Canned cat food - feeding only one variety? UPDATED

[JumpQH]

[QUOTE=js;7946319]
At this point getting her to eat is essential, if she likes the Fancy Feast Salmon then feed her that. I have one cat I keep on one particular food, also a fancy feast brand, though she does get different flavors; she gets very loose stools when switching foods, does good if she is kept on a single food/food brand. Have you tried other flavors in the Fancy Feast, especially the gravy ones? Is there any reason she can’t have some dry food in addition?[/QUOTE]

I have tried so many brands/flavors that it makes my head spin! I have tried other Fancy Feast ones - those are the only ones she’ll eat. I can get her to eat the chicken one, but she doesn’t eat as much as she does on the fish ones.

She will not eat grain-free dry food, period (have tried quite a variety of brands and flavors). I did try Meow Mix Kitten food for the fun of it, and when it was the only thing available, she did eat it. I continued offering wet food after the initial eating, and a week later after not touching it, I stopped offering it.

[Drive_NJ]

OK this is kind of way out there but things about what you are describing with your cat make me think about this

we had a horse that stopped eating - anything - at all!!!
we would tempt him with ANYTHING
once saw him eating the leaves off raspberry plants
gave him whole ears of people corn

he would pick at things once then stop eating
he probably dropped 400 pounds in a couple of months
Vet was stumped - gut feeling was that it was a pituitary tumor and likely undetectable
didn’t show up on blood work

something I had read suggested a dose of Winstrol- for the horse
my vet didn’t like the idea because of the side effects of steroids like that
but we were really stymied
so we tried it - he did start eating again
but a couple months later went into kidney failure and was put down

anyway is this a direction to check for the cat???

[Simkie]

Is she easy to handle and restrain? If she is, force feeding something might really help kick start her appetite. It sucks, and it’s no fun at all, but if it prevents a feeding tube and gets her through this really hard part? That cat milk stuff might be a good option for that. I know we always used A/D at the clinic I used to work for.

A little karo syrup was also recommended in another thread for the kitten that didn’t want to eat…just rub it on the gums/get a little down her throat? I don’t know if it would help here, but might be worth a shot.

What precipitated all of this? I remember you said she had hepatic lipidosis from not eating, but what triggered that initial episode?

[JumpQH]

Drive NJ: The last vet suspected kidneys, but bloodwork came out fine for them. My kitty has also been very thoroughly palpated for tumors (this was a thought from both vets), and they found nothing.

I did put a call into the last vet to ask if it was time for us to brainstorm again. Thanks for the ideas!

[JumpQH]

[QUOTE=Simkie;7946412]
Is she easy to handle and restrain? If she is, force feeding something might really help kick start her appetite. It sucks, and it’s no fun at all, but if it prevents a feeding tube and gets her through this really hard part? That cat milk stuff might be a good option for that. I know we always used A/D at the clinic I used to work for.

A little karo syrup was also recommended in another thread for the kitten that didn’t want to eat…just rub it on the gums/get a little down her throat? I don’t know if it would help here, but might be worth a shot.

What precipitated all of this? I remember you said she had hepatic lipidosis from not eating, but what triggered that initial episode?[/QUOTE]

She loves to be petted, but NOT restrained nor picked up. I’ve had to force feed before, and all it did was stave off the inevitable for a week or so (in which both cancer kitty and I suffered).

When you say cat milk, do you mean KMR, or is there something else out there? I can try that, too.

Tried A/D. Worked for a few days. I’ve tried it again off and on, and now it’s on the won’t-eat list.

I really need to find some Nutrical! Can’t believe no one carries it around here.

Kitty has always been fine. I got her off the streets as a stray as an 8-month old (or so). She’s never had a problem. Always ate dry food. Was fat and happy. I changed to grain-free dry food about a year ago because of all my kitties having smelly gas and butts - not fun for lap time for the human. She dropped some weight - I was happy, as she was pudgy. A few weeks before the first vet visit, I realized she was feeling skinner than normal. I monitored it, and she began staying away from the other cats, just sleeping on my bed. She also started vomiting bile. That’s what led to the first vet visit.

Second vet visit (different vet, couple weeks later) was for the same.

[Simkie]

The cat milk and the nutrical knock off that you can get at PetSmart are linked in my post above

But if she’s difficult to restrain, man, it’s just not worth it. It’s just going to be terrible for all of you.

She won’t eat the old dry food now, will she? Is she interested in any other crappy dry food? I am SO anti dry food, but anything and everything at this point

[JumpQH]

[QUOTE=Simkie;7946449]
The cat milk and the nutrical knock off that you can get at PetSmart are linked in my post above :)[/QUOTE]

Sorry, somehow I missed the cat milk link! I will look for the closest PetSmart at lunch today.

@Simkie;7946449

She won’t eat the old dry food now, will she? Is she interested in any other crappy dry food? I am SO anti dry food, but anything and everything at this point

She won’t eat the old dry food. She won’t eat any new grain-free dry foods I’ve gotten just for her. She did eat Meow Mix Kitten for a meal, but not since. I tried leaving it for a week free-feeding, but after a few days, it wasn’t touched.

[Simkie]

Man, it sure sounds like she gets nauseous when she eats and blames the food–which I think is pretty common when they don’t feel well? Do you have a nearby vet who can just hook you up with some Cerenia?

[JumpQH]

[QUOTE=Simkie;7946578]
Man, it sure sounds like she gets nauseous when she eats and blames the food–which I think is pretty common when they don’t feel well? Do you have a nearby vet who can just hook you up with some Cerenia?[/QUOTE]

I have PLENTY of nearby vets…if I want to pay $100 just to walk in the door. THEN there’s the $75 exam, and who knows how much meds would be! That’s why I went to the second vet. She’s an hour away, and I would have to take time off work (no more time off until Feb) to go there, but half the price and just as good. I’ll ask when she calls me back about Cerenia.

[Simkie]

Wow, that’s crazy. That’s higher than even the ER vets I used in Colorado! :eek: :no:

[JumpQH]

[QUOTE=Simkie;7946661]
Wow, that’s crazy. That’s higher than even the ER vets I used in Colorado! :eek: :no:[/QUOTE]

You’re telling ME! After the first place, I called around for quotes, and found that every vet near me was the same price, TO THE PENNY. I couldn’t believe it.

[jen-s]

Pepcid is actually pretty good for nausea. Not as good as cerenia, but it works for many cats. You’d have to google for a dosage based on weight. My standard is 1/4 of a 10mg tab, but YMMV.

[wireweiners]

FancyFeast does make a wet kitten food but only two flavors, turkey and ocean white fish. Have you tried the Fancy Feast in the green can? Its a little gushier and my kitties love it. There are also the FF Appetizers and the Broths.

[Hpilot]

This may be way off base, as I certainly feel your pain. I have a cat that was abandoned by her mom when she was less than 24 hrs. old. I bottle fed her and she did fine. But she is an introvert and gets easily upset.
We went away for a weekend and even though she knows the lady who pet sits for me, she went off her food. I couldn’t get her to eat anything.
I was frantic as the vet also told me that they must eat. I tried everything like you and no go. Once I realized that my stress level was so high because of this, I just willed myself to calm down and act like I didn’t care if she ate or not. ( I did care), but I was exhausted. She started eating that next morning. She’s been fine since. They are so in tune with our stress level, and I’m sure that doesn’t help.

[CindyCRNA]

For your fish lover, you may try this: http://www.onlynaturalpet.com/products/Tiki-Cat-Canned-Cat-Food/249000.aspx?click=47609&s_kwcid=TC-4434-5492840450-b-367045027&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Product%2BVendor-Brand&mkwid=tIwKehsp&crid=367045027&mp_kw=tiki%20cat%20food&mp_mt=b&kw=tiki+cat+food&mt=b&pcrid=367045027
Notice there is a sardine cutlet which my 19 1/2 year kitty thinks is to die! I can find it locally at specialty pet stores.

[CindyCRNA]

My kitty also had to go on steroids as she has irritable bowel. That made all the difference in the world!

[clint]

[QUOTE=CindyCRNA;7948109]
For your fish lover, you may try this: http://www.onlynaturalpet.com/products/Tiki-Cat-Canned-Cat-Food/249000.aspx?click=47609&s_kwcid=TC-4434-5492840450-b-367045027&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Product%2BVendor-Brand&mkwid=tIwKehsp&crid=367045027&mp_kw=tiki%20cat%20food&mp_mt=b&kw=tiki+cat+food&mt=b&pcrid=367045027
Notice there is a sardine cutlet which my 19 1/2 year kitty thinks is to die! I can find it locally at specialty pet stores.[/QUOTE]

Tiki Cat fish varieties are incredible for fish loving cats. They have big chunks of real fish, and might work well for your cat. I used to feed it to my fish loving cat but fortunately for my wallet, she decided she liked Fancy Feast Fish and Shrimp better.

[JumpQH]

UPDATE: Yesterday, I bought the PetSmart Nutrical, milk supplement, Meow Mix for Kittens (dry), and quite a variety of fish canned foods, along with kitten canned food.

When I got home, she licked some PetSmart Nutrical off my finger, but now won’t touch it. She also sniffed, but didn’t drink the milk supplement.

Last night, she had her Savory Salmon, the kitten canned food, and Meow Mix to choose from. The entire night, she only ate the Meow Mix! Never touched the kitten one.

Interestingly, after my other cats got the leftovers, they were not enthusiastic about the kitten canned food and actually left some!

She will not eat any canned food that isn’t basically mush. She won’t eat anything with chunks in it.

On a good note, she obviously felt better today! Must be that Meow Mix she ate!

Thank you all for the great suggestions - very appreciated!

[JumpQH]

[QUOTE=Hpilot;7947941]
This may be way off base, as I certainly feel your pain. I have a cat that was abandoned by her mom when she was less than 24 hrs. old. I bottle fed her and she did fine. But she is an introvert and gets easily upset.
We went away for a weekend and even though she knows the lady who pet sits for me, she went off her food. I couldn’t get her to eat anything.
I was frantic as the vet also told me that they must eat. I tried everything like you and no go. Once I realized that my stress level was so high because of this, I just willed myself to calm down and act like I didn’t care if she ate or not. ( I did care), but I was exhausted. She started eating that next morning. She’s been fine since. They are so in tune with our stress level, and I’m sure that doesn’t help.[/QUOTE]

Very, very, very interesting to me. Yes, I am totally stressed over this and so worried about her eating. I try not to hover (but do) to see what she’s eating, I count every bite, and am pretty much the same you were - frantic to get her to eat more. I, too, am exhausted from it all. I actually get mad that I’m trying SO HARD, yet it doesn’t seem to make a difference. Thanks for the suggestion - I will try to just be casual about it, calm down, and see if it helps.

[JumpQH]

[QUOTE=CindyCRNA;7948113]
My kitty also had to go on steroids as she has irritable bowel. That made all the difference in the world![/QUOTE]

I’m trying to get a hold of my vet (she didn’t call back yesterday, so I’ll try again today) to brainstorm. My cancer kitty did way better on steroids, too.