I snapped at my cat.

[maggie101]

I am fixing to try the mouser brand on my cat peaches,now 6 pds. I think it has more calories and very expensive

 

[IndyJones]

I wouldn't touch mouser with a ten foot pole. I just don't like the idea of feeding pinkies period.

Side note theres a vieo on youtube of someone feeding their cat a whole pinkie ick.

 

[maggie101]

Ooh! It was a last resort but I'll take a peek

 

[BoaztheAdventureCat]

I have previously posted about my cat's behavior issues concerning food.
He is giving me a very hard time to eat and it's been going on for the past 3 years. I can't take it anymore, it's affecting my mental health.
I am close to rehoming him because I am losing my mind. I spend 2 hours on every meal trying to feed him.
Here is a list of what I tried:
- Starving him. He wakes me up, follows me to the kitchen and keeps meowing for food. Once the food is on a plate he doesn't want to eat it and keeps following me. I pet him for hours and hours a day. We play for at least an hour every day.
- Trying different food. I thought he liked chicken because one day I topped his food with chicken and he devoured it. The next day he doesn't want to eat chicken.
- Does he want beef? no! Sardine? no! tuna? no!
- Different food brands. Each brand worked once and he doesn't eat it the next time.
- Adding fortiflora. It works once in every 10 times.
- Different type of plates.
- Should I hand feed you? no! do you want food on the floor? no!
- I place a thin cutting board on the floor and put the food next to it and he doesn't eat.
- Music for cats
- Cat TV on next to his plate. It worked once.
- He is not allergic as this been happening for 3 years and I haven't seen any signs.
- Kibbles. He eats it okay but sometimes he doesn't eat if I don't give him the appropriate amount of pets.

I am posting again about this matter because I am out of ideas. I tried new things this week and still nothing is working.
He will be starving but won't eat. I am not doing well anymore because of him and I can't keep enduring this thing anymore for a sake of a cat.

Venting:
Shelters should be honest about cats that have issues. Not everyone is able to handle picky cats specially that it's draining financially. I have no clue what this cat has been through before I adopted him 3 years ago at age 9mo. But the shelter said he is a happy cat and he was purring during his vet visit. When I went to adopt him, he smelled bad, he was scared and he haven't eaten in 4 days.

What could be wrong with him? I am having someone stay with him next weekend, I will see if this behavior continues.

It's not uncommon for cats to be picky eaters if the food they're eating is less than human-grade quality. It's amazing how animals know what's the best for them in terms of diet. You wouldn't want to spend your whole life eating only canned and pelleted food, would you? (What's worse about feed-grade quality canned and kibble food is that they contain too much carbohydrates and cancer-causing ingredients, just to name some of the issues.) You know you would survive, but nothing beats the invigorating feeling of eating fresh food! If you can afford to make the switch to a human-grade canned or raw diet, I think that will really help him to eat consistently.

Question: Is your cat an indoor cat or is he allowed to go outside without human supervision? While I wouldn't personally allow my cat to go outside without a human present, if I was in a dire situation where he wasn't eating, I would let him go out on his own so he could hunt for food. Unless your cat has no will to live, he will eventually eat. So, if you can't afford to switch him to human-grade canned or raw food, this might be the next step for you.

 

[my_money_pit]

Are you rotating all the recipes? What veggies are you using? Are these the newer recipes or from the older book?
I had a cat that could NOT tolerate veggies of any sort. It always triggered vomiting and/or abdominal pain. My other cats are garbage disposals and can eat pretty much anything. So I'm wondering if that inclusion is just not working for him.

i am rotating between raw beef and raw chicken. I do have a batch of cooked chicken so I offered him that for tonight and he ate it. I think it's just a matter of him being picky and figuring out what works for him. Tomorrow, I am going to try the same cooked chicken he liked today if he doesn't eat it, it's going to be basically a game to figure out what he wants to eat for every meal.
I don't know if I have the new or the old book. it's this one from 2018.

He is fine with the veggies. I give him a mix of pumpkin and banana. Or spinach and apple.

