For those that rotate wet foods

[Time 2 Recognize]

I'm feeding my 2yo cat 1/2 of a 5.5 oz can twice per day. She has lately (the last month or so) become more picky with foods. She used to like Hound and Gatos, but definitely doesn't care for the chicken liver lately and isn't 100% interested in the Turkey either. She does like Rawz turkey + liver and hopefully some of the other cans I have (just got in some Tiki).

For those who rotate wet foods, do you worry if your cat doesn't finish a meal? I feel like Echo used to finish her meals within an hour or two, but her HG turkey is about 1/2 finished and it's been a couple hours and I put a topper on it to get her to eat at dinner (she has always gotten toppers though and pretty much expects them now).

I've fallen into the habit of worrying about her not finishing a meal and adding more topper to get her to eat more, so maybe she is also manipulating me some? She definitely has appetite and like I said, eats full meals of certain foods. Maybe I just keep trying with cans she's not interested in (possibly because I bought a CASE and then she decides not to love it!). She wasn't really picky as a kitten, would eat up her 3/4 meal right away and the rest shortly after, but as she's getting older is getting a little picky (and again, maybe my caving into her wanting more toppers is working against me?). I just don't know if I should worry. Should I expect her to pretty much eat most of her 1/2 can within an hour or so, or does it depend on the cat and the age?

 

[SpecterOhPossum]

Personally yeah I would worry.
Over time not finishing the food could cause a deficiency or being underweight, what toppers are you using? I'd continue using them if that's getting her to eat. Have you tried warming up her meals in a ziplock in warm water? (don't microwave it) sometimes that works

Tiki cat is the best commercial cat food, which is great because it has a large variety. You could buy their variety packs and add those to your rotation because of her tendencies to get bored with food

 

[KarenKat]

Olive was a stray when we adopted her and crazy food motivated. It took us a while to realize she hates certain flavors like turkey because she always gobbled them up. Not she is a bit pickier.

We feed her 4 times per day, and once in a while she will leave some on the plate. If she does that more than one or two meals in a row (especially if it’s a favorite of hers) I would worry. First I trade out the one she consistently has stopped finishing (Rawz Duck most recently) and usually she finishes the other foods after that. I can usually sneak a can in every month or so just so it doesn’t go to waste and she forgot she hated it.

It does depend on the cat and normal eating habits for when to worry.

 

[Time 2 Recognize]

Personally yeah I would worry.
Over time not finishing the food could cause a deficiency or being underweight, what toppers are you using? I'd continue using them if that's getting her to eat. Have you tried warming up her meals in a ziplock in warm water? (don't microwave it) sometimes that works

Tiki cat is the best commercial cat food, which is great because it has a large variety. You could buy their variety packs and add those to your rotation because of her tendencies to get bored with food

Yeah that's what I worry about and also if she doesn't feel good vs. she just doesn't love the food. To be fair, I only had Hound and Gatos turkey + chicken recently. Before the quarantine I was feeding her a different flavor of that brand in her rotation and she seemed to like it a lot (the game bird) so maybe I should have just gotten that flavor. I got a case each of chicken + turkey flavors assuming she would like them.

I like Tiki's chicken varieties and Echo has as well, but I do want to avoid giving her fish based foods if I can. The other issue with Tiki is it's pretty low calorie so I have to get her to eat more and it costs more to give her the same amount of calories as with other brands :/

Oh: for toppers I use freeze dried chicken, turkey or sometimes salmon (I try to limit that because I don't want her addicted to it). Sometimes Instinct raw treats if that will do the trick and I have used Stella and Chewy freeze dried in the past, but since Echo tends towards constipation I hesitate to use those often since there is bone in them

 

[Time 2 Recognize]

We feed her 4 times per day, and once in a while she will leave some on the plate. If she does that more than one or two meals in a row (especially if it’s a favorite of hers) I would worry. First I trade out the one she consistently has stopped finishing (Rawz Duck most recently) and usually she finishes the other foods after that. I can usually sneak a can in every month or so just so it doesn’t go to waste and she forgot she hated it.

It does depend on the cat and normal eating habits for when to worry.

I was splitting a can in 3, but a recent trip to a different vet (because I'm a little frustrated with her usual one) had us discussing urine pH and this vet said she recommends 2 meals per day because when cats eat, it increases the alkalinity of their urine. So more frequent meals or free-feeding tends to yield higher pH than if there's 2 spaced out meals. Echo has trended a bit high at 6.5 pH so I'm giving the two meals thing a try.
Cats are tough. The other day, I gave her some of the HG chicken and she ate it, but when I gave it to her for dinner she was back to being not that interested in it! The Rawz is one she has consistently liked (knock on wood), but it's the most expensive. Naturally. So I guess I'll just try and sneak in one can of the HG a week if I can get her to eat it

 

[KarenKat]

With Olive I find if I open a few cans and rotate each meal she is happier. So I don’t feed the same thing back to back. The cans stay good covered on the fridge for 2-3 days.

