please help me find a good canned food

Hello. I have a cat that is soo picky that I have been trying to find a good canned food for. If anyone here has a very picky eater, please share what foods you got them to eat and how you got them to eat it.

I don't have a pet store near me so I have been ordering everything online. I ordered him a 12 pack of Felidae chicken & rice and he ate that really good so I ordered a 24 pack. When I got those the texture was different - not as runny - and he won't really eat it. Does anyone know if they changed their formula recently?

I don't want to give him any food with fish in it as his urinary trouble seems to act up.

Here are the canned foods I have tried:

1. Felidae chicken & rice - ate at first / won't now
2. Wellness (chicken, turkey) - will eat sometimes / not as good as did at first
3. Nature's Variety Prairie (lamb, duck, rabbit, chicken, chicken & turkey, venison) - won't eat
4. PetGuard (chicken stew lite) - won't eat
5. Nature's Recipe (julienne cuts chicken & gravy, julienne cuts lamb & gravy) - won't eat
6. Eagle Pack (duck & oatmeal, chicken & lamb, turkey & barley) - won't eat
7. Nutro gourmet classics pouches (chicken, beef, and a couple others I can't remember right now) - won't eat
8. Nutro cans (several different ones) - won't eat
9. Blue Spa Select (turkey & chicken) - won't eat
10. Natural Life (turkey & chicken, chicken, lamb) - won't eat
11. Newman's Own Organics (turkey & vegetable, and one other one I can't remember - I think chicken) - won't eat
12. Merricks (turducken, grammy's pot pie, thanksgiving day dinner) - ate at first but won't now

There may be a couple of others I have forgotten.

He has had some urinary problems the past few months, with crystals being found in his urine at one point (in May). He is currently on a prescription dry food - Science Diet C/D. I really wish I could find a good canned food that he will eat. He drinks a very small amount of water - some days he doesn't drink any (I know because I measure his water). I have tried a drinking fountain and placing different bowls in different areas - it is so frustrating.

Sorry this turned out to be a little long. Thanks in advance for any help.

I see petfooddirect has Innova Evo canned on sale right now. I am wondering if that is high or low in ash and magnesium. I know their dry is high, but it doesn't say on their low.

I've had cats eat that, that were fussy about other foods.

I'm planning to order some, but I don't know if it would be good for my Nugie who has been having a struvite crystal problem too.

Oh, I found a 20% off coupon for PFD. The code is GEICO and it doesn't expire till 7/6/2007.

Evo is NOT in wet or dry form a good idea for UTI cats ...

Have you tried wysong au jus

Thanks for that Sharky. I also have a ton of Eagle Pack canned on order, so I'll be sure to keep the Evo away from Nugie and give him anything else.

I don't know about your cat, but my Jaden is crazy about gravy in her wet food. She laps up all the gravy first and then works on the chunks. She very reluctantly eats the pate style. I bought her some by accident and got her to eat it by 1. Adding a little water to make it more soupy 2. Microwave until it's just past room temp 3. Add 1/8 tsp of powdered brewer's yeast.

I know it seems silly to microwave a tiny portion only a few seconds, but it really brings out the odor of the food. Many cats won't eat food if they can't smell it.

The brewer's yeast is a great supplement and very inexpensive. Most cats like the taste and think it's a treat. It's a great natural source of protein and B vitamins. And when it's added to a little water, it makes its own gravy. It's also supposed to make their coat shiny and soft. 1000 mg a day or so is about 1/4 tsp of powdered, which I split into two portions.

Just yesterday Jaden didn't want to eat her dry food (of which I just bought 4 more pounds) so I made it more appealing to her by sprinkling the brewer's yeast on the dry instead of adding it to the wet. She ate almost her whole serving today.

It's pretty expensive to keep buying food he won't eat, so keep trying different additives. You could also sprinkle a few bits of dry food on top of the wet. Or try chicken that you've cooked yourself. How about a touch of catnip seasoning? Or that VitaGravy I've seen in stores. Good luck to you.

You mentioned putting bowls in different places--have you tried other containers? Willow prefers to drink from cups or glasses. She like her Slurpie cup for a long time, and she's also had measuring cups and drinking glasses. She sometimes drinks from a metal kitchen bowl, but if I put out a cat bowl or a small glass bowl she won't touch it.

Have you tried the Natural Balance foods? They have a couple of non-fishy flavors. You might also look for the Addiction cat food if you can find it, or may Spot's Stew (though I think it has garlic). California Natural has chicken and venison varieties.

