Bottomless Pit

auntie crazy

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At ten months old, your baby is still a kitten and 5 ounces a day isn't enough food for a kitten, especially one that big. Kittens can be fed at double the rate of adults cats and should ideally be offered as much as they can eat, broken down into at least three but preferably four meals a day.
 

Also, you said "probably" 5 ounces a day; it's been my experience that if you don't actually measure the food out (either when you pack it or when you feed it), it can be easy to slowly drift away from the ideal amount. From your description, it appears you are feeding prey model style; if you are, and if you're not weighing the meals, how are you sure you're offering a balanced 80/10/5/5 diet? If he's not receiving everything he needs (what organs or bone-in meals are you feeding?), that could be contributing to his drive to eat everything in sight, as well.

I think your gorgeous boy needs more food... and maybe a more balanced diet.

AC
 
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harleydiva

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AC....thanks for the response.  He gets 2.5 oz of ground raw, plus 1-2 chicken hearts, and a gizzard, plus freeze dried chicken for treats at a minimum twice a day.  For the past couple of weeks, I have been adding a big spoonful of green tripe at both meals (just weighed one....adds another ounce) to entice him to eat all of the ground raw.    He used to eat 3 times a day, but won't eat the middle of the day meal any more....not even hearts or gizzards, which he loves.  None of my three will eat the third meal any more....so I use the freeze dried treats at bedtime to get a little more in them.  I am not feeding prey model...they are getting ground meat/bone/organ mixes from My Pet Carnivore (chicken,turkey,beef,pork,rabbit) with Alnutrin at every meal...so I don't think it is unbalanced? I add the chicken hearts for meat and taurine, and the gizzards for teeth cleaning.   He also gets salmon oil or a sardine (weekly) once a day. I weigh the portions with a digital scale when I pack them for the freezer.  He also cleans up everything the other 2 cats don't eat....so probably yet another ounce or more.  I will definitely try to feed him more.....but am not optimistic that he will eat another meal, given recent experience.  He is definitely not thin.....in fact I am more worried he is getting too heavy.
 

Willowy

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Haha, some kitties are bottomless pits. I keep my bread in the fridge. . .keeps it from getting moldy, too. Bananas go in the microwave (when I'm not using it, of course!)---they don't eat bananas but will gladly chew on them. They always want some crackers when I eat them. Cheese is never safe. I have to put baby locks on the pantry doors, or they'll open them, rip open the packages, and eat everything. Even oatmeal :tongue2:.

It does sound like he's getting enough. But maybe try giving him a bit of cooked meat (to make him think it's "people food"), see if that satisfies him. But of course, if he catches on that it's his food and not your food, he probably won't eat it :lol3:.

Cats are weird.
 
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minka

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I agree with AC. Try giving him 3-4oz per meal and see if that makes a difference. He's still growing so you shouldn't have to worry about him putting on fat yet.
 
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harleydiva

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Interesting development......he seems to not want to eat the raw food after eating it for 3 months now.  I fed rabbit last night...his favorite.  He always cleans his dish and everyone else's dish when we have rabbit.  Last night he took a couple of bites and walked away.  This morning they got beef/green tripe mix....also a usual favorite....he didn't eat anything.  I broke down about an hour ago and gave him a can of Tiki chicken.....he ate it all.  Why would he suddenly not eat the raw food?  Same supplier, same varieties, same supplement....nothing has changed.
 

vball91

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Mine gets tired of foods very quickly. I have to constantly rotate flavors or she won't eat. Maybe he wants something different? Or maybe he just wants people food and canned is more like people food? Cats!
 

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I feed my DSH Tortie three times a day (canned food), and rotate them so she gets three different kinds each day. My Burmese eats nothing but raw, she seems to favor the chicken/pork mixture I make. She eats the same food (maybe I should say inhales) three times a day. She never gets tired of it. She seems to prefer it on the cooler side, which is surprising as most raw eaters like their food a bit warm. I had a cat that passed away last year that would rather starve than eat a flavor she did not like. Cats will make you go gray if you let them!