 

[my_money_pit]

It's not uncommon for cats to be picky eaters if the food they're eating is less than human-grade quality. It's amazing how animals know what's the best for them in terms of diet. You wouldn't want to spend your whole life eating only canned and pelleted food, would you? (What's worse about feed-grade quality canned and kibble food is that they contain too much carbohydrates and cancer-causing ingredients, just to name some of the issues.) You know you would survive, but nothing beats the invigorating feeling of eating fresh food! If you can afford to make the switch to a human-grade canned or raw diet, I think that will really help him to eat consistently.

Question: Is your cat an indoor cat or is he allowed to go outside without human supervision? While I wouldn't personally allow my cat to go outside without a human present, if I was in a dire situation where he wasn't eating, I would let him go out on his own so he could hunt for food. Unless your cat has no will to live, he will eventually eat. So, if you can't afford to switch him to human-grade canned or raw food, this might be the next step for you.

My cat eat human grade food. His mixes are very basic meat (chicken, beef or turkey) + organs such as heart, gizzards and liver. Added to that an egg or sardine or salmon and a bit of veggie mix. He is an indoor cat. For now, it seems like he's just picky. As I mentionned earlier, I gave him some cooked chicken and he ate it. Earlier today, I was trying to feed him beef which he hasn't had since Friday and he refused to eat it. He is also picky about his toys. He won't play with a toy for more than 3-4 days. Then, he will ignore it and he will come back to it in like a month or so.

 

[Furballsmom]

I'll take a peek

Not to hijack the thread but Mouser cat food is a good option to try.

 

[my_money_pit]

Not to hijack the thread but Mouser cat food is a good option to try.

I will add it to the list in case nothing works out. I don’t mind feeding him an actual mouse tbh. But that is my last resort for now lol

 

[BoaztheAdventureCat]

My cat eat human grade food. His mixes are very basic meat (chicken, beef or turkey) + organs such as heart, gizzards and liver. Added to that an egg or sardine or salmon and a bit of veggie mix. He is an indoor cat. For now, it seems like he's just picky. As I mentionned earlier, I gave him some cooked chicken and he ate it. Earlier today, I was trying to feed him beef which he hasn't had since Friday and he refused to eat it. He is also picky about his toys. He won't play with a toy for more than 3-4 days. Then, he will ignore it and he will come back to it in like a month or so.

Wow. Sorry to hear that. Cats are difficult! Have you tried food puzzles with freeze-dried raw treats? If I was you, I'd stick to human-grade raw only and I'd tough it out with him. You run the show, he doesn't. If your vet has cleared him of any health issues, then when he's hungry enough, he will eat or he's stupid! It could simply be that the reason why he's a picky eater is because he's figured out how to manipulate you to get what he wants.

 

[my_money_pit]

Wow. Sorry to hear that. Cats are difficult! Have you tried food puzzles with freeze-dried raw treats? If I was you, I'd stick to human-grade raw only and I'd tough it out with him. You run the show, he doesn't. If your vet has cleared him of any health issues, then when he's hungry enough, he will eat or he's stupid! It could simply be that the reason why he's a picky eater is because he's figured out how to manipulate you to get what he wants.

He seems like a manipulator. I gave him some homemade chicken shreds yesterday and he ate that without complaining. I left him some raw beef with sardine for the night, he didn't even touch it tho he was walking on my bed all night trying to wake me up to feed him.
This morning I gave him the same chicken shreds he devoured yesterday and he refused them. It had some veggie mix so I gave him another option without any veggies but he refused both of them. He won't have any food before midnight.
I wake up stressed and I sleep stressed. He ruined my life, I am close to just opening the door for him even tho he's an indoor cat. Maybe that will teach him to eat all the options I am offering him.
What bugs me is that he has 2 different proteins every single day. Two different meals. He doesn't seem to like consistency so this should work for him but it's not. I'm tired.

 

[BoaztheAdventureCat]

He seems like a manipulator. I gave him some homemade chicken shreds yesterday and he ate that without complaining. I left him some raw beef with sardine for the night, he didn't even touch it tho he was walking on my bed all night trying to wake me up to feed him.
This morning I gave him the same chicken shreds he devoured yesterday and he refused them. It had some veggie mix so I gave him another option without any veggies but he refused both of them. He won't have any food before midnight.
I wake up stressed and I sleep stressed. He ruined my life, I am close to just opening the door for him even tho he's an indoor cat. Maybe that will teach him to eat all the options I am offering him.
What bugs me is that he has 2 different proteins every single day. Two different meals. He doesn't seem to like consistency so this should work for him but it's not. I'm tired.

