Dry Food Allergies

[fatimatiger3]

My cat is 1year and 4 months old.
She eats dry food and dry food only, Royal canin brand. And lately I've noticed that she sarted scratching herself. And eating less, and now she has diarrhea.
I figured it's the food, she's also shedding a lot.

Now I need your help on how to teach her to eat fresh foods. I've tried to put some chicken in the same bowl next to her dry food. She's refusing to eat both. After starving herself all day she ate a few pieces of the dry food and a small piece of chicken, I think.

But that's it. She's really a picky eater. I have tried many times before to stop feeding her dry food, but she'd rather starve to death than eat a piece of chicken or fish. Even though before I introduced her to dry food, she used to love eating chicken.

I don't know what to do, I'm afraid that she will get sick or something. The dry food is really messing up her stomach.
Please don't tell me to switch up the brand of her dry food, dry food have done nothing to her but harm. she's addicted to it!

 

[Kieka]

Try switching to a wet food and from a wet food to raw if that is the goal. Please do not try just feeding her pieces of cooked or raw foods without doing the research to make sure you are doing all the supplements and variety you need to with that diet.

The idea with going to wet food first is that she will get used to texture and the moisture difference. For that switch mix a little wet in with her dry. Over a long period of time (month or two) increase the ratio of wet to dry until she is pure wet. If she stops eating cut back on wet and hold ratio for a few days before upping it again. Slow and steady.

 

[red top rescue]

Royal Canin has a lot of things in it that cats can be allergic to, such as corn and wheat gluten, but they have a lot of different formulas so I'm not sure which one you are feeding. In my experience, it is the type of food a cat can become seriously addicted to -- I'm not sure what they put on it, but cats seem to love it. I had a hard time getting one cat off of it, and the trick was to give him plain turkey baby food with some of the dry RC mixed in. There was no way he could avoid eating some of the baby food. Then I mixed baby food with quality canned food and would crush the RC and sprinkle the powder on top. Now he will eat the regular food with baby food mixed in (use Beech Nut, not Gerbers, because Gerbers adds corn starch to their baby food meats and cats don't need the carbs!) You will be able to transition him but it will take a little time and patience.

 

[fatimatiger3]

Kieka red top rescue thank you guys for the advice. I will start feeding her wet food. Though she doesn't like it, but I'll try.

 

[Freedom]

Be sure to get one which is grain free. Cats are obligate carnivors - they get all their nutrients from meat. Their bodies never developed the ability to digest grains, so those are a waste of money.

If the diarrhea doesn't clear up quickly, a vet check may be in order.

 

[fatimatiger3]

Ok update, she won't eat anything! No wet food no dry food no raw food! The diarrhea has gotten worse

I went to the vet today but they told me that they were packed and cannot see her today, I'll go back tomorrow.

I think she's avoiding food because of this terrible diarrhea. She's been fasting for almost two days now.

I'm really scared that she might do "a little accident" in the house before I can take her tomorrow.

 

[Freedom]

I would be more worried about dehydration. A 'little accident' you can clean up!

Depending on where you live, is there another vet in the area who may have an opening to get her in today? Also, the vet will want a sample of the poop to test for parasites etc. By any chance did they offer you the container when you were there today? If not, just put some in a baggie and take it over.

 

[fatimatiger3]

Freedom I can't take her today it's already after 11pm where I live.

I will take her tomorrow right after school.
And no they didn't ask for sample. It's already in her butt because she's long-haired cat :/

She also keeps drinking water instead of eating so I don't think she might face dehydration.

The whole area where she sits smells like poop! I tried to clean her up and beath her but it won't help cause she keeps going to the bathroom. She poops 2-3 times a day. I hope it's not too bad

 

[fatimatiger3]

It's already*

 

[Freedom]

OK, good luck tomorrow!