Cat is not wanting to eat his dry food after I started feeding him a good wet food

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Forry

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Excellent information, i appreciate it! I'm learning, it's definitely a learning experience 😊
 

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,do I really need to transition him slowly from one wet food to another? Can I just change his wet food one day?

No unless you have a cat with a very sensitive tummy. Most cats are fine with different brands / proteins in a day.

Seafood should always be limited and not rotated into the diet often. Too much seafood isn't good for cats.

 

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Excellent information, i appreciate it! I'm learning, it's definitely a learning experience 😊
As with many good items (like this one loaded with Omega 3s), canned Mackerel should be served in moderation as issues like lifetime mercury exposure and salt are "issues," but as a "bonus" item it is part of my (restricted) rotation.

Bill
 

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No unless you have a cat with a very sensitive tummy. Most cats are fine with different brands / proteins in a day.

Seafood should always be limited and not rotated into the diet often. Too much seafood isn't good for cats.

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We cross posted, but yes, I agree, items like canned Mackerel or fresh/frozen Mussels or Scallops should be a very small portion of a diet. I believe it is beneficial when served infrequently in small amounts.

Bill
 

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oh man, LUCKY. My cats are the opposite!!! I keep trying to ease them off wanting dry food so much but Jasper will legit go on a hunger strike for it /sigh.

I feed mine a mixture of fancy feast and weruva hydration. It's not too terribly expensive. Honestly if I was on a budget and couldn't afford the weruva, I'd be perfectly fine just giving them fancy feast tbh. It's ALL my older cat used to eat and she made it to 18, beautiful coat, happy cat.
 
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Good morning,thank you! Well now he's back to wanting his dry food all the time😊and his wet food for dinner. That's why I'm worried about him gaining weight. I would like to get his diet sorted out. Is Jasper your kitty in your picture? A very handsome kitty!I've heard of Weruva but don't know too much about it.Yes,tonight for dinner he's getting Fancy Feast fish and shrimp feast.
 
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No unless you have a cat with a very sensitive tummy. Most cats are fine with different brands / proteins in a day.

Seafood should always be limited and not rotated into the diet often. Too much seafood isn't good for cats.

Thank you for the article, very informative.
 

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Thank you for the article, very informative.
Can I Feed My Cat A Fish-based Or Fish-flavored Diet? – TheCatSite Articles

This THC article on feeding cats fish does have one misleading element.

Some species of raw fish (and it is a long list) DO contain what is essentially an "anti-nutrient" called thiaminase that degrades thiamin (Vitamin B1) and the frequent feeding of raw fish that contains thiaminase as part of a daily diet can/will result in a thiamine deficiency with catastrophic consequences.

That's true. And I've written about that in another thread. It is an issue about which raw feeders need to me mindful.

However, cooking fish degrades the ability of thiaminase to degrade thiamin.

There are other issues to feeding a preponderance of fish, including the concerns about Vitamin E imbalances and accumulation of heavy metals as mentioned in the article. But the section on thiaminase could have been more precise.

My (imperfect) understanding is that thiaminase (when consumed as a meal of fresh raw fish) is flushed by the body quickly. That it is not something that "accumulates." So raw fish that contains thiaminase can potentially be fed as an "occasional" part of a meal w/o causing a thiamin-deficiency, but I'm on the ultra-cautious end of the spectrum on this one myself.

But a cat won't get a thiamin-deficiency from eating canned tuna (or canned mackerel), and the otherwise excellent article appears to be misleading on this point.

Bill
 
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Yes,I did see that about the thiaminase.What do you think about kitty slow feeders?I know that you don't feed dry cat food, but my kitty gulps down his dry food sometimes without swallowing.
 

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Yes,I did see that about the thiaminase.What do you think about kitty slow feeders?I know that you don't feed dry cat food, but my kitty gulps down his dry food sometimes without swallowing.
I sincerely believe that feeding so-called "dry food" is at the root of almost every one of the very pervasive illness we find in cats, due to the twin actions of kibble promoting chronic dehydration and the inclusion of inappropriate levels of carbohydrate in the diet of obligate carnivores and the negative consequences that follow.

Personally, I was thrilled when I read your OP about your cat preferring moist food and not wanting to eat dry food.

So...you know.

Bill
 
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Yes,I think I completely agree with you on dry food.Its possible I may need to continue some dry food for the short term.I may just switch to all wet very soon.
 