Lei Ann
 
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harleydiva

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Interesting development......he seems to not want to eat the raw food after eating it for 3 months now.  I fed rabbit last night...his favorite.  He always cleans his dish and everyone else's dish when we have rabbit.  Last night he took a couple of bites and walked away.  This morning they got beef/green tripe mix....also a usual favorite....he didn't eat anything.  I broke down about an hour ago and gave him a can of Tiki chicken.....he ate it all.  Why would he suddenly not eat the raw food?  Same supplier, same varieties, same supplement....nothing has changed.
Posted the above 4 days ago....since then he has decided to eat the raw again for the most part.  I added a midday meal back in for all three.  It is hit and miss whether they will eat it or not.  I am not usually here during the day, so picked up a few grain free canned chicken, and cut up some chicken thighs into "french fries" so that my roommate can feed them during the day if I'm not here.  They will always eat the canned....but I really don't want to feed any more of that than I have to.  Yesterday, I gave them the raw chicken pieces, and all 3 ate a little.  Today, I put it out again.  Persian boy ate his face off....Siamese boy ate one piece, but "The Pit" looked at it and walked away.  
 
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harleydiva

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Posted the above 4 days ago....since then he has decided to eat the raw again for the most part.  I added a midday meal back in for all three.  It is hit and miss whether they will eat it or not.  I am not usually here during the day, so picked up a few grain free canned chicken, and cut up some chicken thighs into "french fries" so that my roommate can feed them during the day if I'm not here.  They will always eat the canned....but I really don't want to feed any more of that than I have to.  Yesterday, I gave them the raw chicken pieces, and all 3 ate a little.  Today, I put it out again.  Persian boy ate his face off....Siamese boy ate one piece, but "The Pit" looked at it and walked away.  
Well that lasted a couple of days....now he is getting all picky again.  Refused to eat his raw meal last night and again this morning, and was scrounging the countertops.   He did eat some plain strips of raw chicken thigh (out of the container on the counter while I answered a phone call) a little while ago, but was still scrounging for food, so I broke down and gave him a can of Tiki Chicken, which he "absorbed".  Last night, after refusing his meal....he was trying to get into the bread again, then tried to get pasta off my plate.  He apparently hasn't read the book about cats not eating grains.  It is kind of weird.....The Pit was the first once to accept the raw food and ate it really well.  Persian boy was the one who resisted....but now eats everything I put in front of him.    
 
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harleydiva

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Update:  fed him the same chicken mix he refused this morning with some reconstituted S&C freeze dried chicken mixed in.....now it is wonderful and he is stuffing himself.  Normally.....he won't eat the freeze dried.  I need an in-house psychic to figure out what this boy wants....lol.
 

minka

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Sometimes cats are just not 'feeling' that particular food that day, but IMO, the best way to solve the issue is to not give in. When you cave and give canned, it only solidifys his pickiness. As long as he has had Something to eat that day, it's okay to let him be picky and not eat any of that meal. When he sees what you put down is what he gets.. He'll stop being so picky.
 
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carolina

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HarleyDiva - one thing to think about.... Those hearts and gizzards you are adding here and there.... Pay attention to them - they will unbalance your diet. If you are not balancing it with calcium, they can not be more than 15% of your meals. It is very easy to add up with you are talking about hearts and guizzards - they weight quite a bit....
Also, try toppers - have you tried sprinkling crumbled freeze dried chicken treats powder on the top of their raw meal?
These work wonders: Whole Life Freeze Dried Chicken
I process it into a powder in my magic bullet smoothie maker, then put it into a shaker. If they don't want to eat, I just sprinkle this on their meals.

