Have you tried putting a small amount of wet and a small amount of dry in different bowls but side by side. As the owner of a picky eater this often works for me. Mine will dip into the wet then dry then wet and so on. One weird cat.
Priceless. You know that is number one on my shopping list now. OMG if Charlie eats that I will practically die laughing.
I promise at least one cat somewhere has eaten at least one (sometimes more) ingredient of that list, including my own boy (he will wake up from the deepest sleep when he hears the reddi whip can )
*sigh* We do have willful children don't we!Sigh. Me, too! I've now tried beef, lamb, rabbit and duck wet foods and so far no luck! Tonight I got her to eat half a portion I served by crushing up her kibble and putting it on top. She's so smart (or stubborn?) she just licks off the top layer and then stops so I have to put more on to get her to eat it...
My next stop might be raw, home cooked or baby food. I'm going to quickly run out of brands/novel proteins she just won't touch though I'm trying to be patient. Haven't tried adding broth yet, either. Or a lot of those on Furballsmom excellent list.
I'm crossing my fingers for you F FeralHearts ! If you discover the secret, please let me know!
*nods* he gets dry food every night at bed with his last wet food meal. He takes bite of it but not much. He picks at it during my sleep hours. (We are changing his dry food up too - so it's a double whammy.) He doesn't do the dip though - that would be hilarious to watch! It does help him get a little food into him so he doesn't get sick though. That's something?Have you tried putting a small amount of wet and a small amount of dry in different bowls but side by side. As the owner of a picky eater this often works for me. Mine will dip into the wet then dry then wet and so on. One weird cat.
Has your vet mentioned blood allergy testing? Mowgli is our second cat with food allergies (he has IBD; our last cat had EGC and hyperesthesia).
In both cases the tests were spot on, and we've had several dogs and cats at the shelter tested, with definitive results.
I would love to know more about food allergy testing for cats as well. A lot of vet sites I looked at suggest that there is no testing for food allergies, which is why I never pursued it. If they are wrong I would really love to have this done. If doctors can do food allergy testing for humans then why can't vets do it for cats?I find this strange. Last year when my cat was having diarrhoea issues and all the tests came back negative, I asked my vet to test for allergies. He told me there is no such test, he even checked with a specialist. I had to go down the food trial route before I found out which he had a problem with.
Yes, I don't want to hijack Feral's thread I did a search on the site and found a recent thread on the topic Serum Allergy Testing . I also phoned a local dermatology clinic and they said the tests were possible but not accurate and not generally recommended. Too bad!Why dont you start a thread on the subject. I think several members have had the tests. You could put your questions to them.
I'm so glad to hear that Mowgli was easy :-) Good kitty!Has your vet mentioned blood allergy testing? Mowgli is our second cat with food allergies (he has IBD; our last cat had EGC and hyperesthesia).
In both cases the tests were spot on, and we've had several dogs and cats at the shelter tested, with definitive results.
It won't help you determine what your cat will eat, but it should tell you what proteins or carbs you shouldn't try in the first place.
The RC hydrolyzed protein food didn't work for Mowgli at all, though I've seen it work for other cats. IIRC, he was on an elimination diet from June to January, with a new protein being added after about 4 - 6 weeks. His test results indicated he couldn't tolerate chicken, most fish, or any grains at all. He's fine with (sweet) potatoes and turnips as well as somewhat exotic meats like horse, rabbit, kangaroo, reindeer, goat, and buffalo. He's not a picky eater at all, plus there's a wide variety of LID pet foods in Germany, so the food trials were fairly easy, fortunately.
They were probably trying to save you the money. Technically what they've said is accurate as testing for allergies, at least here, it is expensive and often wrong. So with that in mind - does the test exist if it's not accurate? ;-) All my vets have said simply that it's not worth it and that the only way to know for sure is the elimination diet.I find this strange. Last year when my cat was having diarrhoea issues and all the tests came back negative, I asked my vet to test for allergies. He told me there is no such test, he even checked with a specialist. I had to go down the food trial route before I found out which he had a problem with.
The human one isn't that great either - this is why humans with IBD or a sensitive stomach / Crones and Gluten intolerances also do elimination diets. There are a few specific tests - like lactose intolerance that are fairly accurate but only a few.I would love to know more about food allergy testing for cats as well. A lot of vet sites I looked at suggest that there is no testing for food allergies, which is why I never pursued it. If they are wrong I would really love to have this done. If doctors can do food allergy testing for humans then why can't vets do it for cats?