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Is Jasper your kitty in your picture? A very handsome kitty!I've heard of Weruva but don't know too much about it.Yes,tonight for dinner he's getting Fancy Feast fish and shrimp feast.

Noooo. The kitty in my picture is Sammy =) He's my snuggly boy. Jasper is one of my tabby twins!

We switched to Weruva because of Jasper though. He had several UTI's (honestly I think they were stress related but two vets swear food, soooo) so we switched to weruva because of how moist it is for them! They really seem to like it, but only if we mash it up with fancy feast. Which I guess it could be worse, so I won't complain. It took me a long time to find dry and wet foods that they'll not only eat, but also not get sick to their tummies on.
 
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Sammy is a nice looking kitty! I will have to learn about Weruva, it sounds good.I'm glad you found a food that is suitable for them.Yes,their tummies and digestive systems are so delicate. I never really realized that.So we had Fancy Feast tonight, and it was a big hit!He really liked it. It seems like a major step down in quality from the Wellness I've been giving him,but he eat the Fancy Feast right up😊
 

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Sammy is a nice looking kitty! I will have to learn about Weruva, it sounds good.I'm glad you found a food that is suitable for them.Yes,their tummies and digestive systems are so delicate. I never really realized that.So we had Fancy Feast tonight, and it was a big hit!He really liked it. It seems like a major step down in quality from the Wellness I've been giving him,but he eat the Fancy Feast right up😊
I've known of cats who only ate FF who lived into their 20's so I don't think FF is that bad honestly! It def isn't the worst. I mix weruva and FF together to kind of save on how many cans of the weruva I use, too. It's a good filler/they still get something healthy.

I know dry isn't the best but they go nuts for it so I've resigned myself to just giving them solid gold at night. /sigh
 
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That's good to know about being able to mix FF with a better quality food to stretch the food.I'll have to try that.Im not familiar with solid gold, I have a lot to learn about all of these foods! There are so many.
 

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Re: Food transitions. Keep in mind every cat is a law unto itself.

In my experience, if you feed your cat the same thing over and over again, they’re likely to need a gradual transition to a new food. But if you get your get used to eating a variety throughout the day, it’s not a problem. We feed our cat Belle three times a day and at each feeding, she gets something different- wet food, a couple of different brands of commercial raw and what we call “lizards & gizzards” which is comprised of chicken hearts, liver and gizzard. We give them to her whole to keep her teeth clean. Belle has her preferences (she loves the raw liver) but isn’t a picky eater.

We get a couple of variety packs of Sheba from Chewie’s and get a bit of a discount because it’s an automatic order. It also kept us in cat food when there was a shortage.

Cats love routine, but get bored with their food when fed the same thing over and over again. If cats are used to eating only one type of food, then get bored with it, they’ll stop eating.
 

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I'm going to come along and say something a bit 'controversial'.

Everyone has an opinion on what's a healthy cat food but the facts are this: Cats are the only domestic animal that we've actually extended the life of. I'm fact we've almost doubled it and that's with most of them eating regular cat food. So, don't worry yourself too much and just feed what you can afford, that your cat likes and has the following results:
- poop is not hard and does not come out in pellets but in logs. Cat does not strain
- cat is hydrated. When you pinch the back of their neck, their skin springs back down quickly and easily.
- cat's fur is soft and shiny and eyes are bright.
- cat keeps healthy body condition with a waist, and not too much in their tummy pouch (tummy pouch is naturally evolved protection but should remain as skin or light fat only)

These boys are on Purina Pro Plan Prime Plus (only one to have a longitudinal study), Iams Perfect Portions and Purina Chicken and Rice (vet diet). They all get in to one another's food sometimes. They get Wureva a couple times a week as a food topper. I always add extra water for hydration.

Dry food is not good for hydration and does take water away from the cat. It's also high and dense in calories so you must watch for excessive weight gain and the things that come with that. However, you can rehydrate it if your cat will eat it that way or move to something like Stella and Chewys which is freeze dried.

There is nothing wrong with feeding some dry food if that keeps your cat fed. Fed and homed is best. Full wet diet is ideal. A combination of both is where most people can meet, financially.

My cats are 90% wet and they get dry food as enrichment. It goes in various feeders and toys for play. We are currently in process of finding what works best for them as we figure out Magnus's allergies. I really liked the Purina Pro Plan Elder cat food (for all 3 cats), but they added beef fat to it so Mags can't have anymore.

