My 4 indoor cats have become extremely fussy and are turning up their noses at every brand of food lately (can or pouch). I end up giving it to the outdoor cats, who gobble it all up. My indoor cats still eat the same brands of dry food but look for other food and then won't eat what they're given. What's up with these cats?
By Bonnie Varga from Tuckerton, NJ
Add your voice! Click below to answer. ThriftyFun is powered by your wisdom!
This might sound harsh, but I would not leave food out for them. I would feed them a couple of times a day or whatever the cat food recommends and then put up the dish of dry food after about twenty minutes of so. If they have eaten, great, if they dont, great. Once they start appreciating the food more you can start to leave it out all the time.
I agree. Put them on a schedule, twice a day, no picking or treats in between.
My cats have to be on medicated dry food. I put out dishes of it, and that is all they get. They seem to like it, and self-feed.
My cats do like me to come and check their food or top up their bowl when it is not empty. They just like the attention. They also get treats a couple of times a day, when they happen to ask for them.
If I were you, I would consider the moist cat food a special treat, and only give them a tiny amount of it. Or if they seem to be overly fussy, don't give them any at all. Just let them eat their dry food, but be sure that it is a good quality one that provides all their nutritional needs. If they really don't seem to like this food, don't bother with it. They will be fine with just the dry kind, and less work for you. And less cost, which is a factor when you have so many cats.
The vet I used when I had money told us to sweat the cat out, and give nothing else, even if it whines, until it eats whatever. However, I learned to stop all canned cat foods, which contain phosphates that addict them to whatever it's in, to stop all dry food, and go straight to raw organic egg mixed into canned tuna, makerel, or Salmon, each one mixed with cooked rice and sprinkled with crushed acidophiles tablet for children or pets. They will quickly love it and forget all about the other stuff.
Avoid hamburger, shrimp, and ham, but give occasional deli meat in very small amounts. They'll be much healthier, not go into heat so often, stop yowling monthly, be happier. Remember to brush them 1 time/ week to prevent hair balls, and to add 1/2 tsp. coconut oil(looks like lard)from Walmart, about twice a week to their food menu. They cannot smell or taste it and it will help them to pass hairballs, and the recipe is great for better hair, eyes, skin, claws. Keep the inside corners of their eyes clean daily, and put out only one helping of the meat once a day, then begin to introduce a minimal amt. of organic dry cereal once a day at a different time. Leave nothing to snack on. Feed any crumbs to the birds/chickens. Keep their water bowl large, clean and full at all times. I use USED but fairly clean paper plates, my only "maid/luxury" and
being recycled before tossing after only one use.
Never buy canned cat food again, regardless of how cheap. I am totally convinced it contains tapeworm eggs, even though fleas eat it and spread the eggs too. If not, some of the chemicals are truly harmful for the cat. Read how many are in them, and know that the cereal is mostly corn, which has the most pesticides than all other veggies, according to pros.
Never give an adult cat milk unless in tiny amounts. Buy organic chicken broth in the box and add a little garlic salt for when they might seem to have a hair ball, but they should be healthier than ever on this diet. If their urine gets to strong, add a bit more acidophiles and watch the odor die down because it neutralizes any acid buildup in their kidneys.
Also, do NOT use kitty litter. instead, use newspaper and provide two areas, a dish bucket for urine, the other for solids. because the clay can kill, and we've lost cats from kidney failure using litters of all sorts. Don't feed them outside, regardless, because flies will lay eggs in the remnant food, and spread diseases from one neighbor to another, and wandering cats will also as they stop by for a nibble for any food left, to which your cat may return and be contaminated.
Cats have always been allowed to be more independent, but this doesn't have to be because
God says to take Dominion(control) over the earth and the animals. Make it easy for you, not just for them. Don't ever worship/ focus just on your pets, no matter how precious. They are not human and will behave much better with less than a lot of attention.
I am age 65 and know how important pets can be to our well being, but unless one is confined, disabled, or blind, pets can also absorb your every moment if you allow it.
God bless and help you. I hope some of this will help? : )
I have a rescue cat with food issues that I call "Ever hopeful". She's there every time I head anywhere toward the kitchen. Doesn't like "people food" except ham (maybe 1T cut tiniest), but she's there all the time. I have owned her maybe 6 months and have found that it's best to just ignore her behavior. Talk to her, but don't put down wet food when she wants. Dry food is there for her to self-feed and she gets 1/4 can of wet twice daily, which may get cut back if I think I can stand her neediness. She bites if I try to calm her. It's a problem, but don't give in to the cat, because she's more focused than you are. I used to worry, but now I see that she'll eat the dry if she's hungry, but if I come in the kitchen you'd think she hadn't been fed for a week. Don't give in.
Add your voice! Click below to answer. ThriftyFun is powered by your wisdom!
I have two cats, ages 12 and 7 and they've been on a quality brand dry food for years. About 2 months ago, they stopped eating the dry food, so I've tried several other quality brands and canned food. They will lick the gravy out of the can food, but not eat the meat. (I've bought every variety.) They will eat a bowl or two of the new dry brands, then stop. I've even mixed the dry with the canned food, nope, they still won't eat it.
If it were just the one cat, then I'd take it to the vet, but it's both of them. I'm at the end of my rope. Does anyone have any suggestions?
By CHERRIE
Take them to the vet anyway. They may both be suffering from the same problem. Worms, intestinal upset, etc.
Given the age of your cats, they may be having dental problems. Only a Vet can tell you after an exam. They both need to be seen right away.
Have your cats lost weight due to this finicky behavior? If they have lost weight they probably do need to go to the Vet. You could try sardines, tuna in a can, mine love the stuff. You could also try evaporated milk to see if they like that, mine do and the dog does too.
Hope this is of some help to you.
Kim E.
