How can I encourage my kittens to eat wet?

zorana_dragonky

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Bamf will typically eat half or all of what I give him. He seems to like most flavors of most foods.

Pixel will eat 1/4-1/2 or none at all, basically about one teaspoon of food, if that. Perhaps I have not offered her a flavor that she likes? I plan on offering her more different flavors and brands to attempt to find a wet food that she will eat. Right now I am settling with the fact that she laps up any gravy or sauce, so I know she is getting moisture and vitamins.

Anyone have any suggestions? I am free feeding dry also, while they are kittens and are growing.
 

arlyn

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For kittens, I mash up the wet food so that food and gravy are well mixed, no gravy-lapping here.
I also add (for 3 kittens 1 cat) 1 tablespoon of water to one 6 ounce can of food.
I've noticed over the years that most kittens prefer it that way, though I'm not sure why.
 

chetwynsmom

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Try putting it in the microwave till warm,or add warm water.They seem to like the smell better when the heat brings it out.Its the only way my cats eat wet food now
 
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zorana_dragonky

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I probably should have said that I already have tried both of those options. I mash up all of the food (especially chunky type food) until it is squishy-soft, then I add a bit of water, and THEN I heat it up.

Bamf loves it. He typically makes quick work of his wet food soup.

Pixel will just lap at it a little (and she does get up a little of the food). Making it more soupy was my solution to Pixel just eating the gravy. But she still doesn't eat very much food.

I am only giving them about 2 tablespoons worth of the wet food at a time, made a little soupy and warmed up, so it isn't a lot, even for tiny kittens.
 

zoeysmom

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I'm still trying to get Belle and Delilah to eat wet food. I've tried a few different kinds, and they would like it for the first day and then turn up their nose the second day. Now, they just basicaly sniff wet food when I put it down and walk away. They both like seafood whiskas pouches, but I will only feed that as an occasional treat.

I did try Merrick's (Cowboy Cookout - it was the first time they tried beef) and they both seemed to enjoy that. It's pretty soupy and they seemed to enjoy the gravy first - but they did go back to the meat after (looser than most loaf style wet foods). I bought a can of Granny's Pot Pie as well, so we'll see if they like the chicken version of Merrick the same, or if the beef is what entices them!

They both seem to like drinking cat milk when I give it to them, so I might try mixing that with some of the regular cat food to make sort of a cream soup for them.

Let me know if you have any success! Good luck!
 

jack31

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I just dealt with this myself.

Harley loves the wet food, Jack had very little interest. But for the last 5 days he has finished his whole bowl. If I had not have switched to scheduled feedings I don't think the wet would have worked at all here. It has helped to heat Jack's as it makes the pate even easier to lick up.

They no longer get to free feed on dry. They get about 1/3 cup dry each in the morning, and they both sit and eat it all--if they leave any, I take it from them after 30-45 minutes.

I feed them wet when I get home from work--about 6-7 pm. Then before bed they get about 1/8 dry to nibble on until morning.

Leslie
 

arlyn

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Meal feeding works great, but next to impossible for kittens as kittens just cannot eat as much as they burn in one or two meals.

I'm curious, what canned food are you trying your kittens on, zorana?

I discovered that my three did not care for kitten food at all (canned-wise), but they will eat the all life stages canned that my adult cat gets.
Worth a shot.
 

arlyn

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Unfortunately, Friskies.
It's the only one my 14 year old will eat.
Better some crappy canned though than none at all.

I'm pretty limited out here too, I'm stuck with what I can get at the grocery store, or the feed store.

I tried the babies on every canned kitten food I could get my hands on, they ate, but never cared for any of it.

Luckily I can get Nutro and Felidae dry, and they all seem to prefer the Nutro Natural which is what I free feed.
 
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