New here, trying to switch large kitty to canned food, and probably overthinking this...

Hi! I'm new here. First, my apologies -- this will be long. Second, thanks so much to everyone here -- I lurked for a while and, thanks in large part to what I've read here, I've managed, in two weeks, to move three of my four cats off their dry food, to the Merrick Cowboy Cookout. They love this stuff to the point where they now ignore the dry food I put out for the remaining holdout. Speaking of which:

Smudge, my overweight tabby, is 14 years old, she's never responded well to change in general, and because I've failed her miserably, she's 19 pounds. (She's three pounds less than her heaviest weight a couple of years ago, but still.)

She also hates the Cowboy Cookout food that the other three love.

Since she's always eaten chicken-based dry food, I decided to try giving her the Grammy's Pot Pie flavor. In the beginning she wouldn't eat her dry food if her dish was even near a dish of the canned food, but after a couple of days I was able to put her dry food in the same dish with some of the Grammy's Pot Pie food. At first I was encouraged, but we've gone no further in the past week and a half. She's more or less okay with the canned being in the same bowl with her kibble, but if she accidentally gets a taste of the canned she'll stop eating and walk away.

I'm wondering if she just doesn't like the Merrick food. How can you tell when a cat is resisting something because she hates the change, and when she's resisting because she simply hates this particular food?

I know there are higher-quality brands out there than Purina, but the Pro Plan Urinary Tract Health Chicken Entree in Gravy looks okay on the Catinfo chart (she had a UTI last month, which prompted my wanting to switch all four to canned). Also, I keep reading that the worst canned is better than the best dry food. Am I giving up too soon on the Merrick food if I try the Pro Plan? Any reason I shouldn't try giving her that instead?

(Yeah, I tend to overthink things.)

maybe buy over 5 different types of wet to see what one she'll eat and if you find it switch her over to that if it happenes to be a lesser good wet slowly add good wet with the wet she likes and increase the good wet and decrease the bad wet and slowly do it

i've done it some of my cats they didn't notice and some decided not to eat for a day or so and was trying to get me to cave in i didnt they did now they well eat any thing because they now i'm stubborn

It sounds like Smudge is a kibble addict. Something that might work for her is using FortiFlora as a topper on the canned food you would like her to eat. It's great that you already have already transitioned 3 to canned. Smudge may take some extra time and patience.

vball91 said:

It sounds like Smudge is a kibble addict. Something that might work for her is using FortiFlora as a topper on the canned food you would like her to eat.

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Tried it. She hates it. :lol3:

To give you an idea of what this cat is like: you might have no interest in cats, no desire to bond or communicate with a cat, and you may not care about them one way or another, but if you ever visited my house you would find yourself, at least once, apologizing to Smudge. Maybe you'll walk into a room where she's sleeping, or you'll get between her and the water dish, or you'll do something else -- I promise, she'll let you know you've offended her. She'll look up and give you a quick, annoyed, raspy meow -- and you'll immediately say, "Sorry, Smudge," and get out of her way. No matter what you think of cats or whether you normally pay any attention to them at all, it won't matter. This cat will make you feel like an idiot. :lol3:

Thanks for the suggestions. I'll try the Pro Plan and see if she hates that.

LOL Smudge sounds like a character. My cat is similar in that she has different vocalizations. I love the cranky sound she makes when you disturb her nap. She's also been similar in her food pickiness and stubborness in during her transition to raw. But one day, she just started eating it, no muss, no fuss, so there's always hope for the fussy eaters! Good luck in finding something she will eat that you want her to eat.

vball91 said:

LOL Smudge sounds like a character. My cat is similar in that she has different vocalizations. I love the cranky sound she makes when you disturb her nap. She's also been similar in her food pickiness and stubborness in during her transition to raw. But one day, she just started eating it, no muss, no fuss, so there's always hope for the fussy eaters! Good luck in finding something she will eat that you want her to eat.

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I think its because she knew you aren't going to cave in to her pickiness lol

Actually, no. I guess I wasn't clear, but I tried a lot of different things to get her to eat raw, different proteins, different textures, different "sauces", different toppers, different servingware, different places, followed her around with the plate, etc. After almost 3 months, she just started deciding to eat strips of raw beef without any extras. I still can't get her to eat any other meats reliably, but beef strips she loves.

vball91 said:

Actually, no. I guess I wasn't clear, but I tried a lot of different things to get her to eat raw, different proteins, different textures, different "sauces", different toppers, different servingware, different places, followed her around with the plate, etc. After almost 3 months, she just started deciding to eat strips of raw beef without any extras. I still can't get her to eat any other meats reliably, but beef strips she loves.

