Question on Food

Max if very picky about what he eats. He only eats Purina Cat Chow and Whisker Lickens tuna/shrimp tarter control treats. He does not eat any soft food (I've tried them all) or human food (except tuna). If he doesn't get his treats every day he drives me up a wall. When I sit down he will run right up my body and meow in my face and then run back to where I feed him his treats. In my town only Wal Mart sells this particular brand of treat. I only have one cat, but I buy these treats 10 at a time so I won't run out. One day I had the Wal Mart employee go search the back storeroom for the treats and luckily they had one case left. I bought most of it. I have talked with my Vet, but he says not to worry that Max (for an indoor cat) has very good muscle tone and is not fat (12 lbs) for his size. But I do worry that he's not getting enough nutrition. Anyone have any ideas?

one of my kitties was obssesed with cookies too, but I foud another different brand of dry food he likes, and give him that as cookies now, that food is only as cookies so I think he thinks they are cookies. I even put them in the wiskas lickens bottle LOL!

I don't know how many brands you have tried, but there are over 50 brands of dry food out there, and more formulas for wet food. It's possible you just haven't found something he likes yet, it can take a while, or he's being stubborn and knows you'll give him those treats instead of eating his food.

It sometimes takes my cats 3 days to accept a new food, but after a while they will and they eat it. Cats can learn to hold out for things if they know they will get them.

I took care of a clients cat who ate nothing but Purina One (I believe) and the temptation treats, but it was really only the treats he would eat.

You can find a list of food on the Health and Nutrition board under a few posts.

While yes, on foods like this your cat might have decent muscle tone, and he's not ill, but that doesn't mean he couldn't always be healthier! You should worry about his nutritional requirements. Good luck! Keep trying other foods, give him a few days to accpet it, and with hold ALL treats, no matter how much he begs you, he begs because he knows you will give in.

I would be concerned on the nutritional aspect of it and try him with canned food- I would warm up his food in the microwave for just a few seconds, and give it to him to see if that makes a difference. I would also try dried fish, boiled chicken, and look into Royal Canin blends as well. Treats are just that, treats to be given occassionally and not all the time. Try wiping his paws or his whiskers with wet food- perhaps break his kibble down a little bit to not make it so large for him. My concern would be for his overall health. I would try an assortment and it isn't taste that is an issue with a cat, but it is smell, texture and even shape- so try dry food that is different shapes. Email the pet food companies and ask them if they send out sample bags, many do. Good luck

Hello, my Harry was a very finicky young cat, and boy could he hold out on me. Sometimes I thought the guy would starve before compromising his taste buds! I thought I had tried everything, but I went into a petstore one day, nearly in tears, and the clerk recommended Royal Canin formula for sensitive (finicky) cats. Well, Harry LOVED it! That and Fancy feast.

He currently is on a special prescription Science Diet dry food that he enjoys too. Thank goodness!

Hope you can find some nutritious food for your furbaby.