Super fussy kitten on raw

[somayeh]

Hi guys,

So I've had Kola since he was 9 weeks old, he's now 4 months. 

He's been a fussy kitten since day one but I have always managed to give him at least 60/70% raw from the first day I got him.

But in the past few days he's being throwing a diva fit that even I can't manage!

Now, the raw food he's turning his nose up is food he's been eaten happily up until now! 

I mean I may have had to tempt him, put treats on it, hand feed, change the bowl, encourage him and god knows what but he's always gotten there, until now that is. 

Up until few weeks ago he was on Natural Instinct raw and variety of kitten tinned food (Almo nature, Garu & Nature's Menu).

Recently I decided to take out majority tinned and only feed Natural Instinct and Purrform.

Every day it's a new game, and the rules change but I've just about gotten him to eat both the natural Instinct and Purrform raw, and as long as some tuna thrive treats were on it he would eat it, but since yesterday he won't touch any of the raw both Natural Instinct and Purrform.

I've put his treats on it, I've re-washed the bowl, I've placed it on his feeding mat, I've mixed it in with tin food, I've tried to hand feed, I've played with him to make him hungry: no luck whatsoever. He will now only eat the tin it seems which I'm not only running out of but I really don't want to get him used to just eating that!

I'm really not sure why he's so fussy? I've tried playing bad cop by not changing to the food he likes. I've also tried taking the food away and bringing it back but it has no effect and eventually I have to change the food to something that he will eat, especially since he's growing and he's still so young. I also work during the day so it's worrying to know he's not eating during the day. 

Do I really have to start again? I mean since day one he would pick out the raw chunks I would give him so I know he likes raw so I don't want to get him used to tinned food which isn't as good for him.

Any advice from others who have fussy cats? 

 

[Columbine]

Cats do like to play these games with us Some are definitely fussier than others though! Shadow drives me crazy with his ever changing tastes and fads :disa:

If he wants canned, let him have it for now. Canned food is perfectly fine - in fact, I'd go as far as to say that high quality canned food is just as healthy as raw. Grau (if the grain free varieties) and Nature's Menu are both pure meat foods, in any case, so really are very similar to the raw foods imo.

If you really want a raw food to leave out while you're at work, try the Nature's Menu Country Hunter freeze dried raw treats. I've spoken to the manufacturer, and they're nutritionally identical to the Nature's Menu raw car food (i.e., they can be used as a complete food). They're the ONLY raw Asha will eat. I know they're definitely not cheap, but it'd be a way to keep some raw in his diet. Either rehydrate before feeding, or use dry and add water to the canned food to compensate.

Above all, don't panic! Fussy cats will generally come back around to food they've rejected if you give them some time (or once they get bored of the new fad :lol3: ).