She Stopped Eating Her Temptations Topper

smosmosmo

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For a little over a week, I've been crushing up salmon Temptations to get Smo to eat wet food. It worked really well at first - I'd give her a few Temptations, slide the wet food bowl under her nose, and she'd eat a good amount of it. This was a cat who had refused every other method I'd used to entice her to eat wet food.

For the past few days though, Smo has been walking away from Temptations altogether and refusing the wet food also. She's a smart cat - could she have caught onto my ruse or has she gotten sick of the treats already? I'm not sure what else to try now, as I've tried all the usual methods of transitioning to wet. It's starting to get pretty hot where we are and I don't want her dehydrating, especially since she seems to drink less when it's warmer out.
 

mrsgreenjeens

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Also, not sure what she used to eat, but I'm guessing from your post that it was a dry food. If she really liked it, you could try crushing up some of whatever it was and use THAT as a topper. Don't use too much, just a sprinkle on top. Or it could be that she's getting tired of whatever canned food you are trying to switch her over to. Many cats don't like certain wet foods and it's a matter of figuring out what they like. I have two cats, and they don't like the same foods at all. One prefers pate, the other prefers anything but pate (usually raw, but for one meal per day he gets canned food so he understands what it is in case of emergencies :wink:) Anyway, you might try different types of food, and different flavors too, if you haven't already.
 
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smosmosmo

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mrsgreenjeens mrsgreenjeens She does get kibble daily, because I'm afraid she's starve herself if she didn't. She likes it but isn't crazy about it - she much prefers dry treats or Inaba Churu wet treats. I've tried topping her wet food with both of these but she still wouldn't touch it until I tried the Temptations.

A few months ago she ate a serving of wet food every day, but I was feeding her the same flavor for months and she suddenly decided she hated it. I realized she liked Natural Balance's pouches blended up and have been switching out the flavors, but she's learned that Temptations come before wet food time and just walks away from the treats. She'll look at them suspiciously then just leave them lying on the floor. Sooo stubborn...sigh.
 
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smosmosmo

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Advice needed! I got Smo to finish an entire can of BFF wet food just now by crushing up Greenies and sprinkling them on top - it was a last ditch effort because I was afraid she was getting dehydrated from the heat. I gave her a few Greenies then plopped her bowl in front of her, and she polished off the whole thing.

I'm concerned that she'll stop responding to the Greenies like she did with the Temptations though, and I'll be out of topper options. What can I do to prevent this? Should I try feeding every other day instead and alternating wet food flavors? I've been trying to feed her wet food daily because I worry about her water intake, but I wonder if I'm forcing too much on her too often.
 

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Make a meat stock (meat broth.) Keep some as a cold jelly in the fridge and freeze some as ice cubes. Krista eats the cold jelly from the fridge and she also eats exclusively wet food so I don't worry about her water intake unless she stops eating. Fortunately, as long as the broth is still good, she'll turn in clean plates.

Here's one recipe:
CHICKEN STOCK SOUP FOR CATS RECIPE • The Catnip Times

I would leave off the carrot and celery. Smo isn't getting anything out of them that she wouldn't get from the meat and bones and she doesn't need and possibly doesn't like the flavor they impart.

Don't use store bought stock or broth as these can have salt or worse, onions and garlic which are toxic to cats. Homemade is best.

Krista can't eat chicken but loves turkey. For a turkey stock, I pick up bone-in cuts of wings, thighs, and/or drumsticks. If there are joints, like with wings, I cut them into individual pieces to get at the connective tissues more easily. It's the connective tissues more than the marrow that gives meat stock it's jelly consistency and gut-healing gelatin. I put all this in a crock pot with water to cover and cook on low for 10 hours. It takes me 10-20 minutes to take the meat from the butcher and get the crock pot filled and started. It can take not much longer in the morning to strain, cool, and store the liquid (and the meat if I'm keeping the meat.)
 

