My cats won't finish their food and it's starting to feel like a personal attack

Sheeni

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Hi all, I wanted to start by saying I have an appointment with the vet next Saturday, however the constant crying in my ear and consistent flushing of what little money I have straight down the toilet are driving me absolutely insane and I need to ask SOMEONE because nobody on google has the same problem with their cats apparently. It is 4 AM and I woke up feeling very strongly about this.

At the beginning of the year, my two cats' vet recommended switching them to wet food to help them lose weight. According to the serving size on the can and the vet's calorie formula, my large cat should be eating like 2.5 cans per day to lose weight and the smaller one probably about 1.5-2 (they eat AvoDerm Indoor Weight Support). I keep going back and checking this math and looking up how much cats usually eat on google, and my cats just REFUSE to eat more than maybe one half to one can each daily. I checked the serving sizes on their dry food as well and found that they were eating less than the recommended portion of that between both of them too! There was a significant event in our lives a couple years ago that made them both put on this weight, but I feel like I want to rip my own skin off trying to figure out how the heck they are managing to stay so fat when they don't eat!

A few months ago, I was feeding them 3x a day, half a can each every 6 hours. After a couple months I finally realized that I was literally throwing at least an entire can of food away every day in leftovers. I would put a scoop of dry food out for them at night in case they needed to snack, because they didn't get it during the day, and they wouldn't even touch it because they're both so entitled now. I started giving them less wet food, but I couldn't tell if they were hungry or not because Xanthippe will just sit and cry at the bowl every two hours regardless of how much she's left in there. A few weeks ago she was crying my ear off for hours and it hadn't been time to eat yet so when it finally was (keep in mind I KNOW she hasn't eaten in 6 hours and even 6 hours ago she didn't finish her food) I put down her food and literally watched her take 4 bites and then leave the rest. I want to cry. She did this right in front of me. She did this to me in my home. So I stopped giving them wet food for a while considering my surely-impending bankruptcy and neither of them shut up about it the whole time.

I'm pretty sure they LIKE the food because they go crazy begging for it and sprint across the room when I go anywhere near a can. For now I've been free feeding them dry food again like I was before, but I give them one can of wet food to share in the middle of the day and that's the only thing they seem to be able to finish. I've considered the possibility that they want to eat less, but they're literally eating like half their serving size and they ask for more all day. They have NO IDEA what they want. I know I can't keep changing up their daily diets for the sake of their stomachs so I am really looking for some guidance about what could be going on and how I should proceed. Even the vet said she has no idea how they can stay fat and eat so little. I don't think she believed me. Trust that I am obsessing over how much food they are wasting every time I put it down, so I am certain about their collective intake.

Why can't they finish any food??? HOW ARE THEY POSSIBLY SO FAT??

Thank you so much.
 

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Cats have their own individual metabolisms. The recommended serving size is only accurate for some cats. Mine is on ~130 calories a day to maintain/slowly lose weight. It might be helpful to track and consider it from a calories-per-gram-of-food point of view instead of cans or cups (dry food measurement can vary wildly -- a small scale is most effective). It also could be helpful to have set meal times and amounts of wet food that you know they're likely to eat. They might not eat the wet food when it's cold right out of the fridge, too -- I mix in a tiny amount of hot water since the one I feed is pate-style. Lastly, they might hold out for dry food if they know you'll offer it instead. Mine loves wet food but is still a kibble junkie.

Edit: dry food is really calorie dense (while not being as nutritious or healthy as wet food), and free-feeding it will almost ensure they won't lose weight. Free-feeding in general wouldn't cause any weight loss -- a cat would at least try to maintain their weight, if not gain more. I don't think they will ever have the complex thought of "I'm getting a little overweight, maybe I should have fewer kibbles and be a little hungry today."
Just my :2cents:

Edit 2: if all else fails, you can always experiment with other types of wet food, too -- basically all wet food aids weight loss (and general hydration and health) better than dry food
 
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Kflowers

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I found that most reducing diet food, science diet, just meant mine gained weight slower. The calories matter. Different dry foods have different calorie counts to them. Right now I think Adirondack is the lowest, but you have to keep up with the calorie count. Different brands of wet food have different counts too. Again, check each can, different flavors have different calorie counts. And remember, where 3-5 calories a day don't make too much difference in a human diet, where you can have 800-1K a day, for a cat who can only have 150-200, 5 calories is a lot.

