Wet Food Advice For A Picky Kitty

Bajan Cat Mom of 1

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Hi! This is my first time posting on The Cat Site. I'm eager to get advice from fellow cat owners.

My cat Gus is a 2 year old Russian Blue. He has always been very fond of his dry food, but quite picky when it comes to his wet food. He will devour wet food when it is fresh from the can, but with each passing day (when its coming out of the fridge) he gets less and less interested. By the 3rd day he will sniff it and walk away.

I also think he gets tired of the same flavor. I previously alternated between 3 flavors which seemed to work, but after some urinary issues he is now on a prescription diet (Hills Science Diet c/d) - which only comes in 2 flavors.

Has anyone had any experience with a picky eater?

What method do you use for re-heating wet food that has been in the fridge (I have tried microwave for 10-15 seconds, I have tried mixing with warm water).

How often do you give your cat wet food? I began with 2x a day then reduced to once a day when I found he barely ate it.

Any advice welcome! Thank you!
 

FeebysOwner

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Hi! Welcome! Feeby isn't a terribly picky eater, actually. But, she is on Hill's C/D and Royal Canin SO, both wet and dry. I have found the Hill's wet to be a bit grainy and that might be part of your problem with Gus. In addition to the RC SO, there is a Purina Urinary care food (I don't think it needs a prescription) that you might try for variety sake.

You can try separating a can of the Hill's into however many servings you give Gus and transfer the remaining portions that will be fed later into plastic, sealable bowls. Maybe even add a tad bit of water to them before refrigerating them? To heat them up, you can set the plastic bowl in pan of hot water for a few minutes just to take the chill off. Then, stir the contents and see if he will eat the 'leftovers' better this way.

Feeby also takes mini-breaks during the time it takes her to eat 1/3 of a can, so I pick up her bowl, add a bit more water, re-stir, and then smash the food up as best I can to help encourage her eat the last bit. I think she laps her wet food more than actually eating and that might be why, toward the end, the grainier stuff is left. But, I don't see that level of graininess in the RC SO.

Also, if you live near a PetSmart and they operate the way mine does, they will refill the prescriptions for you so that you don't have to repeatedly get a new prescription from the vet. They do this for me, and I don't even use their vet services.
 

KarenKat

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We add Gohan’s food to a ziplock bag and heat it under warm water - that really helped him eat bigger wet food meals. We do it even for room temperature food and it helps a lot.
 

CatLover49

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Hi! This is my first time posting on The Cat Site. I'm eager to get advice from fellow cat owners.

My cat Gus is a 2 year old Russian Blue. He has always been very fond of his dry food, but quite picky when it comes to his wet food. He will devour wet food when it is fresh from the can, but with each passing day (when its coming out of the fridge) he gets less and less interested. By the 3rd day he will sniff it and walk away.

I also think he gets tired of the same flavor. I previously alternated between 3 flavors which seemed to work, but after some urinary issues he is now on a prescription diet (Hills Science Diet c/d) - which only comes in 2 flavors.

Has anyone had any experience with a picky eater?

What method do you use for re-heating wet food that has been in the fridge (I have tried microwave for 10-15 seconds, I have tried mixing with warm water).

How often do you give your cat wet food? I began with 2x a day then reduced to once a day when I found he barely ate it.

Any advice welcome! Thank you!
I have found its easier to just feed 3 oz can in morning n 3 oz can in evening..Cause my boy dont like the food after its been refrigerated either..its either fresh outta the can or NOTHING....for him...so I still loose some wet food but not as much in a 3 oz can. ....as I would in a 5oz...or 5.5oz can...And when add water which some members do....It weakens the smell...n flavor..of the food...And putting in refrigerator..as some members do...is ok too..it weakens the smell..n flavor....Ive had same issue with my boy...and I started givn a 3oz in morning...n 3oz in evening....different varieties...if necessary...and it worked for my boy n me...:):thumbsup:
But im not saying...refrigeration...is ok...No not at all...or heating up....Both are fine to do....IF URE CAT WILL EAT IT...THAT WAY..:thumbsup::goodluck:
 
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EmersonandEvie

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Whenever mine decide that they simply don't want their wet food, we take a few (less than 10) pieces of hard food and press them down into the food so that they have to lick up the wet food in order to find the kibble. Kind of like a treasure hunt!
 

nunnc84

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Hi! This is my first time posting on The Cat Site. I'm eager to get advice from fellow cat owners.

My cat Gus is a 2 year old Russian Blue. He has always been very fond of his dry food, but quite picky when it comes to his wet food. He will devour wet food when it is fresh from the can, but with each passing day (when its coming out of the fridge) he gets less and less interested. By the 3rd day he will sniff it and walk away.

I also think he gets tired of the same flavor. I previously alternated between 3 flavors which seemed to work, but after some urinary issues he is now on a prescription diet (Hills Science Diet c/d) - which only comes in 2 flavors.

Has anyone had any experience with a picky eater?

What method do you use for re-heating wet food that has been in the fridge (I have tried microwave for 10-15 seconds, I have tried mixing with warm water).

How often do you give your cat wet food? I began with 2x a day then reduced to once a day when I found he barely ate it.

Any advice welcome! Thank you!
I have a picky eater it started when I switched the food due to a recall. At the same time the vet told me to start hills joint diet, that was discontinued.
We are supplementing the diet; it’s the supplements she won’t eat!
I’ve kept to Hills, she will eat dry food so I’m going to tell the vet.
 

kmoulus

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I used to fill a bowl with hot water and sit the can in there for a few minutes, like a water bath.
 

maggie101

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Maggie is as very picky eater. She will not eat her canned food til I mix in shredded chicken or bonito flakes. Try topping his food with tiki. If that works I use Miko bought online
 

misty8723

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Cricket is a very picky eater, especially when it comes to wet food. When we were talking about adopting her, the person at the shelter told me that she would never eat wet food. I just drooped, because that was my plan, to get my (now RB kitty) Swanie on all wet. She aksed if that was a deal breaker, but of course we were already bonded with Cricket, so we brought her home and I tried everything from the cheapest junk to the high end very expensive and she turned her nose up to all of them. The only thing I've found that she will eat is Weruva Cat's in the Kitchen Chick Magnet or Mack Jack and Skip. She will also eat Soulistic Midnight Delight sometimes. The common ingredient in those is mackerel. She doesn't eat the whole pouch, but I've tried giving her half and later warming up the other half and she will have none of it.

Austin is on Royal Canin SO, wet and dry. He used to totally snarf up the wet food, but now he eats a little and leaves the rest. He does not like the food Cricket eats, so it's no problem leaving that down for a while so she can graze.

The cans of SO are so big, I give him half in the morning and half in the evening, warming it up in the microwave for about 15 seconds. He eats it, no problem, but just a bit of it. Then he wants to go get his dry food. I don't like keeping it longer than a day, or I could try giving him 1/4 in the morning and 1/4 in the evening and the other half the next day.

RB kitty Cynthia was picky, but not as bad as Cricket. I found a variety of wet foods she would eat, she was especially fond of Fancy Feast Classics.
RB Swanie never met a food he didn't like, wet or dry. I miss that boy so very much.
 
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