Here are two brands you might try:

California Natural
Nature's Logic (they make rabbit in cans and dry. )

Gizmo eats the dry Nature's Logic but not the wet. I have a similar problem to you; my girl is a tuna junkie thanks to her previous owners, and the only wet food she will eat is fish, which is not good for her.)

If you are near a Trader Joe's, their cat food is goopy and cats love it, even Gizmo does. (but we are not near a Trader Joe's.)

Good luck.

While mine love the Trader Joe's food, be aware that all of them have fish as one of the ingredients.

Taima, was the Felidae two different can sizes? I've heard that the different sizes can be different textures because they're cooked in the can. Or if she likes her food a little soupy, would she eat it if you added a little warm water to the food?

Thanks everyone for your replies. I found a few places where I have been able to order just 1 or 2 cans of a food to try it. I received some today and now have 2 more that he has rejected: Evangers Holistic Pheasant & Nature's Logic Chicken - would not eat either one of them.

This is what else I received today that I will be trying:

Wysong (couple of the au jus, chicken stew in gravy, beef stew in gravy) I also got his some of their chicken treats, and he seemed to like them so I am hopeful for this one.

Regal (turkey & rice) - I'm not sure if I will give this to him as it has ocean fish in it. I thought when ordering it that fish every once in a while may not hurt him - but that is what I thought the last time too, so I probably shouldn't try it again.

I also ordered a can of Innova Evo, but I guess I won't be trying that either for the same reason as above. (Thanks sharky for the advice on this food - I thought all their food looked to "fishy" for him.)

I also ordered him some of the Honest Kitchen Prowl dehydrated raw cat food. I have never tried feeding him anything like this before. I like the ingredients listed.

Originally Posted by tru

I see petfooddirect has Innova Evo canned on sale right now. I am wondering if that is high or low in ash and magnesium. I know their dry is high, but it doesn't say on their low.

I've had cats eat that, that were fussy about other foods.

I'm planning to order some, but I don't know if it would be good for my Nugie who has been having a struvite crystal problem too.

Oh, I found a 20% off coupon for PFD. The code is GEICO and it doesn't expire till 7/6/2007.

Click to expand...

Thank you for the coupon code. That is where I have ordered a lot of the food. I had one for 15% off (instant15 - I think).

Originally Posted by purefusion

I don't know about your cat, but my Jaden is crazy about gravy in her wet food. She laps up all the gravy first and then works on the chunks. She very reluctantly eats the pate style. I bought her some by accident and got her to eat it by 1. Adding a little water to make it more soupy 2. Microwave until it's just past room temp 3. Add 1/8 tsp of powdered brewer's yeast.

I know it seems silly to microwave a tiny portion only a few seconds, but it really brings out the odor of the food. Many cats won't eat food if they can't smell it.

The brewer's yeast is a great supplement and very inexpensive. Most cats like the taste and think it's a treat. It's a great natural source of protein and B vitamins. And when it's added to a little water, it makes its own gravy. It's also supposed to make their coat shiny and soft. 1000 mg a day or so is about 1/4 tsp of powdered, which I split into two portions.

Just yesterday Jaden didn't want to eat her dry food (of which I just bought 4 more pounds) so I made it more appealing to her by sprinkling the brewer's yeast on the dry instead of adding it to the wet. She ate almost her whole serving today.

It's pretty expensive to keep buying food he won't eat, so keep trying different additives. You could also sprinkle a few bits of dry food on top of the wet. Or try chicken that you've cooked yourself. How about a touch of catnip seasoning? Or that VitaGravy I've seen in stores. Good luck to you.

Click to expand...

Thanks for all your suggestions. He was eating Fancy Feast - the shredded & chunk kind with the gravy - and Friskies pouches. He has never had much interest in the pate style food either - which is why I was surprised and happy when he was eating the Felidae so well at first. While he was liking the Felidae he seemed to lose interest in the Fancy Feast and Friskies foods.

I have tried adding water to it (I have been adding at least a tiny bit of water to all his canned foods since he started having his urinary troubles). I have also tried adding warm water and microwaving it. I also tried mixing in a little with the Fancy Feast or Friskies. Doesn't help with him. He will just sniff it and walk away.

I haven't tried the brewer's yeast. I noticed that it is listed as an ingredient on some of the foods I have given him - would it help to add more?