I don't know what you can do about them not finishing their meals, except feed them less at a time and offer the rest at the next meal. SAve it in the fridge, then you'll probably want to bring it up to body temperature before they eat it. Many cats vomit cold food.
 
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Sheeni

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I found that most reducing diet food, science diet, just meant mine gained weight slower. The calories matter. Different dry foods have different calorie counts to them. Right now I think Adirondack is the lowest, but you have to keep up with the calorie count. Different brands of wet food have different counts too. Again, check each can, different flavors have different calorie counts. And remember, where 3-5 calories a day don't make too much difference in a human diet, where you can have 800-1K a day, for a cat who can only have 150-200, 5 calories is a lot.

I don't know what you can do about them not finishing their meals, except feed them less at a time and offer the rest at the next meal. SAve it in the fridge, then you'll probably want to bring it up to body temperature before they eat it. Many cats vomit cold food.
I am very aware of the number of calories they are getting, which is why I am going crazy about them not finishing their food. They are eating WAY fewer calories than they should and they're still fat. I thought they would get used to finishing their food if it was only offered at those times and they had sufficient time to eat it, because there is no way I am getting up to feed them smaller portions 6 or more times a day. That would be an absolutely ridiculous demand for them to make of me.
 
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Sheeni

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Maybe I should be posting in mental health forums instead because it feels like my cats are gaslighting me
 

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Just adding some additional thoughts/questions to those you have already received above -

What do your cats weigh, and how much are they supposed to weigh? How old are they? How do they compare to the body condition chart I have included below? The only thing I caution you about the chart is that - like most all others - it does not mention the flabby belly fat known as the primordial pouch that most all cats have - thin and fat alike.

I looked up the canned food you are feeding them, and I believe it is 154 calories per 5.5 oz can. Tbh, many canned foods - that are NOT weight management - have around the same amount of calories in them. So, if part of their issue is the fact that they don't much care for the food, you have a wide range of other foods you could try that wouldn't be all that much different calorically than what you are trying to feed them now.

I know you said they seem to like this particular food because of their behavior, but that may not actually be the case. If they are like my cat, Feeby is howling for her breakfast in the AM, but if she isn't that crazy about the food, she won't eat much of it - and would actually rather not eat the rest of the day than to finish it. This behavior also slows down a cat's metabolism - it's the body's own natural 'safety valve' to help reduce fat/muscle loss.

The other things about Feeby that might apply to your cats - Feeby can take hours to finish a 3 oz can of food - even the ones she really likes. She is kind of a grazer when it comes to eating. But, she also hates food that is drying out, so I am repeatedly adding a bit of water (or bone broth) to the food in order to keep it moister. She also doesn't like food that she has flattened out in the dish (she laps food more than bites it), so I re-scoop it into a pile. I have to do both of these things multiple times a day - or she will just stop eating.

Just some other aspects to consider as you try to figure out what is going on with your cats.
Body-Condition-Feline-Chart.jpg
 

arr

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I think you can use any wet food that is low carb, not just prescription weight loss wet food. I agree with Feebysowner that it seems like they aren’t crazy about the food. If their health allows, maybe something like Friskies or Fancy Feast pates? Most cats go crazy for those brands. Or whatever brand you want, that they will actually finish. I read here on the cat site that one member had success with his cat losing weight by eliminating all dry and feeding it only wet food, as much as it wanted to eat, twice a day. It might be worth a try just for something different. If you want to feed three times a day, you could try the twice a day method for a week and see about how much they are eating, and then divide that amount into three portions moving forward.
 
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Sheeni

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Just adding some additional thoughts/questions to those you have already received above -

What do your cats weigh, and how much are they supposed to weigh? How old are they? How do they compare to the body condition chart I have included below? The only thing I caution you about the chart is that - like most all others - it does not mention the flabby belly fat known as the primordial pouch that most all cats have - thin and fat alike.

I looked up the canned food you are feeding them, and I believe it is 154 calories per 5.5 oz can. Tbh, many canned foods - that are NOT weight management - have around the same amount of calories in them. So, if part of their issue is the fact that they don't much care for the food, you have a wide range of other foods you could try that wouldn't be all that much different calorically than what you are trying to feed them now.

I know you said they seem to like this particular food because of their behavior, but that may not actually be the case. If they are like my cat, Feeby is howling for her breakfast in the AM, but if she isn't that crazy about the food, she won't eat much of it - and would actually rather not eat the rest of the day than to finish it. This behavior also slows down a cat's metabolism - it's the body's own natural 'safety valve' to help reduce fat/muscle loss.

The other things about Feeby that might apply to your cats - Feeby can take hours to finish a 3 oz can of food - even the ones she really likes. She is kind of a grazer when it comes to eating. But, she also hates food that is drying out, so I am repeatedly adding a bit of water (or bone broth) to the food in order to keep it moister. She also doesn't like food that she has flattened out in the dish (she laps food more than bites it), so I re-scoop it into a pile. I have to do both of these things multiple times a day - or she will just stop eating.

Just some other aspects to consider as you try to figure out what is going on with your cats.View attachment 385399
Hi, my bigger cat is 9 this year and weighs 16.7 lbs and my smaller cat is 4 and I am not sure of her weight, but she looks closest to a 7 in the chart you posted. Her body is kind of like the shape of a cheese wedge - she has a very pronounced pouch that makes it hard to tell the size of her stomach. I think the vet suggested that my bigger cat try to get back down to 12-14 lbs, but I'm not sure.

I was thinking they probably liked the food because they'll starve themselves even more if I put down only dry food and wait for canned food as long as possible, but now that I think about it it's probably just better than the dry food. They did the same thing when I tried another flavor of the same food as well. The only issue is that I chose this food because my bigger cat, Zak, has a sensitive stomach and vomits once a week regardless of what food he eats, and this food has been effective in reducing the output of vomit as much as possible. I'm afraid to try too many different things for that reason as well, because every time I give him something new I know he is going to throw it up immediately at least until he gets used to it. Zak especially is the least food-motivated cat I've ever met, as well. I have yet to find a flavor that he likes enough to put in any amount of effort for. He'll get excited for treats, but if he has to do something for them, he gives up. Also he only gets excited for like 2 kinds of treats in the first place.

I have wondered if the food spreading/drying out was their issue. I noticed they take a few more bites if I scoop it together like you said. I'll have to try adding moisture to it as well.
 
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Sheeni

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I think you can use any wet food that is low carb, not just prescription weight loss wet food. I agree with Feebysowner that it seems like they aren’t crazy about the food. If their health allows, maybe something like Friskies or Fancy Feast pates? Most cats go crazy for those brands. Or whatever brand you want, that they will actually finish. I read here on the cat site that one member had success with his cat losing weight by eliminating all dry and feeding it only wet food, as much as it wanted to eat, twice a day. It might be worth a try just for something different. If you want to feed three times a day, you could try the twice a day method for a week and see about how much they are eating, and then divide that amount into three portions moving forward.
I'm honestly trying to figure out if I somehow conditioned them to be unreasonably picky because they don't like MOST food, and I have to be careful about the wet food I choose because Zak vomits regularly and many things make him vomit more than others. They didn't like the other flavor of this canned food either, they didn't like the CBD treats I tried for them, they refuse flavored medicines, and I just can't figure out how these chubsters are so indifferent towards food.
 

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I was thinking they probably liked the food because they'll starve themselves even more if I put down only dry food and wait for canned food as long as possible, but now that I think about it it's probably just better than the dry food....I have wondered if the food spreading/drying out was their issue. I noticed they take a few more bites if I scoop it together like you said. I'll have to try adding moisture to it as well.
I will tell you that ever since I added wet food to Feeby's diet (she used to be dry food only) she actually weaned herself off of dry and won't even touch it - even overnight during those times when she has completely refused to finish her canned food. And, I will also forewarn you that Feeby has gone through a number of canned foods because she seems to get tired of them and I have to change them out to something else. So, maybe look for some similar foods to what is now working with Zak in case you have to do swap-outs.

Hopefully, the added moisture and re-scooping will help!!

Feeby used to weigh just over 17 pounds and she did manage to lose some weight after she went solely to canned food - but, her situation is skewed because as it turns out she was found to have hyperthyroidism. So, how much was that and how much was her food change? I can tell you it was a blessing that she had some extra weight to lose because at this juncture she is hovering around 12 pounds. Imagine what would have happened to her if she had been at her ideal weight when her thyroid went into over-drive!
 

