I have a Burmese cat who will only eat 1 brand of canned cat food. ( that is of middling cost ) Other canned foods he will eat cost triple what I provide for him now. He will eat dry food but only as a snack ( i give him Royal Canine Exigent ), and the only other alternative I have is he will eat home cooked meat dishes I cook for him which I think wouldnt have the necessary nutirents. ( no salt or flavors, just boiled meats ) I have tried other flavors and brands of similar pricing but all he'll do is sniff once, scratch the floor twice and walk away squinting in disgust... then meow in absolute agony as if i have not fed him for 1 week.
Recently, I think his favorite canned food flavor is about to be discontinued, I am at a loss now... does anyone have tips on how I can change his food without causing too much stress? Any help anyone can render would be very highly appreciated as i love my pet very much.... thank you all in advance.
2006-09-05 22:58:57 · 6 answers · asked by Tiara 4 in Pets ➔ Cats
p/s: Oh yeah... and my schedule sometimes doesnt permit me enough time to prepare and cook his food for him :(
2006-09-05 23:00:47 · update #1
TC and Sans... you guys have me pegged lol. Kitty HAS trained me so well! He is so verbal when he protests haha. And the whole MEOW that sounds like " I am so cute and lovable... why are you doing this to me" just melts my heart... sigh! Thank goodness I am not a mother yet or my kids will surely trample all over me.
Tried the mixing trick yesterday, all i got was a tiny little lump left over in his food bowl... most of which is the "new flavor" lol
2006-09-06 16:37:15 · update #2
as you say home cooked food is really not as good as prepared food as it doesn't have the right combination of nutrients etc for your cat. you could try mixing a little of the new with the old and gradually increasing the amount of the new stuff until the old is not used any more. did you know that cat's are quite happy to go on hunger strike if they think they don't like their food. you have to be really strict and not give in to them pretending that they don't like what you have put down. however if he doesn't eat for 3 days then I'd give in.
have you tried putting the food down at mealtimes and if he doesn;t eat it within say 30 minutes taking it up and not putting anything else out until the next mealtime?
2006-09-06 01:36:35 · answer #1 · answered by TC 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Try IAMS or Hill's Science Diet. My cat thought they were yummy and I gave them to him instead of tinned food without mixing them in. Don't fuss too much. Cat's are like kids - they will eat anything once they are hungry enough.
2006-09-05 23:07:29 · answer #2 · answered by Jackie J 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Ok. If its going to be discontinued buy like 10 cans about just to make sure theres enough for the process. Take that food and mix it in with the one you want to start feeding him from now on. Mix it in more by more until he is fully just eating that. Thats what they told me to do with animals before changing food in Vet Assist.
2006-09-05 23:04:12 · answer #3 · answered by rainbow 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I have four cats at the moment and have never found this to be a major problem. Try letting him lick a little off of the tip of a finger - he should then come around.
2006-09-05 23:01:55 · answer #4 · answered by Keith W 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
mix it up or take that food away and give it the dry food to eat. my cats aren't picky, they eat every thing.
2006-09-05 23:21:53 · answer #5 · answered by narcisiusmalfoy 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
start mixing a little of the new food with the old one, and gradually increase the amount of new food every day.
2006-09-05 23:01:07 · answer #6 · answered by sparkleythings_4you 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Wow....sounds like your cat has you pretty well trained!
2006-09-06 05:41:15 · answer #7 · answered by Sans 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