from Whiskas.

Is your moggie getting enough play and excercise to shift her bowels?.....We have a brown treacly stuff called ...Catlax....Spread it on paws and they lick it off.

FUJI

 

[Kobione]

Can't really help you with any advice here Rye - we've only had cats that went off their food with problems and not as just a whim or dislike, and I don't know all of your pet products over there - hope you get it sorted though!!

[Ryewolf]

14 hours ago, FUJI said:

Is your moggie getting enough play and excercise to shift her bowels?

Yes, as far as I can see, there's no problem there. It does just seem to be the wet food she's off... Had to get some more dry food today, which she's been eating along with some crunchy treats mixed in, but just to be on the safe side I'm gonna take her to the vets...

[Clicker]

Probably  a good  idea Rye .....just to give you peace of mind too. Hope it  turns out just to be a faddy food thing she is going through..