What do you feed a finicky cat?

April 7, 2015 4:45 AM

My cat was perfectly fine eating wise until she was 6 months and got spay surgery. I feel that now she is very different- stopped eating dry food and she only eats maybe 1 can of hills I/d gastrointestinal prescription diet per day. That if I force feed her with a spoon. I tried forti flora and even heating up her food. It only helps so much. She does eat a little but simply not enough for her age/ weight. How do I get her to eat more or not be such an ordeal every single feeding time? I did set up feeding times evening and mornings and nothing in between . What else should I put in food to entice her to eat or what type of canned food did you try?
posted by barexamfreak to Pets & Animals (16 answers total)

How long has this been going on? And have you spoken to the vet? Sudden changes in eating habits can indicate other problems. How is she otherwise? Drinking normally?
posted by feckless fecal fear mongering at 4:54 AM on April 7, 2015 [1 favorite]

If you're having to force feed your cat you need to take it to the vet, especially after abdominal surgery.
posted by Solomon at 4:58 AM on April 7, 2015 [14 favorites]

What have you tried? What flavor is the stuff you're feeding her now? My current cat only likes fish flavored things and will not touch anything chicken or beef, which is a total flip from my previous cat who would probably have felled a cow or turkey under her own power but ignored tuna entirely. Right now I'm feeding a combination of Wellness foods, dry and wet, mostly this one, though. My picky, not-food-motivated cat has turned up his nose at anything with a "minced" texture and only likes cubed and sliced things, and crunchy greenies treats. When I first got him he ate a wider variety of things but was very underweight. But while he scarfed down the food I linked above, he only nibbled at the rest. When he realized there would always be food (shelter cat) he completely stopped eating anything he didn't love.

If it's not be very long since the surgery, it's not an unusual reaction to stress for a cat to go off its food for a bit. (Like, 2 days. More than that, vet!) But if it's been a while since the surgery and this change was quick, it's vet time ASAP. Watch her drinking and check her litter box, too. Cats are really good at hiding when something is wrong.

Some cats though are super picky eaters, just like some cats will only use one obscure kind of litter. There are many types to try, and lots of flavors. Cats have taste preferences that are more variable than you'd think.
posted by Mizu at 5:00 AM on April 7, 2015 [1 favorite]

Was your cat prescribed a gatrointestinal diet (L/D)? Why?

There are lots of great, stinky, palatable cat food out there. But did your vet want your cat to be on a specific diet? It might not benefit your cat's condition to switch its food without consulting with him or her first.
posted by Seppaku at 5:10 AM on April 7, 2015 [2 favorites]

If you're having to force feed your cat you need to take it to the vet, especially after abdominal surgery.

Please stop reading now and take the above advice very seriously.
posted by Dolley at 5:24 AM on April 7, 2015 [23 favorites]

My cats loathe the Hills gastro diet stuff. It's like they know it comes from The Evil Place. I think it stinks too. They love shredded chicken wet food.

But I do agree with the suggestions to see the vet. Recently one of my cats went off her food for a day and then threw up a few times and the vet was concerned enough to keep her on an IV for two days. They can dehydrate scary fast.
posted by kitten magic at 5:54 AM on April 7, 2015

Please stop reading now and take the above advice very seriously.

This. I speak from experience. If you're force-feeding your cat, there could be something very wrong and it's always better to catch it early.
posted by thivaia at 6:17 AM on April 7, 2015 [4 favorites]

After a urinary tract infection, our cat now eats only prescription food. We went with Royal Canine urinary SO. Hills C/D was also an option, and we tried one other brand, but he preferred the royal canine.

Before you consider other brands of food, please see the vet. As others have said, if your cat isn't eating, something is potentially wrong.
posted by Phredward at 6:40 AM on April 7, 2015

Definitely see the vet first. Your cat may even have stomatitis or gum disease or any other kind of mouth pain that might make eating difficult. Or simply a slight cold that means she can't smell the food, so she isn't tempted.

Also, what's happening at the other end of the cat? We have a very finicky cat who has severe constipation, and he has to get enemas at the vet if our regular doses of fluids and lactulose don't clear him out. He eats happily most of the time now, but if we really want to treat him and make him just eat without all the rigmarole, he gets one of the Fancy Feast flavors with cheese in it. He'll lap that right up.

