Kitten Doesn't Like her Food Anymore?

[nekomimi]

Seth-chan has become increasingly picky over the past two weeks and I'm not sure why. She eats up all of her food when I feed her the canned, wet Science Diet food, but whenever I give her dry food (Science Diet for Kittens moistened with water) she only eats a small amount and then turns her nose up. She was just fine with it before, but now she acts like she doesn't like it! I don't want my kitten to get sick or have nutritional deficiencies. Should I just feed her the canned food? What do you all suggest?

 

[sharky]

Just canned food is great if it is a high quality one... there are lots of high quality no by products( if they have organs they are spelled out)... no excessive grains

 

[nekomimi]

Thanks a ton! It turns out that the science diet brand has biproducts and preservatives in it as well as less protein as compared to a cheaper brand that I got at a health food store nearby!

 

[sharky]

my motto always read the label... sometimes the least likly food turns out to be great

 

[nekomimi]

Yes, I'm a health nut myself, but someone recommended Science Diet to me-- so I assumed that it was healthy. Guess i'll be more careful in the future!

 

[nekomimi]

Well, I've been giving Seth mostly wet canned food mixed in with her regular food, and she's still not eating much.

She eats most of the canned and then pushes the dry aside. I put out a side dish of dry to see what she would do, and she ate a few pieces and then walked away. I find it strange because she acts interested, but then after she eats for a minute or two she'll walk away. A few weeks ago, she was eating a lot more--probably a little over what her recommended would be. Maybe I'm just being overly protective, but is it normal for a cat to be so picky or to change her diet like this?

Her stool looks normal, but she has been a little bit shy these past two days which could have to do with my husband being home...maybe I'm just paranoid... She had two big rambunctious playtimes this morning, but this afternoon she doesn't really feel like playing...

 

[sharky]

does she eat at least a 3ounce can a day??

 

[nekomimi]

She eats around 3 oz of wet canned food + some dry food mixed in --this is spread throughout the day of course

 

[meowsersmom]

why not try another dry food? your cat may just be sick of eating the same thing everyday. my cats are all about variety.

 

[nekomimi]

I just switched over (after a gradual change through mixing her old food in) to a new brand and I'm feeding her wet food as well.

She ate more today (which made me feel better), but she still seems a bit more tired than usual. She's been sleeping a lot the past two days as compared to her usual rampages through the house. She has also been allowing me to pet her while she's resting and she even let my husband pet her head while she was resting today (which has NEVER happened).

She's been curling up to a piece of faux fur that attaches to one of my jackets that she stole and put in her bed.

Maybe she's under the weather? Or could this be a part of her growing up (she's 6 1/2 months old or so)?

 

[sharky]

May I ask what you got??

she may still be teething( okay it has been 15 years since I had a teething baby )

any goop on eyes or mouth??

 

[nekomimi]

She has no goop on her eyes or mouth, no sneezing, no change in her stool.
She's lazier than usual, perhaps a little withdrawn--but she sometimes gets that way around my hubby. She is pretty active in the morning when we first wake up. She's usually a day sleeper anyway, but she's been sleeping from 1 or 2 pm until 7:30 pm. I had to wake her up because I missed her (she sleeps under the futon in the living room) and got out her favourite toy.. She played a little bit, but didn't really get into it. She just looked plain tired...

I got a new brand of cat food 2 days ago from the health food store (Trader Joe's Chicken and Rice Formula) which has no preservatives, artificial colourings, or biproducts.I changed to it because she lost interest in the Science Diet Food. She seems to like this food much better. I also give her wet canned food (ocean blend and sometimes salmon or turkey)

Crude Protein 32%min
Crude Fat 14% min
Crude Fiber 3% max
Moisture 12% max
magnesium .1% max

 

[sharky]

I wish Trader Joes would come up here... there are petitions but no luck./// I hear there cat food is great

 

[nekomimi]

I definitely love having one nearby. In my case it's 1/3 of a mile down the road! May I ask what area/state you are in?

 

[sharky]

North Idaho about two hours south of the Canandian border

 

[catsknowme]

Is it possible that your cat has a sore mouth? You could try moistening her kibble to see if she eats more. None of my cats have ever liked Science Diet; they do eat Eukanuba products. I just tried a sample of Innova, that seems to be a big hit - I bought them Dick VanPatten's Natural Choice UltraPremium dry, with herbs & cranberry, but they absolutely refuse to eat it!

Those cats are as finicky as I am

 

[nekomimi]

I was wondering the same thing about the sore mouth.. she seems to have trouble eating larger pieces of kibble, but i have no clue why. i've looked in her mouth while she yawns, and i don't see anything wrong...I always wet her food a little bit, but she still has a hard time with larger pieces.

 

[sharky]

Is kitty betwween 4-6 months>>??

 

[nekomimi]

she's around 6 1/2 months old..she has some of her permanent teeth i know (the vet pointed it out to me)

 

[sharky]

She may have a sore mouth for a bit of teething ( I dont remeber teething but I am sure someone with mor recent experience can help)