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I'm honestly trying to figure out if I somehow conditioned them to be unreasonably picky because they don't like MOST food, and I have to be careful about the wet food I choose because Zak vomits regularly and many things make him vomit more than others. They didn't like the other flavor of this canned food either, they didn't like the CBD treats I tried for them, they refuse flavored medicines, and I just can't figure out how these chubsters are so indifferent towards food.
Try wet food that has carrageenan/gum/agar agar free as those will be easiest on the tummies. Tiki cat is pretty safe bet and low in calories. Make sure the wet food is warm and stick to the scheduled times for feeding. Some cats cant even go 5 mins passed feeding time as otherwise it makes them sick and they vomit. Rawz LID or koha LID is great to. Them not eating is not a personal attack, some cats just get bored if fed the same wet food. With dry food they can eat the same thing for life, with wet food I swear my cats want something different daily lol.
 

Joelle and the kittens

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It is 4 AM and I woke up feeling very strongly about this.
I don't think I've ever identified more with a statement...

Your cats might get excited about treats and food because they're just conditioned to associate the pre-food routine with "good things", not because they're actually hungry. Likewise they may cry hungrily because they know that gets your attention, and associate your attention with "good things".

Do your cats drink water regularly? Do you think you could wear them out playing and then put down boiled chicken water or tuna water for them to drink? Maybe that would condition them to link thirst quenching ("good thing") with those tastes and your could develop some sort of exercise routine to enhance their appetites.
 

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Just to add something, maybe it's not the food or even the portion size, but something else. My Hima is picky about her eating habits. Especially wet food. If I let her eat on her own, she would only MAYBE finish the first wet food meal of the day. The rest, I have to handfeed her. She gets gassy when she eats wet food on her own (she swallows more air) and gets uncomfortable. Some cats also prefer certain bowls, some need rised bowls, etc

If they have dental issues, that might also be a challenge. They can swallow dry food without chewing, but wet food might get more irritating.

Also in my experience, some cats need to see food in the bowl to know there is still food. Not necessarily because they want to eat it there and then. But they need to see there is food available when they get hungry.
 

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MissClouseau MissClouseau Sango is one of those cats that has to see there is plenty of food available. It’s a food insecurity issue I think since she was a hoarder cat. She won’t eat her wet food unless she can see there is some dry food available. Timed feedings have never worked with her because 1) She pace around the house frantically if I take her food away or 2) If I don’t take the food away, she always saves it for later.
Also, I found she does eventually eat all her wet food if I feed a whole 3 oz. can at once. She likes to see a big pile of food. I used to split into breakfast and dinner feedings with different flavors for variety, but she always would save some of her breakfast for later, then eat a tiny bit of her dinner and just finishes her breakfast only.

It was really bad when she had a dental extraction back in April. The vet said no dry food and that if I had to, mix water in the dry. She ate some but then went on a full hunger strike. I gave up and pull down some dry food and then she instantly ate her wet and only some of the dry. Luckily, she didn’t pop any stitches.

I wonder if @Sheeni‘s cats are presenting this same sort of behavior?
 
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Sheeni

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FeebysOwner FeebysOwner The weight aspect is really the part that is keeping me up at night. They switched to wet food in the first place to lose weight, and I'm starting to doubt that I'm seeing things correctly because I've measured everything they eat since the switch and my smaller cat (Xanthippe) has DEFINITELY gained weight. Or she is bloated because she keeps eating hay. Separate concern for the vet. Anyway, if anything they should've slimmed a little by now with what they've been eating, and I can't find a scientifically possible explanation for how they could possibly be looking fatter. The vet did mention that my larger cat (Zak)'s thyroid was on the high end of normal last time, and we should monitor it, but that he would LOSE weight if he had an issue with it. Like maybe I don't WANT them to finish their food because WHAT is going on

Joelle and the kittens Joelle and the kittens I think you might be onto something. Xanthippe stops meowing if I'm looking at her and forgets whatever I assumed she was whining about. Zak doesn't meow but instead has FHS episodes where he yells and lunges after his tail, but his behavior I've noticed was definitely because he wanted wet food earlier than the time I would put it down. They hardly drink water since switching foods. I am also in a dilemma because this is all happening in my master bathroom in the second story of my house and I am disabled and under specific orders to limit the number of times I go up and down the stairs as much as possible. It is already hard enough managing all the trash and mess that came with switching foods up here honestly, I don't have anywhere I could keep broth and also warm it up to give to them without going downstairs every time.

MissClouseau MissClouseau Xanthippe is more of a licker, I've noticed, and I think that is part of the issue because she smushes it into the corner of the bowl and then doesn't want to stick her face in. Zak has always had this stunning habit of plunging his face into everything he eats/drinks first, recoiling when it gets all over his face, and then realizing he can just bite or lick it in a sane way. They will eventually eat whatever they are given, it's just a problem with wet food because I can't leave it out long enough for them to decide they are not too good to finish it. Lately I have left a bowl of dry food out and given them a whole can in one bowl twice a day at no particular time. I don't think they've eaten any of the dry food, but they've started finishing most of the cans. For some reason they are doing better eating out of one bowl.

