People w/finicky cats, help me with a cat food change!

[BuelahWitch]

My kitty Angel has had some trouble keeping down her food. We went to the vet who didn't find anything wrong, but suggested that she go on a blander diet. The problem is, she's only been willing to eat one brand of cat food for almost the nine years we've been together (she even gave up on soft food after about 6 months, so I stopped giving it to her since she only liked the hard food on a regular basis). The food she has been eating is Friskies Chef's Blend. The doc wants her to go on
a Prescription Diet, Feline i/d.

What can I do to get her to eat this food?

[Lorien]

1. Several things; first, is the diet the vet recommends

made of human grade ingredients? I did a lot of research on feline nutrition after losing my beloved kitty Peewee to cardiomyopathy (which became a problem after years of trying to control hyperthyroid disease and kidney problems). I was determined to spare my new kittens from the same fate. I was horrified to discover what really goes into those grocery brands (including Iams, Eukanuba, Waltham, Nutro, Science Diet, etc.); spoiled meat, animal waste, scrapes deemed unfit for human consumption, artificial dyes which can cause food sensitivities, and corn syrups used to create a food "addiction" (often leads to feline diabetes). Now I only feed my cats holistic foods made with human grade ingredients. You can find a good list of these brands here: www.pookiesbowwowbakery.com . As for a good holistic dry food that EVERY cat seems to love; try Artemis Fresh Mix feline (www.artemiscompany.com -use their store locater to find the product in your area). Another popular option is Organix cat food (http://www.castorpolluxpet.com/index.php also available at Pookies, above), made with 70% organic ingredients. My elderly cat enjoys both of these brands and hasn't thrown up at all with either (he used to get sick a lot before I switched to the holistic brands).

If you are dead set on buying the prescription diet, try using "dinner party" in chicken made by Halo; www.halopets.com it's a powder used to make new foods more palatable to cats-and it's also a holistic brand.

[radfringe]

6. we had to do that with one of our dogs

the vet recommended a food specifically for her kidney/liver

problem was she hated it.

So I started mixing the old food with the new food -- 1/4 new stuff with 3/4 old stuff, and every few days would increase the amount of new stuff and decrease the old stuff until she was completely switched over

[BuelahWitch]

7. Thanks I'll try this

[hobbit709]

2. Cat gets hungry enough

will eat anything and lick the bowl afterwards.

[Lorien]

3. Not all of them

I had one that refused to eat for three weeks rather than try something new. My vet said that some cats have been known to starve themselves to death rather than make a change (they aren't very healthy to begin with, I would guess). One of his patients even ate lint out of the dryer instead of food and eventually did herself in, which makes one wonder; is there such a thing as kitty suicide?

[BuelahWitch]

5. Thank you very much for this acknowledgement

So many people say that a cat will eat anything if it's hungry enough.
It's not true, at least not for all of them.

[mockmonkey]

4. Our cat Cinnamin

used to throw up after eating. We thought it was too much cereal in the brand we were using so switched to a brand with more protein and less cereal. That didn't work. So we took her to the vet and they didn't find anything wrong. Turned out that she was just eating too much. So we limited the time that food was available and the amount of food she got at one time. We haven't had a problem since.
Sometimes it's something simple.
We have four cats and so far they all accept the same kind of food. It's just a matter of how it's presented. Cinn likes to eat away from the other cats. When we give them canned cat food they like it to be spread out on the plate and not in one lump.
Introducing a new food is always a pain. I guess all you can do is pay close attention to how much you give Angel to see if she is eating any of it. If the amount doesn't increase during the week consult with your vet.
My SO says he would not worry about it that the kitty will get hungry enough and eat then.

[Rhiannon12866]

8. What I have always done, when having to change food,

is to do it very gradually, for both cats and dogs. Otherwise their tummys can get upset, diarrhea, etc. I believe that my Rhiannon was also on the i/d. *sigh* I'd find out if there was wet food in this prescription, and I know there is, since she would only eat dry food for a snack, and only one prescription food she was on was only available in dry. But I'm pretty sure that this was the z/d, and not the i/d. This was one huge problem, for her, and I've been there, so know what you're going through. Perhaps you could mix wet and dry, and just do it gradually, but I know how fussy they can be.:eyes:

My friend was just telling me, tonight, that she is also switching over her cat's food. This kitty also eats only dry, put picks out only the one she wants, and leaves the rest, LOL! Good luck and let us know how she's doing. Your vet may have some suggestions on how to make it more palatable to her, like moistening it, which I did for my dog, but i/d is available in cans.:-)

[Eurobabe]

9. LOL, then my older cat must have a cast iron stomach

I try to blend the food if I switch, but he's never been one to complain if I give him his brother's food when he runs out. (All 24 lbs of the guy!)

[Rhiannon12866]

10. I've always been told to switch food gradually, but I may be too cautious.

But most of my dogs have been on prescription food, at one time or another, and two of my cats. But Rhiannon protested long and loudly when her prescription food was only available in dry, and my kitty, who I lost earlier this year, just wouldn't eat the canned food that she was prescribed, so it was back to Fancy Feast grilled chicken or turkey. That's all that she liked or would eat. So you do what you have to do.:shrug:

Maybe your older cat prefers his brother's food. And they can be competitive. I have two dogs and they are so funny. One eats well; my tiny dog is finicky. But when each of them is done, they make a point of checking out the other's bowl and cleaning up anything that may be left, LOL!:D

BTW, how's the little pisser?:shrug: