Very Stubborn Cat

spandexpudding

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I have the most picky of picky cats, and I need help..

I know he's hungry, but he's also very very stubborn.

Basically its come to that he needs to eat wet food, and no more hard as it makes him regurgitate the food. But he isn't the biggest fan of wet food.

I have tried, slightly warming it, fresh out of the fridge, fresh, mushing it, watering it down, making it into a soup, adding some hard food, crushing hard food and putting that in it, little, a lot

He's seen the vet already, he lost a pound in a lil over a week because he's just not eating enough of it.

This food is good food, its healthy and he does eat it..just not enough..I am trying now to offer it, and then put it up for 15 minutes and offer it again..and probably will be doing this a couple times to see if it works..

I am at a loss, the vet said he needs to be consuming at least two can's to regain his weight..but I can barely get him to eat a few licks!
He doesn't like the canned food that has chunks in it, he will just lick at it..so he's being given pate.

If there is any other form of advice, that I have not tried yet..please feel free and let me know! I am a desperate cat mom.

I came here to find some solid advice, I am at a real loss..and I been really trying my hardest to get him to eat more. He gets so excited when I grab the hard food, and it breaks my heart..he just can't have it..the vet said that I may have to try and get him to eat the SAME exact brand and such as the wet food which I may end up doing..but I am paranoid he'll have the same issues.
 

rubysmama

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Hello and welcome to TCS. Sorry it's your cat's food issues that brought you here. :(

How old is your cat? Has he always regurgitated his dry food? Or is this something new? If new, is it caused by a health issue?

If not a health issue, sometimes regurgitating dry food is caused by eating it too fast. If that's the case, there are food dishes you can buy designed to slow down their eating. cat food dish to slow down eating - Google Search

Did you stop his dry food at all once, or gradually? It's usually recommended to change a cat's food slowly.

Some cats, unfortunately, are kibble addicts, and will starve themselves before resorting to eating canned food. Hopefully your guy isn't one of them, and you'll eventually find one he likes.

Until other members reply, here's a couple TCS articles that might have some helpful information for you.

18 Awesome Cat Feeding Tips By Thecatsite Staff Members
Transitioning Your Cat From Kibble To A New Type Of Food (canned, Raw, Or Homemade)
 
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spandexpudding

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Hello and welcome to TCS. Sorry it's your cat's food issues that brought you here. :(

How old is your cat? Has he always regurgitated his dry food? Or is this something new? If new, is it caused by a health issue?

If not a health issue, sometimes regurgitating dry food is caused by eating it too fast. If that's the case, there are food dishes you can buy designed to slow down their eating. cat food dish to slow down eating - Google Search

Did you stop his dry food at all once, or gradually? It's usually recommended to change a cat's food slowly.

Some cats, unfortunately, are kibble addicts, and will starve themselves before resorting to eating canned food. Hopefully your guy isn't one of them, and you'll eventually find one he likes.

Until other members reply, here's a couple TCS articles that might have some helpful information for you.

18 Awesome Cat Feeding Tips By Thecatsite Staff Members
Transitioning Your Cat From Kibble To A New Type Of Food (canned, Raw, Or Homemade)

He's always done this, I switched to a sensitive stomach food for him, also just better ingredients in general..when I got him he was 3 he's about..5 or maybe even 6.

No health issues however, he's pretty healthy other then the slight weight loss. I did try to let him eat the rest of his dry food on his own and it went by slowly..he eats some wet food..just obviously not enough to keep up the healthy calorie intake that a cat should be getting.

I just gave him a bit of dry food, with his wet food on the side just to try and encourage him..of course he for sure favors the dry.

This cat WILL starve himself, he's been just supremely stubborn about not eating too much of that dry food..he does not seem to like a lot of flavors..thus far rabbit and duck seem to work out better..even if its supremely small amounts.

I'll check out the resources provided!
 
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spandexpudding

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Also would like to mention, he's using a slow down feeder for his dry food as well
 
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spandexpudding

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Well another update, tried feeding wet this morning he went for it..then fed a tiny bit of dry..this afternoon I tried giving him leftover wet..he licked like once or twice..this evening I tried to give him left over wet food he refused to eat it..opened a fresh can he ate some of it..then gave him some kibble..and he regurgitated.

I honestly don't know what I am going to do..he just can't have kibble..I really don't want him doing that to himself. Anyone else have any idea what I can do?
 

maggiedemi

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Have you tried a twice a day feeding? Maybe 3oz of canned food at 7am and 3oz again at 7pm?
 

susanm9006

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When he throws up the kibble, is it whole pieces? If so, try a large size kibble where he needs to chew it in order to swallow it. I had one that threw up after eating without chewing and changing the size really helped.
 
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spandexpudding

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Have you tried a twice a day feeding? Maybe 3oz of canned food at 7am and 3oz again at 7pm?
Yes, I have tried to give him a better schedule as far as eating, but a few problems..I leave it out for an hour and put it up..he does not ever finish his food ever..regardless how little or small the amount is. He'll take a few licks and that's about that.

But sometimes he will refuse to eat it within that hour..or he will refuse it out right period..I have taken notice he prefers fresh over leftovers too. So frustrating.
 
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spandexpudding

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When he throws up the kibble, is it whole pieces? If so, try a large size kibble where he needs to chew it in order to swallow it. I had one that threw up after eating without chewing and changing the size really helped.
He throws up whole kibble, which he's not technically throwing up its regurgitation. I wish I could express how many different types I've tried, since I thought it was sensitive stomach..unless there is dog sized kibble there isn't much I can do about the size. Though yes, his current one is super small..he's had bigger before and still did this. lol
 

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You might just try to find a super good quality dry that he won't throw up. research the ingredients and see if there is one ingredient that so far they all have in common and then try to find one without that product in it. I had to buy at least 10 ifferent kinds of wet food for a little super skinny stary that showed up, she was REALLY spoiled, I wondered if an old person had died and she was thrown out. The ONLY food so far I can get her to eat is table scraps, and Meow Mix single serve cups in bits (NOT PATE!) in Turkey and giblets. I have NEVER had one this willing to starve if she didn't get what she wanted! So don't give up, you still might stumble on a dry that he can mostly eat. Like staed above, you might try different sized kibble too, or kitten kibble or senior.
 

danteshuman

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My kitten is picky and driving me nuts with his obsession with fish. So I have been buying friskier little soups and mixing one with one can of fancy feast. It might be worth a try. Personally I think the little soup s are ice cream or twinkies for cats ...... but if it gets your boy eating :dunno: Also I would try baby food (a meat one like chicken or beef with no onion or garlic.) If you try baby food I would try mixing in the smallest amount you can get away with, so he eats the canned food he needs.

My 6 month old kitten is picky about freshness to. He also will only eat 1/4 to 1/2 of a 3 oz can in one sitting. I think if you fed him 4 times a day it might work better (I bought lids at a petstore that fit perfectly on fancy feast cans .... test the lid on a can before you buy it.) So I give him a serving, put the rest in the fridge with the lid. I take the food out, put on a saucer, nuke for 5 seconds, stir and serve. If he has food leftover on his plate, I scoop it into a pile then put a spoonful of water on the plate, so water is around the edges preventing that dry crusty stuff he hates. The longest I have seen my cat hold out on food he dislikes is 5 hours.... and then I cracked and gave him something else.

:goodluck:
I hope your boy starts eating all his food soon :crossfingers:
 
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spandexpudding

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You might just try to find a super good quality dry that he won't throw up. research the ingredients and see if there is one ingredient that so far they all have in common and then try to find one without that product in it. I had to buy at least 10 ifferent kinds of wet food for a little super skinny stary that showed up, she was REALLY spoiled, I wondered if an old person had died and she was thrown out. The ONLY food so far I can get her to eat is table scraps, and Meow Mix single serve cups in bits (NOT PATE!) in Turkey and giblets. I have NEVER had one this willing to starve if she didn't get what she wanted! So don't give up, you still might stumble on a dry that he can mostly eat. Like staed above, you might try different sized kibble too, or kitten kibble or senior.

He is on pretty good dry food, and I've tried others..he really seems to dislike fish, and chicken..I went around finding anything without chicken in it at all..just a single protein which in this case is rabbit. I have tried so many types of wet food in the past as well, and he reacts the same way. He does eat a little of this food, just not enough of it..and its really annoying to me because I just want him to eat.

I don't know if there is kibble large enough that'll work as I have tried many different types already at different sizes *mainly when I was looking for a food that didn't make him do this*

He's on grain free, sensitive stomach, and single protein food..I am trying..but let me tell you the amount of money I've spent switching things up is really crazy lol.
 
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spandexpudding

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My kitten is picky and driving me nuts with his obsession with fish. So I have been buying friskier little soups and mixing one with one can of fancy feast. It might be worth a try. Personally I think the little soup s are ice cream or twinkies for cats ...... but if it gets your boy eating :dunno: Also I would try baby food (a meat one like chicken or beef with no onion or garlic.) If you try baby food I would try mixing in the smallest amount you can get away with, so he eats the canned food he needs.

My 6 month old kitten is picky about freshness to. He also will only eat 1/4 to 1/2 of a 3 oz can in one sitting. I think if you fed him 4 times a day it might work better (I bought lids at a petstore that fit perfectly on fancy feast cans .... test the lid on a can before you buy it.) So I give him a serving, put the rest in the fridge with the lid. I take the food out, put on a saucer, nuke for 5 seconds, stir and serve. If he has food leftover on his plate, I scoop it into a pile then put a spoonful of water on the plate, so water is around the edges preventing that dry crusty stuff he hates. The longest I have seen my cat hold out on food he dislikes is 5 hours.... and then I cracked and gave him something else.

:goodluck:
I hope your boy starts eating all his food soon :crossfingers:

I have tried feeding him multiple times in a day, and he wont touch it while its out for the recommended hour..maybe will return a couple times..I am tempted to try another wet food and see if it works out better but its so difficult to know. I have also tried warming it up a little to make it more appetizing..he's supremely picky.
 
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spandexpudding

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You could probably leave it out safely for 3 hours. That's what I do. Then I throw it away if they don't finish.
I will try the three hours, as so long that's safe..I am so paranoid!! I may try another wet food..equally as healthy..He's currently eating Merrick! Its such a good brand!
 
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spandexpudding

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Well, I have tried the other canned food that the vet recommended me even though I really don't like it..he was eating a bit more of it..and I am still having the same problems with him. I don't know if there is anything new I can try at this point, I tried going back to a tiny bit of dry, but I just can't have him regurgitating it..This is just insane..never have ever had a cat do this before. I am stumped. Leaving it out, or just simply putting it away for a bit then taking it out..nothing is working..he's hardly touching it.
 

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When it comes to eating the kibble, have you tried having his bowl elevated so he does not have to bend his neck? That can help with regurgitation issues.
 

inkysmom

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My car's will only eat fancy feast gravy lovers cans. Or friskies. Not great quality but they went from thin to good weight, one is now a bit too chunky.
 
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