Phaedra refuses wet food. Possible food allergies?

fleshflowers

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My 7month old suddenly stopped wanting to eat her wet food, she's been eating it since she was around 8 weeks old. She still eats her dry food but refuses her wet food anymore. She has always been given Wellness kitten wet food. Does anyone have a cat that stopped eating their wet food? The only way I can get her to even eat it is by putting some Meow Mix (yes, gross, I know) in with it and even then it's a 50/50 chance. Should I be concerned at all? I even tried going to Petco and getting a different flavor because the kitten one only comes in one flavor, but she still refuses it. For her dry food she is on Wellness kitten formula.

Also, could her not wanting to eat it anymore be a sign of food allergies? She doesn't vomit or have diarrhea, but she does scratch her head a lot, and the vet said she doesn't have fleas or ear mites. She gets a build up of what the vet said is wax in one ear, I have to clean it out every couple days, and her other ear is always fine and empty.
 

mrsgreenjeens

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It sounds to me like perhaps she is bored with her wet food, especially since it only comes in one flavor.  Some cats are very particular about their wet food, and finding the right ones can take time.  Of my four cats, none are very fond of wet food, but I am trying to get them to like it, so when I go to Petco, I buy many varieties, and many textures (pate, shredded, grilled, etc).  I realize there aren't many choices out there for kitten food, but since she is 7 months, you can probably move her to adult canned food, especially since you are feeding her  a good dry food.  It could be, though, that she is just not as hungry right now as she was in the past too.  Kittens go thru growing spurts, and sometimes they eat a lot, and sometimes they don't, at least that how my boys were! 

As to the head scratching, it sounds to me like it's the wax build up in that one ear that is causing that.  I don't think cats really realize when they are allergic to a food and know enough to not eat it. 
 
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just mike

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I agree with MrsGreenJeans. Mix up the wet a little with different varieties and brands.  My 4 get a variety of Nutro Natural Choice flavors and textures as well as Nutro Max.  But I also buy other brands to give them a variety in flavor and texture.  When it comes to dry food, try to stick with the same thing and if you change, do it gradually over the course of a week or so by mixing the new in with the old food. Something like a ratio of 25% new to 75% old for a couple three days.  Then 50/50 for a few days and then 75% new to 25% old for a few days.  If you have no problems you are probably good to go on the dry.  Wet can usually be a mixed variety without doing it so gradually. Any questions feel free to PM me and I'll be happy to help if I can.
 
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