 

[Vega's Dad]

Vega is never a fan of Hound and Gatos, even though it's well reviewed brand.
I actually like those foods that she likes but is not crazy about. I found it easier to control her calorie intake. She will eat more than she needs otherwise

 

[She's a witch]

With Olive I find if I open a few cans and rotate each meal she is happier. So I don’t feed the same thing back to back. The cans stay good covered on the fridge for 2-3 days.

same here, my cats won't eat the same food in the morning and in the evening with pleasure. If I don't use the full can at once, I refrigerate it in the glass jar and then warm up over hot water and they like it that way.

If I were you Time 2 Recognize , I'd increase the rotation to ensure more variety. More meals may also make a difference, she may be happier to eat freshly prepared meals rather than leftovers. I feed my guys 4 times a day, twice in the morning and twice in the evening, making sure they eat different proteins in the evening than in the morning.

Personally I avoid toppers at all costs, in the rare occasions when I add it (eg. when I offer them a new can that they are not excited about but I want them to finish it - I hate wasting animal meat) I need to struggle during next meals, as they seem to be disappointed they aren't offered a topper. I try to find food that they are excited about without adding anything extra and I succeed, although it takes some tries and errors. But after several years of trying, I already grasp what can they potentially like. Although sometimes they surprise me by liking something I didn't think they would I'm always on the lookout for more options for them, the variety is essential imo.
I wish my cats like Hound&Gatos (they only like their Rabbit but it's too expensive imo). They currently like RAwz, BFF poultry flavours, Redbarn Turkey, Instinct. Although commercial raw is their main food.

 

[IndyJones]

Personally I also avoid adding anything to the food because I reserve that for if they are genuinely sick and not eating.

Some cats prefer smaller more frequent meals rather than a whole can at once. Kabby will eat too fast and throw up if I give him too much at once.

 

[Time 2 Recognize]

With Olive I find if I open a few cans and rotate each meal she is happier. So I don’t feed the same thing back to back. The cans stay good covered on the fridge for 2-3 days.

The problem is that she is incredibly hard to pick for and especially lately, is turning down more cans than I can offer. She knock on wood, has been pretty consistently happy with Rawz Turkey. Hound and Gatos Turkey or Chicken seems to be a pretty strong "nope" at this point. And just this morning I tried Tiki Chicken + Egg, which just the past week she enjoyed a 3oz can of, and she is not interested in now at all. Tried 2 toppers. Bought a 12 can case from Chewy and now no idea what to do with it. I can't afford to keep dumping cans down the drain.

I need to be able to feed her brands other than just Rawz a) because I'm scared they will at some point disappear b) I can't afford to feed Rawz every day and c) I am more comfortable with her having some variety for health/wellness reasons. But I don't know what less expensive brands are healthy? She didn't used to be this challenging to feed. I also suspect that once something is in the fridge she gets less inclined to eat it even when warmed.

 

[Time 2 Recognize]

Ok so I'm pretty defeated with what to do.
I have been putting toppers on her food for quite a while, just a little sprinkle of a freeze dried treat or whatever. So I'm scared we can't break that habbit now. I just got rid of the Tiki I tried, and instead put down some holistic select chicken + lamb and she only started eating after I crumbled some dried chicken treat on it. She will meow at me till I do. How long do I leave a meal out without her being interested before giving up and either putting a topper or trying a different food? I feel like I messed up here and created a super picky cat

The recent vet we saw said that it's best to feed 2 meals a day and that more frequent meals can raise the urine pH because with each meal, it causes a spike in alkalinity. She at one point had high urine pH at 7 with "occasional struvite" so I'm trying to avoid issues in that area.... So I've been doing 2 meals instead of splitting 5.5oz cans in 3. She also tends toward constipation, which may in part be because she is mid length hair and eats grain free so I've been adding some psyllium the vet gave to her meals.

Does anyone have less expensive food recommendations that are still high quality? Holistic Select is going to stop production I hear, so if she likes it (she only ate 1/2 thus far and walked away) great, but also not great because that will become unavailable.

 

[KarenKat]

Could she not like the psyllium that’s in the food maybe? Sometimes cats don’t eat because they don’t want the medication in the food.

We have another cat, Gohan, and we wonder if he doesn’t like canned food. He seems to reject all the canned food we offer, but he loves the cartons or pouches. We haven’t tried a whole bunch of different ones, but that could be an option.

