Cats Refusing To Eat Wet Food

[scoochmom]

Hi everyone, I've posted about this before, but the problem hasn't resolved. I really need some help.

This involves my boy Scooch and my girl Moosha. They are 12 year old siblings who have been raised on Fancy Feast can food and Purina Naturals dry food. In the past six months or so, both of them stopped being enthusiastic about their wet food, which they used to literally BEG for. Now, they'll just lick the top of it or take a bite or so and then leave it. Same thing with their dry - they sniff it, then walk away. I decided to get them on premium food, so I went out and bought every grain-free premium brand I could find at Petsmart. I tried Blue Buffalo, Nature's Recipe, Natural Balance, Chicken Soup FTS, even Wellness, which is supposed to be the best, and a lot of other expensive brands. With every brand, they both just sniff it and walk away and I have to throw it out. I just don't understand it - tonight I smelled the food I was giving them and I swear it smelled like Thanksgiving dinner and STILL they wouldn't touch it! The only thing they'll give chance is the Fancy Feast, but just a bite.

The result of this food avoidance has been very few normal poops. My Scooch - who has had constipation in the past - tried to poop 3 times today with only a few nuggets coming out. I don't think either of them are constipated - my vet says a constipated cat is vomiting and neither of them are vomiting, lethargic or appear sick at all. I think the problem is that they aren't eating enough food to produce a normal segmented stool.

Anyway, today I bought them a dry food called Evolve, which both of them took a liking to, and again a couple of premium cans and again, they won't touch it. So, basically my question is, should I just give up on wet food altogether? I hate to have them on an all dry diet because they need meat. But I'm seriously going into hock buying this expensive premium cans that end up going in the trash. I hope to find some cans of Evolve at Petsmart, maybe they'll like that since they like the dry. I don't know if this is about them losing their sense of smell or taste as they age or what. I'm really at my wits end with these two, I've tried everything, even offering them people food like tuna and chicken or turkey bits and they won't eat that, either.

Should I give up and just feed them dry Evolve?

 

[verna davies]

I have the same problem with my 2 yo. I've tried every food available to me, he licks the gravy and walks away. I'm hoping I have solved the problem....I put the sachet of wet food in a mincer ( now only used for this)and chop the meat very small, put a plate of this next to a bowl of dried food and he dips into dry then wet then dry until he has had enough. It is better than mixing together.
Also you could grate a little cheese or grind some treats and put on top of the wet food . Have you had their teeth checked, this might be the cause.
Let us know how you get on.

 

[duckpond]

Cats get picky, and i think tired of the same foods all the time. But even with a big rotation my get fussy sometimes. I free feed Dr. Elseys dry, and 2 wet meals per day.

If fancy feast is the only wet they will eat, then feed them that, i prefer the classics, and the grilled flavors. But the best food is the one they eat Those 5 brands you mention are foods my 4 will not eat either, never would.

Do you have a petco nearby? they have started carrying Tiki cat, my cats love the after dark foods, especially the chicken, and chicken and beef. It has alot of liquid in it so i feel good about that, along with the dry. I also feed a lot of Weruva, petco has a different brand made by weruva called Soulistic that a lot of cats like. maybe pick up a few random cans? mine like the Nutro minced chicken and sliced turkey that you can get at petsmart, or petco, sometimes the softloaf chicken.

When trying a new food i will often crumble some pure bites, or if you dont have that another treat on top to get them interested. one cat will only try new foods if i feed him the first few bites on a spoon, then he will eat...lol Best of luck!

 

[maggiedemi]

How many times a day are you feeding them? I just recently went from 3 times a day down to 2 times a day because they weren't eating their lunch. Maybe try 2 times a day if you haven't already. Cats are picky, so you just have to experiment. My cats hate the pricey foods too.

 

[Summercats]

I offer new foods a few times, if they don’t like I try again a bit later. How long do you leave the wet food down? I find my cat often eats overnight, if I put the wet food down before I go to bed.