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oh at least she's eating it and did you try adding just a little chicken with the beef strips?

Oh yes. I tried 50/50 mix of beef and chicken. She picked out all the beef and ate it and left all the chicken behind. Same with turkey. Better success with pork. I don't think she likes poultry, but I haven't tried duck or goose or quail yet.

I can tell you from experience that it's all based on texture AND taste.  And, BTW, NONE of my cats like Merrick, any of the flavors of Merrick, which I found strange, because Merrick smells good enough that I would almost consider eating it.....ALMOST

Anyway, when I switched my cats from kibble, first I took up all the kibble and got them on a schedule.   I'm guessing you've already done that with Smudge?  So now it's just finding the right food?  What I would do is buy not only different brands, but also different styles...pate, slices, chunks, flaked, you get my drift?  And don't be afraid to crush some of her favorite kibble and use THAT as a topper.  Plus, if she goes without ONE meal because she doesn't like what's being served, that's ok.  Maybe it will make her more hungry for the next meal.  But since she is overweight, don't let her go two meals without eating or that could cause health issues. 

So, what really turned my cats around was Soulistic (Petco's brand).  It's grain free, comes in several flavors, and fairly inexpensive.  Problem is...most of the flavors are fish, or fish with chicken.  Have you tried Weruva?  They have several chicken flavors, and they are probably similar in price to Merrick.  It's a good idea to NOT feed the same canned food all the time anyway (thinking of your other cats in case Smudge rejects everything), just in case there is a recall, the mfr changes something and your cats begin rejecting it, etc.    Also, the Fancy Feast Classics line might be a good way to transition her.  Most cats can't resist it.  It's pate, though, so if she is resisting pate, that might not work. 

And you can use lots of things are toppers.  Crushed kibble, crushed treats, parmesan cheese (yes, from the green "can" in your fridge ), bonito flakes, a little tuna juice, Wholelife chicken (powdered) to name just a few.  I keep a whole arsenal here since my kids now eat raw and sometimes they decide they would now rather eat canned

karen627 said:

Hi! I'm new here. First, my apologies -- this will be long. Second, thanks so much to everyone here -- I lurked for a while and, thanks in large part to what I've read here, I've managed, in two weeks, to move three of my four cats off their dry food, to the Merrick Cowboy Cookout. They love this stuff to the point where they now ignore the dry food I put out for the remaining holdout. Speaking of which:

Smudge, my overweight tabby, is 14 years old, she's never responded well to change in general, and because I've failed her miserably, she's 19 pounds. (She's three pounds less than her heaviest weight a couple of years ago, but still.)

She also hates the Cowboy Cookout food that the other three love.

Since she's always eaten chicken-based dry food, I decided to try giving her the Grammy's Pot Pie flavor. In the beginning she wouldn't eat her dry food if her dish was even near a dish of the canned food, but after a couple of days I was able to put her dry food in the same dish with some of the Grammy's Pot Pie food. At first I was encouraged, but we've gone no further in the past week and a half. She's more or less okay with the canned being in the same bowl with her kibble, but if she accidentally gets a taste of the canned she'll stop eating and walk away.

I'm wondering if she just doesn't like the Merrick food. How can you tell when a cat is resisting something because she hates the change, and when she's resisting because she simply hates this particular food?

I know there are higher-quality brands out there than Purina, but the Pro Plan Urinary Tract Health Chicken Entree in Gravy looks okay on the Catinfo chart (she had a UTI last month, which prompted my wanting to switch all four to canned). Also, I keep reading that the worst canned is better than the best dry food. Am I giving up too soon on the Merrick food if I try the Pro Plan? Any reason I shouldn't try giving her that instead?

(Yeah, I tend to overthink things.)

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I'm in the same boat. My 14 yr old relatively toothless Maine Coon turned his nose up at Weruva Chick&liver for the second time. Had to medicate him with an appetite stimulant so he'd throw back some EVO dry and Natural Instinct canned.  I wish you the best of luck.  I did find that mine will accidentially eat some canned if I top off his food with crushed treats or Parma Cheese.  I guess I will try the Fancy Feast as well. Going on 2.5 months.