If it turns out that your cat is just being finicky, like ours, we've also found that Cheez Whizz in tiny squirts will tempt him to eat a previously unpalatable bowl of cat food. But obviously that isn't a longterm solution.
posted by vickyverky at 8:03 AM on April 7, 2015

How long has this been going on? When was she spayed? Why is she on prescription food in the first place? And, most importantly, WHAT DOES THE VET SAY ABOUT IT?
posted by lydhre at 8:06 AM on April 7, 2015 [1 favorite]

I make cat 'soup' for my two kitties. I take a small can of gravy-type cat food, add an equal amount or a little less of HOT tap water & stir well. And sometimes I even put cat treats on top, I figure I like crackers in my soup maybe they do too. They do crunch the treats as they drink the 'soup'. A plus for this is my kitty who doesn't drink enough imo is getting some fluid daily. They really like it.

I also find that they eat a lot better if I stay with them when I feed them. If I just put the food down & walk out of the room, within minutes, I see one or both cats walk out of that room. So I do try to stay in there with them, for about 5-10 minutes. They usually drink the liquid then later nosh on the meat/fish that's left behind if they didn't eat it at feeding time. I use 5 oz. styro bowls & toss them daily.

I agree w/prev. posters, a vet trip is in order if the cat's not eating for long enough that you have to force-feed. Hopefully this is a super-fussy kitty & not a health problem but it's cause for concern. Also the force-feeding may be creating some issues for the cat, they're so sensitive to unpleasant things it *could* be creating a problem that will linger for the cat.
posted by RichardHenryYarbo at 8:12 AM on April 7, 2015

I have a fairly robust 'sick cat toolbox' that is a poor substitute for following up with the vet. However, before jumping to that conclusion and posting my experience, I want to confirm that an issue exists.

You mentioned that your cat will eat a can of prescription wet food (with encouragement) a day. Prescription means that you are working with a vet.

If this prescription food was suggested post-surgery, the vet presumably ruled out surgery complications. Assuming this is the case - Are you sure a can of wet food is not enough? Does the vet agree?

A can of wet food may be adequate, and your cat may just dislike the taste. This may be more of a finicky cat issue than illness.

If it was prescribed before surgery, then your cat probably had dietary issues beforehand and this change needs to be reported to the vet immediately, because more serious problems could be occurring.

Based on the prescription diet, it sounds like you are actively working with a vet and have doubts related to care. If this is the case, perhaps a second opinion from another vet is in order. If there is an issue with the amount the cat is eating, and it's been confirmed that there isn't a surgery complication, then I can offer food related tips.
posted by bindr at 9:25 AM on April 7, 2015 [2 favorites]

What does your vet say? Please take your cat to the vet.
posted by radioamy at 9:55 AM on April 7, 2015 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: Everyone I did take the cat t the vet and was in contact with two boys about it. They think it is just maybe I am starting to train her to spoon feeding her. She is eating like I said . She is eating plenty for her age. It is just that she eats with a spoon which is weird.
posted by barexamfreak at 3:26 PM on April 9, 2015

Response by poster: I meant two vets not two boys!!
posted by barexamfreak at 3:26 PM on April 9, 2015

Cats are weird. Eatting from a spoon is a little different from the force feeding that I imagined (& have had to do).

I'd imagine being spoon-fed is not unlike the human ideal of being hand-fed grapes. I'm not sure if the vets offered suggestions on untraining this behavior, but I'd try experimenting with variations during feeding time.

It's taken me weeks to coax a cat into new food behaviors, and sometimes longer, especially if I wasn't consistent. So, for that reason, I'd be hesitant to just walk away, because the cat may learn (or has learned) to wait for you to come back and spoon feed him.

What if you leave the spoon in the bowl?
Or put the spoon down after filling it with food?
Or feed all but one spoon... And then two?

Don't forget to reward / encourage any independent eating attempts. They may just enjoy the extra attention during dinner time.

Good luck!
posted by bindr at 10:19 PM on April 9, 2015