Either way just watch that your cat is getting 20-30 calories per pound, depending on weight/body proportions and hunger level if your cat doesn't overeat.

(I personally do not like raw diets and have heard many horror stories of illness. I recognize that many people use those diets and it works for them and that's great. I do not pass judgement as it's what's best for your individual cat -- if it works don't break it)
 

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Dry food is given flavor enhancers so cats will eat it. A lot of cats really love the flavor. Dry food is junk food and junk food is ok as an occasional treat. It won’t hurt your cat anymore than taking your niece out for an ice cream cone when her mom isn’t looking.

Raw has to be handled and mixed right. If not nutritionally balanced, like any type of cat food, it’ll do your cat harm. If I fed Belle nothing but “Lizards & Gizzards” or let it get contaminated, it could make her ill or kill her.

We are the best advocates for our cats. Every cat is different. Every household is different. What works for us may not for others. Yes, I have strong opinions about cat nutrition, just like I had strong opinions about nutrition when my sons were growing up. I share my experiences in hopes it helps other cats and their guardians. But I know my way isn’t the only way.

Maybe I don’t know much. But one thing I do know, there are folks out there who love their cats as much as I love mine. I’m glad we share that.
 
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Re: Food transitions. Keep in mind every cat is a law unto itself.

In my experience, if you feed your cat the same thing over and over again, they’re likely to need a gradual transition to a new food. But if you get your get used to eating a variety throughout the day, it’s not a problem. We feed our cat Belle three times a day and at each feeding, she gets something different- wet food, a couple of different brands of commercial raw and what we call “lizards & gizzards” which is comprised of chicken hearts, liver and gizzard. We give them to her whole to keep her teeth clean. Belle has her preferences (she loves the raw liver) but isn’t a picky eater.

We get a couple of variety packs of Sheba from Chewie’s and get a bit of a discount because it’s an automatic order. It also kept us in cat food when there was a shortage.

Cats love routine, but get bored with their food when fed the same thing over and over again. If cats are used to eating only one type of food, then get bored with it, they’ll stop eating.
"Every cat is a law unto itself" 😊 seems to be very true! When you say that you feed Belle raw liver,do you mean raw liver you would buy at the supermarket? Like cow liver? And you give her raw chicken hearts?that's something I could do.
 
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Forry

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I'm going to come along and say something a bit 'controversial'.

Everyone has an opinion on what's a healthy cat food but the facts are this: Cats are the only domestic animal that we've actually extended the life of. I'm fact we've almost doubled it and that's with most of them eating regular cat food. So, don't worry yourself too much and just feed what you can afford, that your cat likes and has the following results:
- poop is not hard and does not come out in pellets but in logs. Cat does not strain
- cat is hydrated. When you pinch the back of their neck, their skin springs back down quickly and easily.
- cat's fur is soft and shiny and eyes are bright.
- cat keeps healthy body condition with a waist, and not too much in their tummy pouch (tummy pouch is naturally evolved protection but should remain as skin or light fat only)

These boys are on Purina Pro Plan Prime Plus (only one to have a longitudinal study), Iams Perfect Portions and Purina Chicken and Rice (vet diet). They all get in to one another's food sometimes. They get Wureva a couple times a week as a food topper. I always add extra water for hydration.

Dry food is not good for hydration and does take water away from the cat. It's also high and dense in calories so you must watch for excessive weight gain and the things that come with that. However, you can rehydrate it if your cat will eat it that way or move to something like Stella and Chewys which is freeze dried.

There is nothing wrong with feeding some dry food if that keeps your cat fed. Fed and homed is best. Full wet diet is ideal. A combination of both is where most people can meet, financially.

My cats are 90% wet and they get dry food as enrichment. It goes in various feeders and toys for play. We are currently in process of finding what works best for them as we figure out Magnus's allergies. I really liked the Purina Pro Plan Elder cat food (for all 3 cats), but they added beef fat to it so Mags can't have anymore.

Either way just watch that your cat is getting 20-30 calories per pound, depending on weight/body proportions and hunger level if your cat doesn't overeat.

(I personally do not like raw diets and have heard many horror stories of illness. I recognize that many people use those diets and it works for them and that's great. I do not pass judgement as it's what's best for your individual cat -- if it works don't break it)
Thank you! That is a lot of sound advice.
 
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