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I ABSOLUTELY do not recommend withholding food. Leave food out and the cat will eat. Cats can not last long without eating. Hepatolipidosis can be fatal.
No, I would never withhold food. That is cruel. I know Cats can't go without food. I mixed some meow mix with her iams and now she is eating it all. Thank God!
My Cat is nine and she has suddenly, in the past six months, become very finicky about her food. She still loves to eat of course, but is picky. So far, I have tried five different foods. I just bought Iams weight control and now she is turning her nose up at it! I also give her a packet of soft Nutro food, which she loves like crazy. I only give her this once per week, as it is expensive and she is chubby. She will eat her soft food, but leaves most of it in her bowl and stands in the kitchen and looks up at me for something else! I had to borrow some food from my neighbor, which she just loved. Should I mix some of this with her weight control food? My neighbor has Cats and says she sounds spoiled! This could be true, but I can't watch kitty meowing and staring up at me refusing her food. Any ideas of what to do? Many Thanks.
It's not uncommon for cats to become picky eaters, especially after being offered a new type of food. In this case, it sounds like your cat may have developed a preference for soft food after being given packets of it.
To encourage your cat to eat dry food again, you may want to try the following:
Gradually transition your cat back to dry food. Mix a small amount of dry food into the soft food and gradually increase the amount of dry food over time until your cat is only eating dry food.
Try different brands and flavors of dry food. Your cat may simply prefer a different type of dry food.
Make sure your cat has access to fresh water at all times. Sometimes, cats prefer wet food because they are not drinking enough water.
Make sure your cat is hungry before offering dry food. Try limiting your cat's access to soft food to specific times of the day, and only offer dry food in between meals.
Offer your cat treats or wet food as a reward for eating dry food. This can help encourage your cat to eat the dry food.
It's important to note that some cats simply prefer wet food over dry food. If you've tried these tips and your cat still refuses to eat dry food, you may want to consider talking to your vet about alternative feeding options.
My Cat is nine and she has suddenly, in the past six months, become very finicky about her food. She still loves to eat of course, but is picky. So far, I have tried five different foods. I just bought Iams weight control and now she is turning her nose up at it! I also give her a packet of soft Nutro food, which she loves like crazy. I only give her this once per week, as it is expensive and she is chubby. She will eat her soft food, but leaves most of it in her bowl and stands in the kitchen and looks up at me for something else! I had to borrow some food from my neighbor, which she just loved. Should I mix some of this with her weight control food? My neighbor has Cats and says she sounds spoiled! This could be true, but I can't watch kitty meowing and staring up at me refusing her food. Any ideas of what to do? Many Thanks.
Dry food, and "prescription" food in particular, is not at all healthy for cats. If you are looking for a proper diet for your cat, and to get her to lose weight in specific, read and learn:
DRY WEARS OUT KIDNEYS -- AS CATS HAVE LOW THIRST DRIVE TO BEGIN WITH!!! ANY WET FOOD IS -- BETTER THAN THE BEST DRY!!!
I use Sheba alot & NEVER ANY DRY! Use turk or chick cuts in gravy. Sheba's not highest class wet but far better & its -- the food a cat WILL eat that makes it THE best food -- for YOUR cat.
No matter how good a brand -- if cat won't eat it what good it is? So try Sheba, is my suggestion as most cats I've had eat it up. Includes outside ferals n strays.
ITA with this. It's a GOOD "problem" that your cat prefers the wet food. Wet food is much better for them in many ways.
You mentioned that she is "chubby." I'm sorry to say that dry food will only add to the problem, even so-called "diet" foods.
Take it from someone who knows. I once fed a cat prescription "diet" food on the advice of a vet and he GAINED six pounds. I switched to canned food and he (slowly, over a period of many months) lost the weight.
The websites from other posts are good references. NEVER withhold food from a cat for long periods of time. It's dangerous and your cat could end up in the ER or worse, even die from fatty liver disease.
You also mentioned that wet food is expensive. I can say from experience that, while feeding dry food is less expensive intially, you pay MORE in vet bills over time (for possible urinary issues, being overweight, etc.). Since switching to wet for our cats, I have fewer vet bills and the problems I have with our gang are not related to diet anymore.
I read the articles above, I have 1 fatty 6 yr old 1/2pixie bobtail and 1/2 tortoise. His Dad is huge and so is Jack. I have a 12 yr old male, has been losing weight but all other functions are normal. I have a 1 yr old female found in my yard. She is normal weight. I am trying to transition to all canned, feeding 3 times a day, equaling 5.5 oz each per day. It's getting expensive and they act starving, the 6 yr old and 12 yr old. I have always fed them 1 can of 5.5 of wet once and day and dry the rest of the day. The fat cat, doesn't seem to eat more than the rest. I'm befuddled.
Cats in the wild survive by not eating strange looking, tasting or smelling food that may make them sick or even kill them. Domestic cats, which are actually still mostly wild animals, have this same survival strategy. That's one of the reasons why then won't eat new, different food. They aren't trying to be difficult, it's just instinct, it's just the way cats are.
Last edited by karlsch; 02-28-2023 at 02:43 PM..
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