Last weekend, Joey spent the weekend in the animal hospital on IV fluids for a kidney issue. They think it was just some type of attack on his kidneys or random blockage that the fluids flushed out, because after 48 hours on fluids his kidney levels were back in normal range. (On Friday & Saturday creatinine was 7.8 and 7.6, on Sunday night they had dropped to normal (forget the #) and on Wednesday at his recheck, levels were @ 1.3)
So even though they don't think it is chronic renal failure, my vet prescribed a precription renal diet for him. The prescription is for Hills & Royal Canin Renal foods. We decided to stick with the wet food, as we are working to transition our cats to a mainly wet diet, with some dry to supplement.
However, Joey doesn't like his wet food much...either of them. I didn't see any other flavors for the Renal foods, just one flavor for each brand and I have tried both of those. Also, when I feed wet in the AM and wet @ night, Joey doesn't even eat half a can. If I put him in a different room, he eats a little bit but then is mad he is locked in a room.
I have been letting him have the regular wet food for the past two days but worry that his kidney problem will come back if I don't keep him on the prescription diet...how can I get him to like it?? Should I try the Renal dry food?? I have tried mixing tuna, other wet food etc into his special wet food but he eats the other stuff out a bit but gives up on the food. I switched the other cats to pate type wet food so all the wet food is the same consistency so he thinks he has the same kind. Also, because he eats so little of each can, it is lasting for about 2 days each can and after the first day he doesnt seem to like it much (i keep it refrigerated in tupperware and slightly warm it in the microwave before giving it to him..doesnt help)
Also I am trying to switch to the canned food, but how much dry should I still leave out? I have 9 cats, and I don't know how many cans I should give at each feeding so each cat gets full enough. I don't want to leave regular dry food out because Joey will snack on it...if I give him wet Renal food twice a day but let him snack on dry food throughout the day does that make the renal wet food worthless?
Sorry for all the questions, I just am trying to get all this worked out for the cats and have no clue how to go about stopping free feeding and also making sure they each eat enough, and making sure that Joey gets his special foods.
Sorry for the long post!!
So even though they don't think it is chronic renal failure, my vet prescribed a precription renal diet for him. The prescription is for Hills & Royal Canin Renal foods. We decided to stick with the wet food, as we are working to transition our cats to a mainly wet diet, with some dry to supplement.
However, Joey doesn't like his wet food much...either of them. I didn't see any other flavors for the Renal foods, just one flavor for each brand and I have tried both of those. Also, when I feed wet in the AM and wet @ night, Joey doesn't even eat half a can. If I put him in a different room, he eats a little bit but then is mad he is locked in a room.
I have been letting him have the regular wet food for the past two days but worry that his kidney problem will come back if I don't keep him on the prescription diet...how can I get him to like it?? Should I try the Renal dry food?? I have tried mixing tuna, other wet food etc into his special wet food but he eats the other stuff out a bit but gives up on the food. I switched the other cats to pate type wet food so all the wet food is the same consistency so he thinks he has the same kind. Also, because he eats so little of each can, it is lasting for about 2 days each can and after the first day he doesnt seem to like it much (i keep it refrigerated in tupperware and slightly warm it in the microwave before giving it to him..doesnt help)
Also I am trying to switch to the canned food, but how much dry should I still leave out? I have 9 cats, and I don't know how many cans I should give at each feeding so each cat gets full enough. I don't want to leave regular dry food out because Joey will snack on it...if I give him wet Renal food twice a day but let him snack on dry food throughout the day does that make the renal wet food worthless?
Sorry for all the questions, I just am trying to get all this worked out for the cats and have no clue how to go about stopping free feeding and also making sure they each eat enough, and making sure that Joey gets his special foods.
Sorry for the long post!!