TardisDance TardisDance I'm not sure, like I said they'll definitely eat whatever is there after they feel like they've tried complaining long enough. Xan does the same thing with treats, she'll eat the fatty ones instantly and she won't say no to the dental kind but she will sniff them and then look up at me for at least a minute to confirm that nothing better is coming before she settles for eating them. They have almost always had dry food available at the same time though, it was only completely scheduled for a while after I started freaking out about them still getting fat. They have both started pawing at the ground around their food since the switch though. Like hourly. The food has never gone anywhere.
 

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If they aren't finishing their food, and especially if they aren't losing weight eating less than the recommended amount, common sense would say don't give them as much food.

It really isn't any more complicated than that. Take a step back, take a breath, and give them less food.
 

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Eating less is a good thing if you want to lose weight.
 
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Sheeni

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If they aren't finishing their food, and especially if they aren't losing weight eating less than the recommended amount, common sense would say don't give them as much food.

It really isn't any more complicated than that. Take a step back, take a breath, and give them less food.
I give them less food and they wake me up every night 4 hours early to see if they can get more. And Zak has episodes throughout the day. What is common sense with a cat who can't tell you if something is actually wrong? I can't say definitively that I shouldn't give them as much as they ask for because it's so much less than they're apparently supposed to eat and it keeps being reiterated to me that they should eat at LEAST x amount, so my sense probably tells me they're not hungry, but if everyone else in the world is telling me that this works invariably for every other healthy cat and my cats are also nonstop indicating they want more, then statistically speaking it's most likely that I am the one doing something very wrong. I just don't understand what I'm doing wrong because nobody else is getting it wrong this way so I've managed to create what appears to be an impressively complicated problem that I can only assume must stem from my own stupidity or mental illness causing me to misunderstand math or something I am reading, over and over again. They won't let me sleep and I'm just hoping it kills me sooner at this point so somebody capable of understanding what they're doing and how to apply basic concepts will feel the need to take over and feed them however competent people are feeding them. They cry like they're suffering and I can't sleep.
 

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I give them less food and they wake me up every night 4 hours early to see if they can get more. And Zak has episodes throughout the day. What is common sense with a cat who can't tell you if something is actually wrong? I can't say definitively that I shouldn't give them as much as they ask for because it's so much less than they're apparently supposed to eat and it keeps being reiterated to me that they should eat at LEAST x amount, so my sense probably tells me they're not hungry, but if everyone else in the world is telling me that this works invariably for every other healthy cat and my cats are also nonstop indicating they want more, then statistically speaking it's most likely that I am the one doing something very wrong. I just don't understand what I'm doing wrong because nobody else is getting it wrong this way so I've managed to create what appears to be an impressively complicated problem that I can only assume must stem from my own stupidity or mental illness causing me to misunderstand math or something I am reading, over and over again. They won't let me sleep and I'm just hoping it kills me sooner at this point so somebody capable of understanding what they're doing and how to apply basic concepts will feel the need to take over and feed them however competent people are feeding them. They cry like they're suffering and I can't sleep.
Well, the best thing to do is figure out what their ideal weight is and lower the amount they are being fed until they start losing weight, and continue to slowly lower it until they reach their ideal weight. If a Cat should weigh 8-10 LB but is 15 LB and is being fed the amount that a 15 LB Cat should eat, then it's probably not going to lose weight. If they are used to eating x amount then they will want to continue eating x amount, and it's normal if they bug you for food if they are fed less until they get used to it.

I have a Cat that I rescued who is absolutely obsessed with food and will do things like dive into the kitchen trash to eat whatever is in there. It doesn't matter if he's just eaten, if he sees anything that resembles food he will try to eat it. This is most common with rescued Cats that had been on their own outside for a long period of time and were starved, but much like people, some Cats just really like food. A while back he jumped onto the kitchen counter then into the microwave to steal a piece of chicken that I had just cooked, then tried to grab it back when I took it away from him but sank his teeth into my hand instead. He let go as soon as he realized it was my hand and not the chicken, but yeah.

It's important not to let them lose weight too rapidly though, Cats are not designed to metabolize large amounts of fat and it can result in hepatic lipidosis (fatty liver disease) which can be fatal.
 
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