Cat that won't eat Wet food

[mzjazz2u]

Hi Dr. Jean,

One of my Persian cats will have nothing to do with wet food. He'll sniff it and then walk away. I've tried most of the things I've read from others on this site but he just won't have anything to do with it! Any ideas on how to get him to eat wet food? I've tried Evo and some of the Nutro canned.

Also, this same cat is very small. He's 3 years old and barely 7 pounds. The vet thinks he's perfect, however, I'd like to put a couple pounds on him. He is a show cat who previously championed (before I had him) but I've had him neutered and am showing him in Open Premier. I've heard they like a little more weight to the neutered boys. Any suggestions there? Thanks!

 

[drjean]

There are lots of tricks for converting finicky cats; many can be found here: http://www.littlebigcat.com/index.ph...switchingfoods

If she's not already on a timed-meal schedule, that's the first step. Otherwise she's nibbling constantly and she won't be hungry enough to try anything new.

I'd try other foods, too. My cats don't like either of those, but they do well with Instinctive Choice, Innova, Precise, Petguard, Merrick, Avoderm, APD, and Nature's Variety Prairie. Sometimes they like the EVO 95% meats, but not consistently, so I've given up on that one for now. It's too expensive to let go to waste! Some cats like the Weruva, which is shreds with "gravy"--just avoid the fish flavors.

Canned food won't necessarily put weight on him, but it will help maintain his natural "set point" or ideal weight. Dry food is where the calories are! If you were only interested in putting weight on him, I'd say let him have as much EVO dry as he wants, 24/7. That will put weight on any cat! But I think you're more interested in health...as well as a spectacular coat--so wet food is the way to go!

 

[mzjazz2u]

Thank you for your reply! Yes, I am more interested in over all health. The extra couple pounds would just be a bonus. I will take a look at the link you posted. I did try him on Evo dry but he got really bad gas and runny stools. Poor guy stunk to high heaven!

Even though I tried slowly switching him he was a mess. (By the way... he's the black and white one in my signature.)

 

[coaster]

I got a carb-addicted cat to switch by using her desire for dry as a reward for eating wet. I'd put down wet and wait until after much encouragement she ate just a tiny little bit, then I let her finish her meal with the dry she wanted. In fact, the first week or so I actually had to stick it in her mouth until she knew she wasn't getting dry until she'd sampled the wet. Gradually I waited for her to eat more and more of the wet until she got her dry. Eventually it got down to just three or four kibbles in the second dish, and then they disappeared altogether. The switch took about a year, with many setbacks and false starts, and it was the "reducing reward" technique that finally worked for me, and that lasted several months. So it can be done, but takes more time and patience than most people realize it takes.

Don't know if you've tried that, or if I'm even allowed to post that here, but there it is, for what it's worth.

 

[drjean]

Hey Tim, good to see you here!

Your story is a great example of the persistence and patience needed to make the switch. It's worth it, though! Good on ya!

 

[jcat]

Originally Posted by coaster

I got a carb-addicted cat to switch by using her desire for dry as a reward for eating wet. I'd put down wet and wait until after much encouragement she ate just a tiny little bit, then I let her finish her meal with the dry she wanted. In fact, the first week or so I actually had to stick it in her mouth until she knew she wasn't getting dry until she'd sampled the wet. Gradually I waited for her to eat more and more of the wet until she got her dry. Eventually it got down to just three or four kibbles in the second dish, and then they disappeared altogether. The switch took about a year, with many setbacks and false starts, and it was the "reducing reward" technique that finally worked for me, and that lasted several months. So it can be done, but takes more time and patience than most people realize it takes.

Don't know if you've tried that, or if I'm even allowed to post that here, but there it is, for what it's worth.

Now that sounds like an excellent method I'll have to try. It took me ages to get Jamie to eat canned food (he has dry in the morning, and canned in the evening), but I haven't managed to wean him off the dry.