For him, we feed:

• Caru Chicken Stew
• Stella and Chewy Pate and Morsels
• AuJus by Rawz pouches

Olive eats:

• Stella and Chewy freeze-dried nuggets
• Fromm Chicken and Duck Pate
• Rawz Rabbit
• Life’s Abundance Instinctive Choice
• Life’s Abundance Pork and Duck

We also have had some success with one-off cans, or foods they’ve gotten tired of but I consider good. There are lots more options.

• Hound and Gatos Gamebird
• Lotus Pates
• Primal freeze-dried nuggets
• Rawz Duck
• Tiki Cat After Dark
• Kasiks (First Mate)
• Dave’s Pet Food Chicken Dinner

 

[She's a witch]

I noticed that for my guys food from bigger cans taste different. Back in Europe they had this beloved food in 200gr cans, and when I bought the same one in cans twice as big, they refused to even try it. Maybe that’s what happened with Tiki and your girl? But if you bought it from Chewy, they will refund it, don’t hesitate to use this option.
Also, refrigerating food in a can is always bad idea for my guys, they plainly refuse it, I need to transfer it to glass jar.

My cats also are Rawz lovers, there are several cheaper brands I buy to bring the costs down:
- American Journey- ingredients are decent thought not the best but this food seems to be really palatable
- Redbarn Turkey, very decent as well and good price, also palatable for my guys
- my girl surprised me by liking Miko (fishless flavours), it’s similar to Tiki but she doesn’t like Tiki but loves Miko
- I haven’t tried it yet but Dave's Pet Food Cat’s Meow 95% Turkey & Turkey Liver Canned Cat Food seems decent as well, and it’s often on sale for 32$/case
- they also like BFF chicken based

Have you considered homemade, either raw or cooked? It can also be good financial alternative, especially cooked.

Best of luck!

 

[maggie101]

I'm feeding my 2yo cat 1/2 of a 5.5 oz can twice per day. She has lately (the last month or so) become more picky with foods. She used to like Hound and Gatos, but definitely doesn't care for the chicken liver lately and isn't 100% interested in the Turkey either. She does like Rawz turkey + liver and hopefully some of the other cans I have (just got in some Tiki).

For those who rotate wet foods, do you worry if your cat doesn't finish a meal? I feel like Echo used to finish her meals within an hour or two, but her HG turkey is about 1/2 finished and it's been a couple hours and I put a topper on it to get her to eat at dinner (she has always gotten toppers though and pretty much expects them now).

I've fallen into the habit of worrying about her not finishing a meal and adding more topper to get her to eat more, so maybe she is also manipulating me some? She definitely has appetite and like I said, eats full meals of certain foods. Maybe I just keep trying with cans she's not interested in (possibly because I bought a CASE and then she decides not to love it!). She wasn't really picky as a kitten, would eat up her 3/4 meal right away and the rest shortly after, but as she's getting older is getting a little picky (and again, maybe my caving into her wanting more toppers is working against me?). I just don't know if I should worry. Should I expect her to pretty much eat most of her 1/2 can within an hour or so, or does it depend on the cat and the age?

My cat Maggie eats a whole can in 4 servings. Morning is the only time she has to have freeze dried chicken as a topper. She eats 1/4 can then comes back 5 minutes later for another 1/4. If I feed her h&g or tiki she needs more because it is so low in fat. I feed her dr elseys for higher fat content. Somehow she knows exactly how much she needs

 

[maggie101]

Maggie7 yrs old eats more or same as when she was 3 months, dont remember. Big cat. long and skinny with curvy hips,9 pds. My cat Peaches does sometimes feel lethargic in the morning but with liquid pepcid ac she has not thrown up

 

[She's a witch]

The recent vet we saw said that it's best to feed 2 meals a day and that more frequent meals can raise the urine pH because with each meal, it causes a spike in alkalinity.

So I’ve never dealt with cats’ UR issues so I might not have paid enough attention, but my vet has said to me that feeding more meals is better from urinary track perspective. I checked on dr Pierson website and she offers different interpretation than your vet (was it cat specialist? I wonder if eg. it works differently in dogs, general vets too often translate dog knowledge to cats unfortunately):
“It is also important to note that diet is not the only factor involved in determining urine pH. The timing of the cat’s meals is also a factor. ‘Post-prandial alkaline tide’ refers to the fact that urine pH will become more alkaline after eating a large meal. Therefore, it is suggest that cats eat multiple small meals throughout the day to help keep the pH in a normal range. Small cats in the wild eat 8-10 small meals per day.”

Cat Urinary Tract Diseases: Cystitis, Urethral Obstruction, Urinary Tract Infection

A veterinarian discuses canned (not dry food) food with its high water content as the most important way to keep a cat's urinary tract healthy

catinfo.org

 

[Time 2 Recognize]

Could she not like the psyllium that’s in the food maybe? Sometimes cats don’t eat because they don’t want the medication in the food.