Furballsmom

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In addition to the great advice, look at the info provided in post #2 above again. I don't think that you're forcing things on her, but it's possible that alternating flavors might work. It seems to in this house :)
 

daftcat75

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I don't like the fruits and vegetables. The idea of meat stock is to be healing and fruits and vegetables, not being a normal part of a cat's diet, can cause discomfort and imbalances in gut flora.

Bone broth is not the same thing as meat stock. Meat stock is cooked long enough for the meat to fall off the bones and to extract the collagens from the bones and connective tissues. The bones are left intact when the stock is sieved and saved. The flavor is more delicate because it's more meat than bone in the broth. Bone broth is started the same way but it's cooked much longer--long enough for the bones to fall apart. Bone broth extracts all the same stuff but in much higher amounts. One of these, glutamine, is difficult for some individuals. Also, not every cat goes for bone broth.

You're still better off making a meat stock from scratch. I don't even cook meat for myself (except fish which she doesn't eat.) Making a meat stock with a crock pot (slow cooker) is a snap. I set it and forget it the night before and it's done by morning.

Krista has never really cared for a store bought bone broth. But she cannot get enough of my homemade meat stock.
 

Sally395

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I don't like the fruits and vegetables. The idea of meat stock is to be healing and fruits and vegetables, not being a normal part of a cat's diet, can cause discomfort and imbalances in gut flora.

Bone broth is not the same thing as meat stock. Meat stock is cooked long enough for the meat to fall off the bones and to extract the collagens from the bones and connective tissues. The bones are left intact when the stock is sieved and saved. The flavor is more delicate because it's more meat than bone in the broth. Bone broth is started the same way but it's cooked much longer--long enough for the bones to fall apart. Bone broth extracts all the same stuff but in much higher amounts. One of these, glutamine, is difficult for some individuals. Also, not every cat goes for bone broth.

You're still better off making a meat stock from scratch. I don't even cook meat for myself (except fish which she doesn't eat.) Making a meat stock with a crock pot (slow cooker) is a snap. I set it and forget it the night before and it's done by morning.

Krista has never really cared for a store bought bone broth. But she cannot get enough of my homemade meat stock.
Yes, it's really good to know how to make it. And you're right, homemade if you can handle it it often best. I'm grateful for seeing these options too.
 

mrsgreenjeens

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That packaged bone broth is quite interesting. I've never in my life heard of bone broth with anything in it besides meat and the accompanying bones! Strange to have apples, etc. in it :headscratch:. I think they are really marketing this towards humans, naturally. since they are the ones with the money to buy it :rolleyes2:. but if Smo will eat her food with either of these two items on it, them that's great! Whatever works is all good, to my way of thinking.
 

daftcat75

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I think they are really marketing this towards humans, naturally. since they are the ones with the money to buy it
I feel this way about most cat foods. I know Krista would never reach for something with kale or cranberries (looking at you, Instinct! :censored:)
 

Kflowers

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IF she stops eating the new topper, try the Temptations again. You could also treat Purina Party Mix. Our cat gained two pounds on that. Apparently chasing the pieces when they are thrown does not equal the calories in the piece. However, that was the only treat she was willing to chase. She did not like any with cranberries in them, but Smo might. some like Parmesian cheese.
 
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smosmosmo

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daftcat75 daftcat75 Thanks for the recipe! I'll give stock a try if I run into another snag with Smo - the reason I haven't tried it yet is because she's not partial to poultry, she usually avoids any chicken or turkey based foods, though she will eat her chicken Dr Elsey's kibble.

After some trial and error I figured out that Smo likes a couple flavors of Natural Balance Platefulls and will eat BFF's wet food in gravy. I've been withholding any treats except for at mealtime, and she's been enjoying her Greenies and eating her wet food (sprinkled with Greenies) without giving me attitude as long as it's a flavor she likes. I'm very relieved, since it's been so hot here and I don't want her dehydrating. I'm trying to make a list of wet foods she'll eat and planning on alternating them with the Greenies.
 
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