I haven't tried the catnip seasoning either. That is ok to add to their food? Would the VitaGravy be okay for cats with urinary issues? I've tried to feed him cooked chicken before - he's never really had any interest.

It has been very expensive trying to find him a food - especially since I am having to order everything online.

Thanks again for your help!

Originally Posted by cloud_shade

You mentioned putting bowls in different places--have you tried other containers? Willow prefers to drink from cups or glasses. She like her Slurpie cup for a long time, and she's also had measuring cups and drinking glasses. She sometimes drinks from a metal kitchen bowl, but if I put out a cat bowl or a small glass bowl she won't touch it.

Have you tried the Natural Balance foods? They have a couple of non-fishy flavors. You might also look for the Addiction cat food if you can find it, or may Spot's Stew (though I think it has garlic). California Natural has chicken and venison varieties.

Click to expand...

Yep, I have tried different containers. Plastic bowls, ceramic bowls, stainless steel bowls, glass saucers, plastic cups, and glass cups in all different sizes in many different locations. I haven't tried a measuring cup - I think I'll try that one. He's never tried drinking from faucets, and he doesn't have access to the bathroom (door is kept shut), so I know that what he does drink from his water dishes is all he drinks, and that is very little.

I haven't tried the Natural Balance. I did look at those and I think most of them had fish in them. There was a couple of them I wanted to try, but the only place I've found it so far is petfooddirect, and I didn't really want to order so many and him not eat it. (That has gotten very expensive).

I have tried Halo Spot's Stew - he wouldn't eat it. I looked at the California Natural, but I think I couldn't find one of theirs that did not have fish in it.

Thanks for your help!

Originally Posted by Naturestee

Taima, was the Felidae two different can sizes? I've heard that the different sizes can be different textures because they're cooked in the can. Or if she likes her food a little soupy, would she eat it if you added a little warm water to the food?

Click to expand...

No, it was the same can size. They only have the 5.5oz cans. I did try adding water to it, but he wasn't interested.

I did e-mail the company and ask if they had changed their formula. (I've never done anything like that before, but I was so disappointed because he had been eating it so well and I really liked the ingredients). They responded and let me know that they had not changed the formula, but were working on the consistency. They said they couldn't guarantee that it would be the same as the first pack I tried, but that it should not be so hard. I am wondering if maybe I got a bad pack since it was so dry. Should I maybe ask them for a refund or a replacement pack?

With Natural Balance, the Chicken & Liver Paté is fish free, and the Venison and Green pea only has Salmon oil as the 6th ingredient. I had forgotten that California Natural had herring in it.

Unfortunately I can't see the ingredients for Addiction Cat food at work, but their site is www.addictionfoods.com

First Off I wanted to say that dry food is actually very bad for cats it is very unhealthy. It is like human processed food. Also, cats only need very little water to survive and dry food actually causes them to drink more water than they would need as opposed to if they are only eating wet. If you think about it cats in the wild don't have any access to dry food or even cooked food they eat only raw food.

I would reccommend either trying Omas Pride wich is a line of all raw cat food, which is the most healthy thing for cats, and which my cats absolutely cannot get enough of. Or try feeding your cat fancy feast which is another really healthy choice. I also reccommend that once you find a wet food that your cat likes, to stop feeding your cat dry food. I would try leaving out the wet food and taken away the dry food all together. He will eventually eat when he is hungry. And thats the easiest way to get them from dry food to wet food. Well, hope I could help. Good Luck.

heres the site for Omas Pride> www.omaspride.com

Originally Posted by PrdMmaF3Kitties

First Off I wanted to say that dry food is actually very bad for cats it is very unhealthy. It is like human processed food. Also, cats only need very little water to survive and dry food actually causes them to drink more water than they would need as opposed to if they are only eating wet. If you think about it cats in the wild don't have any access to dry food or even cooked food they eat only raw food.

I would reccommend either trying Omas Pride wich is a line of all raw cat food, which is the most healthy thing for cats, and which my cats absolutely cannot get enough of. Or try feeding your cat fancy feast which is another really healthy choice. I also reccommend that once you find a wet food that your cat likes, to stop feeding your cat dry food. I would try leaving out the wet food and taken away the dry food all together. He will eventually eat when he is hungry. And thats the easiest way to get them from dry food to wet food. Well, hope I could help. Good Luck.

heres the site for Omas Pride> www.omaspride.com

Click to expand...

PLEASE dont say a CAT will eat when hungry ... a CAT WILL STARVE itself... and yes many of us on here use raw the poster wants wet ...