I adopted a sweet male Lynx Point two weeks ago today from an acquaintance who couldn't take her kitties with her when she moved. She described him as a homebody and a cuddler, and when we brought him home he was truly the most mellow cat on earth.
She had gave me the Trader Joe's dry kibble that he had been eating (his whole life, I assume), and I haven't been able to find much information about the ingredients in it. Knowing that he might eat less for the first few days while he transitioned to my home, I just kept an eye on how much he was eating over the first week. He transitioned REALLY well and hasn't had any issues. However, I noticed that he was *maybe* eating 1/4 cup of his dry food over the course of the entire day. I suspect that he has probably always under-eaten on this food, and perhaps it wasn't noticed because he lived with his brother (a very active cat) and another cat as well.
I have since switched him to Merrick Before Grain, and he LOVES it. In fact, on the first day when I did a 25/75 ratio with his TJ food, he only ate the BG kibbles and left the TJs in the bowl. I leave a 1/2 cup of the BG down during the day for him to eat small meals while I'm at work. Being concerned about water intake as well, I am giving him a can of Fancy Feast Classic (1/2 in the morning, 1/2 in the evening) a day. Within just a couple of days of this food change I noticed he gained a some HEALTHY weight (he wasn't unhealthily thin before, but he was quite trim), and his coat is MUCH shinier and softer. He is also much more energetic, has more hydrated looking solid waste, and is even bathing himself more often.
It makes me sad thinking that he may have been hungry and under-nourished before I got him, but I am so happy to have my healthy boy here now (even if he does bite my feet occasionally while I sleep)!
She had gave me the Trader Joe's dry kibble that he had been eating (his whole life, I assume), and I haven't been able to find much information about the ingredients in it. Knowing that he might eat less for the first few days while he transitioned to my home, I just kept an eye on how much he was eating over the first week. He transitioned REALLY well and hasn't had any issues. However, I noticed that he was *maybe* eating 1/4 cup of his dry food over the course of the entire day. I suspect that he has probably always under-eaten on this food, and perhaps it wasn't noticed because he lived with his brother (a very active cat) and another cat as well.
I have since switched him to Merrick Before Grain, and he LOVES it. In fact, on the first day when I did a 25/75 ratio with his TJ food, he only ate the BG kibbles and left the TJs in the bowl. I leave a 1/2 cup of the BG down during the day for him to eat small meals while I'm at work. Being concerned about water intake as well, I am giving him a can of Fancy Feast Classic (1/2 in the morning, 1/2 in the evening) a day. Within just a couple of days of this food change I noticed he gained a some HEALTHY weight (he wasn't unhealthily thin before, but he was quite trim), and his coat is MUCH shinier and softer. He is also much more energetic, has more hydrated looking solid waste, and is even bathing himself more often.
It makes me sad thinking that he may have been hungry and under-nourished before I got him, but I am so happy to have my healthy boy here now (even if he does bite my feet occasionally while I sleep)!