Cat Addicted To Fish, Please Help

[sdkfjlasdf]

I used to feed Aquaria Fancy feast liver and chicken. But I was told to try a variety of flavors... So i ended up getting "ocean whitefish" and tuna. Now that is all she eats. I'm worried about mercury levels in tuna. Is there a way I can wean her off fish? Like put tuna juice on her chicken pate?? Sigh.

 

[abyeb]

Fish is okay as an occasional treat, but you’re right that the mercury levels are a concern if a cat eats only fish. Maybe try mixing in a little bit of the chicken in with the fish, and then gradually reduce the fish. You could also crumble up some fish-flavored treats to use as a topper for the chicken pate.

 

[cheeser]

Bless your heart, it can be a challenge to wean a cat off something once they've become addicted to it. *hugs you and your kitty* But in the long run, it will be much better for your cat if you can help her transition to other proteins.

One of our cats with chronic upper respiratory problems got addicted to a fish based diet that the vet recommended for him. It may have helped to tempt his appetite when he couldn't smell worth a darn, but it also caused some awful recurrent urinary tract problems.

We tried to gradually wean Buddy off fish by feeding him other protein based pate style flavors (like chicken, turkey, etc.), but that included fish as an ingredient, or mixing a little bit of tuna juice or bits of shrimp or something kinda fishy in his food. The plan was to gradually keep decreasing the amount of fishy stuff until we had completely eliminated it from his diet.

Unfortunately, that plan didn't work out, as ANY fish in his diet caused his urinary tract problems to keep flaring up.

So in sheer desperation, we thought we'd try some different textures, and that's what helped Buddy finally kick his addiction to fish. He absolutely fell in love with chicken based shredded textures like Tiki Cat, Fussie Cat, Weruva, Cats in the Kitchen, and Wellness Signature Selects. Then once we cleared that hurdle, it was easier to get him to non-fish pate style foods (although we sometimes had to sprinkle some crushed up PureBites on top).

Hope you find something that tickles your kitty's fancy!

 

[sdkfjlasdf]

Fish is okay as an occasional treat, but you’re right that the mercury levels are a concern if a cat eats only fish. Maybe try mixing in a little bit of the chicken in with the fish, and then gradually reduce the fish. You could also crumble up some fish-flavored treats to use as a topper for the chicken pate.

Thanks, I just tried giving her Fancy Feast Creamy Delights chicken and she finished almost the whole thing... but was clearly tolerating it Lol. I don't know how much fish is in there but it's not the first or second ingredient, so hopefully not too much. I don't know if she'll get sick of it like she did with the liver chicken pate though... I might go to the market to get some bonito flakes and tuna juice if she absolutely does not want to eat. I have like 8 cans of chicken wellness, petcurean and holistic select that she suddenly decided to turn down so I might just have to use fish treats as well.

Bless your heart, it can be a challenge to wean a cat off something once they've become addicted to it. *hugs you and your kitty* But in the long run, it will be much better for your cat if you can help her transition to other proteins.

One of our cats with chronic upper respiratory problems got addicted to a fish based diet that the vet recommended for him. It may have helped to tempt his appetite when he couldn't smell worth a darn, but it also caused some awful recurrent urinary tract problems.

We tried to gradually wean Buddy off fish by feeding him other protein based pate style flavors (like chicken, turkey, etc.), but that included fish as an ingredient, or mixing a little bit of tuna juice or bits of shrimp or something kinda fishy in his food. The plan was to gradually keep decreasing the amount of fishy stuff until we had completely eliminated it from his diet.

Unfortunately, that plan didn't work out, as ANY fish in his diet caused his urinary tract problems to keep flaring up.

So in sheer desperation, we thought we'd try some different textures, and that's what helped Buddy finally kick his addiction to fish. He absolutely fell in love with chicken based shredded textures like Tiki Cat, Fussie Cat, Weruva, Cats in the Kitchen, and Wellness Signature Selects. Then once we cleared that hurdle, it was easier to get him to non-fish pate style foods (although we sometimes had to sprinkle some crushed up PureBites on top).

Hope you find something that tickles your kitty's fancy!