Yeah, he's manipulating you. Don't feel sorry for him and give into him. Teach him to sleep shut in his kennel at night so he can't go all over the place waking you up. If he raises a fuss in his kennel, you might try taking a plastic cup and banging it against the side of the kennel (The kennel needs to be hard.). Stick to your guns about what food you're presenting, and if he refuses to eat, he can learn by starving himself that he doesn't run the show. If you feel like letting him go out on his own to hunt, that could help him, too; just know that you're taking an enormous emotional and financial risk since then his life would be in danger every time he goes outside.

 

[my_money_pit]

Yeah, he's manipulating you. Don't feel sorry for him and give into him. Teach him to sleep shut in his kennel at night so he can't go all over the place waking you up. If he raises a fuss in his kennel, you might try taking a plastic cup and banging it against the side of the kennel (The kennel needs to be hard.). Stick to your guns about what food you're presenting, and if he refuses to eat, he can learn by starving himself that he doesn't run the show. If you feel like letting him go out on his own to hunt, that could help him, too; just know that you're taking an enormous emotional and financial risk since then his life would be in danger every time he goes outside.

i'm gonna toughen it up with him but I won't put him in a kennel. He had UTI from stress and I won't put him back into a stressful position. Will see by tomorrow how things progress.

 

[BoaztheAdventureCat]

i'm gonna toughen it up with him but I won't put him in a kennel. He had UTI from stress and I won't put him back into a stressful position. Will see by tomorrow how things progress.

Okay, sounds good. Keep us posted.

 

[Eurocat]

I know you care a lot for your cat otherwise you wouldn‘t be so stressed.
But you and the cat are a system. The only behaviour you can change directly is your own. The only emotions you can work on are your own. The cat‘s will follow as he is dependent on you.
If you are stressed, the cat is stressed and then the visious circle continues. Believe me it‘s something I‘m working on too as I‘m a worrier and feel the weight of responsibility.
Please also realize cats on the one hand that although cats are highly sensitive creatures, they are usually extremely resilient and adaptable.
I’ve asked it in my previous posts - Is there any reason for you to believe that your cat is not getting enough to eat? Is he underweight or losing weight?
If he doesn‘t eat much for a couple of days it‘s not a big deal. If he sees his human going into breakdown it is.
Hang in there and get some sleep
All the best..

 

[Babypaws]

I know everyone has their opinions of different cat food to try but I’m another member that would never feed my cats Mouser cat food…my cats are all indoor cats and every now and then, especially in the Fall, we get a few mice in our cellar but I would never put them down there to catch mice… i’m sure mice are loaded with diseases, and as far as buying it from a company that has mice meat in their food that’s another no, no for me. I don’t have much faith in these big companies that put crap in their cat food so they can make more profits, I just wouldn’t trust them as far as what they’re actually putting in the food, couldn’t mouse meat be contaminated etc? Who actually knows what some of these other companies put in the cat food

 

[my_money_pit]

I know you care a lot for your cat otherwise you wouldn‘t be so stressed.
But you and the cat are a system. The only behaviour you can change directly is your own. The only emotions you can work on are your own. The cat‘s will follow as he is dependent on you.
If you are stressed, the cat is stressed and then the visious circle continues. Believe me it‘s something I‘m working on too as I‘m a worrier and feel the weight of responsibility.
Please also realize cats on the one hand that although cats are highly sensitive creatures, they are usually extremely resilient and adaptable.
I’ve asked it in my previous posts - Is there any reason for you to believe that your cat is not getting enough to eat? Is he underweight or losing weight?
If he doesn‘t eat much for a couple of days it‘s not a big deal. If he sees his human going into breakdown it is.
Hang in there and get some sleep
All the best..

I base myself on the fact that he needs 1 cup of food a day. When he was on dry food, he will eat all his portion so I'm assuming this should be the same if he is on raw or cooked food.