Another GREAT topper is the probiotic Fortiflora - NOT a good probiotic, but when used as a topper it is like kitty crack! You just use a tiny bit to lightly dust the meal with it. Here is the link: Fortiflora for cats

Try to give him more variety.
Introduce new meats slowly, using the meats he loves as a base meat to introduce the new one - think kibble introduction.
One the first day you will feed mainly the meat he loves, with a small amount of the new meat mixed into it. Every day you mix a bit of the new meat, and reduce the amount of the old meat.
This way you are not only getting his tummy adjusted to the new proteins, but also tricking him into liking the new proteins.
You can vary the base meats using the meats he already eats.

I am NOT ok in starving the kitty into eating - I am one that will never let my cats skip a meal. being toppers, or figuring out a way to feed them.... But skipping meals is not for me - unless there is a medical reason to do so - being finicky and forcing a cat to eat doesn't qualify on my book. But that's me, right or wrong I don't know :dk:
Good luck! :wavey:
 
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harleydiva

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The really weird thing about this guy is it's not an issue of introducing new stuff to him.  He has been eating these same foods for 3 months.....after transitioning from canned food to raw.  Stuff he loved 2 days ago, he doesn't want to eat today....then goes for bread, or pasta  (from the parrot), or anything he thinks we are eating.  This morning he refused beef/tripe, which he loved a week ago.  I gave them some freeze dried raw for lunch.  In the past he wouldn't touch it, but scarfed it today.  His absolutely favorite food is rabbit, but he has even walked away from that a couple of times. I'm just not getting why he suddenly is picky and wants people food after happily eating raw for 3 months.  And no....we have never fed the cats people food in the past, so why he thinks he should have it all of sudden is a mystery.
 

minka

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Well, since beef/rabbit was basically the only things he was eating (because it was the only things he liked at the beginning) maybe he got bored of them? But I hear this all the time, that a cat will happily eat the same food over and over, for years even! and then all of a sudden not want it anymore.
But that's understandable. However, I wouldn't let it go out of control. I would practice putting down the food and walking away; then he doesn't have the chance to go 'oh, hmm, I wonder if I can convince my human to give me something else..' because you aren't around. See how that goes..
 
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harleydiva

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Well, since beef/rabbit was basically the only things he was eating (because it was the only things he liked at the beginning) maybe he got bored of them? But I hear this all the time, that a cat will happily eat the same food over and over, for years even! and then all of a sudden not want it anymore.
But that's understandable. However, I wouldn't let it go out of control. I would practice putting down the food and walking away; then he doesn't have the chance to go 'oh, hmm, I wonder if I can convince my human to give me something else..' because you aren't around. See how that goes..
Actually, he wasn't exclusive to beef/rabbit, they were just favorites.  He was also eating chicken, turkey, pork, duck, and would usually eat anything with a little green tripe.  He wasn't picky at all.....ate his food and finished anything the other two left. (He is the biggest, so I don't worry about him doing cleanup).  Cats are so weird.....I bought a bag of Stella and Chewys chicken, just as backup in case I forgot to thaw something.  I soak it and then cut it up into smaller pieces.  None of the three cats wanted anything to do with it.  Now....they all think it is wonderful.

I agree though, that he is being manipulative.  He will turn up his nose, walk away, then start searching the counters for people food.  We can't leave anything edible on the counters, or he is into it.  If only I could get the parrot to quit throwing him food.....lol. 
 

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"The Pit" strikes again......  I bought a new loaf of whole grain bread couple days ago.  Packed it in 2 grocery bags, under several items in a back corner of the counter, behind appliances.  Went to make a sandwich today....bread is still in the grocery bags, but half the loaf has been eaten.  He is obsessed with bread.  He's eating his other food...where is he putting it?  The other 2 cats could care less about bread.  He will be making sandwiches soon.....
this may sound crazy but maybe he is craving grain or missing a vitamin
 

mewlittle

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Haha, some kitties are bottomless pits. I keep my bread in the fridge. . .keeps it from getting moldy, too. Bananas go in the microwave (when I'm not using it, of course!)---they don't eat bananas but will gladly chew on them. They always want some crackers when I eat them. Cheese is never safe. I have to put baby locks on the pantry doors, or they'll open them, rip open the packages, and eat everything. Even oatmeal
.