Possible, but I don't think its that? Just because some meals she has liked fully and some she hasn't (like the Hound and Gatos chicken or turkey lately) regardless of the psyllium. I also don't know if that's going to be the long term approach for her tendency towards constipation...she wasn't getting constipated as often back in February and then I was feeding either Rawz or Holistic Select chicken, with something else occasionally thrown in. She as far as I remember, wasn't getting picky about mostly having those same flavors rotated, but I don't remember if she was always or mostly licking the bowl clean at meals.

I will definitely look into those other brands and see what my local stores carry, thank you! The thing is now I don't want to be buying any more cases of food, since it's evidently futile! I never had a case where she got completely turned off from the particular food. But since I got her, I only had tried Holistic Select, Hound and Gatos Gamebird cases, and she did at one time last year go through a case of Hound and Gatos turkey without complaint...so I don't know what changed or if I should find that concerning that she liked it and now doesnt?

I know appetite issues can be cause for concern and an early indication of something being off...so I guess that's where my anxiety is. Like is it just that she has decided she doesn't like that brand now or is it that her appetite is decreased. I tried with the HG turkey for a mid-day snack and she wasn't into it even with topper (only ate tiny bit and walked away to watch birds outside). I kinda feel like in general, while she is eating certain cans and does seem to want the food, she's less "omg feed me mommy!" than I remember her being. She still wants treats of course though. So how do I know when I should insist on blood work/examination at a vet? I'm scared I'll miss pancreatitis or kidney issues or something

 

[Time 2 Recognize]

I noticed that for my guys food from bigger cans taste different. Back in Europe they had this beloved food in 200gr cans, and when I bought the same one in cans twice as big, they refused to even try it. Maybe that’s what happened with Tiki and your girl? But if you bought it from Chewy, they will refund it, don’t hesitate to use this option.
Also, refrigerating food in a can is always bad idea for my guys, they plainly refuse it, I need to transfer it to glass jar.

My cats also are Rawz lovers, there are several cheaper brands I buy to bring the costs down:
- American Journey- ingredients are decent thought not the best but this food seems to be really palatable
- Redbarn Turkey, very decent as well and good price, also palatable for my guys
- my girl surprised me by liking Miko (fishless flavours), it’s similar to Tiki but she doesn’t like Tiki but loves Miko
- I haven’t tried it yet but Dave's Pet Food Cat’s Meow 95% Turkey & Turkey Liver Canned Cat Food seems decent as well, and it’s often on sale for 32$/case
- they also like BFF chicken based

Have you considered homemade, either raw or cooked? It can also be good financial alternative, especially cooked.

Maybe thats what it was, because the can I opened looked like pretty much just chicken, whereas the 3oz can definitely had egg (this was the chicken + egg flavor). She has had times of liking/not liking Tiki chicken flavors before though. I will have to contact Chewy about a refund. I'm glad they do that because buying cases is proving to not be the way to go anymore.

On homemade, I'm not against it by any means, but I'm terrified of it and possibly doing something wrong with ratios and that being an issue. But I'm also at this point scared of commercial cat food harming her too so I guess either way I'm in an anxious spiral about it! I will look into the brands you mentioned and see what my local stores have that I can pick up and try. Another one I've seen is Merrick limited ingredient? Has pea protein and alfalfa meal though, but otherwise looks ok? And my brother feeds his kitten Whole Earth Farms. Then I have moments of wondering how some cats on more cheap brands live healthy and fine for 17-18 years and I'm over here panicking and dizzy over what foods to feed.

Both vets I've been to, especially the regular one, have said they want her on a single brand or very set diet because changing it a lot isn't good? She carries Petguard and Weruva in her office. She said Echo would get picky giving her a mixed variety and it seems like she's getting picky so I can't say she's wrong....It would be less stressful than constantly having to guess what she will eat but now I don't know what to do.

I checked on dr Pierson website and she offers different interpretation than your vet (was it cat specialist? I wonder if eg. it works differently in dogs, general vets too often translate dog knowledge to cats unfortunately):

So I actually asked specifically for her to be seen by the vet at this other clinic that has cat specialized training. That being said, she made an error with our dog's care last year (told us it wasn't necessary to change a bandage when in hindsight, it absolutely should have been changed and could have saved our dogs life) so I'm not dedicated to her opinion by any means. I know Dr Pierson is highly regarded in feline care and also just today was watching this video with the Helpful Vancouver Vet who also suggests multiple smaller meals is better than one big one. I'm not sure Echo's appetite is big enough to do it though I will try 3 meals a day, that's what I was doing and it had been going fine until she's lately been more picky with food. But her urine pH was still 6.5 on 2 occasions which is in normal range, but still on higher end for some reason.