 

[my_money_pit]

I know everyone has their opinions of different cat food to try but I’m another member that would never feed my cats Mouser cat food…my cats are all indoor cats and every now and then, especially in the Fall, we get a few mice in our cellar but I would never put them down there to catch mice… i’m sure mice are loaded with diseases, and as far as buying it from a company that has mice meat in their food that’s another no, no for me. I don’t have much faith in these big companies that put crap in their cat food so they can make more profits, I just wouldn’t trust them as far as what they’re actually putting in the food, couldn’t mouse meat be contaminated etc? Who actually knows what some of these other companies put in the cat food

Freshly caught mice from their warehouses lol! I would feed an entire mouse but it has to be from a pet store. I know that raw food has stricter rules and get tested way more than kibbles and pate. So I assume if it's being sold at a pet store, it should be fine to consume.

 

[Furballsmom]

I don’t have much faith in these big companies

It is a small business, not a large corporate entity. The owner is as careful and cautious as a person manufacturing pet food can possibly be, especially given what happened to the small raw food company that was run out of business a few years ago due to an alleged mistake.

 

[Jabzilla]

I base myself on the fact that he needs 1 cup of food a day. When he was on dry food, he will eat all his portion so I'm assuming this should be the same if he is on raw or cooked food.

The amount of food needed on kibble isn't the same as what's needed on raw food. Kibble being full of fillers and such means cats need to eat more of it to get their nutritional needs met. The most accurate way to figure out how much food your cat needs is to go by calorie requirements. Does the recipie in Dr. Becker's book tell you how many calories are in the total batch? If not, you can look up the calorie content of all of its ingredients and add them up to get the total caloric amount in the batch. Then you can calculate how many calories are eaten each day based on how much food he eats by weight. If he eats 100g of food each day, for example, you can calculate how many calories he gets from that. You can then increase or decrease his daily caloric amount based on whether or not he gains or loses weight.

I have found that online calorie estimates for cats are way off for raw food. My 15lb cat currently eats 220kcal of food each day, yet according to online calculators based on his weight he should be getting well over 300kcal/day. If he ate that much he would gain weight and be obese. Simply eating 240kcal/day was enough for him to go from ideal to overweight. So those guides are good for having some kind of idea but won't be 100 accurate for your individual. They're just a place to start. Here's a good page explaining energy requirements and calories. Energy Range Information - Raw Fed and Nerdy

Anyway, since cats eating kibble need a larger amount of food than a raw fed cat, that could also play a role in why he isn't eating all of his food. 1 cup could very well be too much. With raw food, it's more accurate to go by weight of the food rather than by volume.

 

[my_money_pit]

The amount of food needed on kibble isn't the same as what's needed on raw food. Kibble being full of fillers and such means cats need to eat more of it to get their nutritional needs met. The most accurate way to figure out how much food your cat needs is to go by calorie requirements. Does the recipie in Dr. Becker's book tell you how many calories are in the total batch? If not, you can look up the calorie content of all of its ingredients and add them up to get the total caloric amount in the batch. Then you can calculate how many calories are eaten each day based on how much food he eats by weight. If he eats 100g of food each day, for example, you can calculate how many calories he gets from that. You can then increase or decrease his daily caloric amount based on whether or not he gains or loses weight.

I have found that online calorie estimates for cats are way off for raw food. My 15lb cat currently eats 220kcal of food each day, yet according to online calculators based on his weight he should be getting well over 300kcal/day. If he ate that much he would gain weight and be obese. Simply eating 240kcal/day was enough for him to go from ideal to overweight. So those guides are good for having some kind of idea but won't be 100 accurate for your individual. They're just a place to start. Here's a good page explaining energy requirements and calories. Energy Range Information - Raw Fed and Nerdy

Anyway, since cats eating kibble need a larger amount of food than a raw fed cat, that could also play a role in why he isn't eating all of his food. 1 cup could very well be too much. With raw food, it's more accurate to go by weight of the food rather than by volume.

I started feeding him 1 cup but I noticed that it’s way too much food for him so I dropped it to 3/4 of a cup. Last week he was getting between 3/4 and 1 cup a day but since Monday he hasn’t had 3/4 cup in 2 days. A friend suggested to cook the meat and stop offering raw in case he is refusing it bcs the meat has gone bad. This way i can ensure that he is not refusing the food because he is smelling something off.
what a journey!

edit:
The book mentions that 1 ounce has 40 calories. My cat gets around 6 ounces a day so around 240 calories. Maybe he only needs half a cup since 240 calories can be a bit too much for him. I will try to aim for 200 calories. Maybe i’m trying to overfeed him?