It does sound like he's getting enough. But maybe try giving him a bit of cooked meat (to make him think it's "people food"), see if that satisfies him. But of course, if he catches on that it's his food and not your food, he probably won't eat it
.

Cats are weird.
i caught my cat Mikaela in the bag of bird seed right after i gave her 5.5oz of wet and 1/4 cup dry she was at the cat box a day later popping out bird seed the look on her face that was about a yr ago even my dachshund joined her :/ now she is afraid of the bird seed bag 

all because i had to go to the bathroom and i had to lock all the cabinets doors she well eat any thing from eggnoodles to macaroni to even dry rice

so now i have every thing thats baged or boxed in a plastic storage container even the cat food now my cat cant get in it hahaha
 

mewlittle

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The really weird thing about this guy is it's not an issue of introducing new stuff to him.  He has been eating these same foods for 3 months.....after transitioning from canned food to raw.  Stuff he loved 2 days ago, he doesn't want to eat today....then goes for bread, or pasta  (from the parrot), or anything he thinks we are eating.  This morning he refused beef/tripe, which he loved a week ago.  I gave them some freeze dried raw for lunch.  In the past he wouldn't touch it, but scarfed it today.  His absolutely favorite food is rabbit, but he has even walked away from that a couple of times. I'm just not getting why he suddenly is picky and wants people food after happily eating raw for 3 months.  And no....we have never fed the cats people food in the past, so why he thinks he should have it all of sudden is a mystery.
maybe he is getting a upset stomach with raw?

if the raw aint upsetting is stomach maybe its that green tripe doing it
 
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harleydiva

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He definitely "wants" grain.....wants bread mostly, but will go after pasta or rice also.  Since he can't process it, he isn't going to get it from me.  He has horrible loose, smelly poops after he gets any grain.  He was on premium grain free canned food prior to the raw diet....had loose yucky stools with that also.  Had him vet checked....couldn't find anything.  Treated him for potential bacterial infection .... no change.  After 3 days on raw.....no more problems....unless he gets into other food.

Don't think he is missing a vitamin?  He gets Alnutrin in his ground food, plus salmon oil once a day, and extra hearts for taurine (even tho Alnutrin provides twice the recommended amount)..  The only thing I haven't tried is raw egg, but the Alnutrin should be supplying what he needs.  I am planning on adding some raw egg to the mix next time tho.

I can see him going after bird seed...lol.....fortunately, my parrot doesn't eat seed.  He will throw him macaroni or veggies tho.  He will eat veggies sometimes....the other cats look at him like he is crazy.

He shows no signs of upset stomach....it's not that he won't eat.....he just wants to eat what HE wants.  If he walked away from a raw meal, and I put down a can.....he would eat it.  Per the previous advice, I have stopped doing that, as I am just reinforcing him when I do.   He has been raw diet for over 3 months with no signs of upset.  He will almost always eat if it his favorite food (rabbit).  He has eaten green tripe for some time now....it is a natural probiotic as well as providing digestive enzymes.....no reason I would suspect it of causing stomach upset.  He doesn't eat it everyday. 

I have doubled the amount of food I'm giving him.....3 meals per day + treats (freeze dried) to make sure he isn't hungry.  He sometimes eats all his food, and cleans up after the other two if they leave anything. A lot of days, tho, he doesn't eat all that I offer him.
 
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peaches08

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I had to chase mine down a week ago for taking off with fresh turnip greens. The same cats that were interested in turkey meat until I added it to their raw. Who knows why they go after what they do!

I doubt he's missing a vitamin, grains/bread tasted very sweet to me after I followed a strict low carb diet. He's probably chasing down sugar.
 
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