Dealing with a terrible food obsession

[Willowwombat]

My Willow has always been a bit on the chubby side, but two years ago my new vet told me that she should only eat the TD dry food and limit her intake so she could lose weight.

The exact opposite has happened. The problem is that she has become utterly obsessed with the TD and literally bothers me all day long, often starting at 5 am. If I'm at my computer she will tap me on the arm every 5 minutes and yowl until I shoo her away, and she's back after a few minutes. It's got to the point where I can't stand to be at home; otherwise I end up feeding her just to shut her up because I can't read or even watch TV. Her blood tests a few months ago came back fine so she isn't sick.

She's never really had a wet cat food that I would consider a healthy diet but at least she used to be happy with two pouch meals a day and a snack at bedtime. But now she won't eat any of the tinned food and pouches that she used to like. I've tried her on every single kind of canned food with no luck -- she doesn't like any of them -- and I'm tired of wasting money on $3.00 small tins of food that end up in the garbage.

My little Dude is happy with a mixed diet of TD and Fancy Feast and he's trim and healthy. Willow won't even touch Fancy Feast, so I can't even put her on that.

I'm at my wit's end. Any suggestions? For the first time I'm honestly not enjoying having my Willow around.

 

[maggie101]

What fancy feast has she tried? My cat peaches does not like fish. Has she tried sheba? Try adding freeze dried treats. She may be missing the crunchy part of dried food.

 

[Willowwombat]

She has tried all kinds of FF along with every flavour of every canned cat food in every pet store in a 60-mile radius. She hates freeze dried treats. She will eat TD, prawns if they are very fresh, halibut if it is very fresh, and Almo tuna. That's about it.

 

[Kflowers]

The vet said to give her this: " Hill's Prescription Diet t/d Dry Cat Food is clinically proven nutrition to reduce plaque, stain and tartar buildup. The kibble contains a special matrix of fibers which act like a toothbrush to scrub the tooth to remove bacteria." ?

I couldn't find anything about it helping a cat lose weight. Nor, from my experiences does the Hill's weight loss food help a cat lose weight.

Have you told your vet about the obsession? Have you told your vet you aren't feeding the cat anything else? Does the vet think you're giving your girl snacks so she doesn't lose weight? AND most importantly, why does the vet recommend the Dental diet for her to lose weight?

You may need another vet to help you get her passed this obsession.

 

[Willowwombat]

The vet said that TD is the only dry food their practise recommends. He told me it was a complete food, but I have serious doubts at this point.

I'm moving, so I'll have a new vet soon, but the problem remains -- Willow is utterly addicted to the TD now and I'm not able to get her out of it.

 

[suba]

Hi
I own nine cats and care for a dozen others elsewhere. Diet advice I feel qualified to do.!
I study diets +nutrition and make cat and dog food for my pets.This will be long but I hope you might get one idea.
I think you might have a behavior thing. And a diet issue. Not your fault!
Immediately, reduce the dry food amount about 1/3 , right off: let her stay hungry ish. Have Willow eat this way for 2-3 days. Habits dont change overnight!

Then-- experiment time! Patience of saints time too!
You might: get a half rotisserie chix at the store , or chix thighs with skin, and a big pot and simmer it into pieces. Save the liquid!! If you have a food processor, try some broth water ,small bones, and meat pieces. Be sure it gets ground up totally- pate! Also try -- a bit of the broth with chix pieces to willow. What texture does she prefer? Add some fish in that she likes if you have some. Just put a little.
You want her hungry!!
Remove it after fifteen minutes, for later , into refrig. A bit warm can stimulate the smell.
Salmon might work but smelly fish would be better. Human baby food meat ,only, is a cheap thing to sample her tastes too! Gd pork and gd turkey at the store could work. Its ok to add a bit of catnip around her dish.(Vegetables are not needed now, thats lesson f.another time!). ,but taurine is a must(liver)amazon has freeze dried beef liver powdered. $$$$$ but it lasts loooong.
If you can stand the stink- chix liver and gizzards in processor.I cannot!
Most veterinarians dont get a lot of diet education in vet school! But you can experiment .

Your cat must be hungry to eat something new and different! You must take charge with love!

Hills sponsors vets and schools and vets often partner up with them ongoing. So they will recommend this brand a lot. And its good but...Just so you know you have options galore. My cousins own a large vet clinic!