Go ahead and hijack all you need. This is all about learning and our experiences so we can help the next poor soul traveling this nightmare road.Yes, I don't want to hijack Feral's thread I did a search on the site and found a recent thread on the topic Serum Allergy Testing . I also phoned a local dermatology clinic and they said the tests were possible but not accurate and not generally recommended. Too bad!
This makes a lot of sense. The vet tech I was speaking to today mentioned that she's seen these food allergy tests results come back showing allergies to humans I'm sure it is possible, but most of us aren't feeding our cats soylent green.The human one isn't that great either - this is why humans with IBD or a sensitive stomach / Crones and Gluten intolerances also do elimination diets. There are a few specific tests - like lactose intolerance that are fairly accurate but only a few.
LOL @ getting it from you. Mostly that's a good trait. Except when we are trying to make them healthy!Yes... I don't know where Amber could possibly get it from? (me probably...!)
She does not like PureBites. I bought them for her and she won't touch them. She only likes crunchy treats! She loves Temptations, but I've stopped giving them now. She'll eat these VitalCat freeze dried rabbit bites I just got though.
She liked Fortiflora the first time I added it to her food, but she doesn't seem impressed anymore.
Goldfish cracks? Yeah - cats are total weirdos. That was added to the shopping list now 'cause I know the tricks work once or twice normally and then I'm back to "Please kitty eat!!". Maybe it will be different this time for both of us? After all - we have a shopping list! *muhahahaha* Bring it on kitties! The mamas and friends have this!Other foods she loved in the past include goldfish crackers, cheese, cheerios and milk... I'll be back at the store tomorrow to get some more supplies! Hopefully we find something that works!
Too funny! When I spoke to the receptionist at the vet today we were joking about Charlie maybe being a vegetarian since the dry food she prescribed is mostly soy and it's the first one, other than his normal, he's actually given a chance."I have this terrible feeling we will end up cooking for them. That terrifies me to be honest, but, if that's what it takes." - agreed. I have no idea how to cook meat being a vegetarian but I'll figure it out if I have to!
Let us know how its going.
Holy Bizarre! The list gets most wacky all the time lol I love it. Total creativity!Oh, yeah, yeah, goldfish crackers!
LOL the more I read - the more I realize how little I understand cats and eating.goodness, turnips?!
Maybe that's it - it's not a food allergy Charlie has - he's allergic to me!This makes a lot of sense. The vet tech I was speaking to today mentioned that she's seen these food allergy tests results come back showing allergies to humans I'm sure it is possible, but most of us aren't feeding our cats soylent green.
Glad to hear he's eating! Very exciting news. The redirected aggression isn't fun... hopefully once his health issues are solved it will get better. It's so hard to tell when they are sick.If we have to cook you and I will beg Wile for recipes. I used to be Vegan so I know how you feel. I still suck at cooking meat and don't each much of it. My life became to hectic to stay balanced so I had to concede. The only upside is no VitB shots every three months.
Me too - it was a step in the right direction! :-)Glad to hear he's eating! Very exciting news. The redirected aggression isn't fun... hopefully once his health issues are solved it will get better. It's so hard to tell when they are sick.
The recipes that I use are all available for free online here: http://www.hilarysblend.ca/CookBook-Recipe-List.aspx
They are super simple to make if it turns out that you need to. I just order the nutritional supplement through my vet. I would feed canned food if it worked though He just doesn't tolerate it well.
That's what I said to him! lol My cheek still hurts as he got my in the face too. Could be worse - could be the other "cheek" lol.Oh, my gosh Charlie!! You are NOT supposed to bite/scratch/shred the hand that is trying to feed you!!
Me too! :-) Thank you for that! I know it probably won't last long but it gives me one more thing to put into a "trick" bag for him. I can rotate the tricks out then. When one stops - I can start the other and so on.If I may say so, I'm tickled pink about the reddiwhip, and I'm SO VERY glad the music is helping
Maybe some chamomile tea for you?
That could be, gosh, I'm sorry that happened, but hopefully he and you both recovered quickly!I was trimming his nails, which, he's never minded ever before, but it was downstairs by the girls. Maybe he felt to vulnerable?