Thank you. I dont know why but recently her underside smells like pee. I'm so worried about things like CKD or a UTI but I visited a vet a few months back and she said there's no need to do bloodwork and she should be fine. I'm just going to play it safe and cut out fish-based food completely too. She hates shreds btw I hope to just slowly get rid of the fish addiction.

 

[RajaNMizu]

Hi there! We had that problem for a while. In an effort to convince Mizu that wet food was good for her, we got a little fishy. Slowly we are getting the pendulum to swing back in the opposite direction. She ADORES bonito flakes so putting them on top of anything will at least get her to try it...and we've had more successes than failures. Keep trying different brands even if she's turned her nose up at that protein she may like it in a different brand. Lately we are liking a lot of beef, chicken liver and turkey which was off the menu for a long time and is suddenly "good" again.

 

[sdkfjlasdf]

Hi there! We had that problem for a while. In an effort to convince Mizu that wet food was good for her, we got a little fishy. Slowly we are getting the pendulum to swing back in the opposite direction. She ADORES bonito flakes so putting them on top of anything will at least get her to try it...and we've had more successes than failures. Keep trying different brands even if she's turned her nose up at that protein she may like it in a different brand. Lately we are liking a lot of beef, chicken liver and turkey which was off the menu for a long time and is suddenly "good" again.

Thank you!! It's so hard to get a cat off tuna... I'll try to find a big variety of poultry based foods for her and of course the bonito flakes.

 

[duckpond]

If you can try quite a few different brand of non fish that's great. go to the store and get a can of this a can of that. Cats are so picky about food sometimes. Try different brands and textures, some minced, some pate, some shreds.

There are a LOT of brands my guys refuse to eat i have thrown out a lot of food finding what they like.

One girl and one boy love minced, nutro and nulo minced, fancy feast minced, purina pro plan the in gravy ones, merick backcountry, this is the only rabbit flavor they will eat. they don't really like shreds, or pate. but if i put pure bites on top i can sometimes get them to eat other foods. the male loves Earthborn Monterrey medley.

one boy only likes shreds, and it can only be chicken or beef. he loves fussie cat super premium chicken in gravy, and almo nature chicken and green beans, or soulistic aromatic chicken. many other brands of shreds he will refuse. He will also sometimes eat purina pro plan chicken and rice.

my other girl is more difficult, i have offered her every food you can imagine, she will only eat Almo nature salmon and apple for wet, nothing else. and for dry it can only be dr. elseys chicken. She will not eat other foods, period. I had the hardest time finding something she would eat when her beloved Evo dry was discontinued. Some cats fixate on specific foods. I feel your pain.

Best of luck that you find a few that she loves!

 

[RajaNMizu]

Just when you think you have them figured out

This week they've turned their noses up from Tiki tuna with pumpkin (which has always been a favorite) and are enjoying Soulistic chicken in gelee. Chicken has never been something they LOVE without it being combined with fish. Yet, here we are. Don't give up and always pick up a few that you aren't sure about them liking. It doesn't hurt that the pet store was having a sale, too.

 

[maggiedemi]

Does she like catnip? I rub the catnip between my fingers and sprinkle onto Demi's food. That usually works.

 

[sdkfjlasdf]

Thanks to all of your advice!! I've avoided fish entirely and Miss Picky seems to be ok with it... for now. Hopefully she won't get sick of this again! (And if she does i'll bring out the bonito flakes)

 

[sdkfjlasdf]

Oh no she got hooked onto fish again. I put bonito flakes on top of the chicken based food but shes rejected it

Not going to give up though.

 

[kittyneko1995]

Fish is okay as an occasional treat, but you’re right that the mercury levels are a concern if a cat eats only fish. Maybe try mixing in a little bit of the chicken in with the fish, and then gradually reduce the fish. You could also crumble up some fish-flavored treats to use as a topper for the chicken pate.

That is a great idea! Thank you!!!

 

[Uncled]

One of mine REALLY likes fish based foods so it is a special treat, I tend to mix two different proteins together so they don't get bored with one flavor. I also find it you warm the wet food they eat better for me.