Cats love routine. Perhaps its good to consider a schedule with Willow. Food- small meals same time each day , only a spoonful, if she likes it then more, then save leftovers f next time, until you find what she will consume. Have a playtime. And lap time. Whenever!
Canned sardines in water, mackerel in water, perhaps "farmers dog " cat food , freshpet, in refrigerated area. Cottage cheese even! Some like wetter kibble. I use varied cans(friskies is my groups fav.) and all the other things too and always add unsalted broth. Just a little. They need more moisture. But i would try to keep reducing kibble to snack size with goal: one time only, per day, to clean her teeth. Dont mix wet and kibble! Kibble gets its own bowl and isnt left out.
She can learn meals. Many little ones until you get a routine that works. Then its easy!! There are toppings and broths out too but its cheap to use broth in the can or box. No temptations or cat desserts ! You are going to insist she eats wet food. !! Takes time.

Behavior--- does she like catnip? Any toys?
You can set up a play zone somewhere or in a cardboard box. And a toy ALL cats seem to like is called SMARTY CAT where the mouse is on a rod(unscrews and refastens easy!) With a cover cloth ad 3AA batteries. Chewy.comcom $12. They usually go bonkers if you add catnip. I think Willow wants YOU and eats partly frustrated. Willow might be a pretty smart kitty?
Another thing we love here is u tube nature channel for cats. Birds streams squirrels. Its great background! Keeps everyone happy!

 

[lisahe]

That food has a lot of grains. With top ingredients like these...
Chicken By-Product Meal, Brewers Rice, Corn Gluten Meal, Whole Grain Corn, Powdered Cellulose, Pork Fat, Chicken Liver Flavor,

I'm not surprised she's asking for food quickly! The carbs are 33% dry matter. Protein is only 35% dry matter. This is on the Hill's site, here. (You may need to click on "average nutrient & caloric count" to access the chart.)

Cats are made to eat protein, not carby corn. Any food that has such high carbs just isn't likely to keep a cat feeling satiated. That lack of satiation and the need to limit her intake are a bad combination. I'm sure the food is technically complete -- because of the added vitamins and minerals -- but it's not what a cat should be eating.

Is Willow a dry food addict in general? You might try Dr. Elsey's Clean Protein chicken dry food. It's extremely low carb, under 3% dry matter, and it's very, very decent food. They'll send free samples if you ask. You could try starting by using it as treats and/or mixing small amounts in Willow's T/D.

Good luck!

 

[Willowwombat]

She did like the Dr. Elsey's, but it's very high in calories and so she wasn't losing any weight. Maybe after I move I grab another bag and put her back on it. I do recall that there was less whining for food.

I'm tempted to ignore the weight issue for now if I can find something else she'll eat and just use the TD as a treat.

 

[suba]

That food has a lot of grains. With top ingredients like these...
Chicken By-Product Meal, Brewers Rice, Corn Gluten Meal, Whole Grain Corn, Powdered Cellulose, Pork Fat, Chicken Liver Flavor,

I'm not surprised she's asking for food quickly! The carbs are 33% dry matter. Protein is only 35% dry matter. This is on the Hill's site, here. (You may need to click on "average nutrient & caloric count" to access the chart.)

Cats are made to eat protein, not carby corn. Any food that has such high carbs just isn't likely to keep a cat feeling satiated. That lack of satiation and the need to limit her intake are a bad combination. I'm sure the food is technically complete -- because of the added vitamins and minerals -- but it's not what a cat should be eating.

Is Willow a dry food addict in general? You might try Dr. Elsey's Clean Protein chicken dry food. It's extremely low carb, under 3% dry matter, and it's very, very decent food. They'll send free samples if you ask. You could try starting by using it as treats and/or mixing small amounts in Willow's T/D.

Good luck!

Excellent suggestion! I might order this , didnt know they had food as well as litter.

 

[lisahe]

Excellent suggestion! I might order this , didnt know they had food as well as litter.

We've been using the litter for years -- our cat who loves the food is asthmatic and it works really well for her -- and that's the only dry food I'd feed.

 

[suba]

Thanks very much i will get,some as soon as what i hae is low. Nulo indoor this month.

 

[lisahe]

Thanks very much i will get,some as soon as what i hae is low. Nulo indoor this month.

As them to send you a free sample! You never know, they might not even like it!

 

[IndyJones]

How old is she? Possabky could be thyroid releted. T4 test (for thyroid) isn't usualy incuded in a typical pannel.

 

[Alldara]

W Willowwombat have you tried grinding the dry food and putting it in the wet to get her back on it?

How does she eat the dry food? Starting to make her work for the food, through enrichment, might give you some peace with the constant bothering.

 

[Kflowers]

Cats require more of a poor-quality food, which this seems to be, than a good quality food to support their lives. The better the food, the less they need and want to eat. It sounds as though your cat is just trying to get the basics and mostly getting carbs in this food. Think eating pretty much nothing but bread all day, tasty, but your body might complain. You might try another more meat-based food and see if that helps with her hunger.